Host Jazzbeau in France

[Valley Girl of VA]

CaviarGirl. Did you enjoy or find there was much to do in Marseilles? We will be spending a few days there prior to our cruise in Sept 2016 on the Rhone

 

Jane

[MaxBuck]

JazzBeau, my wife and I planned a day in Aix during our recent trip. Once we arrived, we drove around a bit and decided to do something else. Confusing, noisy city. So maybe your "missing" Aix was not such a terrible thing.

 

Just not a place we need to go back to. YMMV.

[CleverScubaCruiser]

CaviarGirl. Did you enjoy or find there was much to do in Marseilles? We will be spending a few days there prior to our cruise in Sept 2016 on the Rhone

 

Jane

 

Jane,

 

You might want to consider taking a trip out to Cassis. If memory serves it was about an hour from Marseilles. It is a quaint fishing village (nice change from the big city feel of Marseilles). Be sure to take a boat tour of the Cassis Calanques while there.

[GiGiGi]

I have truly enjoyed your report. You may be singularly responsible for us making a change from a Danube cruise to a Provence cruise for our first river experience.

I am wondering about the amount of time spent in being transported to the various excursions and the number of people on the average tour. Approximately how much bus time was involved in most ports and how many people were allotted to each guide.

Thank you again for your report and your response!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I have truly enjoyed your report. You may be singularly responsible for us making a change from a Danube cruise to a Provence cruise for our first river experience.

I am wondering about the amount of time spent in being transported to the various excursions and the number of people on the average tour. Approximately how much bus time was involved in most ports and how many people were allotted to each guide.

Thank you again for your report and your response!

 

I think the brochure overstates the amount of bus time, although the return trips were always "nap time" so maybe I undercounted? ;). Anyway, they seem to mention 2 hours of bus rides on many days, but it never felt that long. For one thing, almost all the tours included 2 stops so the ride was split into 3 sections. Also AMA never fills the coaches, so there's plenty of room to spread out. Each guide had 15-20 people [this will vary because AMA lets you sign up based on gentle walkers, regular, fast paced, and the occasional bike or late risers tour]. This cruise also involved more daytime sailing than our Rhine cruise: often we would wake up somewhere, do a tour and return to the ship for lunch during which it would sail somewhere else where we would have an afternoon tour. The overall experience was one fully-packed day after another. [i was very glad for the opportunity to nap while driving to Marseille after the cruise :eek:]

[Host Jazzbeau]

We rode the TGV from Marseille to Paris this morning. Conscious that it was 9/11 -- didn't notice any US soldiers in our car, but thankfully none were needed. Beautiful afternoon in Paris. Shout out for Fat Tire Tours -- we were late for our 5:30 meeting time for the Eiffel Tower, so the young woman at the desk ran with us to catch up to the tour group! Saved what could have been a major screw up [on my part]. Nice dinner at Le Cafe Constant -- but Rick Steves-recommended restaurants are getting so overloaded nowadays that I may have to start giving them the Yogi Berra treatment ["nobody goes there any more -- it's too crowded" :D] Super fast internet connection at our hotel: Hotel Lutece -- lovely, quaint [the good kind of quaint], centrally located but in its own quiet world on Ile Saint-Louis.

[Host Jazzbeau]

JazzBeau, my wife and I planned a day in Aix during our recent trip. Once we arrived, we drove around a bit and decided to do something else. Confusing, noisy city. So maybe your "missing" Aix was not such a terrible thing.

 

Just not a place we need to go back to. YMMV.

 

Rereading Rick Steves, I concluded that it was a great place to spend a quiet day but not a place to squeeze into a hectic itinerary. On a future Med cruise, it might be a good shore excursion (especially by rental car, at our own pace).

[Host Jazzbeau]

CaviarGirl. Did you enjoy or find there was much to do in Marseilles? We will be spending a few days there prior to our cruise in Sept 2016 on the Rhone

 

Jane

 

One day is worth spending in Marseille itself. The HOHO bus covers all the main sights, especially getting you up the hill to the big Mary church. Marseille isn't the dirty crime-ridden port of recent history, but as France's 2nd-largest city I can verify that you don't want to try to drive in it!

[DIALTWO]

[Hi,

 

We are off on our first river cruise later in October. Rhone river cruise and while we've taken several motor trips when we were younger, those days are sadly over.

 

Are you familiar with Scenic?

 

Great to read your information. We've taken many regular big ship cruises on Celebrity, Princess, RCL and Oceania. This river cruise is going to be a lot different.

 

cheers and thanks for your posts,

 

Dianne and Al

 

Victoria BC

 

QUOTE=Host Jazzbeau;47683727]Weather has been fine on the cruise. Before the cruise we started with one hot day and one rainy day, but otherwise it has been clear or partly cloudy with highs in the high 60s or low 70s. As we sail South the weather should be getting warmer, but Le Mistral is blowing so it has stayed cool. But looking out my French balcony window while docked in Avignon [this is why it is worth the upgrade -- for that perennial thread ;)] the river is like glass, so I hope Le Mistral has blown itself out. We are expecting a high of 82 today.

[CaroleLee]

Can't wait to read your detailed trip report. Doing this itinerary in 2016. For everyone else

many of the reviewers have mention an excursion to winery of M.Chapoutier. My local (well known-google Zachy's Scarsdale NY) wine shop has several of their wines. These are wines of distinction. Just from what I have read AMA is not ignoring the wine part of this wine cruise.

 

I am soooo ready for this trip

Carole

[Host Jazzbeau]

Hi,

We are off on our first river cruise later in October. Rhone river cruise and while we've taken several motor trips when we were younger, those days are sadly over.

 

Are you familiar with Scenic?

 

Great to read your information. We've taken many regular big ship cruises on Celebrity, Princess, RCL and Oceania. This river cruise is going to be a lot different.

 

cheers and thanks for your posts,

Dianne and Al

Victoria BC

 

I haven't sailed Scenic, but their reputation is as a top tier, all-inclusive, Australian-oriented line. I'm sure you will enjoy your cruise!

Edited September 18, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau

[Canal archive]

We did the Scenic Saone and Rhone in June this year I did a short review on another thread I think all scenic etc. the whole cruise was superb the wine tastingings were varied and excellent. I admit to being a Scenic aficionado and so far have not found another company that has an intenerary that would tempt us to change. They have been so far excellent nothing seems to be a challenge to them. Being from the UK we didn't do days before or after and traveled to and from the ship by Eurostar, France is fairly easily negotiated and we did agree that the French in the South of France are so much more accommodating than in the north of France such nice people and that's coming from an English woman, don't knock it! All enjoy your cruising this time from Bonney Scotland CA

[MaxBuck]

Can't wait to read your detailed trip report. Doing this itinerary in 2016. For everyone else

many of the reviewers have mention an excursion to winery of M.Chapoutier. My local (well known-google Zachy's Scarsdale NY) wine shop has several of their wines. These are wines of distinction. Just from what I have read AMA is not ignoring the wine part of this wine cruise.

 

I am soooo ready for this trip

Carole

 

Chapoutier and Jaboulet own much of the vineyard acreage in and around Tain L'Hermitage, but also watch for some of the excellent product from smaller producers in the area. Bottom line: if it's labeled "Hermitage," it's going to be outstanding wine.

 

Interesting comment about the southern French being "more accommodating" than those in the north. We've had very positive experiences with the friendly French in Normandy, Champagne and in Paris; found the Provencals to be, if anything, a bit more standoffish (but all-in-all a lot more helpful to us English-speakers than most Americans would be to French-speaking visitors!). I have to admit to being a Francophile.

Edited September 18, 2015 by MaxBuck

[Host Jazzbeau]

We had no problem at all with the famous French "attitude" -- we always started with a Bonjour and tried our creaky French, sometimes the conversation could conclude that way and other times they would steer us into English, but almost everyone was very helpful. In Paris we got the brushoff a few times when asking for directions in the street, but that just felt like being home in NYC and was probably either that the person didn't really know the neighborhood or was in a hurry -- we can relate to that so weren't offended. In Marseille (also not known for its friendliness) a young man realized that his directions to the nearest gas station were quite complicated, so he jumped in his car and led us there!

[Valley Girl of VA]

Host Jazzbeau - we will be on the cruise you just complete in September 2016. We have reservations for a few nights prior to cruise in Marseille. I read that you stayed there as well. What did you do there? Did you get out of the area? Rent a car or stayed in the area? Did you fly home from Marseille? Thanks for your help!

 

Jane

[Host Jazzbeau]

Host Jazzbeau - we will be on the cruise you just complete in September 2016. We have reservations for a few nights prior to cruise in Marseille. I read that you stayed there as well. What did you do there? Did you get out of the area? Rent a car or stayed in the area? Did you fly home from Marseille? Thanks for your help!

 

Jane

 

We had spent a day in Marseille a few years ago on an ocean cruise, and felt that we had pretty well seen all that Marseille has to offer. So the plan this time was to rent a car as we disembarked in Arles in order to fill in the few gaps in AMA's thorough coverage [we had to choose between Avignon and Pont du Gard, and between Les Baux and the Carrières de Lumières -- we used the car to pick up the other choices] and get us over to the Marseille train station for the TGV to Paris. So our hotel choice was based strictly on location: Ibis Gare St-Charles [the cheapest, but also the only really disappointing, hotel on our trip -- not recommended except that you are right at the car rental places and the train station]. We walked down to the Vieux Port, had a nice dinner at La Daurade, and got out of Dodge the next morning.

 

If you have a few nights before the cruise, I recommend taking the HoHo bus and getting off at Notre-Dame de la Garde on the first day and staying in Marseille that night. Then rent a car and explore the area. The nearest cute town is Aix-en-Provence, which sounds like a nice place to get over jet lag and ease into Provence-time [like "island time"] for a day. Then you could hit Les Baux on the way to Arles, drop the car, and embark on your river cruise.

Edited September 19, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau

[id4elizabeth]

Also highly recommend the Luberon hill town area just north of Aix by rental car pre- or post-crruise.

[Host Jazzbeau]

While I work on my full review [over 1,500 photos to process!], here are DW's reflections on our France trip and river cruise:

 

The trip was great! I thought three weeks might be a long time but the itinerary was so varied that it remained

new

.

 

I was truly impressed by the French drivers: courteous, law abiding. Even in Paris, I did not find them to be reckless as I had anticipated. Efficient, creative!

 

Weather for the most part was good but were we ever glad we had our Gore-tex rain jackets. And I have since ordered waterproof walking shoes. Although still lovely, it rained for our visit to Monet's garden in Giverny. We had thunderstorms as we walked to and from dinner in Sarlat (like

son et lumière

as we dined). And it rained 3 of the 4 days in Paris. At times, it was torrential.

 

However, we enjoyed it all!

 

We saw lots of the French countryside, which is beautiful. We visited Chartres, Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur, Bayeux, Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Cancale (for Brittany oysters), Loire châteaux (Amboise, with real

son et lumière

, Chambord, Chenonceau and Villandry), the Lascaux II cave and some Dordogne river towns.

 

After 8 days of driving we returned the car in Lyon where we stayed overnight and then boarded

AmaDagio

and met up with my cousin and his wife. We cruised the Rhône together and took in the daytime excursions: the village of Oingt and Le Domaine de la Logère (a Beaujolais winery); the town of Vienne and a walk up Le mont Pipet; Tain l'Hermitage, the M.Chapoutier winery and a trip to the Valrhona chocolate store; baking baguettes in a Viviers boulangerie; a truffle farm and onto the town of Grignan and its hilltop Renaissance château; a walking tour of Avignon; Moulin du Calanquet (an olive oil farm) and the medieval town of Les Baux.

 

After disembarkation, we rented cars and drove to see the still-existing Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard, then to Les Baux again for the Carrières de Lumières

son et lumière

show in an old limestone quarry, and finally to Marseille for an overnight.

 

The next day (9/11 :eek: but no terrorism) we took the TGV to Paris and it was sunny. We headed for Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre before we joined a 5:30 pm tour of the Eiffel Tower.

 

Then the rain came, so we did museums and churches: Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Notre-Dame (just in time for the Sat. evening Mass); Musée D'Orsay, Musée Marmottan Monet (disappointing); the new Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum to see the Frank Gehry architecture (we liked his Guggenheim in Bilbao better), the Tuileries garden and L'Orangerie museum (for Monet’s stunning large-format Nympheas [water lilies]), Notre-Dame again (to explore and to pray quietly), and the Left Bank. When the weather cleared we took an evening stroll from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées. We had expected to do much more walking, but the "Health" iPhone app tallied all our steps and showed that with subway corridors and museums etc. we did cover from 7-11 miles (not km!) each day.

 

I have been asked if I loved all the pastries, etc. I must admit I ate very little of them. [Jazzbeau, on the other hand, still longs for his breakfasts of croissants and café au lait at the corner café on Île Saint-Louis.] I preferred to fill my face with the wonderful cheeses and accompanying chutneys and fig compotes and crusty breads. And the pears were delicious! I avoid a lot of heavy sauces and like to taste the meat or fish served and opt for extra veggies rather than potatoes, polenta, etc. The two of us would often buy lunch at a local boulangerie. A baguette filled with ham and cheese or butter. We would split one and eat it as we headed for our next sight.

 

Jazzbeau's conclusion: we had a great time, loved France -- and mirabile dictu neither of gained a pound despite eating [and in my case, drinking] very well!

[Rebel54]

Sounds wonderful. Starting to wonder if I should pack a rain jacket "just in case." We will be there in July/Aug. Decisions...

 

Looking forward to your review and photos.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Sounds wonderful. Starting to wonder if I should pack a rain jacket "just in case." We will be there in July/Aug. Decisions...

 

Looking forward to your review and photos.

 

If not, you can always buy one of those cute [tacky] "Paris" ponchos.

[jpalbny]

Sounds wonderful...Looking forward to your review and photos.

 

Yes on all counts!

 

Starting to wonder if I should pack a rain jacket "just in case."

 

We have light jackets that fold up small enough to fit in a carryon. Always bring them. We never leave home without them (unless I forget mine)... :rolleyes:

 

Our hotel: Hotel Lutece -- lovely, quaint [the good kind of quaint], centrally located but in its own quiet world on Ile Saint-Louis.

 

Ile St-Louis sounds so quaint, and I've read other recommendations to stay there as well. Have wandered through on several occasions and it seems lovely. Will have to look at that next time. Thanks for the tip!

Edited September 19, 2015 by jpalbny

[Rebel54]

Somewhere in my office I have a couple disposable ones. I'll have to find them.

[CaroleLee]

While I work on my full review [over 1,500 photos to process!], here are DW's reflections on our France trip and river cruise:

 

The trip was great! I thought three weeks might be a long time but the itinerary was so varied that it remained

new

.

 

I was truly impressed by the French drivers: courteous, law abiding. Even in Paris, I did not find them to be reckless as I had anticipated. Efficient, creative!

 

Weather for the most part was good but were we ever glad we had our Gore-tex rain jackets. And I have since ordered waterproof walking shoes. Although still lovely, it rained for our visit to Monet's garden in Giverny. We had thunderstorms as we walked to and from dinner in Sarlat (like

son et lumière

as we dined). And it rained 3 of the 4 days in Paris. At times, it was torrential.

 

However, we enjoyed it all!

 

We saw lots of the French countryside, which is beautiful. We visited Chartres, Giverny, Rouen, Honfleur, Bayeux, Le Mont-Saint-Michel, Cancale (for Brittany oysters), Loire châteaux (Amboise, with real

son et lumière

, Chambord, Chenonceau and Villandry), the Lascaux II cave and some Dordogne river towns.

 

After 8 days of driving we returned the car in Lyon where we stayed overnight and then boarded

AmaDagio

and met up with my cousin and his wife. We cruised the Rhône together and took in the daytime excursions: the village of Oingt and Le Domaine de la Logère (a Beaujolais winery); the town of Vienne and a walk up Le mont Pipet; Tain l'Hermitage, the M.Chapoutier winery and a trip to the Valrhona chocolate store; baking baguettes in a Viviers boulangerie; a truffle farm and onto the town of Grignan and its hilltop Renaissance château; a walking tour of Avignon; Moulin du Calanquet (an olive oil farm) and the medieval town of Les Baux.

 

After disembarkation, we rented cars and drove to see the still-existing Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard, then to Les Baux again for the Carrières de Lumières

son et lumière

show in an old limestone quarry, and finally to Marseille for an overnight.

 

The next day (9/11 :eek: but no terrorism) we took the TGV to Paris and it was sunny. We headed for Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre before we joined a 5:30 pm tour of the Eiffel Tower.

 

Then the rain came, so we did museums and churches: Sainte-Chapelle, the Louvre, Notre-Dame (just in time for the Sat. evening Mass); Musée D'Orsay, Musée Marmottan Monet (disappointing); the new Louis Vuitton Foundation Museum to see the Frank Gehry architecture (we liked his Guggenheim in Bilbao better), the Tuileries garden and L'Orangerie museum (for Monet’s stunning large-format Nympheas [water lilies]), Notre-Dame again (to explore and to pray quietly), and the Left Bank. When the weather cleared we took an evening stroll from the Arc de Triomphe along the Champs-Élysées. We had expected to do much more walking, but the "Health" iPhone app tallied all our steps and showed that with subway corridors and museums etc. we did cover from 7-11 miles (not km!) each day.

 

I have been asked if I loved all the pastries, etc. I must admit I ate very little of them. [Jazzbeau, on the other hand, still longs for his breakfasts of croissants and café au lait at the corner café on Île Saint-Louis.] I preferred to fill my face with the wonderful cheeses and accompanying chutneys and fig compotes and crusty breads. And the pears were delicious! I avoid a lot of heavy sauces and like to taste the meat or fish served and opt for extra veggies rather than potatoes, polenta, etc. The two of us would often buy lunch at a local boulangerie. A baguette filled with ham and cheese or butter. We would split one and eat it as we headed for our next sight.

 

Jazzbeau's conclusion: we had a great time, loved France -- and mirabile dictu neither of gained a pound despite eating [and in my case, drinking] very well!

Whist Jazzbeau works on his review would appreciate your input on what to wear/pack especially for dinner/capt's dinner

Thx

Carole

[Host Jazzbeau]

Whist Jazzbeau works on his review would appreciate your input on what to wear/pack especially for dinner/capt's dinner

Thx

Carole

 

I brought a sport coat and never took it out of the closet. The dining room was cool, but dress was informal enough that I used a chamois shirt instead.

[CaroleLee]

I brought a sport coat and never took it out of the closet. The dining room was cool, but dress was informal enough that I used a chamois shirt instead.

Thx for the answer but the question was for Jazzbelle.

Carole