Sailing upstream on the Rhône from Avignon to Lyon, on Riviera Travel‘s MS Thomas Hardy, is one of the world’s epic river cruises.  It is an eight day voyage from Avignon that concludes in Lyon.

Cruising through time from caveman’s woolly rhino drawings, past crumbling relics of Roman conquests to Second World War destruction, this is more than a luxurious river cruise, it is a voyage through the very essence of civilisation. 

Rich in history, both beautiful and brutal, the Rhône displays the arrow-slit architecture of war; where even the papal palace was crenelated and where church bell towers were fortified.

Stories from the history of art abound. Through Chauvet’s cave drawings, Botticellis in Avignon and contemporary works in Arles’ Vincent Van Gogh Institute.

Day 1 – From London to Avignon

Riviera Travel arrange flights, from Heathrow in our case, booking us on a British airways flight, though other cruisers fly from regional airports or take Eurostar followed by the rapid TGV to Avignon.

At Marseilles airport we are met and taken on a coach, for 70 minutes, through a landscape of olives, rosemary and thyme, towards hills that have hosted the Tour de France. We do not see our luggage again until the crew deliver it to our cabin. Riviera Travel deliver us straight to the MS Thomas Hardy: 135 metres of sleek, carefree luxury, moored at Avignon, within sight of the Middle Age city walls.

After an essential shower, nearly every guest arrives in the lounge for drinks. Cocktail…

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