There are many options for cruises that combine the Saône and Rhône rivers. If you would like to visit as many destinations as you can, Tauck and Scenic Tours are probably the best choices.
For travelers who want to take a mini-cruise, CroisiEurope has cruises on the Saône and Rhône rivers that last between 5 and 8 days..
If you want to combine your Saône and Rhône river cruise with a cruise on the Rhine River, Avalon Waterways has a 15-day package compared to a 10-day package offered by CroisiEurope. If you have more time to travel, Avalon Waterways offers more in terms of what you will see on your trip.
Most river cruise companies offer cruise that combine the Seine, Saône and Rhône rivers. Cruise length is from 15 to 23 days. Scenic and Tauck have the most extensive packages.
Another great choice is the Ultimate France package by Uniworld. You will experience three river cruises on one trip. It’s a 22-day itinerary with a cruise in Provence and Burgundy, Bordeaux and Paris and Normandy.
What’s the best Saône River cruise for you? To find out read our complete roundup of Saône river cruises.
About the Saône River
The Saône River is 294 miles long and is located in eastern France. It begins in the Vosges department (county) near the border of Germany and ends in Lyon where it meets the Rhône.
The Saône is connected to a few other waterways that are often traveled by river barge boats. About 16 miles southeast of Dijon, the river joins the Burgundy Canal in the city of Saint Jean. And the Canal du Centre links the Loire River to the Saône.
The Seine and Saône rivers are also connected through a couple of different waterways – the Yonne River and the Burgundy Canal. Smaller vessels can travel between the Seine and Saône rivers.
Read our complete roundup of Saône river cruises to learn about the various itineraries offered on this fascinating river.
Tom Kelly says
I am sorry if I was less than accurate. But, in Lauri’s article , she was quite definitive: “Scenic and Tauck have the most extensive packages”. That is a subject for debate. I understand that Vantage has not reached out to you, but a quick check of their website could/should help with more accurate comments on Avid Cruiser.
Your barge trip sounds great and quite reasonable in cost. Unfortunately our 2015 travel calender is full. It is great thast you are including Pont du Gard, one of my favorite stops.
Ralph Grizzle says
Thanks Tom. We’ll try to connect with Vantage again to see if we can include them more often.
Tom Kelly says
Again the Avid Cruiser recommends only the cruises from their sponsors. WE spent 10 days ON THE RIVERS with Vantage Deluxe Travel aboard the new ms River Discovery II in September 2013. More included stops and tours than any featured by Avid Cruisers , and post cruise night in Paris is INCLUDED!
Ralph Grizzle says
Tom, You need to play nice please. I always welcome your comments and your helping to inform others, but what you say is simply not true. Look at the list of cruise lines that we recommend. There are five cruise lines that play not role in sponsoring River Cruise Advisor. Had it not been for your first sentence and the start of the third one, your comments would have been spot on and welcomed and helpful. Again, I welcome anything you have to say that helps people make informed decisions. We do not single out sponsors for our reporting. We’ve reached out to Vantage for info in the past but have no contacts there. That’s why they are absent.