Saône River Cruises (Updated 2018)
Saône River Cruises in France are between Lyon and Chalon-sur-Saône and are usually combined with the Rhône River. There are barge riverboat cruises that do not include the Rhône River; however, these cruises usually combine other waterways, such as the Burgundy Canal and the Canal du Centre.
What We Like About Saône River Cruises
- Bourgogne Beauty. Saône River cruises take in the gorgeous landscape of Burgundy.
- Bicycling. We’ve enjoyed cycling along the Saône river though the wine-producing region of Beaujolais.
- Wonderful Wine. Saône River cruises typically visit the wine-producing regions of Beaujolais.
Saône River Cruises Itineraries
A typical river cruise itinerary is between Chalon-sur-Saône and Avignon or Arles on the Rhône River. There are also packages that combine rivers in other regions of France. A combination of the Seine, Saône and Rhône rivers is offered by most river cruise companies. Uniworld’s Ultimate France adds to the Saône the waterways in Bordeaux – the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers and the Gironde Estuary.
About the Saône River
The Saône River is 294 miles long and is located in eastern France. It begins in the Vosges department (county) near the border of Germany and ends in Lyon where it meets the Rhône.
The Saône is connected to a few other waterways that are often traveled by river barge boats. About 16 miles southeast of Dijon, the river joins the Burgundy Canal in the city of Saint Jean. And the Canal du Centre links the Loire River to the Saône.
The Seine and Saône rivers are also connected through a couple of different waterways – the Yonne River and the Burgundy Canal. Smaller vessels can travel between the Seine and Saône rivers.
Cruising the Saône River
River cruise on the Saône are usually combined with the Rhône River and last between 8 and 14 days. Some cruises begin or end in Lyon with travel to Chalon-sur- Saône. Most, however, will be to or from Chalon-sur- Saône. Since the Rhône River is also part of the cruise, itineraries are between Chalon-sur- Saône and Avignon or Arles.
Chalon-sur-Saone is about 80 miles north of Lyon, so there is not a lot of area covered on the river itself. Cruises on the Saône River take you into Burgundy where you’ll have a chance to visit vineyards and sample some of the wines for which this region is famous.
Prominent cities often visited on Saône River cruise include:
Beaune and Trevoux are also included in some packages.
Companies That Cruise on the Saône River
This information is intended to give you an overview and a general idea of what different river cruise companies offer. With regard to itineraries – they change from year to year and sometimes within a year. The number of itineraries listed for some of the companies does not include reverse itineraries. For example, a reverse river cruise on the Saône from Chalon-sur-Saône to Avignon would be from Avignon to Chalon-sur-Saône.
AmaWaterways Saône River Cruises
AmaWaterways visits Collonges on the Saône River on its 14-day Colors of Provence river cruise tours. A weeklong cruise-only option is also available.
- Packages: 8 to 14 days.
- Rhône and Saône: 8 days
- Number of Itineraries that include the Saône River: 1
- 1 Ship on the Saône: AmaCello
Avalon Waterways Saône River Cruises
AvalonWaterways offers 15 different cruise and cruisetour itineraries that include the Saône, ranging in length from 11 to 22 days.
- Packages: 11 to 22 days
- Saône and Rhône: 11 days
- Saône, Rhône and Rhine: 22 days
- Saône, Rhône and Seine: 16 days
- 2 Ships on the Saône: Avalon Poetry II and Avalon Scenery
Interesting to Note: Avalon Waterways is one of the few companies that combines a cruise on the Rhine River with a cruise on the Saône and Rhône rivers. Combinations of up to 22 days are available, including voyages that end/begin in far-flung locations like Nice, France and London, England.
CroisiEurope Saône River Cruises
CroisiEurope is the only company that offers 5 to 8 day cruises that include the Saône River.
- Packages: 5 to 10 days
- Saône and Rhône: 5 to 8 days
- Saône, Rhône and Canal d’Arles à Fos: 6 to 7 days
- Rhine, Saône and Rhône : 10 days
- 3 Ships on the Saône: MS Camargue, MS Mistral and MS Van Gogh
Emerald Cruises Saône River Cruises
Emerald Cruises has three different itinerary packages on the Saône, all of which cover the Rhône river as well.
- Packages: 8 – 11 days
- Saône and Rhône: 8 – 11 days
- Number of Itineraries that include the Saône River: 3
- Saône and Rhône: 3
- Ships on the Saône: Emerald Cruises does not list specific ships for each itinerary.
Interesting to Note: Emerald Cruises offers Saône river cruise packages that end in Arles, Marseille or Nice.
Riviera Saône River Cruises
Riviera River Cruises has one itinerary on the Rhone that includes the Saône: the eight-day Burgundy, the River Rhone, & Provence. Riviera does, however, offer special single supplements on this itinerary, which often appear as a separate itinerary that is available on select departures and dates.
- Packages: 8 days
- Rhône and Saône: 8 days
- Ships on the Saône: Lord Byron, Swiss Corona, William Shakespeare
Interesting to Note: All-inclusive drinks packages are available on this itinerary for between $129 and $159 per person.
Scenic Saône River Cruise
Scenic Cruises has Saône River cruise packages that begin or end in Paris. Transportation between Paris and Chalon-sur-Saone is by high-speed TGV train and motorcoach. River cruises are between Chalon-sur-Saone and Tarascon on the Rhône River.
The itinerary includes a visit to a few cities that most other river cruise companies do not visit. Some of the cities include Tournus, which is between Mâcon and Chalon-sur-Saone. From Tournus there is a visit to Cluny and Beaujolais; and from Lyon, there is a stop in Pérouges, which is about 19 miles northeast of Lyon.
- Packages: 8 to 23 days
- Saône and Rhône: 8 to 14 days
- Saône, Rhône and Seine: 23 days
- 1 Ship on the Saône: Scenic Emerald
Interesting to Note: All Saône River cruise itineraries for Scenic Cruises are from Paris to Nice. Scenic visits more cities on the Saône than any of the other companies listed on this page.
Tauck Saône River Cruises
Tauck has two packages that include the Saône River and is one of the few companies that visits Tournus and Mercurey, which is northwest of Chalon-sur- Saône. One of the itineraries combines a cruise on the Seine River with Saône river cruise. Travel is between London to Monte Carlo.
- Packages: 14 to 23 days
- Saône and Rhône: 14 days
- Saône, Rhône and Seine: 23 days
- 1 Ships on the Saône: ms Swiss Emerald
Interesting to Note: Tauck is the only company that offers a package that includes travel between France and London via the Eurostar train and travel to Monte Carlo.
Uniworld Saône River Cruises
Uniworld offers three itineraries that briefly touch on the Saône River. Running from Avignon to Mâcon, most of the cruise is actually on the Rhône River.
- Packages: 8 to 22 days
- Saône and Rhône: 8 days
- Saône, Rhône and Seine: 15 days
- Saône, Rhône, Dordogne, Gironde Estuary, Garonne and Seine: 22 days
- 1 Ship on the Saône: S.S Catherine
Interesting to Note: Uniworld is the only company that combines three different river cruises in one itinerary – Burgundy and Provence, Bordeaux, and Paris to Normandy. It’s also the only company that does not cruise to Chalon-sur- Saône on the Saône River.
Viking Saône River Cruises
Viking River Cruises has two different packages for cruises on the Rhône and Saône between Chalon-sur-Saône and Avignon. One of the cruises combines a cruise on the Seine River with a cruise on the Saône and Rhône rivers.
- Packages: 8 to 15 days
- Saône and Rhône: 8 days
- Saône, Rhône and Seine: 15 days
- 4 Ships on the Saône: Viking Buri, Viking Delling, Viking Heimdal, and Viking Hermod
Interesting to Note: Viking River Cruises has ships that sail on the Saône and Rhône rivers that also sail on other waterways.
What’s the Best Choice for a Saône River Cruise?
There are many options for cruises that combine the Saône and Rhône rivers. If you would like to visit as many destinations as you can, Tauck and Scenic Tours are probably the best choices.
For travelers who want to take a mini-cruise, CroisiEurope has cruises on the Saône and Rhône rivers that last between 5 and 8 days..
If you want to combine your Saône and Rhône river cruise with a cruise on the Rhine River, Avalon Waterways has a 15-day package compared to a 10-day package offered by CroisiEurope. If you have more time to travel, Avalon Waterways offers more in terms of what you will see on your trip.
Most river cruise companies offer cruise that combine the Seine, Saône and Rhône rivers. Cruise length is from 15 to 23 days. Scenic and Tauck have the most extensive packages.
Read more about Saone River Cruises.
