Wine River Cruises – The Future of Wine Tourism in France

Discover the Best of Burgundy Wine and Provence by River

If you’re a wine lover like us looking for a unique way to explore France, a wine river cruise through Burgundy and Provence should be at the top of your list.

Recently, we experienced the Essence of Burgundy & Provence itinerary from AmaWaterways—a journey that took us deep into two of France’s most celebrated wine regions. With curated tastings, vineyard visits, and expertly paired food and wine experiences, this cruise is ideal for anyone looking to immerse themselves in the world of French wine and gastronomy—all without the need for a hire car.

What is a Wine River Cruise?

A wine river cruise offers all the luxury and ease of a traditional European river cruise, with the added focus on regional wines and food. On select AmaWaterways sailings, the itinerary is enhanced with:

• Extra wine-focused excursions
  
• A dedicated onboard wine host (a Vintner) who offers presentations and tastings
  
• Wine-paired dinners, including a special Chaine des Rôtisseurs evening
  
• Opportunities to ship wine home directly from producers
  

These cruises cater to wine lovers seeking depth, expertise, and authenticity in their travel experiences.

Why Burgundy & Provence?

Burgundy is a dream for wine connoisseurs. Its world-famous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are nuanced, terroir-driven, and steeped in tradition. And Provence, with its sun-soaked Rhône Valley vineyards, brings in bold reds, delicate rosés, and an exciting mix of varietals.AmaWaterways is one of the few cruise lines able to access the Saône River, thanks to the size of the AmaCello ship, making it one of the best ways to experience Burgundy wine country by river.

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Our Highlights from the Burgundy Wine Cruise

But now down to the serious stuff and our trip into the wine and gastronomy of this area.

This kind of trip just needs the help of the internet and can enhance a luxury river cruise by adding those extra touches to an already well-thought-out itinerary.

Having been asked a lot about wine cruises by our customers, we had planned to try out one of AMAWaterways’ itineraries, specifically for wine lovers.  “Essence of Burgundy & Provence”.  Each operator does these slightly differently, and AMA runs wine cruises on the different European rivers on selected dates.  As well as adding extra wine tasting excursions, they add Vintners to the cruise.  Whilst onboard for the full 7 nights, they host presentations in the main lounge about the wine area that we are travelling through, as well as a separate tasting of their own wine.  Plus, there is a wine pairing of their wine with the Chaine de la Rotissiers gala dinner, and any remaining wine is served up for the remainder of the cruise in the bar area.  So it’s a good gig for them.  But one would say a tough one as we are cruising through the best wine region in the world!

Our fellow passengers were all previous AMA guests and were very VERY keen to know much more about Burgundy wines.  They had come to this area of the wine world, in aurr of what they were going to discover and ready to get the best of Burgundy and the Rhône’s wines shipped back home.

We spent 7 nights onboard the AMACello cruising the Saône river (Burgundy), The Rhone (Rhone valley wines and Provence).  The AMACello is one of only a handful of ships which cover this route due to the low bridges on the Saone stopping the larger 135m vessels.  If you want to cover the Burgundy wine area, Ama is one of your only options.

Getting There

We flew from Bristol to Paris CDG and connected into the city by train—stopping for a walk around the elegant St Germain-des-Prés before heading to Dijon via TGV. If you prefer rail travel, the Eurostar to Paris and TGV onwards is a seamless alternative.

Lunch in Gevrey-Chambertin

Our gastronomic journey began with a spectacular Michelin-starred lunch at La Rôtisserie du Chambertin. The food, wine pairings, and service were exceptional. We especially loved a 2022 Meursault by Philippe Tessier—crisp minerality, elegant finish, and just €35. We’d happily recommend this to future clients looking to dine at the source.  We then took an Uber to meet the ship in St Jean de Lose.

Exploring the Burgundy on the Saone & Rhône Valley

Chalon-sur-Saône & Tournus

In Chalon, we joined a fascinating walking tour with Lauris, a guide with a PhD in medieval history.  We haggled for nectarines in the food market and found a bar to have coffe and people watch in the main square.

In Tournus, rather than taking the tour, we explored independently, found a coffee and also a chocolatier and bought a devine box of handmade chocolates that we munched our way through during the cruise.

Chalonnaise wine tasting

I stayed onboard and enjoyed the scenic cruise from Tourus to Macon – the Saone river is so pretty at this part and somewhere only a handful of cruise ships now do as most are too big!  The AmaCello is perfect for this river and we only saw 3 other ships until we reached the Rhone.  It felt like my own private ship as only 3 other passengers stayed onboard!

Simeon went wine tasting to Mercuray.  Great story from a small organic vineyard

Macôn

Stunning old town and lovely feel with our tour guide Marie who was quite a character

Mâconnais wine tasting

The most idyllic destination of Château de Pierreclos.  We tasted several wines and ate cheese profiteroles (they weren’t called that but you get the idea).

Beaujolais wine tasting

I’m not a fan (sorry), so didn’t go.  Other guests who we spoke to enjoyed it.

Lyon

The gastronomic capital of France, so we decided to make a day of it! We got the train from Macôn to Lyon and went out for the afternoon to the art gallery and then to dinner at a Bouchon.  Great local pate and traditional dishes and a good bottle of house wine

Vienne

Went on an independent bike ride to try and find some vineyards along the famous ViaRhôna wine route.  Didn’t get very far as it was time for dinner so headed back to the ship.

Viviers

Is a sleepy place and it was hot.  Walked around the ruins and then found the local wine bar! Got chatting to the locals and had a really good, rich chocolate ice cream.

Avignon & the Rhône Valley

Our highlight of the entire wine cruise was the bonus tasting at Maison Bouachon in the legendary Chateauneuf du Pape. A generous line-up of premium Burgundy wines—including a memorable €75 bottle of 2020 Chateauneuf-du-Pape—delivered exactly what wine-savvy travellers were hoping for. The vineyard’s arrangement for discounted shipping was the cherry on top for the other guests.  We snuck a bottle in our suitcase for the flight home.  Well done AMA!

We also dined independently in Arles on the final evening at L’Oriel, a gem found via TripAdvisor. A delightful Bandol rosé, flavourful local dishes, and a beautiful terrace sealed the evening—and the trip—with style.

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Our Thoughts on Wine River Cruising

This cruise confirmed what we’ve long believed: wine river cruises are the future of wine tourism in France. Every guest on board was passionate about wine, many with extensive knowledge or very enthusiastic hobbyists —mainly from the US and Australia.AmaWaterways’ wine cruises offer a relaxed but enriching experience, with high-quality wine education, access to boutique producers, and seamless travel between wine regions. You can indulge without worrying about logistics, designated drivers, or reservations.

Considering a Wine Cruise in France?

We help our clients choose, plan, and enhance their wine cruise experiences—whether you’re new to Burgundy or looking for a deeper understanding of French wine terroirs. As wine specialists and travel experts, we tailor recommendations based on your palate, preferences, and travel goals.If you’re interested in exploring the world of French wine by river, get in touch. We’d be delighted to help you find the perfect itinerary—and the perfect glass.

Alex & Simeon: Global River Cruising, July 2025