MS Van Gogh, 4 Night A Christmas in Provence ex Lyon, France Return

In France, each region has its own holiday traditions and legends. The season is jam packed full of local customs marking the end of the year. Come and share these experiences on a unique trip.Discover the magic of Christmas in Provence, including the santons—clay figurines that decorate local nativity scenes— at the miniature village in Paradou and the origins of the 13 desserts as the traditional way to end a Christmas meal in the region. Slip into the holiday spirit as you crisscross inspirational sites, intriguing cities, and charming villages in Provence.

Day 1
Passengers are welcome to board at 5:00 p.m. in Lyon. Our ship will begin to cruise towards Avignon. We’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail.

Day 2
We’ll cruise through the Rhône Valley in the morning.This afternoon, the included excursion is: A tour of the Papal Palace. The imposing fortress and luxurious Papal Palace symbolize the power of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. It is one of the largest and most important Gothic buildings in Europe and the city’s most famous attraction. Take a step back in time as you stroll through the immense halls, contemplate the beauty of the chapels, and visit the papal apartments. Afterwards, enjoy some free time to explore Avignon as the Christmas spirit begins to seep into the streets and transform them into a magical place.Free evening in the city.

Day 3
We’ll spend the morning cruising to Arles. Join us during this time for a presentation on Christmas traditions in Provence and the 13 Desserts. Introduction to and tasting of the sweet treats that top off the already copious holiday meal in Provence. Traditionally, the 13 Desserts are served abundantly enough so that every guest can taste each of the dried and fresh fruits, nougats, figs, and local breads.This afternoon, join us for an included excursion: Les Baux-de-Provence, its Santon Museum, Arles and the Santonniers Fair. We take the road to Les Baux-de-Provence and its charming Santon Museum. This hilltop village, perched on a rocky spur, boasts an incredibly rich architectural heritage. Its citadel overlooks landscapes of breathtaking natural beauty.During your visit to the Santon Museum, you’ll discover a remarkable collection of traditional Provençal figurines. Among them, two splendid displays showcase a traditional Provençal nativity scene and scenes of daily life from a 19th-century family.The journey continues with a guided tour of the city of Arles, before discovering the International Santonniers Fair—a must-see event for lovers of nativity scenes and santons from southern France. Created by local artisans in 1958 to celebrate their craft, the fair now gathers over 100 exhibitors and creators each year.We’ll cruise towards Tain-l’Hermitage overnight.

Day 4
We’ll spend the morning cruising. When we arrive in Tain-l’Hermitage, join us for a tour of the Cité du Chocolat and a wine cellar. Come and explore, smell, and taste chocolate in all of its forms at the Valrhona Discovery Center. You’ll learn everything you need to know about the world’s favorite candy—from growing cacao to the secrets behind the most excellent recipes. Lastly, we’ll indulge in a tasting, of course! We’ll then head over to the Maison Chapoutier wine cellar to discover their seven generations of know-how in producing bold and elaborate wine following biodynamic principles and practices.(1) To round out the tour, we’ll enjoy a tasting of wines.We’ll return on board and leave for Lyon. Tonight is our festive gala evening.

Day 5
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services.

Completely renovated in 2018, this ship has been redesigned and refitted according to the new standards of the company and offers larger, bright and comfortable spaces. In terms of decoration, the colour combination of gray blue and orange creates a lot of style and elegance. In a nod to the artist whose name it takes, the ship showcases some of his famous paintings, including those from the Sunflowers series. The patterns of the fabrics as well as the dressing of the bar follow the techniques developed by Van Gogh: impressionism and pointillism. The two main common areas are located on the upper deck. At the front, the lounge / bar and at the back, the restaurant where all meals will be served during the cruise. The 20 cabins on the upper deck have French balconies and the 34 cabins on the main deck have windows. On the sun deck, an ideal place to relax and admire the landscapes, passengers can enjoy comfortable sun loungers, as well as a large shaded area.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat’s design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.

Select the Deck to view detail.

MS Van Gogh - Main Deck

MS Van Gogh - Upper Deck

MS Van Gogh - Sun Deck

Select the Cabin to view detail.

Main Deck 2 Adjustable Twin Beds

Ammenities TV Telephone (for internal calls only) Bathroom with shower and toilet Towels Safe Independent air-conditioning Electricity 220V Wi-Fi

Upper Deck Double Bed - Reduced Mobility Cabin

Ammenities TV Telephone (for internal calls only) Bathroom with shower and toilet Towels Safe Independent air-conditioning Electricity 220V Wi-Fi

Upper Deck 2 Adjustable Twin Beds

Ammenities TV Telephone (for internal calls only) Bathroom with shower and toilet Towels Safe Independent air-conditioning Electricity 220V Wi-Fi

Main Deck 1 Single Bed

Ammenities

TV
Telephone (for internal calls only)
Bathroom with shower and toilet
Towels
Safe
Independent air-conditioning
Electricity 220V
Wi-Fi