Excursions with AmaWaterways-Colors of Provence River Cruise Itinerary

I had the wonderful opportunity to finally experience river cruising with AmaWaterways on their inaugural cruise of 2024 on the Rhone River featuring the Colors of Provence itinerary. I wrote about my full experience here, and as described, the highlight for me was the quality of the excursions and how each one truly immerses you in each destination. When I sat down pre cruise to try and make decisions on everything I wanted to participate in, I had questions! I’d never been to this area and I definitely had “FOMO” when it came time to select excursions. Below I’m sharing how easy it is to participate in excursions with AmaWaterways, the highlights of what I experienced and a few that I regret missing out on.

Excursion Overview

River cruises with AmaWaterways are truly seamless in that excursions are INCLUDED in the cost of your cruise.  They are so easy to sign up for via the app (you can do this as early as sixty days from your cruise date) and if you decide to make a change, its a quick “check mark” edit. Our onboard cruise manager was so helpful with any questions I had about the different tours, destinations, etc.  I’m a busy Mom and book people’s travel plans every day, so the fact that all I had to do was check a box, and show up each morning/afternoon ready to learn and enjoy was pure bliss. 

AmaWaterways specializes in small groups and rely on the best local guides in each destination to lead their excursions. Comfortable listening devices are also provided and groups are divided into gentle, normal and active tours depending on your preference.  For bike tours, you’ll need to book those on board with the cruise manager as you’ll also be asked to sign a waiver. Before departing the ship you’ll grab your color card for each designated group and they also offer umbrellas, hiking poles, and folding seats to accommodate anything you may need on your tour.  Tours typically leave right outside the ship docking port and your guide will have a colored sign indicating your group. Post tour, it was so nice to arrive back to the ship and be greeted with a warm towel to clean your hands and a refreshing beverage. Below, I cover the options offered on the Colors of Provence itinerary…from Lyon, to Vienne, Avignon and Arles…so much is waiting for you to explore on your river cruise journey!

Lyon Region

Lyon is a city located at the confluence of the Rhone and Saone Rivers and is known for its history, food and iconic landmarks, of which many are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list. I arrived here the day before our river cruise to get acclimated to the time change quicker and enjoy walking through this city. The main attractions I wanted to see was the 19th-century basilica Notre-Dame de Fouviere, the roman ruins on Fourviere Hill and charming Old Town Lyon, with its quaint little shops, narrow cobblestone streets and cozy restaurants. When walking through this area, I found a map and was able to locate the traboules, the hidden passageways used as part of the silk industry dating back to the 15th century. It was surreal to think these were used to smuggle people out of the area when the Nazi’s occupied this city. I also walked over to see the Fontaine Bartholdi, a fountain sculpted by the same artist who made the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States in 1886.

The following day, I was onboard the AmaKristina by early afternoon and the itinerary had us staying in the city for two nights. The options for excursions offered the following morning included: Lyon City Tour (two options with one being a late start); Les Halles Market Tour or a Lyon bike tour. Lyon has been described as the food capital of the world, so I choose the market tour at Les Halles Market.

We had a wonderful tour guide and sampled French cheeses, sausages, pastries and some delicious wines. I was impressed by the artistry of many of their sweet treats. A meal in France is more than just consuming calories–it’s an important ritual to gather, connect and share food and I really admire this tradition. It was very interesting to walk through the market, but in looking back, I wish I would have selected the city tour as I know my own self-guided tour was not sufficient to truly appreciate the history of Lyon. However, if you’re a foodie, then you will enjoy the market tour.

The following morning and our last day in Lyon, an excursion to the Beaujoulis region, famous for its wine was offered. Beaujolais translates to “beautiful mountain” and the golden limestone found in this region is what was used to build the honey colored buildings that are the foundation of the villages, castles and churches of this area. It was like visiting a postcard! The bus was very comfortable and our guide provided some wonderful facts and pointed out some important landmarks on our journey to the lovely French countryside.

We stopped at the family owned Domaine Rivière vineyard and tasted some delicious red, white and rose wines. As AmaWaterways specializes in small groups, there were three separate tours within the Beaujolais province, so each group visited a different vineyard and the tours felt more intimate. This was my favorite excursion of all the tours offered in the Lyon area. My only regret is I wanted more time to visit the charming region of Beaujolais.

Vienne

On the third afternoon of our cruise, we arrived in Vienne which was part of the Holy Roman Empire from the 9th through 15th centuries and I immediately spotted the stunning hilltop ruined castle built in the 13th century, Chateau de la Batie. We had the afternoon to explore this historic town on our own and were docked right near the city center across from a charming park, colorful shops and dramatic Roman architecture. During my walk I saw the Roman Temple of Augustus, built during 20 to 10 BC, the 12th century Saint Maurice Cathedral and several medieval houses. I then made the climb up to Mont Pipet where you can take in the stunning city and river views along with the historic 13,000 seat Roman amphitheater that sits at the base of Mont Pipet. Again, I walked from our boat to experience all of this!

Excursions offered by AmaWaterways for Vienne began the following morning and guests had the option of two different levels of a city tour (walking or taking these cute buses), a hike to Mont Pipet or a bike ride along the river. As I had already explored the city, I chose the bike option to see more of the surrounding countryside. AmaWaterways provides helmets and a tour guide to point out all the unique sites and my favorite building was a chateau on the river owned by a vineyard family. Isn’t it lovely? We learned more about local wines, facts about the Rhône river and were back to the boat by lunch to set sail for Tournon. Honest take, I again wish I would have opted for a guided city tour as I didn’t scratch the surface on my own walking tour. I did however, love getting out on a bike tour and highly recommend adding one of these to your river cruise.

Tournon & Tain-l’Hermitage

We arrived late evening into Tournon and were literally docked right in the central part of this ancient river town. The Le Chateau de Tournon was all lit up and I couldn’t resist a post-dinner walk to see this up close and of note, there is a beautiful World War monument on the side of the building. I couldn’t get over the fact that I could see such a beautiful landmark so close to our boat–the walk took less than five minutes. The excursions offered the following morning included a steam train ride to see the magnificent landscape along Gorge du Doux, a red wine and chocolate tasting at the previously mentioned Chateau de Tournon or a hike through the steep vineyards of Tain l’Hermitage. I was ready for a hike, but was also torn as I really wanted to see the inside of the chateau (plus, who doesn’t want a chocolate tasting!?) I ended up choosing the morning hike and it was fascinating.

Tain-l’Hermitage is the town right across the river from Tournon easily accessed by a suspension bridge. On our hike we learned more about the vineyard dating back to the 12th century and how everything is managed by hand or by horses and the calendar of the moon and stars determines if it’s a day for fruit, leaf or root maintenance. There is a beautiful chapel at the top of the vineyard and we asked if we could make the additional climb to see this space. I recommend doing this for stunning views of the vineyard and Tournon across the river. After our vineyard tour, we then walked to the winery and sampled some different wines followed by a trip to the local chocolate factory for some samples. A hike, wine and chocolate? Yes, please! Pro tip: if you didn’t pack the best shoes to hike in, make sure you grab hiking poles before you leave the boat.

Before we cruised away from Tournon, I also wanted a closer look at the two towers that overlook the river. Although not part of the official tour provided by AmaWaterways, I asked our guide for directions on how to get to the Towers trailhead. These were part of an ancient fortress used to protect the city from attacks and have a very gory history. This was another great hike that leads you to both towers, with incredible views of the Rhône valley and a birds eye view of Le Chateau de Tournon. It took about about 30 minutes and was a quick walk from our boat to the trailhead.

Viviers

During our cruise from Tournon to Avignon, we made a post-dinner stop at Viviers, a sleepy little town on the Rhône River that was established in 476. A “ghost walk” was offered as an excursion and our walk began down the sycamore lined stone paved streets and our guide led on a fascinating journey explaining the history of Viviers. We saw the smallest cathedral in France, and I left thinking, I can’t believe a place like this still exists and has been preserved so well. A few spooky surprises along the way as we walked the narrow cobblestone streets and I thoroughly enjoyed this unique stop before we continued down river.

Avignon

Early on our arrival morning, I walked up on the sun deck to be greeted by the incredible landmarks that surround Avignon. The excursions offered that morning included a bike tour, a walking city tour including Papal Palace or a taste of Avignon tour. As the taste of Avignon included both a city and food tour, I opted for this option and I’m so glad I did. We spent the morning walking through this medieval town and here were some of the highlights:

• Seeing the 3-mile long fortress walls that surround the city
• Walking down the cobblestone streets collected from the river
• Viewing the lovely clock square
• Tasting the famous French biscuits and lavender and orange flavored chocolates at an adorable sweet shop
• Seeing the oldest house in Avignon built in the 15th Century as everything prior to that had burned. Buildings were rebuilt from limestone.
• Walking into the oldest shop in Avignon: a hat shop with the original chandelier.
• A tasting of olives, candied garlic, tapenade, goat cheeses and wine at the local market

After the official tour ended, I took an hour to explore parts of the city not covered on the tour, including the exterior of the Papal Palace-the largest surviving Gothic palace in Europe and viewing the 12th century bridge that used to span the Rhone River before washing out in 1668. I appreciated the free time we had to explore on our own.

Our stop at Avignon also included two afternoon tour options: a trip to the famous Roman aqueduct, Pont du Gard, or a visit to a truffle farm. I have always been fascinated by the tradition of truffle hunting so this was the excursion I chose. Truffles require alkaline soil to grow and as this region was covered by the sea 150 million years ago, it has all the ingredients to grow these amazing morsels known as the “diamonds of the kitchen” . Truffles grow attached to the roots of oak trees and specially trained dogs are used to locate them. We watched a black lab named ‘Percee’ sniff around trees and once he started digging, the owner would scoop the truffle from the ground and then reward him with a treat. After our time in the field, we got to sample summer, winter and black truffles before heading back to our ship. While this was a charming stop, everyone I spoke to who visited Pont du Gard was blown away by this engineering marvel and I would have loved to see that in person.

Arles Region

We cruised overnight from Avignon and woke up in Arles, which is known for its Roman architecture and a famous resident, Vincent Van Gogh. Excursion options included two different walking tours (Arles or Van Gogh focused) and a bike tour. I signed up for the active Arles walking tour and learned more about the amphitheater which was built in 90 AD and was the backdrop of gladiatorial battles, chariot races, and theatrical performances for over 400 years. It was surreal to step inside and try and wrap your head around the brutality that took place here. This amphitheater is better preserved than the coliseum in Rome. I also couldn’t take enough pictures of all charming details of the town and also found it very moving to see remnants from World War bombings.

We then learned more about Vincent Van Gogh and his troubled, but very talented life. Did you know he only sold one painting while alive? We saw the backdrops for several of his paintings, including “Starry Night” and “Cafe Terrace at Night”. After this, we had some free time to enjoy shopping in the quaint shops or exploring more on our own.

Later that afternoon, all of the excursions took us on a drive to the region known as the “Little Alps” on our way to two charming villages. Along the route, we drove by several olive tree farms and limestone rich mountains used to build the jaw dropping ancient architecture that frames the south of France. There are hiking trails all throughout and fun fact, along the trails you’ll find rosemary and thyme growing wild. Ahh, France, you are so lovely.

Our first stop was a jaw dropping hilltop village known as Les Baux de Provence. Virtually destroyed in the 17th century by the King of France Louis XIII, this village has risen from its ashes and is the most picturesque place where you can enjoy shopping for olive oil, lavender products, pottery and French sweets. You can also hike to castle ruins and take in the stunning views of the olive tree farms scattered throughout the valley bottom. This place was very unique and a must see when in the South of France.

From here, excursions included a visit to a local olive farm, a presentation combining art, sound and history at a quarry known as Carrieres de Lumieres, or a visit to Saint Remy de Provence, which is what I choose. Saint Remy is famous for several reasons including:

• In 1889, Vincent Van Gogh was admitted to a psychiatric hospital here and painted several famous works during his stay of just over a year. We were able to see the backdrops of some of his paintings.
• The famous prophet, Nostradamus, was born here in 1503 and we walked by his home tucked away on a charming street.
• The ruins of the Roman City of Glanum can still be seen on the outskirts of the city.
• Princess Caroline of Monaco lived here for several years.

We walked around the town enjoying the charming shops, cafes and squares. And once again, I couldn’t get enough of all the colorful doors and shutters. We had a wonderful tour guide and with everything set up and included, it makes traveling through France so easy! I am so glad I got to spend some time in Saint Remy, but in talking with other cruisers, the olive farm sounded so informative and interesting. As in keeping with the theme of AmaWaterways excursions, there is so much variety offered with their excursions and you really can’t go wrong. Do your research beforehand and don’t hesitate to ask the cruise manager once on board for his recommendations and any questions you may have.

I hope sharing my experience is helpful to you when selecting your own excursions. Are you ready to book your river cruise adventure? You can view all of the amazing itineraries here and I am an AmaWaterways Certified Advisor and would love to help you! Reach out to me at [email protected] or fill out a quote request here.