Rhone, Rhone, Rhone Your Boat; Lyon & Provence on the Viking Heimdal and Paris Too!

Definitely interested in your day in Vienne and the visit to the farmers market now that I see we will also be there on a Saturday. How far from the docking point was it?

I am terrible with distance, but from where the ship docked I would say about 4 blocks or 10 minutes at an easy pace. From where our boat docked it was across the street, up the hill and make a left and there it was.

Great! Thanks. I'm adding this to my notes for our trip. Looking at your pictures, I'm surprised at how much was on offer in a November farmers market. There are no farmers markets here in November!

Great review. Thanks for taking time to do it. We are on the same ship on the reverse route in April. We will be on an ocean line for the first part of our trip (MSC to Greek Islands from Venice) and then we fly to Marseille for our transfer to Avignon to start our week with Viking. Looking forward to our trip. My 50th birthday celebration. Our first Viking cruise.

Great review. Thanks for taking time to do it. We are on the same ship on the reverse route in April. We will be on an ocean line for the first part of our trip (MSC to Greek Islands from Venice) and then we fly to Marseille for our transfer to Avignon to start our week with Viking. Looking forward to our trip. My 50th birthday celebration. Our first Viking cruise.

Happy birthday (A little early) What a wonderful way to celebrate! I loved Greece; the people were friendly, and in Athens, English is widely spoken. Hopefully you will have the opportunity to go to Corfu, that was my personal favorite spot in Greece. River cruises tend to be so different from an ocean cruise, from a ship that carries a couple of thousand to a ship that carries < 200. Also, no rocking on a river boat. Have a wonderful trip.

Thank you for this review. Great information. We are leaving in 5 weeks on the France’s Finest tour with the first week on the Seine and the second week on the Rhône. We are getting so excited to go.

Rosethorn 40 you rock!!! We leave for the two prong Viking France's Finest in 99 days, and yesterday, finding your posts was just perfect.! Now we know so much more what to expect and see! We even quickly added the side trip to Fregere (probably spelled wrong, but headed to shower and school, too late to check!) You took so much time to let others know what it was like, both the plaudits and the concerns! We've been gifted to have been on the China, Russia, and Grand European Viking trips. All 5 star amazing. Thank you, thank you for taking the time to share so much!:hearteyes:

Viking Emerald - China 2013

Viking Grand Euro 2015

Viking Tzars of Russia 2016

Rosethorn 40 you rock!!! We leave for the two prong Viking France's Finest in 99 days, and yesterday, finding your posts was just perfect.! Now we know so much more what to expect and see! We even quickly added the side trip to Fregere (probably spelled wrong, but headed to shower and school, too late to check!) You took so much time to let others know what it was like, both the plaudits and the concerns! We've been gifted to have been on the China, Russia, and Grand European Viking trips. All 5 star amazing. Thank you, thank you for taking the time to share so much!:hearteyes:

Viking Emerald - China 2013

Viking Grand Euro 2015

Viking Tzars of Russia 2016

Please! Stop! I'm blushing!!;)

Glad you found my information helpful. Come back in 99 days+ and let us know how your trip went.

I just started a new thread Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence and now I'm going to the older threads, hoping that folks are still subscribed, asking those who have already sailed these itineraries to subscribe and follow this new thread and to share your expertise with future travelers. Thanks in advance for joining the conversation.

I just started a new thread Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence and now I'm going to the older threads, hoping that folks are still subscribed, asking those who have already sailed these itineraries to subscribe and follow this new thread and to share your expertise with future travelers. Thanks in advance for joining the conversation.

We are departing next week - Lyon to Avignon -- are shorts acceptable for daytime excursions? I have checked the weather and it will be quite warm - mid 80s

We are departing next week - Lyon to Avignon -- are shorts acceptable for daytime excursions? I have checked the weather and it will be quite warm - mid 80s

Yes, most definitely.

My wife and in-laws took this cruise in 2015, see http://www.lipfordfamilyadventures.com/2015_france_adventure.php for a complete narrative and pics we took. 

Read our perspective on Viking River Cruises here;  http://www.lipfordfamilyadventures.com/viking_overview.php

There are some "gotchas" on the Rhone River Cruise - perhaps the biggest one is that most of the bridges are too low for the boat to have the sun deck open for use. As compared to the River Seine cruise, where the sun deck was constantly open for use. 

The other gotcha is the time of year - France has a definite winter, and cruising in April you are likely to find it chilly. Dress accordingly and it isn't a problem.

3 hours ago, TerryLipford said:

 

 

The other gotcha is the time of year - France has a definite winter, and cruising in April you are likely to find it chilly. Dress accordingly and it isn't a problem.

I guess it is going to be down right cold in March. 

Thanks for the links. And please join the conversation below. We always need the input of those who have already enjoyed the trip. 

We sailed down the Rhone in the beginning of April last year and we thought the weather was beautiful. A light jacket in the evening, sunny days, lots of flowers in bloom - we just loved it!

Not every April is going to be nice weather!   However, the average high temperature for Lyon in April is 61 degrees farenheit.

Glad you got good weather, but we did not.

Rosethorn40, if you still have contact info for the Avignon man with golf cart tours, pls email:

lesliemcbee1728@gmail.com

In April, we are booked on Viking from Arles to Paris and then to Rouen back to Paris.  Loved your comments!

9 hours ago, miss33minnie said:

Rosethorn40, if you still have contact info for the Avignon man with golf cart tours, pls email:

lesliemcbee1728@gmail.com

In April, we are booked on Viking from Arles to Paris and then to Rouen back to Paris.  Loved your comments!

 

Hope you will join our conversations on

Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence

and

ALL 2019 Viking FRANCE'S FINEST

On 10/28/2018 at 8:03 AM, TerryLipford said:

 

The other gotcha is the time of year - France has a definite winter, and cruising in April you are likely to find it chilly. Dress accordingly and it isn't a problem.

Thanks for this information. My sister and I are sailing on the Heimdahl in April (16-23; Lyon to Avignon), and have been wondering what the weather might be on the river. 

On 2/22/2019 at 6:50 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

Hope you will join our conversations on

Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence

and

ALL 2019 Viking FRANCE'S FINEST

•  

 

Thanks Peregrina for assembling these posts. I've gotten a lot of good information. We leave in less than a month. So excited - my first trip to France! 

8 hours ago, Sacramento2012 said:

Thanks Peregrina for assembling these posts. I've gotten a lot of good information. We leave in less than a month. So excited - my first trip to France! 

Glad to have been of help.

I'm planning on posting on Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence  while we travel. We board next Tuesday. If you have any specific questions, post them there. We are traveling with another couple so my online time will be limited and it may be the only thread I get to follow.

Planning on booking the Viking Lyon & Provence cruise in spring/summer 2020.  I experienced low water levels on the Danube in 2018 and understand we could experience something similar on the Rhone.  Would you suggest starting in Lyon or Avignon?  Would it make any difference?  TIA

1 hour ago, dcr_78704 said:

Planning on booking the Viking Lyon & Provence cruise in spring/summer 2020.  I experienced low water levels on the Danube in 2018 and understand we could experience something similar on the Rhone.  Would you suggest starting in Lyon or Avignon?  Would it make any difference?  TIA

The Rhône has a very strong current, so it is generally considered better to sail downstream from Lyon.

On 3/30/2019 at 10:03 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

The Rhône has a very strong current, so it is generally considered better to sail downstream from Lyon.

Why?

We just sailed from Avignon to Lyon last week and I don't understand what difference the current made. The engines didn't seem to work any harder. It was smooth sailing all the way. We did not miss any time at stops. Am I missing something here? Or is this simply outdated advice that needs revisiting? 

3 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Why?

 

We just sailed from Avignon to Lyon last week and I don't understand what difference the current made. The engines didn't seem to work any harder. It was smooth sailing all the way. We did not miss any time at stops. Am I missing something here? Or is this simply outdated advice that needs revisiting? 

Perhaps the Rhone was not at full strength on your trip?  I am reporting what I recall from folks who were in 'Aquarium Class' cabins and noted that there was significant engine and/or current noise when the ship was moving upstream.  [I wasn't suggesting you would miss stops because of the current, only that the sailing may be harder and noisier.]

On 3/30/2019 at 4:03 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

The Rhône has a very strong current, so it is generally considered better to sail downstream from Lyon.

thanks so much.   this is the information i am looking for.  

we are doing France's finest in the fall and hope the weather stays a might warmer as we sail South!!!