(802)540-0055
PARIS TO PROVENCE
FEATURING PARIS, BURGUNDY, LYON, AVIGNON & ARLES WITH OPTIONAL EXTENSION
APRIL 10 – APRIL 21, 2027
Sail through the heart of France in relaxed luxury on this unforgettable journey from Paris to Provence. Aboard the intimate Avalon Poetry II, enjoy spacious Panorama Suites with wall-to-wall windows that transform your room into an Open-Air Balcony®, letting the scenery become part of your experience.
Each day brings a new highlight—wine tasting in Burgundy, discovering Lyon's culinary treasures, exploring medieval villages, wandering Avignon's papal palace, and following in the footsteps of Van Gogh in Arles. With Avalon Choice® excursions, you can bike, hike, taste, paint, or enjoy classic guided sightseeing tailored to your style. Onboard, savor regionally inspired cuisine, friendly service, and peaceful lounges perfect for watching the Rhône drift by.
Thoughtfully paced and expertly hosted by Tim Kahn & Lee Hoehn from ETS, this cruise blends comfort, culture, and breathtaking landscapes into one seamless, storybook adventure through France.
Stay on and experience the Provence most travelers never see—curated with the signature magic that Tim Kahn and Lee Hoehn bring to every ETS journey. Their custom touch transforms Arles and the light-filled charming villages of the Vaucluse region, boasting art, wine, and a luscious landscape tapestry of vineyards and dramatic cliffs. If you've come to expect thoughtful surprises, insider access, and seamless hosting, this extension is where those expectations aren't just met—they're exceeded. Let Tim and Lee show you the Provence they love.
OPTIONAL EXTENSION - FLAVORS OF PROVENCE
APRIL 21 – APRIL 24, 2027
Enhance your journey with an unforgettable Provence extension crafted with the trademark magic of Tim Kahn and Lee Hoehn from ETS and Champlain Tours.
Provence conjures images of purple lavender fields, ancient hilltop villages, brilliantly colored fabrics, and the unforgettable scents of rosemary and thyme. It is a region of stunning sun-drenched landscapes, beautiful vineyards, and remarkable architecture spanning from Roman times to the modern designs of Le Corbusier.
There is so much to savor that you may not see it all—but as the locals like to say, your departure is never "Au Revoir," but "A Ben Leu"—"see you soon" in Provençal.
PHOTO GALLERY
INCLUDED:
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Limited to 15 guests with full accompaniment by ETS experts Tim Kahn & Lee Hoehn
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2 nights at a curated 4-star Paris boutique hotel (includes one pre-night stay)
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7 nights aboard the Avalon Poetry II Suite Ship® on the Saône & Rhône
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High-speed TGV rail from Paris to Dijon
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Group airport transfers: Paris arrival & Marseille departure (with Champlain Tours–booked air)
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Deluxe private motor coach for all land transfers and touring
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Daily breakfast on land; all meals during the 7-night river cruise
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Complimentary wine, beer, or soft drinks with lunch and dinner; nightly Happy Hour
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Guided tours in Paris, Beaune, Tournus, Lyon, Tournon, Viviers, Avignon, and Arles
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All entrance fees for listed attractions and tastings
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Whisper headsets, shipboard enrichment, and live entertainment
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Hotel taxes, service charges, and VAT included
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Gratuities covered for land touring and included meals on the extension
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24/7 on-tour support and pre-departure guidance from Champlain Tours
OPTIONAL PROVENCE EXTENSION INCLUDED:
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3 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 1 farewell dinner
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Full-day exploration of Les Baux, Saint-Rémy, and Lourmarin
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Carrières des Lumières immersive art show
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Luberon Valley touring: Roussillon, Gordes, and Bonnieux with wine tasting
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Full visit at Château La Coste (art trail, exhibitions & wine tasting)
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Afternoon in Aix-en-Provence and a Provence market visit
NOT INCLUDED:
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International airfare (available through Champlain Tours with included transfers)
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Travel insurance (highly recommended)
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Personal expenses, beverages beyond standard inclusions, and meals marked "on your own"
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Optional tours noted as "extra" (e.g., Pont du Gard and Châteauneuf-du-Pape)
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Gratuities for Tour Managers, Drivers, and Local Guides on the river cruise (at guest discretion per cruise guidelines)
ITINERARY
DAY 1 SATURDAY, APRIL 10 – DEPART THE U.S.
Into the French Night
Depart from your local international airport on your transatlantic flight to Paris, where an unforgettable journey through the heart of France awaits.
DAY 2 SUNDAY, APRIL 11 – ARRIVE PARIS
Bienvenue en France!
Arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport and transfer to your curated 4-star boutique hotel in Paris. If you booked your flight with Champlain Tours, your transfers are included.
Take free time today to fall in love with the world's most romantic city. Get inspired by its architectural icons, exquisite cuisine, chic boutiques, and priceless artistic treasures.
DAY 3 MONDAY, APRIL 12 – PARIS
Cafés, Cathedrals & Canvases in the City of Light
Breakfast is included at your hotel.
Join a guided city tour featuring the iconic sites of Paris—the Champs-Élysées, Notre-Dame, Montmartre, and the Louvre exteriors. Spend your free time strolling Paris's classic shopping avenues, seeing the exhibits at the Louvre, or visiting the Basilica of the Sacré-Cœur. Consider having your portrait sketched by a Parisian artist in the square at Place du Tertre.
You should expect Tim & Lee to enhance your experience in Paris to get the best out of this short but special visit.
Lunch and dinner on your own.
Included: Breakfast
DAY 4 TUESDAY, APRIL 13 – PARIS / DIJON / BEAUNE
Your Suite Ship Awaits!
Breakfast is included at the hotel.
Board a high-speed TGV train from Paris to Dijon, then continue to Beaune for a visit to the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital, built in 1443 and today home to Van der Weyden's painting of the Last Judgment—one of France's most celebrated architectural highlights. This afternoon, travel to Chalon-sur-Saône to board your Suite Ship®.
Overnight docking in Tournus. Welcome dinner onboard.
Included: Breakfast, Dinner
DAY 5 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14 – EMBARKATION / CHALON-SUR-SAÔNE
Welcome Aboard the Avalon Poetry II
Welcome to France—your Suite Ship® is ready for boarding. Flights into Lyon must arrive by 2:00 pm. Guests must be on board by 5:00 pm.
Overnight docking in Tournus.
DAY 6 THURSDAY, APRIL 15 – TOURNUS
Pearl of Southern Burgundy
Choose your adventure for the day. Active travelers can enjoy a hike through Tournus with your Avalon Adventure Host. Classic sightseers will explore the highlights of one of Burgundy's oldest and most important monastic centers with a local guide. Discovery guests can travel into the rolling landscapes of the Mâconnais region to learn about its world-famous Chardonnay vineyards and enjoy a wine tasting in the cellars of a real medieval castle—followed by a delicious cheese tasting on board.
Overnight cruise to Lyon.
DAY 7 FRIDAY, APRIL 16 – LYON
La Vie en Rose in Lyon
Active travelers can discover Lyon's architectural district by bike with your Adventure Host, crossing bridges and riding along the banks where the Rhône and Saône rivers meet. Classic guests will join a guided sightseeing tour surveying Lyon from Fourvière Hill and exploring the Old Town's maze of medieval alleyways, lively cafés, monuments, and the famed fountain of Place des Terreaux. Discovery guests can attend a WWII & French Resistance lecture on board.
Live entertainment after dinner.
Overnight docking in Lyon.
DAY 8 SATURDAY, APRIL 17 – LYON
Adventures in Food and Wine
Explore Lyon's rich silk heritage with a museum visit, a walking tour of La Presqu'île, and a live demonstration of hand-printed silk serigraphy in a local workshop. This afternoon, enjoy leisurely sailing to Tournon, with live entertainment on board in the evening.
Overnight docking in Tournon.
DAY 9 SUNDAY, APRIL 18 – TOURNON-SUR-RHÔNE / VIVIERS
A Rendezvous with Castle Views and Vineyards
Take a morning guided walking tour of Tournon—one of France's oldest medieval cities—with its impressive 16th-century castle. After a leisurely lunch on board, sail to Viviers for a late afternoon guided walking tour of this charming pale-stone village, with its Romanesque cathedral and fascinating mix of Christian, Roman, and medieval history.
Evening/overnight cruise to Avignon.
DAY 10 MONDAY, APRIL 19 – AVIGNON
The City of Popes in Picturesque Provence
Active travelers can discover Avignon by bike with your Adventure Host. Classic guests will take a guided sightseeing tour of this magnificent fortress city—its ramparts encircling the medieval center—and visit the stunning Palace of the Popes. Optional excursions include a visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard or a trip to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Explore Avignon's art, culture, theaters, and museums at your own pace and be sure to photograph the captivating medieval Pont Saint-Bénézet.
Live entertainment on board in the evening.
Evening cruise to Arles.
DAY 11 TUESDAY, APRIL 20 – ARLES
A Brush with Genius
Active travelers can join a power walk through Arles with your Adventure Host. Discovery guests can attend a painting workshop to learn the techniques of Vincent van Gogh and create their own painting in the style of the legendary artist. Classic guests will enjoy a guided walking tour of Arles, visiting the Roman Amphitheater in this visually stunning city. Take free time to stop at Le Café van Gogh for a glass of wine.
Overnight docking in Arles.
DAY 12 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21 – DISEMBARK / RETURN HOME OR PROVENCE EXTENSION
From River Rhythms to Provençal Grace
Disembark the Avalon Poetry II this morning after breakfast and bid farewell to the Rhône. Your private motor coach will transfer you to the airport for your return flight home—or stay on for the Optional Provence Extension and experience the France that most travelers never see.
Ask about the Optional Provence Extension!
Included: Breakfast
PROVENCE EXTENSION!
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21 – LES BAUX / SAINT-RÉMY / LOURMARIN
Into the Heart of Provence
Disembark the Avalon Poetry II this morning and step into a land where sunlight paints the world in gold. Your private motor coach carries you into the dramatic heart of Provence.
Your first stop is Les Baux-de-Provence, a medieval village carved high into a rocky plateau, where sweeping views of the Alpilles and winding stone lanes whisper centuries of history. Just below, slip into the otherworldly glow of the Carrières des Lumières—an immersive art experience where masterpieces ripple across ancient quarry walls in a breathtaking symphony of light and sound.
Next, the road curves to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence for an included lunch, savoring Provençal flavors under the same gentle light that once stirred Van Gogh's genius. Roman ruins, triumphal arches, and cypress-lined paths wrap the town in timeless beauty.
By late afternoon, arrive in Lourmarin—one of the Luberon's most graceful villages—where Renaissance façades, shaded cafés, and quiet lanes welcome you with unmistakable charm. Settle in for two nights at Le Moulin, a lovingly restored boutique hotel where terracotta tiles and Provençal fabrics wrap each room in the soul of the south.
Included: Lunch
THURSDAY, APRIL 22 – THE LUBERON VALLEY
Roussillon, Gordes & Bonnieux
Morning arrives softly in Lourmarin. After breakfast, set out as the Luberon Valley unfolds like a living watercolor. The road winds through orchards and vineyards before revealing Roussillon, where cliffs shimmer in shades of ochre—crimson, saffron, gold—and the village itself seems brushed from the same palette.
Farther on, Gordes rises from the rocky hills, its stone houses cascading down the slope in soft, sunlit tiers. Wander at your own pace, choose a café for lunch on your own, or join optional visits to the Village des Bories or the serene Abbaye de Sénanque, its lavender fields soon to bloom.
Later, the road dips into the quiet elegance of Bonnieux, where an included wine tasting in a vaulted stone cellar lets you savor the deep reds and crisp whites shaped by this sun-blessed valley.
As the day softens toward evening, return to Lourmarin for a special group dinner beneath the plane trees.
Included: Breakfast, Wine Tasting, Dinner
FRIDAY, APRIL 23 – CHÂTEAU LA COSTE / AIX-EN-PROVENCE
Where Art, Architecture & Wine Converge
After breakfast, check out of Le Moulin and set out for Château La Coste—part open-air museum, part working organic vineyard. The estate unfolds across rolling Provençal hills dotted with installations and architectural masterpieces by Tadao Ando, Louise Bourgeois, Frank Gehry, Andy Goldsworthy, Richard Serra, and more. Wander the art trail through forests, across vineyards, and over shimmering pools, with a new sculptural discovery around every bend. Your visit culminates with a tasting of Château La Coste's elegant Provençal wines, followed by an included lunch on site.
From there, continue to the luminous city of Aix-en-Provence—a refined university town beloved by painters and poets. Grand boulevards lined with plane trees, graceful fountains, and sun-washed squares create a scene that feels unmistakably Provençal. Stroll the historic center where Cézanne once found endless inspiration, and linger over a coffee or glass of rosé in a leafy plaza. The evening is yours to explore at your own pace.
Overnight at Hôtel Paul, a charming boutique stay in the historical heart of Aix-en-Provence.
Included: Breakfast, Lunch
SATURDAY, APRIL 24 – DEPART PROVENCE
A Ben Leu — See You Soon
After a final breakfast at Hôtel Paul, check out and transfer to the Marseille airport or TGV station for your journey home—carrying with you the colors, flavors, and unhurried magic of Provence.
Included: Breakfast
PRICING
RIVERVIEW (No Balcony)
DOUBLE
(group of two)
$8,150
PER PERSON
RIVERVIEW (No Balcony)
SINGLE
$11,574
PER PERSON
BALCONY
DOUBLE
(group of two)
$10,149
PER PERSON
BALCONY
SINGLE
$14,672
PER PERSON
OPTIONAL EXTENSION: Please call us!
*20% deposit due June 12, 2026. Balance due by January 15, 2027.
RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY
STEP
1
BOOK YOUR
TRIP
You will receive a letter of confirmation within one week.
STEP
2
GET YOUR TRIP DETAILS
Receive your travel packet with all your travel details 1-2 weeks prior to departure.
STEP
3
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
Contact us at any time. We are always happy to speak with you.
STEP
4
ENJOY YOUR TRIP
Relax and enjoy your stress-free travel!