RIVER CRUISING ALONG THE SAONE & RHONE. Aboard the MS Camargue. June & September Noble Caledonia

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1 RIVER CRUISING ALONG THE SAONE & RHONE Aboard the MS Camargue June & September 2015 Noble Caledonia

2 MS Camargue For our voyages along the rivers of France we have chartered the newly-refurbished MS Camargue from our associates at Crosi-Europe. Launching in April 2015, the vessel accommodates just 104 passengers and offers elegant and spacious public areas and comfortable and well appointed cabins. She is a charming vessel and joining you onboard will be a Noble Caledonia team including a Cruise Director, Tour Manager and Guest Speaker. Your Cabin The vessel has a total of 54 cabins, comprising of 50 twin bedded cabins and four single cabins with a double bed. All are attractively furnished and feature cable TV, safe, hairdryer, individual air-conditioning and heating controls, ample storage and a dressing table. Twin cabins measure 13.5 square metres and single cabins measure 9.8 square metres. Cabins on the Main Deck feature large picture windows which can be opened and those on the Upper Deck feature French Balcony style (floor to ceiling) sliding windows, allowing you to admire the passing scenery from your cabin. Your Space Public areas aboard the MS Camargue are both elegantly furnished and spacious. The lounge on the Upper Deck is a relaxing environment in which to admire the passing scenery, socialise and enjoy a drink from the bar and it is here that the resident musician will entertain after a day of exploration. There is also a spacious sun deck onboard with comfortable deck furniture, which is the perfect place to relax whilst cruising along the Rhone and Saone and appreciate the passing scenery. In addition there is a small souvenir shop onboard. Upper deck twin cabin 2 Bathroom +44 (0)

3 Restaurant Your Dining The elegant restaurant is located on the Upper Deck and seats all guests in one unassigned seating. Breakfast is a buffet service with hot and cold dishes on offer and lunch includes two or three courses served to the table in addition to a buffet selection of breads, pasta, salads, cheese and fruit. Dinner is a four course affair and served to your table. Wine, beer and soft drinks are included with lunch and dinner, and tea and coffee is available from the lounge from 6am to midnight daily. Life Onboard The friendly onboard staff of 25 will provide you with excellent service and do much to contribute to your enjoyment throughout your journey. You will find yourself amongst like-minded people in an English speaking environment and the atmosphere onboard is relaxed and informal with a comfortable and casual dress code. A daily briefing by the Cruise Director will provide you with information on the next day s activities and expert English speaking guides will accompany you on the included excursions. In addition you will be accompanied by a guest speaker who will provide entertaining and informative talks. Dinner with wine UPPER DECK KITCHEN 201D 203D D BAR LOUNGE RECEPTION WC WC RESTUARANT MAIN DECK Lounge D CATEGORY CATEGORY 2 CATEGORY 3 CATEGORY Please note that cabins 125 and 219 have double beds. Please note the vessel is currently undergoing an extensive refurbishment and the images show are of her sister vessel but represent what the MS Camargue will look like after her re-launch in April

4 Grape harvest Lyon and the Saone from Fourviere Hill Chateau de Cromatin Rivers & Vines A river cruise along the Saone 3rd to 10th June 2015 Most travellers through France miss the timeless beauty of its countryside as they drive along impressive motorways at great speed. For those looking for a more gentle journey with time to appreciate the countryside, villages and towns and slowly absorb the subtle changes in landscapes, a river journey is the ideal solution. Our river cruise along the Saone takes us through the beautiful Burgundian countryside, a region which boasts some of the finest wines France has to offer and during our cruise we will enjoy wine tastings in some of the region s most important wine-growing areas including the Maconnais, the Challonaise and the Cote d Or. In addition, whilst dining onboard you will enjoy local wines with both lunch and dinner and our onboard expert will be on hand to help you fully appreciate the flavours and history of France s glorious wines. There is of course plenty more to enjoy than just wine on this seven night cruise, including the history and magnificent architecture of Chalon-Sur-Saone and the gastronomic capital of France, Lyon. Join us aboard the charming MS Camargue in early summer in the peaceful heart of France as we visit some beautiful places, taste some great wines and enjoy some wonderful food along the way. In the short space of just seven nights we will have seen so much, yet the ease of our journey and the considerable comfort of the MS Camargue will leave us refreshed and relaxed. 4 Burgundy Chateau de Cormatin Chalon-sur-Saone Chateau Pierreclos Macon Trevoux FRANCE Lyon C o t e B e a u j o C h a l a i s l o n n a i s e Saone Guest Speaker Jackie Dickens While Jackie had worked internationally with major drinks brands, such as Johnnie Walker and Hennessy, wine became a consuming interest when in the 1980s she and her husband bought a house in the midst of vineyards in France. This led to a second career when Jackie undertook various wine study courses, culminating in the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits, which she passed with merit. Since then she has become a judge for international wine competitions, organises wine tastings, and helps to run a local wine club. Above all she hopes to share her passion for the never-ending delight of exploring the world of wine. +44 (0)

5 Chateau Pierreclos, Macon Chalon-sur-Saone The Itinerary Day 1 London to Lyon. Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival, transfer to the MS Camargue and embark. Meet your fellow travellers this evening for welcome drinks and dinner. Moor overnight. Day 2 Lyon. We have the morning to explore the gastronomic capital of France. Travel up Fourviere Hill where we will see Vieux Lyon stretching along the right bank of the Saone, with its districts of St. Jean, St. Paul and St. Georges. St. Jean, with its beautiful houses of the Gothic, Renaissance and late 16th century period, is a splendid example of Lyon s golden era as the city began its evolution into one of the most important centres of trade and banking. We end our tour of Lyon with a visit to the gastronomic covered market Halles Paul Bocuse. Return to the ship for lunch as we sail from the confluence of the Rhone and Saone with some memorable views of the old quarter of Lyon as we leave the city. Enjoy a relaxing afternoon sailing as we cruise north to Macon. Day 3 Macon, Chateau Pierreclos. From our mooring spot in Macon, we drive a short distance into the green heart of Maconnais wine growing country. Here we visit Chateau Pierreclos, a family-owned, award-winning organic estate where we will spend time exploring the historic chateau before tasting a selection of their wines which include St Veran and Pouilly Fuisse. After lunch onboard spend an afternoon sailing north enjoying the comfort of our ship. Day 4 Chalon-sur-Saone. Join a morning walking tour of Chalon-sur-Saone including the Cathedral St Vincent, which was built in the 8th century. Continue to the photography museum named after Joseph Niepce, a French inventor born in 1765, who is acknowledged as one of the pioneers of this visual art. The museum features pictures, personal objects and the first photographic cameras in the world and chronicles the full history of photography from its technical and artistic aspects to its popular and commercial usage. After lunch onboard we will drive to the prestigious vineyards of Pierre Andre Chateau where we will taste some great local wines and cheeses. Day 5 Cote Chalonnaise & Chateau de Cormatin. This morning we take a drive through some beautiful villages into the heart of the Cote Challonaise, where today some of Burgundy s best-value wines can be found. We will visit Chateau Chamirey who produce benchmark Mercury. After lunch onboard we drive the short distance to Chateau de Cormatin for a tour around the historic building and gardens. In the heart of southern Burgundy the chateau was built in the early 17th century by the Marquises of Huxelles. It is set back between beautiful gardens and water features. We set sail this evening for Trevoux. Day 6 Beaujolais. Today we drive into the charming rolling countryside of Beaujolais and visit the 15th century, family-owned Chateau du Basty - set in some splendid gardens. After Prices per person based on double occupancy some time exploring the estate, we will taste some contrasting styles of Beaujolais including delicate Regnie and the more structured style of Morgon. Return to the vessel for lunch and spend the afternoon cruising to Lyon. Day 7 Lyon. Join a guided tour this morning to the Theatre Antique et Odeon de Fourviere and the Gallo-Roman Museum. The theatre is the most ancient Gallo-Roman Antic Theatre in France. It was built next to the hill of Fourviere, in the centre of the Roman city. The theatre is now primarily a tourist site, but is occasionally still used as a cultural venue and each year the Nuits de Fourviere festival takes place here. The Theatre and the Odeon are both classified UNESCO World Heritage Sites. After lunch onboard, the afternoon is free for you to relax or wander past the shops and cafes on the banks of the Saone. This evening join your fellow travellers for farewell drinks and dinner. Day 8 Lyon to London. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return scheduled flight. CAT CABIN DESCRIPTION/DECK Cat 4 Main Deck Twin 1995 Cat 3 Main Deck Single 1995 Cat 2 Upper Deck Twin with French Balcony 2295 Cat 1 Upper Deck Single with French Balcony 2295 Cat 4 Main Deck Twin for sole use 2995 Cat 2 Upper Deck Twin with French Balcony for sole use 3445 Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel, seven nights aboard the MS Camargue on full board basis, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, wine tastings, services of a cruise director, tour manager, guest speaker, transfers, shore excursions, entrance fees, local guides, port taxes, airport taxes, gratuities to crew, guides and drivers. Not Included: Travel insurance. NB. Ports subject to change and water levels. 5

6 Statue of Caesar Augustus in the amphitheatre at Orange Colourful Provence History & Music of the Rhone A cruise through the Provencal countryside featuring performances by London Festival Opera 7th to 14th September 2015 Provence is a land of unparralled natural beauty and perhaps more than any other region of France has experienced a truly diverse and turbulent history with Nomadic tribes and settlements traced back over 300,000 years. Our relaxing river cruise along the Rhone will introduce you to the natural and historical wonders of this corner of France through interesting onboard lectures, expertly guided shore excursions and some time at leisure to explore independently. There is the additional treat of a programme of French and Italian music from our good friends London Festival Opera who will be joining us onboard. Provence was Rome s first major territory outside of Italy and few regions of the extensive Roman Empire have retained such impressive buildings, some of which we visit during this cruise including the magnificent Theatre at Orange where we will see its original Imperial statue of Caesar Augustus. We sail from the gastronomic capital of France to Viviers before continuing to the natural beauty of the Ardeche Gorges with their spectacular limestone cliffs. After a relaxing afternoon cruising along the Rhone we reach Avignon, city of the popes and visit the Palais des Papes, the largest and most important Medieval Gothic building in Europe. Our cruise concludes in Lyon where we have a full day to explore. Our days will be full of historic places of interest and enchanting scenery all made easily accessible by the River Rhone and our floating hotel, the charming MS Camargue to which you will return each day. London Festival Opera - La Traviata 6 London Festival Opera We are delighted to be joined onboard by our good friends from London Festival Opera who will perform on three evenings in the lounge. Their repertoire will include a soirée of French and Italian opera including Gounod, Bizet, Rossini and Puccini; a highlight performance of Verdi s masterpiece La Traviata in costume and their finale performance of A Night at the French Opera. Bringing together artists from the major Opera companies including the Royal Opera House, London Festival Opera have achieved a considerable reputation for presenting opera on some of the world s leading venues. To watch a performance in the intimate setting of the ship s lounge is a wonderful experience. FRANCE Rhone Viviers Ardeche Gorges The Camargue Lyon Vienne THE RHONE DELTA Guest Speaker Humphrey Burton Provence Orange Avignon Chateauneuf-du-Pape To add to our enjoyment even further, we are delighted to be joined onboard by Humphrey Burton. Humphrey read music and history at Cambridge and joined the BBC in 1955 as a studio manager specialising in music programmes, transferring to television three years later where he enjoyed much success, including producing and directing nearly two hundred music programmes with the composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. Humphrey retired from management when he was 50 and has since combined a freelance career as a presenter and director of television operas and concerts with work as an impresario and writer. +44 (0)

7 Palais des Papes and the Pont Benezet, Avignon Temple of Augustus and Livia, Vienne The Itinerary Day 1 London to Lyon. Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival, transfer to the MS Camargue and embark. Meet your fellow travellers this evening for welcome drinks and dinner. We set sail this evening for Vienne. Day 2 Vienne. From our mooring spot in Vienne, join a morning walking tour, where we visit the highlights of the city including a visit to the Cathedral St-Maurice, a national monument of France. The gothic church was built between 1052 and We continue to the Temple of Augustus and Livia, the Orfèvres street, and the Cybèle archeological garden. Vienne features the exceptional archaeological site of Saint- Romain-en-Gal. Located on the right bank of the Rhone, the site includes more than three hectares of Roman remains, dating back to the 1st century B.C. After lunch, spend a relaxing afternoon sailing and following dinner, join London Festival Opera in the lounge for their first performance of a soirée of French and Italian repertoire including Gounod, Bizet, Rossini and Puccini. Day 3 Viviers & Ardeche Gorges. Provence is well-known for its beautiful lavender fields and three species grow in the region Lavandula Vera, Lavandula Spica and Lavandula Stoechas. The Lavender Museum (Musee De La Lavande) is our first stop today, where we will learn about the different lavenders and their essential oils. From here we head to the Ardeche Gorges with their striking scenery, most notably for the spectacular limestone cliffs and the Pont d Arc, the largest natural arch in Europe. The valley of the Ardeche is extremely scenic with breath taking views over the River Rhone. Return to the ship for lunch and enjoy a relaxing afternoon onboard as we sail to Avignon. Day 4 Avignon. Enclosed by Medieval walls, this great City of the Popes boasts a number of Pont d Arc in the Ardeche Gorges splendid museums, churches and palaces. Our morning guided tour will include the Palais des Papes, one of the wonders of Provence and the largest and most important Medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. We also visit the Cathedral and famous Pont Benezet, a bridge that spans the Rhone between Villeneuve les Avignon and Avignon. After lunch onboard enjoy a free afternoon to explore the town. This evening London Festival Opera will present a highlight performance of Verdi s masterpiece La Traviata in costume. Day 5 Orange. Today we drive to Orange, site of the greatest of all Roman theatres to survive in the west. The magnificent, semicircular Theatre Antique, situated in the centre of town, was built just before the birth of Christ. Accommodating 7000 spectators, its acoustics are superb. This is also the only Roman theatre still possessing its original Imperial statue of Caesar Augustus, which at 12 feet in height, is one of the tallest in existence. A short drive away we travel to Chateauneuf-du-Pape for lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch we transfer to Viviers where we will enjoy a special organ recital performance in the Cathedral St-Vincent before re-joining our vessel. This evening we sail to Vienne. Day 6 Vienne. After breakfast this morning we take a short drive to the Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval (Postman Cheval s Ideal palace). Ferdinand Cheval, born in 1836, was a French postman who spent 33 years building Le Palais Ideal. Cheval first began building in April Telling no one of his architecture, after having Prices per person based on double occupancy a dream of building a palace. For the next 33 years, Cheval during his daily mail round picked up stones and took them home to build Le Palais Ideal which is a mixture of different styles, bound together with lime, mortar and cement. After lunch onboard visit the vineyards of Domaine Corps De Loup, which overlook the Rhone valley and stretch over nearly nine acres, with three hectares of vineyards. Here we sample some local wine, including Cotes Roties, one of the finest wines in Cotes du Rhone. Day 7 Lyon. We have the whole day to explore the gastronomic capital of France. In the morning, we travel up Fourviere Hill where we will see Vieux Lyon stretching along the right bank of the Saone, with its districts of St. Jean, St. Paul and St. Georges. St. Jean with its beautiful houses of the Gothic, Renaissance and late 16th century period, is a splendid example of Lyon s golden era as the city began its evolution into one of the most important centres of trade and banking. We end our tour of Lyon with a visit to the gastronomic covered market Halles Paul Bocuse, before returning to the ship for lunch. The afternoon is free for you to relax onboard or visit the shops and cafes on the banks of the Saone. This evening join your fellow travellers for farewell drinks and dinner before joining London Festival Opera in the lounge for their finale performance onboard of A Night at the French Opera. Day 8 Lyon to London. Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for your return scheduled flight. CAT CABIN DESCRIPTION/DECK Cat 4 Main Deck Twin 2095 Cat 3 Main Deck Single 2095 Cat 2 Upper Deck Twin with French Balcony 2395 Cat 1 Upper Deck Single with French Balcony 2395 Cat 4 Main Deck Twin for sole use 3145 Cat 2 Upper Deck Twin with French Balcony for sole use 3595 Price Includes: Economy class scheduled air travel, seven nights aboard the MS Camargue on full board basis, wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, wine tastings, services of a cruise director, tour manager, guest speaker, transfers, performances by London Festival Opera, shore excursions, entrance fees, local guides, port taxes, airport taxes, gratuities to crew, guides and drivers. Not Included: Travel insurance. NB. Ports subject to change and water levels. 7

8 Noble Caledonia 2 Chester Close, Belgravia, London, SW1X 7BE +44 (0) info@noble-caledonia.co.uk All special offers are subject to availability. Our current booking conditions apply to all reservations and are available on request. Cover image: Dusk in the Place de Palais, Avignon. Back cover: Farmhouse and sunflowers, Burgundy NC_001_070714_T