Oenological cruise: Discover the fabulous world of vines and wine

Mâcon, in the heart of Burgundy, offers a delightful cruise stop for wine lovers.  Explore the historic town, sample renowned Burgundian wines, and soak up the French atmosphere for a taste of this celebrated wine region.

Tain l-Hermitage is located in south-eastern France along the Rhone River in the region celebrated for the renowned Cote Rotie. Here the Rhone is very scenic and in the distance you can see the Alps. This is an unpretentious village known for its wines, chocolate, fruits and its historic heritage where you can visit the vineyards and sample the wine of the Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage. In the village there is a small shop at the Valrhona chocolate factory and several wine merchants that offer tastings of Côtes de Rhône wines from the Hermitage vineyards.

Tain l-Hermitage is located in south-eastern France along the Rhone River in the region celebrated for the renowned Cote Rotie. Here the Rhone is very scenic and in the distance you can see the Alps. This is an unpretentious village known for its wines, chocolate, fruits and its historic heritage where you can visit the vineyards and sample the wine of the Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage. In the village there is a small shop at the Valrhona chocolate factory and several wine merchants that offer tastings of Côtes de Rhône wines from the Hermitage vineyards.

Anyone who visits Avignon will quickly see why it's such a raved-about port on Rhone River cruise itineraries. Nestled in the heart of France's Provence region, the small city is quaint and intimate, with a chic vibe. You'll find stone buildings with pastel-colored shutters, boutique shops and hotels, and lively little squares -- including Place de L'Horloge, a roughly 10-minute walk from the pier. It literally feels as if you've stepped foot inside a postcard from the South of France. Looks aside, the "City of Popes" is rich in Roman Catholic history. Between 1309 to 1377, popes lived in Avignon instead of Rome, due to unstable political conditions at the time. Avignon is home to the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), the largest gothic palace in the world, and adjacent Notre-Dame des Doms Cathedral (known as the Avignon Cathedral). Avignon is also conveniently located about an hour outside Marseille (which has the nearest, major international airport). This makes it a prime embarkation and disembarkation point for a number of river cruise lines. Heading there in July? Try to plan for a glimpse of the annual Festival d'Avignon, one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world.

Anyone who visits Avignon will quickly see why it's such a raved-about port on Rhone River cruise itineraries. Nestled in the heart of France's Provence region, the small city is quaint and intimate, with a chic vibe. You'll find stone buildings with pastel-colored shutters, boutique shops and hotels, and lively little squares -- including Place de L'Horloge, a roughly 10-minute walk from the pier. It literally feels as if you've stepped foot inside a postcard from the South of France. Looks aside, the "City of Popes" is rich in Roman Catholic history. Between 1309 to 1377, popes lived in Avignon instead of Rome, due to unstable political conditions at the time. Avignon is home to the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes), the largest gothic palace in the world, and adjacent Notre-Dame des Doms Cathedral (known as the Avignon Cathedral). Avignon is also conveniently located about an hour outside Marseille (which has the nearest, major international airport). This makes it a prime embarkation and disembarkation point for a number of river cruise lines. Heading there in July? Try to plan for a glimpse of the annual Festival d'Avignon, one of the biggest performing arts festivals in the world.

Arles is one of the southernmost ports on France's Rhone River, not far the Mediterranean Sea. The city is massive, but the Old Town area feels like its own little village and is quite walkable. Once inside the heart of the city, it's easy (and we encourage you) to get lost in the plethora of winding cobblestone alleyways. You might even get a sense of deja vu. A number of Vincent Van Gogh's paintings feature scenes from Arles -- most notably, the Cafe Van Gogh from "Cafe Terrace at Night," which is nestled in a lively square among shops and other eateries. Perhaps the city's most well-known feature, however, is its collection of some of the earliest Roman monuments. The arena, theater and cryptoporticus all date back to the 1st century BC The arena is still in use today. The city is approximately a five-minute walk from the pier. On days when Arles' pier is overcrowded, riverboats dock at the nearby village of Tarascon and take a 20-minute shuttle ride to the city. A number of river lines use Arles as either an embarkation or disembarkation point for their cruises, as the city is also within close proximity to Marseille (the nearest, major international airport).