French waterways and vineyards
Paris
orientation tour. Like the fact that the iconic and beloved Eiffel Tower was also despised by many famed Parisians, such as author Guy de Maupassant, who claimed he often dined in the tower so he didn’t have to look at it! Your two-night stay with Tauck in the heart of it all at The Westin Paris – an idyllic retreat situated on the Rue de Castiglione – will be filled with just those kinds of tidbits and morsels! Spend the rest of the day and evening checking out more of Paris as you please, and enjoying lunch and dinner on your own. Dining in Paris is often considered to be among the ultimate culinary experiences anywhere, and there’s hardly another city on Earth that can offer you more options to choose from, ranging from little sidewalk bistros to some of Europe’s most exclusive restaurants; many Paris eateries also offer wine tasting as part of the dining experience. Meals B
3. TGV TO LYON / EMBARK MS SWISS EMERALD After a final morning at leisure in Paris, board a high-speed TGV train south to Lyon, where Mangez! (“Eat!”) is sort of a battle cry. This historic city at the confluence of the rivers Rhône and Saône is considered the culinary capital of France – and for a country that not only enjoys one of the world’s top reputations for fine wine and cuisine, but whose chefs practically defined the “art of cooking” and have set its standards for centuries – that’s really saying something! Board your premium Tauck riverboat, the ms Swiss Emerald, in Lyon; please join us at the Captain’s welcome reception and dinner aboard ship this evening. Meals BD
4. GASTRONOMIC LYON & A BEAUJOLAIS WINE TASTING With France’s highest number of restaurants per capita, folks come to Lyon to eat... and they don’t leave disappointed – as you’ll discover during a city tour and lunch today. Relaxed and convivial, Lyon’s certified traditional restaurants, called bouchons Lyonnaise, serve Lyonnaise specialties like quenelles (fish dumplings) and coq au vin. Your sightseeing includes visits to medieval Vieux Lyon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and 19th-century Notre-Dame de Fourvière. This afternoon, travel to France’s famed Beaujolais wine-growing region for a wine tasting – magnifique! – before continuing your cruise to Vienne. Meals BLD
5. HISTORIC VIENNE & TOURNON-SUR-RHÔNE Wake up today in Vienne on the Rhône, whose long history goes back even further than the Romans. After you excuse the initial confusion caused by Vienne’s original Roman name – they called it “Vienna,” like today’s Austrian capital – you’ll find a treasure trove of Roman ruins to check out on a walking tour and during free time in town; one legend says the pyramid-like Plan de l’Aiguille may have served as Pontius Pilate’s tomb! Cruise to Tournon-sur-Rhône to sample more of what this ancient valley is famous for on a wine tasting excursion, then on to Avignon. Meals BLD
6. AVIGNON, PONT DU GARD & A DINNER TO REMEMBER “Sur le pont d’Avignon... L’on y danse, l’on y danse... Sur le pont d’Avignon... L’on y danse tous en rond.” If that catchy little tune pops into your head at the mention of Avignon, you’re not alone; for centuries, schoolchildren have been singing that song about dancing on the bridge of this walled medieval city that served as the headquarters for several popes in the 1300s. A walking tour includes a visit to the
Call your travel agent or Tauck at 800-468-2825
SWITZERLAND FRANCE
Tain-l’Hermitage Vienne Lyon
Tournon Valence
Pont du Gard Viviers
Avignon Roussillon Arles MEDITERRANEAN SEA ITALY
Tauck Value
Includes:: • Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director
• All private Tauck shore excursions – $938 Value!
• Exclusive epicurean experience at an award-winning restaurant and cooking school in Valence, with a hands-on demonstration and tastings of olive oil, cheeses, chocolate and wine
• Excursion to the Rhône Valley countryside for a wine tasting at a vineyard in the world-renowned Beaujolais wine-producing region
• A walking tour of historic Vieux Lyon and a memorable included lunch in France’s culinary capital of Lyon, home to the bouchon Lyonnaise
• Wine tasting in Tournon-sur-Rhône
• Airport transfers upon arrival and departure as noted
• 23 meals (9 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 8 dinners); select meals in local restaurants; wine with dinner on the riverboat; service charges, taxes, porterage, and applicable fuel surcharges
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