A Tale of Two Rivers
For those of you who have contemplated river cruising, I’d like to comment on how this form of travel is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the destinations you travel to.
Consider this: civilizations throughout the world were built around rivers for obvious benefit. This is where culture, architecture, and cuisine were developed in countries such as Hungary, Austria, Portugal, France, and Germany, as well as more exotic locales including Vietnam and Africa. Ocean cruises take you to countries, and river cruises take you into the destination—to small towns and vineyards, and to world capitals such as Budapest, Vienna, and Paris.
The river ship is like a floating boutique hotel where you unpack only once. You simply go to bed—in a luxurious bed, by the way—and wake up in your next destination. Sometimes, you get to sail during the day, and the beauty and peacefulness of the river often takes my breath away. In many cases, depending on the port, you can step right off the ship and take a walk to local cafés or shops.
There is much flexibility in terms of your time. Many excursion options are included, but you can also choose to do things on your own. Even with excursions, some river cruises offer different levels of activity so you can customize your experience. Walk with a cane? Take the leisurely tour for gentle walkers. Want to see more? Choose the regular or active tour. All meals are included, along with wine and beer at meals. Internet service is excellent, and there are absolutely no waves on the rivers. Anyone who avoids ocean cruises due to motion sickness can embrace the lack of motion on river ships.
Most people opt for a pre- or post-cruise stay before boarding the ship or after disembarkation—or both. This allows you to extend your time in land destinations for two to four days, which is well worth the time and investment of an overseas flight. There are also wonderful river cruises in the USA, most notably in the Pacific Northwest on the Columbia and Snake Rivers in Oregon and Washington, and, of course, the great Mississippi.
Having just returned from France, I am delighted to share my experience on sailing two back-to-back river cruises on AmaWaterways. The first went on the Saone and Rhone rivers from Dijon to Arles. The second traveled on the Seine to Paris and Normandy.
On our first cruise - Essence of Burgundy and Provence - we began with a pre-cruise stay in beautiful Geneva, Switzerland, the European home of many international organizations, including the United Nations. Its medieval old town is a short walk from Lake Geneva and an easy drive to many other areas of interest. We explored Gruyères (cheese and chocolate factories), Montreux, home of Chillon Castle, and Annecy in the foothills of the French Alps.
On the drive to our river ship, we stopped in Dijon, the famed birthplace of mustard. After touring the city, we enjoyed a private wine-tasting lunch with our guide and sommelier, Pascal—perfection in the capital of the Côte-d’Or in Burgundy. Our ship was docked just outside the city.
The next stops were the quaint cities of Chalon-sur-Saône and Mâcon, where we explored Burgundy vineyards, tasting wines including Pouilly-Fuissé. We then visited a Beaujolais vineyard overlooking Oingt, which has been voted multiple times as the “prettiest town in France.” There were biking and hiking tours offered almost every day. We continued on to Tournus, the gateway to southern Burgundy; Lyon, the culinary capital of France, where we enjoyed a Taste of Lyon food tour; and the Roman ruins of Vienne.
In Viviers, we experienced truffle hunting, and in Avignon, the “City of the Popes,” we enjoyed lunch outside the Papal Palace next to an Italian market day in the square.
What is wonderful about AmaWaterways (and other similar companies) is their ability to curate excursions that provide a rich sampling of local culture, history, and cuisine. This is reflected in daily menus, regional wines, and onboard demonstrations such as macarons and crêpes.
The Paris and Normandy itinerary was both picturesque and historical, with many towns impacted by World War II. The Normandy beaches are the highlight of this sailing, but there was much more to experience. Our first stop after boarding near Paris was the magical town of Les Andelys, where Château Gaillard sits atop stunning limestone cliffs. We sailed through mist that gave way to blue skies as we departed hours later. Next, we stopped in Le Havre and the picturesque fishing town of Honfleur, arriving on market day.
In medieval Rouen, we skipped ship lunch and dined at La Couronne, the first restaurant in France visited by Julia Child in 1949. We enjoyed the same menu she had—oysters, Dover sole, and soufflé.
We explored the Pays d’Auge countryside with stops in Deauville and a Calvados distillery, followed by a visit to Giverny, home of Claude Monet and inspiration for “Water Lilies”. We capped off our journey with a quintessential cruise down the Seine past the Eiffel Tower. C’est magnifique.
