Slipping through the South of France, a first-time cruiser discovers why river cruising is one of the fastest-growing form of slow travel.
The French have a saying to describe the daily grind: “Métro, boulot, dodo” (Commute, work, sleep). Despite their famous pursuit of joie de vivre, even they know how the routine can wear you down. On an eleven-day cruise through the South of France, though, I find the perfect antidote: the kind of holiday where the hardest decision is what wine to pair with lunch.
Our route takes us through Southern France, where half of Paris seems to drift in August, seeking the sun-drenched scenery that inspired Van Gogh and Cézanne. As we sail, the allure of river cruising slowly, leisurely reveals itself.
The Scenic Sapphire is one of the crown jewels of Scenic’s Space-Ships, sailing Europe’s great rivers. Scenic’s Spectacular South of France follows the Saône and Rhône, gliding from the vines and châteaus of Burgundy to the Roman ruins and sunflower fields of Provence.
Sail, eat, sleep, repeat
In this part of the world, every curve of the river leads to beautiful food and wine. Lyon, the first and final stop of the cruise, is the perfect entree – nicknamed the ‘Gastronomic Capital of the World’. In summer, barges moor on the riverbanks and transform into pop-up bars known as péniches, while diners spill out into cobblestoned streets from traditional bouchons, which use every part of the beast on menus that give new meaning to the word ‘hearty’.
These two rivers slice through some of the best wine country on the planet. In Burgundy, the birthplace of chardonnay and pinot noir, we visit a winery in the 18th-century Château de Garnerot. In south Burgundy, we pass Medieval monasteries and fields planted in a style introduced by the Vikings on our way to truffle farm Le Cos-Piguet. After watching Olivier Devêvre and his dog Maestro sniff out Burgundy truffles in a shady grove, we sample truffled treats and a golden custard made with Devêvre’s hand-plucked saffron in his 17th-century farmhouse.
Further south in Tournon, we reach the home of syrah in Crozes-Hermitage. Hiking up and over the hills, we wind up sipping wine in a steep, craggy vineyards as we learn how the Hermitage appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) is grappling with climate change.
Syrah is king on this mountain, but later at local cellar M. Chapoutier, I pick up a white blend of marsanne and roussanne, all apricots and ripe stone fruits with a flinty undercurrent. Chocolate lovers, meanwhile, decamp to the nearby Valrhona chocolate factory. Valrhona chocolates, too, magically appear on our pillow onboard after turn-down every evening.
In Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a tiny village that’s home to more than 300 wine producers and just one patisserie, we are led through an in-depth tasting of local grenache blends. This was the very first recognised AOC in France – adopting strict production rules that have since influenced winemaking and farming around the world.
Avignon feels sprawling by comparison to the sleepy villages we’ve seen so far, when we dock within view of the town’s fabled bridge. The setting for a 14th-century turf war between Catholic Rome and French popes, the walled Old Town is dominated by Palais des Papes, the world’s largest Gothic palace. In the height of summer, every plaza in the pedestrian-only centre is packed with cafe tables.
As modern as the architecture surrounding it is historic, the greenery-coated Avignon Les Halles covered market overflows with locals working their way through platters of fresh-shucked Brittany oysters and stocking up on artisan breads, cheeses, smallgoods and farm-grown produce. To work it off, we take Sapphire’s e-bikes for a cycle around leafy Barthelasse Island, a free punt across the river.
The setting turns even more fairytale as we sail south to fort town Viviers, where we pick up goat’s cheese, radishes and apricots from a weekly market in the village square, before plunging into ancient cobbled laneways winding up to a Medieval cathedral, young by the standards of a town that dates back to Roman times.
The heart of Roman Southern France, and our southernmost stop, Arles famously boasts the largest number of Roman ruins anywhere outside of Rome. As you circle its honey-stoned amphitheatre, built in 90 AD, you can imagine the roars of the crowd floating through the arches. Today, the only sound is the hum of diners crowded around terrace tables, seeking respite from the beating midday sun over carafes of wine and the daily prix-fixe menu.
The full package
Gastronomy and history tussle for top spot in this disarming part of the world; Scenic’s Freechoice program of daily tours caters to both, whether that’s learning about the French Resistance’s actions in Viviers from a descendent of a resistance fighter, or, kayaking under the lofty Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, which has been standing since around 50 AD.
The signature Scenic Enrich activities bring the entire ship together for exclusive experiences. In Avignon, that’s inside the Palais des Papes after-hours for a private dinner in a hall where popes once feasted. Lyon delivers a private choral concert inside an ornate Gothic cathedral. In Tournon, it’s on the terrace of the 16th-century Château de Tournon with winemakers pouring Crozes-Hermitage wines, the Scenic Sapphire visible on the river below.
Why river cruising?
One of the best things about river cruising is the size of the ships. Unlike some of the behemoths cruising the oceans, river ships need to be small enough to navigate locks, narrow waterways and changing tides. Their small size, and the smaller towns they are able to pull into, mean the ports are often right in the heart of town, often with space for only a few vessels. On Sapphire, all we need to do is swipe our room pass, then we’re free to roam until departure time.
What is the food like on a river cruise?
An Australian-born cruise line, Scenic takes its food and wine very seriously. At signature restaurant Crystal Dining, the menu and wine list mirrors our locations; with bouillabaisse, duck, escargot and frogs’ legs plated up alongside Rhône and Burgundy pours, often on the chef’s suggested three-course daily menu.
During their stay, each guest is also invited to an evening in 32-seat L’Amour for a lavish five-course degustation, which on our evening plates up the likes of foie gras mousse and beef entrecôte. Diamond deck and premium suite guests also experience a night at Table La Rive, a 10-seat chef’s table offering silver-service theatricality and technique; as we sail the Rhône, our menu is strung with delicacies like caviar and Périgord truffles, with white-jacketed waiters and a dedicated sommelier offering paired pours.
Guests keen to replicate the Gallic menu can join the daily Scenic Culinaire cooking school in the late morning or early afternoon; which in Avignon includes a visit to Les Halles d’Avignon market for ingredients.
What do you get on a Scenic cruise?
A Scenic trip is full service, from the moment you unpack (for the one and only time). Our butler Alexis welcomes us, checking on personalisations for our free mini bar, restocked daily, and demonstrating how the sun lounge becomes a balcony at the push of a button. With about one crew member to every three of the maximum 147 guests, it’s a level of attentiveness you find across the ship. All-inclusive fares cover meals, drinks, tours and even tips, so guests can keep reality at bay just that little bit longer.
The writer travelled as a guest of Scenic. Scenic offers the 11-day Spectacular South of France river cruise from $8,195pp, with economy flights included up to $2,900pp in 2026.
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