A Glorious Week Sailing Through The Rhône River Valley

The Riverside Cruises experience

I absolutely loved the route and how Riverside Cruises also incorporates the Saône river into touring southern Burgundy. The private wine tastings they organized in each town and village we docked in were the highlight of the trip—particularly in Chateauneuf du Pape.

The suite accommodations on Riverside are some of the biggest and most luxurious of cabins I've stayed in on any ship (ocean or river). Having access to a butler 24/7 was the icing on the cake—particularly for early mornings when we wanted our coffees delivered to the room so we could sip them in bed while watching the sunrise and the gorgeous scenery out the window.

Insider tips

If you're embarking in Avignon like we did, take a few days on the front end to explore the city and surroundings. Don't just come in the night before, as the cruise sets sail on the first night. Likewise, on the back end, we disembarked in Lyon and could have stayed a couple nights there to continue our exploration of Burgundy, but we had to catch a train back to Paris.

Speaking of trains, Riverside will send a driver when you disembark to take you to the TGV station as long as you give them a few days' notice to coordinate. They also have drivers on hand to shuttle you to the airport for those who have early flights to catch home.

If I had to do it over again, I would have researched the port stops more prior to sailing so I could have explored a bit more on my own without having to figure it out each day.

We sailed in September, and although the days were temperate, it got cool at night and in the early mornings, and I ended up using the light puffer jacket I brought more than I thought I would!

For nights when you're too tired after a long day in port, don't be shy about ordering room service for dinner. Your butler will set up a table in your suite and you can order anything you want from the main dinner menu, including wine and cocktails. They will deliver to your room, and then you only need to text them when you're done, and they'll come pick everything up. Easy and such a nice treat!

Definitely download WhatsApp before you go, as that will be your main communication tool with the butler. We even heard a guest send a message on the way back from an excursion to have an afternoon tea set up in their room for their arrival back. What a great idea!

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.