Tour/Cruise priced from $3,909 to $4,558 (plus airfare).

Burt Wolf, the host of the public television series Travels & Traditions, invites you to join him on this Avalon Waterways’ Tour and River Cruise from Paris, France through Burgundy and Provence to Nice. Burt will be the onboard host throughout the trip. This is a unique opportunity to travel with Burt, see the sights, and experience the places where his television shows were filmed.

In addition to being your host throughout the entire cruise, Burt will conduct the following special events:

1. A Tasting of the Wines of the Region.
2. A Talk on Understanding and Buying the Wines of the Region.
3. A Talk on Understanding European Architecture.
4. A Talk on Pairing Food and Wine.
5. A Talk and Tasting of Pastis and Absinthe.
6. A Talk on How his Public Television Programs are Produced.

In advance of the trip Burt will send you his detailed research reports on each of the cities and towns on the itinerary. These reports were prepared by Burt and cover the local art, architecture, food, shopping, museums, points of historic interest, nature, sports, entertainment and performing arts and annual events.

• Prior to the cruise, Burt will mail each guest a packet of his research and background material about the tour locations, and a DVD of one of his programs that relates to the tour. These materials are his personal evaluation of the area – the history, art, architecture, what to eat, what to buy, and what to see. It will give you detailed background information on the places we are going to visit. It will also give you some ideas for things you might like to do in your free time.
• Onboard, Burt will present an overview of the area and give a number of talks about the importance of the locations we will be visiting.
• Cruising through France on the Sâone and Rhône Rivers is a perfect combination of cruising and touring with a pace you set yourself.
• Unlike ocean cruising, our river cruise docks right in the city centers and the old towns. You can tour close to the ship or venture further into town.
• The ship’s entire interior is non-smoking and all announcements are in English.

Board overnight flight from the United States to Paris.

Welcome to Paris, France’s capital city on the River Seine. We check into our hotel and begin touring the city.

After breakfast there is a guided sightseeing tour of some of Paris’ most-famous sights – Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Champs Elyées, and the Eiffel Tower.

After breakfast, we drive south past the forest of Fontainebleau (the favorite hunting grounds of the French kings) into Burgundy where we stop in the city of Beaune. Take a walking tour of the old quarter, taste the wines of the area and visit the Hôtel-Dieu (a 15th century hospital and one of the architectural wonders of France). After lunch we continue south to the town of Chalon-sur-Sâone, where we board our ship, Avalon Scenery. The English-speaking crew of our boat will welcome us on board. After our Welcome Reception and Dinner, we set sail for the town of Tournus.

Free time to explore Tournus. Of particular interest is the cloister of St. Philibert. St. Philibert’s Church was built primarily in the 11th century and is one of the largest Romanesque monuments in France. A visit to see the folklore collection at the Museum of Burgundy, located in an old family mansion is also recommended. Sail to Mâcon for a guided walking tour of the old town including the Old St. Vincent Cathedral founded during the 6th Century, and the ancient town hall.

A leisurely morning cruise to the ancient city of Lyon, which was founded by the Romans in the year 43. It is the second largest city in France and its gastronomic capital. A guided walking tour will show us the Roman ruins, the Renaissance architecture, and the Old Town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This is a free day set aside for you to explore Lyon at leisure. Early risers might like to visit the local produce market. Other sights of interest include the Place Terraux, the beautiful Place Bellecour, and many excellent museums. There is a late afternoon departure for Tournon.

The twin cities of Tournon and Tain L’Hermitage are situated in the vineyard country between the Rhône River and the granite slopes of Hermitage. We will take an orientation walk through Tournon, one of France’s medieval cities, with Roman ruins and a 16th century castle. The old town of Viviers was built around a Romanesque Cathedral and its Old Town is a blend of Roman, Christian, and Medieval influences.

The fortified city of Avignon is the capital of the region and one of the most picturesque parts of Provence. During the 14th century it was the residence of the Pope and his palace dominates the city’s skyline. We will have a guided tour of the city and visit the palace. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the wine of the region and the basis for our afternoon tasting of the wines of the area.

Arles is the capital of Provence and was once a major Roman settlement. We will have a guided sightseeing tour to the Church of St. Trophime and “Les Alycamps” with a visit to the ancient Roman Amphitheater. The most famous paintings of Vincent Van Gogh were inspired by Arles, accordingly we will visit some of the locations that were most important to his work.

After breakfast, we will take a motorcoach along the Côte d’Azur from Arles to Nice, located on the French Riviera. With its sunny temperate climate, Nice appeals to visitors from around the world. After lunch, there is a guided tour of Old Town.

Home bound flights will arrive back in the U.S. on the same day (Wednesday 22 July).

The trip as outlined above contains all the elements that I consider essential. However, having taken the cruise before, I realized that there were a number of excursions that might prove interesting to some (but not all) of our passengers. I was reluctant to add the cost of these excursions to the general trip, but felt they should be offered to fellow passengers who might find the subjects inviting.

PARIS
THE LOUVRE
A well-designed tour of the “highlights” of the world’s largest and probably most famous museum. It contains over 35,000 works organized in the following categories: Egyptian antiquities, Oriental and Islamic arts, Greek, Roman and Etruscan, French paintings of the 17th through the 19th century, French Sculpture, Italian and Spanish paintings, Northern European paintings of the 18th and 19th century, Decorative arts and Graphic arts. It’s your chance for a close-up look at the Mona Lisa, the Winged Victory of Samothrace, and Venus de Milo.

MÂCON
Macon offers two optional excursions. They are run at the same time so you must choose between them.

THE PALACE OF CORMATIN
Cormatin was built in the early 1600s as a private residence of the Marquis de Huxells, whose great triumph in life was marrying the daughter of the Finance Minister to King Louis XIII. The palace is a magnificent castle surrounded by a moat and a park filled with flowers and sculptures. The rooms give you a clear idea of what life was like for the very rich during the time of the Three Musketeers. Thedrive to the palace takes you through some of France’s most picturesque countryside. I thought Cormatin was fascinating and shot a segment about the palace for my PBS series.

OR

CHARDONNAY TASTING
We drive through the rolling hills that produce the grapes for the world’s most famous white wine. Our destination is a vineyard where we taste examples of the area’s wines. The day before the excursion, I will provide everyone with a copy of my research notes on the area and Chardonnay wines. Additional information will be given by the vineyard guides.

LYON
Lyon offers two optional excursions. They are run at the same time so you must choose between them.

THE TRABOULES
The traboules are hidden passageways constructed by the rich silk weavers of the 1700s. They were designed to protect the weaver’s cloth from rain as they moved through the city. They also came to be used as secret corridors for clandestine meetings---lovers, businessmen, and the French resistance during World War II.  The tour takes you through the traboules and the silk weaver’s museum.

OR

PÉROUGES  
Perched on a hill, Pérouges is a perfect example of a French village of the Middle Ages. Filled with farmers and linen weavers, it was never under the control of a lord; its inhabitants enjoying communal freedom as early as 1236. Conserved since 1911 by the French Beaux Arts Commission and it’s own Historical Defense Committee, Pérouges has attracted film makers who have used it as a location for French productions, including The Three Musketeers.

AVIGNON
Avignon offers two optional excursions. They are run at the same time so you must choose between them.

PONT DU GARD
About a hundred years before the birth of Christ, the inhabitants of this area became Roman subjects. The largest town in the colony was Nimes which had over 50,000 inhabitants. That meant that each day the town had to be supplied with about 45,000 cubic meters of water. Roman engineers solved the problem by building a fifty kilometer long aqueduct. The most spectacular part of the structure is the Pont du Gard. It is an amazing structure and was included in our television program about Avignon.

OR

TASTING OF CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
During the 1300s Rome was in such chaos that the Pope decided to get out of town and the new town he chose for the Papal court was Avignon. The Papal estates included a group of vineyards that produced wine for the court. Called Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this wine has become one of France’s most famous. The tour takes you to the vineyards of one of the oldest producers who will explain the history of the wine, and its production, while offering a tasting of his various vintages.

ARLES
VAN GOGH
For me the most interesting aspect of Arles is that it was the town where Vincent Van Gogh created many of his most famous works.  He arrived in February of 1888 and in the 15 months that he lived here, produced over 300 paintings and drawings---it was the most productive period of his life. This tour takes you to some of the places that became the subjects of his paintings, including The Drawbridge, the Montmajour Abbey and The Café at Night. We used the tour for a television segment that compared the paintings with the scenes as they presently exist.

NOTE: If you took one optional excursion each day (which would be the maximum possible) you would have 5 excursions and add $125 to the cost of the trip.

One of the most popular aspects of a Burt Wolf River Cruise is the excellence of the food and free wine onboard. Each full day on board, there is a full breakfast, lunch and dinner. There is a cocktail reception, welcome dinner, and Captain’s dinner --- one sitting with open seating arrangements (non-assigned). At dinner, each evening, there is a selection of a red wine and a white wine from Europe’s most-famous wine regions, which are served throughout the meal without charge.

Breakfast: 7:00am – 8:30am
A buffet table includes a wide variety of breads, cereals, fruit and fruit salad, cold cuts, smoked salmon, cheeses, pastries, yogurts, and juices. Scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, and other hot items can vary from day to day. The chef will prepare fresh omelets and other egg dishes to order.

Lunch: Usually served at 12:30pm depending on the cruise schedule
Buffet-style with appetizers, soups, sandwiches, cold cuts, breads, salad bar, two main courses (one of which may be a carving station), dessert table, cheese board, and fresh fruit.

Afternoon Tea:
Coffee, tea and cake will be served either in the lounge or on the Sun or Sky Deck.

Dinner: Usually served at 7:30pm depending on cruise schedule.
Dinner is traditionally four courses including a vegetarian selection. Choice of entrees with every dinner including complimentary red and white wines from the region.

On Days 3 and 4: Buffet breakfast will be offered at our Paris hotel.

On Day 12: Buffet breakfast will be offered at our Nice hotel.

Since 1982, Burt has written and produced over 4,000 segments for Cable News Network (CNN), 800 segments for ABC (the American Broadcasting Company), 125 half-hour programs for the travel division of The Discovery Channel, 25 half hours for the Family Channel, and 250 half hours for Public Broadcasting. He has been nominated for two Cable Ace Awards and a national Emmy in connection with culture and history.

Air Transportation between the U.S./Paris and Nice/U.S. can be made privately or through Avalon Waterways/Globus who offer competitive air-inclusive prices, including Business Class. Avalon Waterways/Globus offers free airport transfers (7/12/09 Paris airport to Paris hotel; 7/22/09 Nice hotel to Nice airport) when you book your transatlantic flights with Avalon Waterways/Globus.

The Land/Cruise cost (including hotels in Nice and Paris), per person (based on double occupancy):

Cabins are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. Expenses not included in the Land/Cruise cost include: roundtrip airfare, travel insurance, port tax (approximately $98.00); 2 lunches and 2 dinners in Paris (Days 2 and 3); 1 lunch in Beaune (Day 4); 1 lunch and 1 dinner in Nice (Day 11); miscellaneous expenses onboard (laundry, internet, telephone, minibar, liquor/food not on the regular menu, porters at airports, excess baggage fees, gratuities to your Cruise Director, guides and ship’s crew), passport, airport transfers in Europe (approximately $70.00 per person. If you book your air with Avalon Waterways/Globus the airport transfer fee is waived), and all other items of a personal nature.

Burt evaluated dozen of ships before selecting the Avalon fleet. The Avalon Scenery introduces a new type of ship to cruising. The navigational bridge is located in the stern, behind the passenger section, allowing for a more spacious interior. The lounge and restaurant, located in the front of the vessel, give unimpeded views of the passing landscape. In addition, the Sky Deck is a vast space for sunning, taking pictures, or simply relaxing.  Avalon Scenery features the Silent Drive System (SDS). The ship’s engines are located at the back of the ship and are separated from the passenger compartment which produces a quieter cruise than traditional small ships.

Built: 2008; Length: 361 ft.; Crew members: 39; Staterooms: 67; Jr. Suites: 2

	1 Sky Deck with Deck Chairs 2 Navigating Bridge 3 On-board Camera 4 Sky Lounge 5 Fun Pool 6 Reception 7 Foyer 8 Lobby 9 Lounge 10 Bar 11 Club Lounge 12 Hairdresser 13 Elevator 14 Restaurant 15 Galley 16 Fitness Centre
Royal Deck	Sapphire Deck Forward
Royal Deck	Indigo Deck Forward
Sapphire Deck Aft
Cabins
Staterooms 172 sq. ft. 1 Bed 2 Toilet 3 Washbasin 4 Shower 5 Closet 6 Writing Desk 7 Sliding glass doors	Suites 258 sq. ft. 1 Bed 2 Toilet 3 Washbasin 4 Shower 5 Closet 6 Writing Desk 7 Sliding glass doors 8 Sofa 9 Coffee Table