MS Van Gogh, 4 Night Christmas along the Rhône - Between traditions, historical discoveries, and indulgent moments ex Lyon, France Return

Immerse yourself in Christmas traditions during a cruise through fascinating cities. In Viviers, savor the authenticity of its medieval heritage and traditional nativity scenes. Then, let yourself be enchanted by the charm of the Château de Charmes, near Tain l'Hermitage, where history and elegance intertwine in a magical setting. Finally, succumb to the magic of Lyon, where twinkling streets, festive gastronomy, and local craftsmanship bring the Christmas spirit to life in a city rich in history and culture.

Day 1
Boarding.Night navigation towards Tain-L'Hermitage.

Day 2
Morning optional excursion: visit and tasting at Château de Charmes.Afternoon of navigation.Lecture on Christmas traditions in Provence and the famous thirteen Christmas desserts.

Day 3
In the morning, optional excursion: Viviers and visit to a nougat-making workshop.Navigate towards Lyon.Christmas karaoke on board.Gala evening.

Day 4
Optional excursion: The crypt of the Basilica of Fourvière, Old Lyon, and its traboules.(3)Included excursion: Cirque Imagine: Christmas show.Return to the ship for the Christmas.Eve dinner Christmas Mass.(2)

Day 5
Brunch on board.Disembarkation.

Completely renovated in 2018, this ship has been redesigned and refitted according to the new standards of the company and offers larger, bright and comfortable spaces. In terms of decoration, the colour combination of gray blue and orange creates a lot of style and elegance. In a nod to the artist whose name it takes, the ship showcases some of his famous paintings, including those from the Sunflowers series. The patterns of the fabrics as well as the dressing of the bar follow the techniques developed by Van Gogh: impressionism and pointillism. The two main common areas are located on the upper deck. At the front, the lounge / bar and at the back, the restaurant where all meals will be served during the cruise. The 20 cabins on the upper deck have French balconies and the 34 cabins on the main deck have windows. On the sun deck, an ideal place to relax and admire the landscapes, passengers can enjoy comfortable sun loungers, as well as a large shaded area.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat's design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.