Lyon - Fields of lavender and flamingos, snow-capped mountains and palm trees. Do these things go together somehow?The answer is definitely yes - that is from a ship that explores Provence on the Rhone River. All these sights are visible and without any hassle. When the famous bridge at Avignon comes into view, passengers can view it from the ship's sun deck.
"A river cruise in Provence is for people of leisure," said Katharina Bahlcke of the cruise line Peter Deilmann based in Neustadt/Holstein, Germany.
"The French know how to enjoy life - the so-called savoir vivre. And it starts with good food."
The culinary pleasures were one reason Gisela Hoppe of Cologne took a Rhone River cruise.
"You can see so much here and try great wines," said Hoppe. She celebrated her 68th birthday with her husband Guido on a cruise organized by the cruise line A-Rosa. Two years ago, they celebrated her birthday on a Danube River cruise.
The Hoppes are similar to many vacationers on the Rhone, according to A-Rosa spokesman Julia Kolanghis in Rostock. Most of them have the more traditional cruises like a Danube River cruise behind them and they want to experience something new.
Compared to Danube and Rhine river cruises, a Rhone River cruise offers a special Mediterranean flair, said Bahlcke, citing the "mild air, the light and the colourful landscape."
In addition, the region is diverse, said Ralph Schetter of the tourism bureau Maison de la France in Frankfurt. On a trip upstream, excursions to the gorges of Ardeche are offered. Travellers can take a canoe trip to get a closer look at the gorges and see stalactite caves and fields of lavender.
In the southern Rhone, visitors have can go on an excursion and experience the glitzy charm of the Cote d'Azur. The change in the landscape also impresses many tourists. While snow-capped peaks of the Alps brighten up the horizon in the north near Lyon, Nice's promenades are lined with palm trees.
Along the way tourists see an abundance of culture. In Avignon this includes an obligatory visit to the bridge and a trip to the Palace of the Popes and it's 14th century frescoes.
A walk through the antique amphitheatre in Arles, where bullfights are held, is worthwhile. It's also possible to follow the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh, who immortalized Arles in paintings he did while staying in a psychiatric hospital in St. Remy just a few kilometres away.
The Roman aquaduct Pont du Gard and the mountain village Les Baux with its castle ruins should not be overlooked either. Another favourite is a Jeep or bicycle excursion in Camargue, which should be part of any Rhone River journey. It's home to three special types of animals: white horses, black bulls and pink flamingos.
Lastly, gastronomy becomes the central focus in Lyon. Thanks to celebrity chef Paul Bocuse, who helped elevate Lyon to the status of a gourmet mecca, visitors can marvel at the countless cheeses and cold meat creations in the markets. In addition, there are sinfully sweet chocolate cakes and juicy apple pies to taste.
Unfortunately, too few authentically French impressions such as these are offered on a Rhone River cruise. The journey is, however, more of a boat trip through Provence.
"Yet, the ship is the destination," said Julia Kolanghis of A-Rosa. The trips are better suited to giving tourists a taste of Provence and its people while keeping some distance. Visitors who want a deeper cultural and regional experience should ideally add a weeklong stay on land after the river cruise.
Rhone River cruises are gaining ground among operators. The cruise line A-Rosa registered an 8 per cent increase in guests from 2005 to 2007.
Typically, river cruise lines such as A-Rosa, Peter Deilmann and Viking offer seven to 11-day return trips on the Rhone River from Lyon to Arles. Some start further north on the Saone River or go farther south to Port St. Louis and Martigues on the Mediterranean Sea.
The Rhone River cruise season runs from March until early November. Cruise lines also offer travellers additional services for a fee, including flight reservations, bus transfers and a parking place for their car in Lyon.
