Lesser known rivers

[sjde]

We’ve been on the Rhone , the Rhine and the Danube,  as well as the Main, Moselle and Douro . Has anyone been on the Saone, Garonne or Dordogne in France and can speak to what the area or towns are like ? TIA! 

Edited February 6 by sjde
Correction/ addition

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, sjde said:

We’ve been on the Rhone , the Rhine and the Danube,  as well as the Main, Moselle and Douro . Has anyone been on the Saone, Garonne or Dordogne in France and can speak to what the area or towns are like ? TIA! 

I have been to the Dordogne, but with a rental car not on a cruise.  It is lovely, and the cave paintings are worth the trip.

[Canal archive]

We’ve done the Saone with Scenic on their Saone and Rhône cruise, and with Scenic on their Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde cruise. Equally as beautiful as the rest of France just subtly different waiting for you to explore.

[sjde]

Is Scenic an English company? Lots of Brits on it? 

[gnome12]

15 minutes ago, sjde said:

Is Scenic an English company? Lots of Brits on it? 

Scenic is Australian.

[Host Jazzbeau]

9 hours ago, sjde said:

Is Scenic an English company? Lots of Brits on it? 

 

9 hours ago, gnome12 said:

Scenic is Australian.

International mix of passengers.  English is the language on board.

[Canal archive]

When we first started our river cruising experiences the Australian company Scenic had been cruising for only a few years. The majority of passengers were Australians, Canadians and English a few New Zealander’s and the occasional South Asian. Since Scenics push in the U.S. more Americans have discovered the company. When we started it was pre ‘all inclusive,’ and Butlers only on the top deck. This caused a bit of a flurry when booking our next cruise when it was ‘all inclusive’ my DH was convinced I’d got it wrong. Yes it is an Australian company whose boss I believe lives in Switzerland. They also do land tours, which is how they started, crikey I sound like an advert, maybe I should get a handout!

[CielBleu]

We haven't been on a river cruise on the Garonne or Dordogne, but we canoed on the Dordogne and loved it. The scenery was beautiful.  Unfortunately, I've heard that a lot of people don't enjoy the river cruises in that area as much as others.  I know it's heavily wine focused.  That would be okay with us!  Truthfully, I'd prefer a barge cruise for that area, but a river cruise might be considered.  I think a lot would depend on the excursions offered.

[Canal archive]

It’s not all wine by a long way.

 

 

 

The last picture is squeezing under the Napolian Bridge with a wing part from Bristol bound for Toulouse in the distance. I would certainly repeat this trip as Bordeaux now has the old submarine pens turned into a son-a luminaire show which is supposed to be superb. The middle picture was a yacht race in the estuary we were up on the top deck cheering on the winners, the top picture was on deck and I cannot remember

their name but they did make a lot of noise, excellent outfits, something to do with

hunting.

We went on Scenics 11day cruise there was a lot of wine there always is in France but also much excellent music and super food.

 

[Canal archive]

Scenic did quite a lot of cycling and at least twice had to hire more bikes because so many felt energetic. We didn’t see any barges but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were some. Four of us hired on the Canal du Nivernais in 2022 some of the French villages were having a hard time recovering from Covid but the French were very happy to see us it’s lovely doing DIY or some of the beautiful hotel barges may be more your style or just go all out on a big in ‘’ boat.

[franski]

On 2/6/2024 at 5:29 PM, sjde said:

We’ve been on the Rhone , the Rhine and the Danube,  as well as the Main, Moselle and Douro . Has anyone been on the Saone, Garonne or Dordogne in France and can speak to what the area or towns are like ? TIA! 

We did the Rhone/Saone with Avalon.  Our trip started with one night in Monaco before busing us to the boat.  We went in a couple of days early and spent some time in Nice. 

 

Our trip ended in Paris - and Avalon puts you on the TGV train so the trip is quite quick.  

 

We have not done the Garonne or Dordogne, but are starting to look at that area. 

 

Fran