French Waterways and Vineyards

•   Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director

Day 1: Arrive Paris
A transfer is included from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport to the Hilton Arc de Triomphe Paris hotel. Join us tonight for a special welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening at Fouquet’s, an iconic landmark for celebrity dining – and the French Oscars – since 1908, followed by an electrifying Illuminations tour of the city’s glittering lights – welcome to Paris!
Overnight: The Westin Paris, France
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Paris, a City With Stories to Tell...
Parisian neighborhoods, from the grand boulevards, majestic monuments and manicured gardens of the Right Bank to the artsy Left Bank, favorite haunt of writers, thinkers, dreamers and musicians, reflect the true essence of the city. Explore one of them this morning on a guided tour of le Marais, bustling with daily life amidst a mix of stately mansions, medieval-looking, half-timbered houses, covered passageways, antique shops, art galleries and museums. Stroll its narrow cobbled streets and see Saint-Paul-Saint-Louis Church, Victor Hugo’s home, Hotel de Sully, Village Saint-Paul and la rue des Roisers, renowned in the 13th century as the Jewish quarter of Paris. The rest of the day is free.
Overnight: The Westin Paris, France
Meals Included: Breakfast

Day 3: TGV to Lyon / Embark Riverboat
Spend the morning as you please in Paris; early afternoon, a high-speed TGV train whisks you in first class south to Lyon. This historic city on the River Rhône, one of the largest metropolitan areas in France, has an eclectic reputation internationally for everything from silk weaving to a cornucopia of cuisine to the cinema industry. You’ll board your “floating hotel” for the next seven nights, ms Swiss Emerald, in Lyon. We invite you to join us at the Captain’s welcome reception and dinner this evening, where we’ll celebrate the start of your cruise along the wonderful Rhône in a festive fashion.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, dinner

Day 4: Sampling the Many Pleasures of Lyon
With France’s highest number of restaurants per capita, folks come to Lyon to eat... and they don’t leave disappointed, as you’ll discover for yourself during a city tour today, including a tasting lunch at the famous Les Halles de Lyon. This celebrated indoor food market, occupying various locations in Lyon since 1850 and currently housed in the city’s Part-Dieu district, offers an unbelievable array of breads, cheeses, fresh fruits and vegetables, sausages, specialty spices, poultry, seafood from fish to oysters, wines, chocolates and other desserts... the list goes on. Everything is fresh and delicious, and it is said that the best chefs in Lyon shop here; during your visit, you’ll enjoy tastings of various goodies paired with appropriate wines! Markets like this one are an indispensable culinary tradition in a city famous for lyonnaise specialties! But food and wine are not the only treasures Lyon has to offer. Today’s sightseeing also includes visits to Vieux Lyon – one of the largest Renaissance quarters in Europe, and one of the first protected in France as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and 19th-century Notre-Dame de Fourvière, with its fine mosaics and stained glass. And later, travel to the famed Beaujolais wine-growing region for a wine tasting – magnifique! – before continuing your cruise along the Rhône to Vienne. Open seating at dinner tonight completes a memorable day.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 5: The Romans called it "Vienna," but...
The long history of the city of Vienne on the Rhône goes back even further than the Romans; it had been the capital of the Allobroges people until it was conquered and colonized under Julius Caesar. After you excuse the initial confusion caused by the city’s original Roman name (they called it “Vienna,” like today’s Austrian capital), you’ll wake up in Vienne today to find a treasure trove of Roman ruins to check out on a walking tour and during free time in town – including a temple erected by the Emperor Claudius; the remains of roads, ramparts, aqueducts and a theatre; and the pyramid-like Plan de l’Aiguille, which one legend says may have served as Pontius Pilate’s tomb! There are also hilltop castle ruins, two intact Romanesque churches and a Gothic cathedral to see. Your riverboat sets off this afternoon for more cruising, this time to Avignon.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 6: A Palace Fit for a Pope in Provence
For centuries, schoolchildren have been singing a song about dancing on the bridge of this walled medieval city that served as the headquarters for several popes in the 1300s. On a walking tour, you’ll explore the vast, fortress-like home the pontiffs built for themselves, the formidable Palais des Papes; the popes who reigned here apparently enjoyed the fruit of the vine, and cultivated the local wine industry (Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Along with the 14th-century bridge mentioned in the song, this evening you’ll visit another one just as famous – the Pont du Gard, an astonishing Roman aqueduct 160 feet high with three sets of arches spanning the River Gardon that once carried millions of gallons of water a day to the city of Nîmes. Join us for a festive Provençal-style dinner featuring regional wines, cuisine and entertainment set against the backdrop of this ancient engineering marvel.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 7: Picture-Perfect in Roussillon & Arles
First up today – travel to Roussillon in the Luberon region of Provence. Sitting in the middle of one of the world’s largest deposits of ochre, Roussillon is surrounded by richly colored cliffs and quarries which blaze against the azure Provençal sky. Not far away is Abbaye de Sénanque, whose austere Romanesque abbey church has stood since the 12th century; today, you’ll have views of the abbey and – depending on the time of year – the lavender fields surrounding it, tended by the monks who still live in this ancient retreat. Back in its Roman days – as the city of Arelate in Gaul – Arles was a pretty happening place. As a major cultural and religious center, it covered nearly 100 acres, had an arena, circus and triumphal arch, and served as a key port on the Rhône. In contrast, the Arles that Vincent van Gogh found in 1888 was a sleepy Provençal backwater... but with its lush fields, plentiful Roman ruins and extraordinary light, it was a perfect place to paint. Upon arrival in Arles, take a guided walking tour of this town that so inspired van Gogh with its blend of ancient and new. Tonight, your riverboat sets off for medieval Viviers.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 8: Medieval Moments in Viviers
The little walled city of Viviers, which is nestled between the banks of the Rhône and the hills beyond, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns that you will visit. It’s easy to gather a sense of what life was like nearly a thousand years ago as you stroll through Viviers’ ancient streets on a walking tour, dominated by its 12th-century cathedral. Your riverboat, ms Swiss Emerald, winds its way through the sun-dappled landscapes of Provence past the medieval châteaux and steep vineyard-draped hills of the ancient towns like Tournon-sur-Rhône and Tain-l’Hermitage this afternoon. On-board activities while you cruise include a lecture by your Tauck Director and (weather permitting) a demonstration of the popular Provençal game of pétanque on the sun deck.
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 9: Savory Secrets of the Rhône Valley
With its ancient Grand Pont and imposing feudal castle overlooking the river, Tournon-sur-Rhône is a perfect spot to start the final day of your Rhône cruise with a guided walking tour. Wind your way up to a vantage point in this medieval town made for walking and admire the views; this area is famous for its lush Côtes du Rhône vineyards and dramatic river vistas. After lunch, journey to Valence, a seat of learning since 1452, for an education in epicurean delights; the town is a major hub for fresh Rhône Valley produce and is home to some of the finest culinary artists in the country. At an award-winning restaurant and cooking school in town, attend a multi-course tasting presentation illustrating how seasonal ingredients, contrasting flavors and time-tested techniques create local specialties that have been making mouths water for centuries – and do a little cheese tasting. Tain-l’Hermitage is known throughout Europe for its chocolate, excellent Côtes du Rhône wines and regional cheeses; you’ll have a chance to sample the chocolate on a tasting during a walking tour. Save an appetite for the Captain’s farewell reception and dinner this evening during the boat’s return trip to Lyon, marking a joyful final celebration!
Overnight: Aboard ms Swiss Emerald
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Day 10: Journey Home
Tour ends: Lyon, France. Disembark ms Swiss Emerald in Lyon; fly home anytime. A transfer from the riverboat to Lyon Airport is included; allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.
Overnight:
Meals Included: Breakfast

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/27/2012 - 6/6/2012	$5,590
6/21/2012 - 7/1/2012	$5,590
6/28/2012 - 7/8/2012	$5,990
7/23/2012 - 8/2/2012	$4,590
8/17/2012 - 8/27/2012	$5,390
8/17/2012 - 8/27/2012	$4,590
8/24/2012 - 9/3/2012	$4,590
8/31/2012 - 9/10/2012	$4,590
9/25/2012 - 10/5/2012	$5,590
10/20/2012 - 10/30/2012	$5,390
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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