Cruising Provence on a River Boat

Excursions from a River Cruise in Provence

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At the Lyon Market Photo - Provence, France

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Many folks cruise to get a "taste" of a new area. It's amazing to do this by river cruising.....a floating hotel with excursions included in the price. Ships are small since they have to fit through locks or under bridges and usually carry fewer passengers because of their size - this translates - usually into quiet night life.The itineraries are usually great - European rivers wind through wonderful villages and past vineyards and orchards......Each port has an excursion included. I'll highlight two of my favorite during our seven cruise.....CHALON-SUR-SOANE:.......We boarded a motorcoach here for a short drive past Burgundy vineyards on our way to Beaune. We were given free time to walk...Read More

Many folks cruise to get a "taste" of a new area. It's amazing to do this by river cruising.....a floating hotel with excursions included in the price. Ships are small since they have to fit through locks or under bridges and usually carry fewer passengers because of their size - this translates - usually into quiet night life.
The itineraries are usually great - European rivers wind through wonderful villages and past vineyards and orchards......Each port has an excursion included. I'll highlight two of my favorite during our seven cruise.....
CHALON-SUR-SOANE:.......We boarded a motorcoach here for a short drive past Burgundy vineyards on our way to Beaune. We were given free time to walk along the narrow streets lined with shops and cafes for an hour or so. We then met our local guide for a tour of "L'Hotel Dieu" a hospice for the poor that were in need of medical care. This splendid building was established in 1443 by Nicholas Rolin - a politician. He erected a monument to his own wealth and importance - lots of gables and glazed wiles - you feel as though you wouldn't have minded being poor and ill to be taken here......until you hear that two or three patients occupied each bed.
A little more free time and a short walk to a storefront for wine tasting - lovely shop. We are taken downstairs into a brick walled - cave-like basement. We are given glasses for a few sips of white - a few sips of red and morsels of fresh baked bread in between. Just what we needed to prompt us to return upstairs and purchase a bottle or two to take aboard. You are allowed to take wines to the dining room for corkage or to enjoy on deck. We return to our home on the river for lunch and a pleasant afternoon of sailing.....a very pleasant day.

LYON: The third largest city in France - known for it's Michelin star chefs....We started the day with a motorcoach tour to the cathedral on the mountain for an hour or so and then through "vieux Lyon" for a quick overview and over the river to the new convention area. This short tour gave us a more comfortable feeling for venturing out that evening for our nightime escapade. Since we were going, as a group, to a Paull Bocuse "fun night" at his catering restaurant - "L'Abbaye" the following night, we chose to explore the pedestrian area, with all of it's parks and fountains, to find a "bouchon" that offers simple local food. You can read about our evening in another of my reviews in this journal. We ended the evening with a cocktail overlooking Lyon "all lit up" at night.....Memorable......
The next morning, was a wallking tour of the market - and what a market.....the best I've seen anywhere. Fruits, veggies, flowers, fish, rotisserie chickens, herbs, lotions, soaps - I wish I were staying longer and had cooking facilities....If only I had a market like this in my home town.......
That evening we set sail for an hour or so to reach "L'Abbaye" for dinner....no....we did not meet Paul Bocuse, but we did have a great time - free flowing drinkns, funky organ music, a tour of the original kitchen that his mother cooked in and great food......No extra charge for this great evening.
On to another port and more excursions.......that's what river Cruising is all about....... Read Less

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Cruising Provence on a River Boat

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Overview

Approaching a bridge on the Rhone Photo - Provence, France

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1. Consider this River Cruise a tour on a floating hotel - you don't need to pack and unpack each day.2. Tours each day are included in the price - many times two tours with local guides. Additional excursions are offered if you do not care to explore further on your own.3. Local guides in each city add flavor to the tours with their "insider knowledge". We especially liked the Valrhona Chocolate factory tour, the two wine tastings, visiting L'Hotel Dieu in Beaune, the private organ recital in a cathedral and Avignon is so charming.4. Docking is always in the center on small towns making it easy to enjoy the "goings on" without a cab ride. A walk after dinner is gre...Read More

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Uninworld's River Royale

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Hotel | "Uniworld's River Royale"

Cezanne dining room Photo - Provence, France

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River Royale is Uniworld's newest River Cruiser - launched in April 2006 - it carries 134 passengers. Instant eye appeal as you approach it docked in Lyon after a long night of travel. A three story vessel - so refreshing looking - all white with blue trim. You instantly see the top deck carpeted in blue - blue and white striped lounges spread about, tables with blue chairs and white umbrellas and two large white canopies provide lots of shady areas near the small Jacuzzi. A very relaxing look. Glad to be getting aboard.River Royale is marketed to North Americans and on this cruise, passengers were over 40 and well traveled - many expending their vacation with pre and post stays. You immed...Read More

River Royale is Uniworld's newest River Cruiser - launched in April 2006 - it carries 134 passengers. Instant eye appeal as you approach it docked in Lyon after a long night of travel. A three story vessel - so refreshing looking - all white with blue trim. You instantly see the top deck carpeted in blue - blue and white striped lounges spread about, tables with blue chairs and white umbrellas and two large white canopies provide lots of shady areas near the small Jacuzzi. A very relaxing look. Glad to be getting aboard.

River Royale is marketed to North Americans and on this cruise, passengers were over 40 and well traveled - many expending their vacation with pre and post stays. You immediately feel comfortable in the very neat well appointed public rooms and welcome greetings from the friendly, helpful staff.

The small marble foyer has 24 hour staffing for information and money exchange. A comfortable lounge with leather sofas and small tables and chairs serves as a multi-function room. A quiet reading or lounging area in the daytime - cocktail lounge and informative presentation area each evening before dinner and a bar and musical entertainment ends the day here. This is the main meeting area of the ship.

There are three categories of rooms on decks A, B and C. "A" deck has portholes just above water level. "B" deck has large picture windows and "C" deck rooms have 8 foot sliders opening to a narrow walk-out balcony with a rail. These rooms are bright and airy and offer a great view while cruising.

The river cruiser is equipped with a library, Internet, beauty salon, massage rooms, treadmills, and sauna. All is in miniature compared to the ocean cruise lines. But with only 120 or so passengers on board, facilities are adequate.

The appeal of river cruising is the fact that you can cover a lot of territory without unpacking and sitting for hours on a coach. Travel time is at night or during mealtime, and if you do happen to travel a few hours during the day it is very pleasant to watch from the deck while enjoying a glass of wine. And once in port, you can come and go as you wish - no tenders - you are docked in the middle of small quaint villages. This affords you the luxury of coming back to the ship after a tour to refresh or have lunch if you choose not to eat in town - and after dinner an evening walk to sit at a cafe is enjoyable.

Tours are included in each port and optional excursions are also always available. Dress is country club casual - no formal nights and by midnight only a few romantics are left under the moon and stars on deck. We find river cruising a quiet, relaxing, and enriching vacation compared to the excitement and late nights of dancing and professional entertainment on the oceanliners. Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on May 27, 2007

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Lyon by Night

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We've been sailing up the Saone River for two days - now we're back in Lyon where we boarded the ship. On embarkation day we were too exhausted to see much of Lyon, now it's time to "do it right". Today we had a three hour city tour - a "must do" anywhere for a good orientation.We decided to opt out of dinner on board to stroll the pedestrian district on Saturday evening and experience a "typicale" Lyon meal in a "petit buchon". We asked a few of the Uniworld staff for a recommendation for a casual type Lyon meal since a "Paul Bocuse" restaurant experience was included in our cruise for the next evening. Oh yes - go to "Le Petit Buchon" on Meronnier St or Mercier St - we were told. Attempting ...Read More

We've been sailing up the Saone River for two days - now we're back in Lyon where we boarded the ship. On embarkation day we were too exhausted to see much of Lyon, now it's time to "do it right". Today we had a three hour city tour - a "must do" anywhere for a good orientation.

We decided to opt out of dinner on board to stroll the pedestrian district on Saturday evening and experience a "typicale" Lyon meal in a "petit buchon". We asked a few of the Uniworld staff for a recommendation for a casual type Lyon meal since a "Paul Bocuse" restaurant experience was included in our cruise for the next evening. Oh yes - go to "Le Petit Buchon" on Meronnier St or Mercier St - we were told. Attempting to get a more specific address, we realized the "le petit buchon" is not the name of a specific restaurant, but rather describes the type of restaurant - much like a bistro or brasserie, as we know them...we would have walked for hours trying to find a restaurant by this name!

As the sun is setting - off we go in our comfiest shoes - over the bridge and to the right. Streets are crowded with happy people. Moms pushing carriages, young lovers hand in hand , families finishing their meals, older folks perusing each menu - lots of energy...We walked on through Meronnier St. with all its outdoor cafes - uneven cobblestones, menus to entice you, tables filled with animated people, and continued on to Mercer St., a newer version of Meronnier, still pedestrian, and decide on "Le Bleu" an unassuming small "buchon" with indoor and outdoor seating - serving only mussels and tuna...they must be quite good at this!

Only nine rustic wooden tables on the street and about 20 more inside - partially air-conditioned with open shuttered doors overlooking the street. It's pleasant, upbeat and all about people-watching. Most everyone has huge pots of mussels and a large plastic bowl to discard shells. Service is really quick. Our pitcher of wine arrives - a limited menu - tuna, tartare, or pan fried and mussels prepared either Parisienne, curry, a la creme, mushrooms, or wine. We chose the mussels that come with a salad and frites. Salad is served first - delicious, fresh, crisp with a tangy mustardy dressing that we enjoy so much in France. Now for the "moules"...so many...so small...so delicious with a baguette to soak up the juices and accompanied by fresh made all you can eat frites - not frozen and reheated as many of us are used to...these are firm, crisp, and salty. Wow! Sitting elbow to elbow, everyone enjoying, eyeing the parade of endless strollers and inevitably exchanging a few words or more with our neighbor diners...so much fun.

We leave Mercier St. and Le Bleu - satiated...onto the next experience. We walk a few blocks toward the Rhone River to the Sofitel Hotel's panoramic top floor restaurant/cocktail lounge. From the busy crowded street to a quiet air-conditioned comfortable cocktail lounge overlooking Lyon with all its lights at night. A beautiful view, very romantic. Specialty cocktails, each served in a differently designed glass. The lounge has about 10 tables - mostly couples - tuxedoed waiters and quiet music - very romantic. A nice finale to our evening. Don't forget your credit card - two drinks here set us back more than two dinners and a liter of house wine at Le Bleu. Read Less

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Rooms on the River Royale

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Bathroom on the River Royale Photo - France, Europe

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We splurged for the balcony room and it was worthwhile - the room is small but very functional. Twin beds pushed together with luxury embroidered linens - all white - with such a fluffy duvet and a choice of pillow. The all white decor with blue accents and wood panelling, make the room bright and the mirrors and sliding doors make it seem larger. The mirror behind the white leather headboard is framed in fabric to match the drapes. Two chairs and a vanity stoool are upholstered in white ultrasuede..an elegant look.As for storage, not ample, but enough. A hanging closet and one with shelves also housing a safe. A combination desk/dressing table has two small drawers. The night stands have de...Read More

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