Why Does Viking No Longer Dock at Chalon-Sur-Saone on Southern France Cruises?

[philw1776]

Viking used to dock at Chalon-sur-Saone for their Southern France cruises. Instead for the last several years they dock in Lyon spending several days dockside stationary instead of river cruising. The cruise from Chalon-sur-Saone to Lyon was wonderful and docking there meant WAY less bus time than from Lyon to and fro from Beaune and the vineyards. I believe that other cruise lines, e.g. Uniworld do dock at Chalon-sur-Saone.  Admittedly it is an industrialized un-attractive port  but the single night there on boarding day with Beaune & vineyard tours the following morning minimizes time there and provides much quicker tour access plus a nice river cruise experience to Lyon.

Edited January 6 by philw1776

[Host Jazzbeau]

There is a low bridge on the Saône just above Lyon.  Viking Captains tend to be very cautious compared to others, which may explain why Viking decided to skip sailing up the Saône.

[Canal archive]

Not only Viking, Scenic have done the same although where a Scenic  moored could not be classed as an industrialised area. It was a super mooring.

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Canal archive said:

Not only Viking, Scenic have done the same although where a Scenic  moored could not be classed as an industrialised area. It was a super mooring.

 

 

Scenic still does.  Their 7-night itineraries dock in Macôn for a night, and their 10-nighter docks in Chalon-sur-Saône.  [I'd love to take that 10-nighter as a second Rhône cruise!]

[Canal archive]

Yes I know what I meant and should have made clear was that Scenics’ South of France cruise used to start at Chalon Sur Saone not Lyon. As far as I can see it starts in Lyon and cruises to Chalon. We traveled from England to Lyon by Eurostar then on to Chalon by local train, very straightforward and the locals are a breath of fresh air after some Parisians we met.