Provence to Lyon by Rail & River: A Self-Launched Rhône Valley Adventure
7 days · Rhône & Saône Valleys, France
CroisiEurope River Cruises charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£493 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched take on CroisiEurope's 7-day Martigues-to-Lyon river cruise, rebuilt as an independent rail-and-bus journey through Provence and the Rhône/Saône valleys. Instead of a cabin on MS Camargue II with paid shore excursions, you'll overnight in hostels and budget guesthouses in Arles, Avignon, Valence/Tain-l'Hermitage and Lyon, and travel by regional TER trains and buses (the same towns the boat calls at: Avignon, Viviers, La Voulte/Tain-l'Hermitage, Mâcon, Beaujolais, Lyon). Camargue horse farms, the Papal Palace, Vercors/Die sparkling wine, Lyon's traboules and food scene, Mâcon and Beaujolais vineyards are all doable self-booked — often cheaper direct or via GetYourGuide/Klook. Costs are realistic budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Martigues / Provence and settle in
Martigues / Arles
Fly or take the TGV into Marseille Provence, then a local TER train to Martigues (~£5, 40 min) — the cruise's embarkation port — for a wander along the canals of 'the Venice of Provence'. Continue by TER to Arles (~£8, 1 hr) or Avignon for a cheaper, better-connected base. Evening: supermarket picnic or a £10-12 set lunch-style bistro dinner. Stock up on a Carte Zou/Région Sud or Interrail pass if you plan lots of regional hops.
🚌Marseille airport bus + TER trains to Martigues and Arles (~£13 total)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse dorm/private in Arles or Avignon (£22-28)
- →Canal walk in Martigues
- →Arles old town evening stroll
Camargue horses, flamingos and Arles
Camargue & Arles
Recreate the cruise's Camargue day independently. Take the local bus or a shared taxi from Arles into the Camargue (~£5 each way) and book a manade (horse farm) visit with horse show or a 4x4 marsh safari direct or via GetYourGuide (~£35-45). Alternatively hire a bike (~£12/day) and cycle the digue paths for pink flamingos, black bulls and Camargue horses. Afternoon: self-guided walk of Arles' Roman amphitheatre, theatre and Van Gogh spots (Arles Roman sites pass ~£10).
🚌Local bus/shared taxi to Camargue plus walking (~£10)
🛏Hostel or budget guesthouse in Arles (£22-28)
- →Camargue manade visit with horse show or 4x4 safari
- →Arles Roman monuments self-guided
Avignon, the Papal Palace and Viviers
Avignon & Viviers
Morning TER to Avignon (~£5, 20 min) and a self-booked timed entry to the Papal Palace and Pont d'Avignon (~£13 combined). Lunch at Les Halles market. Late afternoon take the TER south to Viviers (~£8, 50 min) for the quiet medieval cathedral town the cruise stops at — a short climb to the old town gives Rhône views. Overnight in Viviers or push on to Montélimar for more options.
🚌TER Arles-Avignon-Viviers (~£13)
🛏Guesthouse or budget hotel in Viviers/Montélimar (£25-30)
- →Papal Palace & Pont d'Avignon entry
- →Les Halles market
- →Viviers old town walk
Tain-l'Hermitage and Vercors / Die sparkling wine
Tain-l'Hermitage & Die
Train to Tain-l'Hermitage (~£7, 40 min from Viviers area) — the cruise's La Voulte/Tain call — for a tasting at a Crozes-Hermitage or Hermitage cellar door (~£10-15). In the afternoon take the TER up the Drôme valley to Die (~£8, 1 hr) and visit a Clairette de Die producer (many accept walk-ins for ~£8-12 tasting; book ahead for English tours). Return to Tain or Valence for the night; Valence is a good-value, well-connected base.
🚌TER to Tain-l'Hermitage and Die (~£15)
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Valence/Tain-l'Hermitage (£25-30)
- →Rhône wine tasting in Tain-l'Hermitage
- →Clairette de Die cellar visit & tasting
Train north to Mâcon and Lyon's traboules
Mâcon & Lyon
Morning TER/TGV north to Mâcon (~£15-20, 1.5-2 hrs) for a quick old-town and Saône riverside wander. Continue to Lyon (~£12, 45 min). Self-guided traboules walk of Vieux Lyon and Croix-Rousse (free maps from the tourist office, or a £12-15 GetYourGuide walking tour), then the evening foodie version: a self-guided tasting crawl through Les Halles Paul Bocuse and bouchons (~£20-25 for several small plates).
🚌TER/TGV Mâcon to Lyon plus local metro/tram (~£22)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Lyon Presqu'île/Vieux Lyon (£25-33)
- →Mâcon old town walk
- →Traboules self-guided walk
- →Lyon food crawl / Les Halles Paul Bocuse
Beaujolais vineyards day trip
Beaujolais (Villefranche-sur-Saône)
Mirror the cruise's Beaujolais excursion: TER from Lyon to Villefranche-sur-Saône (~£5, 25 min) then the Beaujolais wine route by local bus or a wine-tasting day tour (~£45-55 via GetYourGuide, incl. tastings at family estates in Fleurie/Morgon). Budget option: cycle the vineyards and pay per-cellar tastings (~£10-15). Evening back in Lyon — splurge on a proper bouchon dinner (~£20-25) as your 'gala dinner'.
🚌TER Lyon-Villefranche return plus local bus (~£12)
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel in Lyon (£25-33)
- →Beaujolais wine route tasting tour
- →Vineyard cycling or cellar visits
- →Bouchon dinner in Lyon
Lyon farewell and departure
Lyon
Last morning: Fourvière basilica and Roman theatres (funicular ~£2), a riverside coffee and any final markets. Depart from Lyon Part-Dieu or Lyon Saint-Exupéry by TGV or airport express (~£12-18) to your onward flight.
🚌Rhônexpress airport transfer or TGV out (~£15)
🛏None (checkout)
- →Fourvière & Roman theatres
- →Saône riverside walk
Self-launched vs. CroisiEurope River Cruises
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CroisiEurope River Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£493 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £957 per person (66%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more CroisiEurope River Cruises-style trips? Check them out here.~£493
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Provence to Lyon by Rail & River: A Self-Launched Rhône Valley Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £493 per person for 7 days in Rhône & Saône Valleys, France. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with CroisiEurope River Cruises?+
Yes — CroisiEurope River Cruises charges around £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £493 — a saving of roughly £957 (66%) per person.
How long is the Rhône & Saône Valleys, France trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through Rhône & Saône Valleys, France.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, foodie, slow-travel trip through Rhône & Saône Valleys, France, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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