Stand beneath the soaring arches of the Pont du Gard, a 2,000-year-old aqueduct spanning the Gardon valley. Learn how Roman engineers, working without mortar, aligned three arcaded tiers to deliver water to Nîmes with remarkable precision.

From riverside trails, admire sun-warmed stone and the play of light under its rhythmic arches. Your guide highlights inscriptions, construction techniques and why this masterpiece still defines Roman ingenuity and scale.

Stand before the world-best-preserved Roman Theatre of Orange, crowned by its monumental stage wall and statue of Augustus. Your guide evokes spectacles once staged here, from tragedies to imperial pageantry.

Visit the Triumphal Arch of Orange on the ancient Via Agrippa, its reliefs honoring veterans and naval victories. Together, these UNESCO treasures illuminate Rome’s power, urban planning and cultural life in southern Gaul.

Ascend to storied Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a hilltop village ringed by vines and sun-warmed galets roulés. In a leading estate, tour cellars and learn about blending up to thirteen permitted varieties shaped by mistral winds and Rhône sun.

Sample regional wines noted for dark fruit, garrigue herbs and silken tannins. Your host explains aging in foudre and the AOC’s strict rules that guard authenticity from vineyard to bottle.

Explore Avignon’s walled center with a local guide, pausing on the storied Pont Saint-Bénézet before stepping inside the Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe. Courtyards, chapels and state rooms reveal a world of ceremony and power.

See frescoes, austere papal apartments and fortified turrets and towers that once anchored Christendom. Learn how the papal court transformed Avignon into a beacon of art, theology and diplomacy in the 14th century.

Board the petit train for a relaxing circuit of Avignon’s landmarks, from crenellated ramparts and lively squares to riverside vistas. Audio commentary shares stories of merchants, pilgrims and papal intrigue as the city glides by.

Ideal for gentle sightseeing, this alternative to the palace interior visit offers effortless access to highlights like the Pont Saint-Bénézet and views toward the Palais des Papes, with time to note cafés and boutiques to revisit later.

Wander shaded squares and pale-stone lanes in elegant Uzès, exploring arcades, fountains and the cathedral crowned by the Tour Fenestrelle. In the ducal quarter, hear stories of noble privilege and market-day bustle.

Visit the Ducal Palace (exterior; interior access subject to opening) and admire wrought-iron balconies, Renaissance facades and sunlit courtyards. For a final flourish, pause for photos and reflection over distant olive groves and garrigue-scented hills.

Venture into the Camargue’s wind-ruffled étangs and salt marshes to the Ornithological Park of Pont de Gau. Boardwalks bring you close to egrets, herons and elegant pink flamingos feeding in the shallows.

Continue to Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer for its whitewashed lanes and the fortress-like Notre-Dame-de-la-Mer. Learn about Roma pilgrimages, Camargue bull traditions and sea-salt harvesting as Mediterranean light and briny air set the scene.

Discover Arles’ ancient grandeur on a guided walk through the Amphitheatre (Arènes d’Arles), the Roman Theatre and the evocative Alyscamps necropolis. Stone tiers, triumphal arches and sarcophagi reveal layers of imperial ambition.

Hear how river trade powered prosperity and why Arles briefly ruled Gaul, Spain and Britain. Amid weathered columns and cypress shade, pause for photos and reflection on centuries of ceremony, spectacle and remembrance.

Follow in Van Gogh’s footsteps to scenes that inspired Café Terrace at Night, the riverbank landscapes and the famed Sunflowers series. Your guide weaves letters and anecdotes into a portrait of feverish creativity.

At marked viewpoints, compare reproductions with today’s golden light and mistral skies. Learn how Arles’ vivid colors, plane trees and stone facades shaped brushwork, palette and the artist’s enduring legacy.

Climb to storied Les Baux, a rocky eyrie of cobbled lanes and castle ruins overlooking the Alpilles. Explore chapels, stone houses and belvederes with vistas of vines, cypress and silvery olive groves.

Continue to an authentic olive oil farm to learn pressing methods from stone mills to modern extraction. Taste varietal oils with peppery, grassy or artichoke notes, paired with local breads and Provencal bites.

Explore Tournon’s medieval lanes and riverside quays before crossing the elegant Passerelle Marc Seguin to Tain-l’Hermitage. The bridge frames classic views of the Rhône and the steep, terraced vineyards above.

Learn how granite slopes, stone walls and exposure craft Hermitage’s reputation. Pause for photos and reflection among châteaux, river craft and vine-draped hills that define the northern Rhône’s character.

Settle on deck as the ship cruises the Rhône and Saône, gliding past vine-striped hills, stone villages and chalky cliffs. Locks and gentle meanders reveal the river’s working life and serene beauty.

Look for Roman towns like Vienne, the narrows near Condrieu and misty mountain passes on the horizon. Commentary from the team enriches the passing scenes with stories of trade, gastronomy and terroir.

Unwind in the lounge for an evening of live French music performed by local artists. From musette accordion to chanson classics, melodies conjure riverside cafés and candlelit quays.

Between sets, sip a digestif and chat with fellow travelers as the repertoire drifts from waltz to jazz-tinged standards. It’s a warm, convivial celebration of regional culture—no travel required beyond your comfortable seat.

Savor a multi-course Chef’s Signature Dinner that showcases regional produce and classic techniques. Expect seasonal starters, succulent mains and desserts that balance richness with finesse, all served in the ship’s elegant restaurant.

Your crew introduces pairings that highlight Rhône varietals and French culinary tradition. With polished service and thoughtful plating, this celebratory meal distills the flavors and hospitality of your journey into one refined evening.

Explore Vieux Lyon on a gastronomy-focused walk, pausing to sample regional wines, cured meats like rosette and jésus, and sweet pralines from artisan stalls. Your guide reveals bouchon traditions and the neighborhood’s Renaissance tapestry.

This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (minimum numbers apply). It replaces the standard Lyon city tour and is ideal for travelers who want deeper insight into the city’s culinary soul through tasting, storytelling and convivial stops.

Visit a renowned Mâconnais winery for a cellar tour and tasting of Chardonnay and select reds shaped by limestone soils and Burgundian savoir-faire. Walk the vines as your host explains terroir, pruning and harvest traditions that define the region’s style.

In the vaulted cellars, sample regional wines alongside notes of orchard fruit, white flowers and chalky minerality. Hear how Gallo-Roman vine planting evolved into today’s appellations, and why the Mâcon label remains a benchmark for expressive, food-friendly whites.

Explore the atmospheric remains of Cluny Abbey, once the beating heart of a vast Benedictine network. Your guide brings to life its ritual, power and artistic patronage as you walk cloisters, chapter houses and towering fragments of Cluny III.

Discover how Cluny’s wealth fueled liturgy, manuscript illumination and Romanesque sculpture that influenced monasteries across Europe. Pause for photos and reflection where chanting once rose beneath a now-vanished nave, sensing the abbey’s enduring spiritual gravitas.

Walk the cobbled lanes of medieval Beaune, Burgundy’s wine capital, before stepping inside the Hospices de Beaune (Hôtel-Dieu). Admire the dazzling glazed roof tiles and timbered courtyards of this 15th-century charity hospital.

Inside, see historic wards and period apothecaries while learning how wine sales fund the Hospices to this day. Stroll to cellars and arcaded squares, taking in the mellow limestone, artisan signage and the town’s unhurried Burgundian rhythm.

Settle into the lounge for a curated tasting of regional cheeses paired with artisan breads and piquant mustards. Your host introduces styles from creamy cow’s milk rounds to washed-rind specialties, highlighting textures, affinage and pairing tips.

Sample regional wines alongside nutty Comté, tangy chèvre and spicy Dijon mustards to explore Burgundy’s culinary DNA. Expect lively conversation, delicious bites and practical takeaways for recreating the experience at home.

Journey through the sculpted canyons of the Ardèche Gorges, where pale limestone cliffs plunge to emerald waters. Enjoy scenic stops to photograph the iconic Pont d’Arc, a natural stone arch carved by the river’s patient force.

Hear how water, wind and time shaped this wild corridor and nurtured rich biodiversity. The viewpoints reveal misty mountain passes, sun-bleached rock strata and sweeping bends—an ideal outing for photographers and nature lovers.

Descend into the Grotte de la Madeleine to discover grand chambers adorned with stalactites, stalagmites and delicate draperies. Pathways and steps reveal a cathedral-like underworld sculpted by dripping limestone and mineral-rich waters.

Your guide explains the cave’s geology and acoustic qualities as you traverse roughly 250 steps. Emerging back to daylight, pause at the belvedere for stirring views across the canyon’s rugged escarpments and serpentine river below.

Visit a family-run lavender estate and museum to learn about traditional steam-distillation, heirloom varieties and the seasonal rhythms of cultivation. Explore vintage copper alembics, fragrant drying rooms and fields that blush purple in bloom.

Discover how terroir influences essential oil profiles from floral sweetness to resinous depth. In the boutique, sample regional aromas and artisanal products that reflect centuries of Provencal craft and care.

Join a guided panoramic tour of France’s gastronomic capital, taking in the elegant Presqu’île, the Renaissance lanes of Vieux Lyon and the riverfront quays. Stroll past artisan boutiques and hidden traboules before ascending Fourvière Hill for sweeping views across the city’s rooftops and rivers.

Step inside the Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière, famed for its shimmering mosaics and commanding terrace. Learn how Lyon grew from a Roman stronghold to a thriving silk city, and why its UNESCO-listed old town remains a showcase of Renaissance facades and time-polished stone.