Just Back: Sailing Through Provence
Waking up in Lyon on the Avalon Poetry II
Sailing along the Rhone, enjoying springtime in Provence (though it was still a bit chilly), and exploring medieval towns and the surrounding landscape - that was my past week on the Avalon Waterways Poetry II.
Although our cruise was a charter (and half-Conference, half-cruise), it was an incredible way to experience river cruising and what it can offer my clients.
The conference itself was amazing and I feel so inspired and so fortunate to be part of my host agency, Gifted Travel Network. Sailing on a river cruise for 6 days with my fellow advisors, GTN staff, and a small group of our preferred partners was an incredible way to build relationships, learn from others, and think about how I can better serve my clients.
But enough of that! Let’s talk about river cruising and my first cruise EVER.
Overall Experience
Waking up in a new city every day was a little disorienting at first. But it was such an easy way to explore a region like Provence - and only having to unpack once! I had traveled to Paris for 2 nights before the cruise (at the fabulous SO/ Paris Hotel - best views in the city) and then spent one night in Marseille at the InterContinental Hotel Dieu (a stunning property!). By the time we boarded the cruise, I was READY to unpack and stop living out of my luggage. I’ve heard cruise fans talk about this before, but experiencing this for myself made me realize how nice it is not lugging your suitcase around from hotel to hotel.
I also loved seeing the landscape when we sailed during the day - it was a little too cold and windy to truly take advantage of all of the outdoor space on the ship, but I can just imagine how nice it is in warmer months to spend an afternoon on the top deck watching the landscape roll by.
Our itinerary was a slight deviation from the Provence and Burgundy itinerary Avalon typically offers, but this is an excellent option for anyone wanting to see more of France - especially if you love history, pastoral landscapes, or the flavors of the region (and by that I mean all of the flavors of France!).
We started and ended our trip in Arles and made stops in Viviers, Tain L’Hermitage, Avignon, and Lyon. What I loved about this itinerary is that not only did it bring me to new places I had not visited, each of the port cities had something different to offer whether it was small and charming medieval cities, ancient Roman ruins, or some of the best food France has to offer. Lyon was the only city on the itinerary that I had visited before; it was lovely to return and experience it again, but I truly was excited to see some new parts of the region.
A few nights we had entertainment onboard the ship - local musicians playing jazz, pop/disco, and Spanish guitar. After dinner we all found ourselves at the lounge enjoying some wine and maybe doing a little dancing.
A Variety of Excursions
When choosing the excursions I was pleasantly surprised by the variety of options we had available. All of the excursions on Avalon are included for guests and many of the itineraries offer Active, Discovery, and Standard options (like our cruise) which gives guests a range of activities to suit their interests. I opted for the Active excursion almost every time - e-biking to see Pont du Gard, hiking through the hilly towns of Toulon-sur-Rhone and Tain L’Hermitage while learning about local wine (and tasting some too). The Discovery tours feature unique cultural experiences and I opted for a visit to a local truffle farm outside Viviers and a food tour in Lyon. The truffle farm was really special - we met the owner, a fourth generation truffle farmer supplying some of the best restaurants in the world with their truffles (including Per Se, Daniel, Alinea,The French Laundry, and more). Tasting the truffles was fantastic, but getting to meet the truffle hunting dogs was surely the highlight for all of us!
Since we were also having a conference, our excursions were limited to the mornings; there are so many other included excursions on the Avalon itineraries that really allow you to learn more about the ports. And you can always opt out of the excursions to explore on your own. Another benefit of river cruising? The ports are right near town - you can easily walk off the ship and do your own thing if you prefer (you just need to be back on time before the ship leaves!).
Attentive Service & Staff
I really enjoyed the itinerary, the ship, and the staff on the Poetry II. Everyone working onboard was so friendly and so much fun (especially the bar staff!). The small size of the ship makes it easy to get to know the staff and for them to know you - quite quickly the housekeeping staff knew my morning routine and that I always left the room to grab a coffee, came back to the room for about 20-30 minutes, and then went to breakfast. This meant they knew when they could clean my room - and the personalized attention made my stay even more special.
My biggest takeaway: River cruises can be a lot of fun! If you have a preconceived idea of what a river cruise is like, think again. Get a group of friends or family together and take a river cruise! Avalon and my other partners offer cruises all around Europe, as well as in Vietnam/Cambodia, Egypt, Colombia, and more. Let us help you find the perfect cruise for you!