Provence

Join alumni and friends from September 4 – 14, 2024 for a nine-day French sojourn. Cruise for seven nights along the fabled Rhône and Saône rivers aboard the Amadeus Provence, traveling from the ancient city of Arles to historic Lyon. Explore Provence and the wine regions of Burgundy, Beaujolais, and the Rhône Valley during fall harvest season.

Throughout this intimate river cruise, dock in the heart of each port town. Among the many highlights of this trip are excursions to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the wonderfully preserved Roman Amphitheater in Arles; the medieval papal palace of Avignon; and the Pont du Gard aqueduct, a true masterpiece of ancient architecture.

Visit the Burgundy region for an exclusive tour and wine tasting at Château de Rully, a medieval fortress that has belonged to the family of your guide, Count de Ternay, since the 12th century. Enjoy an excursion to the Beaujolais vineyards for a private tour and travel along France’s oldest wine route and savor a wine tasting at Clos Vougeot.

Along the way, discover captivating Lyon, France’s gastronomic gateway; tour the legendary 15th‑century Hôtel-Dieu; explore charming Vienne, where a wealth of antiquities attests to past glories; and find your muse in Van Gogh’s Arles.

This perennial favorite is an excellent value featuring a comprehensive itinerary through southeastern France in autumn. Please contact the Georgetown Travel Society at 866-525-8664 or GeorgetownTravelSociety@Georgetown.edu for more details and to confirm your place today.

 

Dates and Rates:

Trip Dates: September 4 – 14, 2024

Rates:

from $4,045 –  $7,295 per person based upon double occupancy

Taxes and port charges are an additional $85 per person (subject to change).

Deposit: $1,000 per person (https://www.gohagantravel.com/terms for complete terms and conditions)

Trip Type: Cruise

Trip Status: Confirmed & Open for Reservations. Request a reservation today!

 

Program Itinerary:

Day 1 – Departure
Depart your home city on independently arranged flights to Marseille, France

Day 2 – Marseille for Arles, France/Embark river boat
Arrive in Marseille and transfer to Arles to embark the Amadeus Provence. Enjoy the Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner this evening. (r,d)

Day 3 – Arles/Avignon
Take a walking tour of the coastal city of Arles, brimming with Roman ruins, colorful pastel houses, and artistic inspiration. Marvel at the colossal, Roman Arles Amphitheatre during an inside visit. Then, visit the former Cathedral of St. Throphime, a Romanesque basilica constructed in the 12th century. Pass by Le Café La Nuit, which inspired Vincent Van Gogh’s “Café Terrace at Night.” (b,l,d)

Day 4 – Avignon/Châteauneuf‑du-Papefor Pont du Gardand Orange/St Étienne-des-Sorts
The UNESCO‑inscribed city of Avignon is regarded for its architectural beauty and rich cultural heritage. On a guided walking tour, at the river’s edge, see the remaining four arches of Pont d’Avignon, the only bridge built across the Rhône during the Middle Ages. Visit the grand Papal Palace, the largest château built in Europe during the Gothic era and a testament to Avignon’s golden age. Then, stroll past Gothic churches, beautiful facades of townhouses and Cardinals’ palaces, and the extensive city wall. Take an optional walk up to the Garden of the Popes and Rocher des Doms, a hilltop park with spectacular views of the Rhône Valley. Return to the ship for lunch and cruise to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Then, relish a scenic drive through the picturesque French countryside en route to visit the UNESCO World Heritage‑designated Pont du Gard, a 2,000‑year‑old Roman aqueduct that triumphs as one of Europe’s most impressive archaeological sites. Next, travel to Orange to explore the Roman city’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including a visit to the ancient Roman Theater and a stop to see the Triumphal Arch, built in the late first century as a symbol of Roman imperial glory. Return to the ship, now docked in Saint Étienne-des-Sorts. (b,l,d)

Day 5 – Tournon-sur-Rhône/Vienne
This morning, choose between a walking tour of the picturesque villages of Tournon and Tain l’Hermitage, on opposite sides of the Rhone River, includinga wine tasting; or choose a historical, scenic train ride through the hills around Tournon aboard the Train de l’Ardèche. Return to the ship for lunch and a wine and chocolate tasting with a local wine expert. Cruise to Vienne, where you’ll begin your tour with a short train ride to the top of Mount Pipet. Appreciate the stunning view of the charming village and river, and then continue on a walking tour. See the medieval Cathédrale Saint-Maurice d’Angers. (b,l,d)

Day 6 – Lyon
On a panoramic city tour, stop at the top of Lyon’s Fourvière Hill to appreciate the breathtaking views. Then, stroll the tree-lined streets of restored Old Lyon, where well‑preserved Gothic and Renaissance mansions attest to the wealth of the city’s long-standing silk industry. Walk through the ancient quarter of Saint‑Jean and its narrow, covered pedestrian passageways, called traboules. Return to the ship for lunch and explore more of Lyon at leisure this afternoon. (b,l,d)

Day 7 – Chalon-sur-Saône/Beaune
Visit enchanting Beaune, founded in the fifth century B.C. Visit the medieval Château de Rully for a private tour by current owner Count Raoul de Ternay, followed by a wine tasting in the château’s
medieval kitchen or wine cellar. Visit the magnificent, fairytale 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu, founded in 1443, including a viewing of altarpiece painting, “The Last Judgment,” by Rogier Van der Weyden at the Hospices de Beaune.After a French pique-nique of baguettes, charcuterie, cheese, and local wine, continue along the Route des Grands Crus, one of the oldest, most celebrated wine routes in France. Stop at Clos Vougeot vineyard to savor a wine tasting. (b,l,d)

Day 8- Mâcon/Montmerle‑sur-Saône/Trévoux
Tour the 12th-century, Romanesque Cluny Abbey, a former Benedictine monastery and one of the most significant abbeys of the Christian Middle Ages. Return to the ship and sail to Montmerle-sur-Saône. Disembark and journey through the bucolic French countryside during a scenic drive to Ravatys Castle, a wine château amidst vineyards in the beautiful Beaujolais region. Enjoy a tour and wine tasting with canapés. Re-board the ship in Trévoux. Say farewell during the Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner this evening. (b,l,r,d)

Day 9- Lyon/Disembark/Return to home city
Following breakfast, transfer to Lyon Airport for your return flight home. (b)

Itinerary Highlights

• Excursion to the town of Beaune, known for its Burgundy wines, with a tour of the magnificent HÔTEL-DIEU.
• Walking tour of historic Old Lyon.
• Walking tour of Avignon, featuring the vast Gothic papal palace and the iconic Pont d’Avignon.
• Walking tour of Arles, highlighted by visits to the Roman Amphitheater and Église Saint‑Trophime.
• Visit to the Roman city of Orange including its Triumphal Arch and well‑preserved, ancient Roman Theater.
• Walking tour of Vienne, featuring the Temple of Augustus and the medieval Cathédrale de Saint‑Maurice.

All-Inclusive

• Experienced, English-speaking local guides for included excursions.
• Gratuities to local guides and drivers on included excursions and transfers.
• Complimentary bottled water in your suite or stateroom and on excursions.
• Experienced Travel Directors at your service.
• Complimentary use of an audio headset during guided excursions.
• Hospitality desk aboard the ship.
• Meals included as noted in the itinerary (b=breakfast,l = lunch, r = reception , d = diner )

AMADEUS PROVENCE
Deluxe Small River Ship
• Atmosphere of classical elegance
• Only 70 deluxe, spacious, river-view Suites and Staterooms
• Suites include a private balcony, and select Staterooms have a floor‑to‑ceiling panoramic window that automatically lowers to French‑balcony height
• Deluxe amenities of a luxury hotel
• Environmental “Green Certificate”

Not included:
 Airfare; Taxes; passport fees; visas and fees for obtaining visas; personal expenses such as laundry and telephone calls; accident/sickness, trip cancellation, and baggage insurance; gratuities to ship and hotel personnel; optional sightseeing excursions; excess baggage charges on aircraft; local departure air taxes; airfare and associated local taxes*, airport facility taxes and federal inspection fees not listed in the “terms and conditions” at https://www.gohagantravel.com/terms/ ; transfers and baggage handling to/from airport/hotel on day(s) of arrival and/or departure if you are arriving earlier or later and/or departing earlier or later that scheduled group transfer(s); meals and and alcoholic beverages not listed as included; and all other services not specifically mentioned.