River Cruises in France Wine Country
France’s great vineyards grew up beside its rivers. Here is which cruise takes you to which wine.
Get Free France River Cruise QuotesMatch the Wine to the River
Rivers carried French wine to market for centuries, so it is no accident that river cruises in France wine country are so rewarding. Each river reaches a different set of vineyards, and knowing which is which helps you choose.
| Wine region | Reached by | What you might do |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux (Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Sauternes area) | Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde cruises from Bordeaux | Château visits, tastings, the medieval village of Saint-Émilion — see our Bordeaux river cruise site |
| Burgundy (Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise) | Saône sailings calling at Chalon-sur-Saône | Excursion to Beaune and its wine villages |
| Beaujolais | Saône cruises near Mâcon and Lyon | Rolling vineyard villages north of Lyon |
| Northern Rhône | Rhône cruises south of Lyon | Steep terraced vineyards near Tain-l’Hermitage and Tournon |
| Southern Rhône | Rhône cruises to Avignon | Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Popes’ vineyard village |
| Alsace | Rhine cruises calling at Strasbourg or Breisach | The Alsace wine route and Colmar |
| Loire (Muscadet, Anjou) | The Loire paddle-wheeler from Nantes | Vineyards of the lower Loire |
| Champagne | Hotel barges on the Marne | Champagne houses — see Barge Cruises in France |
Planning a Wine-Focused Cruise
- Harvest time (roughly September to early October) is atmospheric but popular — book early.
- Ask which tastings are included and which are optional extras.
- Some lines run wine-themed departures with a sommelier or winemaker on board.
- Shipping wine home has rules and costs; ask before you buy cases.
- For wine-led river cruising in other countries too, see Wine River Cruises.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which river cruises in France wine country are best for serious wine lovers?
Bordeaux cruises are the most wine-centred, with visits to estates in areas such as the Médoc and Saint-Émilion. Rhône and Saône cruises reach Burgundy, Beaujolais, the northern Rhône and Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Are wine tastings included?
Many itineraries include at least one tasting, and some lines offer wine-themed sailings with extra visits and hosted dinners. Exactly what is included varies by line and itinerary.
Comparing all the French rivers at once? Go back to the river chooser, or look at the companies that sail them.
The Food That Goes With It
Wine is only half of it. Lyon, where the Saône meets the Rhône, is known as a capital of French cooking, with its small traditional restaurants called bouchons. Burgundy brings beef bourguignon, escargots and mustard from Dijon; Provence brings olive oil, herbs and the markets of Avignon and Arles; Bordeaux has its own canelé pastries and oysters from the nearby Arcachon basin; Alsace has tarte flambée and choucroute. Many river cruises in France wine country include a market visit or a cooking demonstration alongside the tastings — ask which ones do.
Find a Wine Country River Cruise
Tell us your favourite wines. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will match them to a river and a sailing.
Get Free Cruise Quotes