Rhône Valley Art & History: Lyon to Provence by Rail and Bus (Self-Launched)
8 days · Rhône Valley, France
CroisiEurope River Cruises charges £1,970
No-markup version: ~£545 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of CroisiEurope's 8-day Rhône river cruise, swapping the ship for trains, regional buses and hostels along the same route: Lyon, Mâcon, Vienne, Avignon, Arles, Les Baux-de-Provence, Viviers and Tournon-sur-Rhône. You'll hit the same headline sights — Fourvière, Les Halles Paul Bocuse, the Roman theatre of Vienne, the Palais des Papes, Arles' amphitheatre and Van Gogh trail, the Carrières de Lumières and the Palais Idéal — but with far more time at each stop (the most common complaint in the original's reviews was 30 minutes at sites after hours on a coach), the freedom to eat on shore, and a total cost of roughly £450-600 instead of £1,900+. Book intercity legs in advance on SNCF Connect for the cheapest fares; TER regional trains and Zou! buses cover the short hops.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Lyon — Vieux Lyon and a riverside welcome
Lyon
Arrive in Lyon (flight, Eurostar via Paris, or TGV from anywhere in France — the airport Rhônexpress tram to Part-Dieu is about £14). Check into a hostel in Presqu'île or Vieux Lyon, then do the cruise's 'welcome cocktail' your own way: a glass of Côtes du Rhône on the Quais du Rhône at sunset. Wander the traboules (hidden covered passages) of Vieux Lyon with a free self-guided map from the tourist office, and get an early night before a full day of sightseeing.
🚌Rhônexpress airport tram ~£14, or arrive by TGV; walking + Lyon TCL metro €2/ticket
🛏Hostel in Presqu'île/Vieux Lyon, mixed or female dorm (e.g. Ho36, Alter'Hostel) — ~£25
- →Self-guided traboules walk in Vieux Lyon
- →Sunset drinks on the Quais du Rhône
Lyon: Fourvière, Old Lyon and Les Halles Paul Bocuse
Lyon
Take the funicular (F2) up to Fourvière for the Basilica and panoramic city views — free to enter, ~£3 for the funicular. Walk down through the Roman theatres of Lugdunum (free) into Vieux Lyon, then cross to Les Halles Paul Bocuse for the Lyonnais tasting the cruise includes: a sausage-and-cheese board with a glass of Beaujolais at one of the hall's counters (~£12-15). Pre-book a 2-hour walking tour on GetYourGuide (~£15) if you want a guide, otherwise the tourist office's €6 audio guide covers it. Afternoon: stroll the Parc de la Tête d'Or or the Confluence district.
🚌Funicular + metro, ~£5 day pass
🛏Same Lyon hostel — ~£25
- →Fourvière Basilica and viewpoint
- →Roman theatres of Lugdunum
- →Les Halles Paul Bocuse tasting (sausage, cheese, wine)
- →Vieux Lyon walking tour (GetYourGuide)
Train to Mâcon — in the footsteps of Lamartine
Mâcon
Take a TER regional train from Lyon Part-Dieu to Mâcon-Ville (~50 min, £10-14 booked ahead). Drop bags at a budget hotel near the station or in Saint-Laurent-sur-Saône, then explore Old Mâcon: the Cathédrale Saint-Vincent, the Maison de Bois (one of France's oldest timber houses) and the riverside Saint-Laurent quarter. Pick up the free 'Sur les pas de Lamartine' trail leaflet from the tourist office and, if you have energy, take bus line 7 or a taxi up to the Lamartine estate at Milly (~£10 return). Evening: a glass of Mâcon-Villages at a quayside bar.
🚌TER Lyon–Mâcon ~£12; local buses ~£5
🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse in Mâcon (e.g. Hôtel du Nord, Ibis Budget) — ~£30
- →Old Mâcon and Maison de Bois
- →Lamartine heritage trail
- →Milly-Lamartine (optional, bus/taxi)
Vienne — Roman theatre, Augustus and Livia, Saint-Maurice
Vienne
Short TER hop from Mâcon to Vienne (~45 min, ~£9). Vienne is compact and walkable: the Temple of Augustus and Livia sits right in the town centre, the Saint-Maurice Cathedral is a five-minute walk away, and the Roman theatre (one of the largest in France) is a 15-minute climb uphill — all free or under £4. Book the combined museum ticket (~£7) for the Théâtre Antique and Musée Gallo-Romain. Stay overnight so you can catch a free-or-cheap evening jazz or theatre performance at the ancient theatre in summer, or simply enjoy dinner in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville.
🚌TER Mâcon–Vienne ~£9; all sights walkable
🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Vienne — ~£30
- →Temple of Augustus and Livia
- →Saint-Maurice Cathedral
- →Ancient Roman theatre
- →Musée Gallo-Romain
- →Evening in Vienne old town
South to Avignon — Palais des Papes and the Pont d'Avignon
Avignon
Take a TER or TGV from Vienne to Avignon (~1h45, £20-30 booked ahead). Check into a hostel or budget hotel inside the ramparts. Buy the Avignon Passion pass or a combined Palais des Papes + Pont Saint-Bénézet ticket (~£14.50) and explore the City of the Popes at your own pace — allow at least two hours. Cross the famous broken bridge, then climb the Rocher des Doms for sunset views over the Rhône. Pre-book a 1.5-hour guided old-town tour on GetYourGuide (~£14) if you want the cruise's guide experience.
🚌TER/TGV Vienne–Avignon ~£25; walking in town
🛏Hostel/budget hotel intra-muros, Avignon — ~£30
- →Palais des Papes
- →Pont Saint-Bénézet
- →Rocher des Doms gardens
- →Avignon guided walking tour (GetYourGuide)
Les Baux-de-Provence and Carrières de Lumières
Les Baux-de-Provence / Arles
Do the cruise's big excursion day independently and with more time. Bus 707 from Avignon to Les Baux (~50 min, ~£3, Zou! network) or a TER to Arles then the seasonal bus up. Explore the village, the Château des Baux exteriors and Saint-Vincent church, then book the Carrières de Lumières immersive show online (~£14, timed slots — book ahead, it sells out). It's 10 minutes' walk from the village along a lit path. Late afternoon, head on to Arles (bus or train from nearby Tarascon/Miramas, ~£8) and check into a hostel or budget hotel near the old town.
🚌Zou! bus 707 Avignon–Les Baux ~£3; onward local bus/train to Arles ~£8
🛏Hostel/guesthouse in Arles old town — ~£27
- →Les Baux-de-Provence village
- →Château des Baux (exteriors)
- →Carrières de Lumières digital art show
- →Saint-Vincent church
Arles: Van Gogh, Roman Arles and Alyscamps
Arles
Follow the Van Gogh trail on foot — the Place du Forum cafe (the subject of 'Café Terrace at Night'), the Rhône quay, Place Lamartine and the Alyscamps, all free and marked by numbered easels around town. Buy a combined ticket for the Roman Amphitheatre, Ancient Theatre and Baths of Constantine (~£16). In the evening, Arles in summer hosts the Fête du Riz or Provençal folk evenings in the arena — check the tourist office for dates, or simply enjoy a bowl of local tellines by the river.
🚌Walking; Arles is very compact
🛏Same Arles hostel — ~£27
- →Van Gogh walking trail (Place du Forum, Rhône quay, Place Lamartine)
- →Roman amphitheatre and theatre
- →Baths of Constantine
- →Alyscamps necropolis
- →Provençal folk show (seasonal, ~£10)
Viviers, Tournon and the Palais Idéal — or a slow last day in Arles
Viviers / Tournon-sur-Rhône
Choose your ending. Option A: take the TER Arles–Avignon–Viviers (~1h30, ~£15), tour the diminutive medieval Viviers and its Saint-Vincent Cathedral with the tourist office's €5 guided walk, then continue by train to Tournon (~£9) for the Palais Idéal of the Postman Cheval in Hauterives (taxi or seasonal bus from Tain-l'Hermitage, ~£12 return). Option B (cheaper and more relaxed): stay in Arles for a market morning and a final Provençal lunch, then TGV Arles–Lyon (~1h45, £25-35) for a last night in Lyon or a late flight home. Most travellers finish with the Lyon return as the cruise does.
🚌TER Arles–Viviers–Tournon ~£24 or TGV Arles–Lyon ~£30
🛏Lyon hostel for final night (or fly out the same evening) — ~£25
- →Viviers old town and Saint-Vincent Cathedral
- →Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval
- →Arles market morning (alternative)
- →Final evening in Lyon
Self-launched vs. CroisiEurope River Cruises
| This itinerary (self-launched) | CroisiEurope River Cruises | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£545 | £1,970 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,425 per person (72%) | |
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.~£545
estimated per person
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Rhône Valley Art & History: Lyon to Provence by Rail and Bus (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £545 per person for 8 days in Rhône Valley, 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 £1,970 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £545 — a saving of roughly £1,425 (72%) per person.
How long is the Rhône Valley, France trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Rhône Valley, 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, city-breaks, foodie trip through Rhône Valley, 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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