France wine river cruises
France has more wine on its rivers than any other country you can cruise. Four routes cross French wine country, and each one tastes completely different: Cabernet and Merlot on the Gironde around Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Gamay, Syrah and Grenache down the Saône and Rhône, Champagne and Normandy cider off the Seine, and Riesling in Alsace from the Rhine.
If wine is the main reason you're sailing, Bordeaux is the most concentrated choice, since ships dock right in wine villages like Pauillac, Margaux, Blaye and Cadillac. The Rhône and Saône give you the most variety in a single week, from the southern edge of Burgundy at Mâcon and Chalon-sur-Saône to Beaujolais, Hermitage and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Seine is the gentlest wine route, better for Champagne and Calvados than for vineyards along the banks.
Pick your starting city on the map, then your ending city, and get your own personal sommelier for the trip: a custom wine guide built around your exact route.
Curated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier
Tap a city to set your start, then your end. Tap again to start over.
Wines along your route
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Compare the routes
| Route | Wine regions | What you'll drink | Best months | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux (Gironde, Dordogne & Garonne) | Médoc, Saint-Émilion, Côtes de Blaye, Entre-deux-Mers, Sauternes | Cabernet- and Merlot-led reds, dry whites, sweet Sauternes | April to June, September and October (harvest) | Red-wine lovers and a first serious wine cruise |
| Rhône & Saône | Mâconnais, Côte Chalonnaise, Beaujolais, Northern and Southern Rhône, Provence | Chardonnay, Gamay, Syrah, Grenache, Tavel rosé | April to October | Variety: Burgundy whites to Châteauneuf-du-Pape in one trip |
| Seine | Champagne (day trip to Reims), Normandy | Champagne, cider, Calvados, Pommeau | May to September | Paris, Champagne cellars and Normandy, with wine as a side trip |
| Rhine (Alsace) | Alsace, via Strasbourg and Breisach | Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Crémant d'Alsace | May to October, plus Christmas markets in late November and December | Combining French and German wine on one itinerary |
Every stop in France
Keep reading: Bordeaux city stop guide · Mâconnais wine guide · Médoc wine guide · Northern Rhône wine guide · Alsace wine guide · Compare every wine river cruise
Common questions
- Which French river cruise is best for wine lovers?
- Bordeaux. Gironde, Dordogne and Garonne itineraries dock in the wine villages themselves, including Pauillac, Margaux, Blaye, Libourne for Saint-Émilion, and Cadillac for Sauternes. The Rhône and Saône is the runner-up, with more variety and less depth in any one region.
- When is the best time for a wine river cruise in France?
- September and October bring the harvest, when the vineyards are busiest and most alive. Spring is quieter, with easier château appointments. Late November and December put Alsace's Christmas markets on the Rhine, and Beaujolais Nouveau is released on the third Thursday of November.
- Can you visit châteaux and wineries on a French river cruise?
- Yes, but plan ahead. The famous Bordeaux classified growths almost never accept walk-ins, so book weeks in advance or take the cruise line's excursion. Village wine shops, cooperatives and smaller family domaines are much easier, and many are walkable from the dock.
- Does a Seine river cruise go to Champagne?
- Not by river. No navigable cruise route runs through Champagne itself, so Seine itineraries visit Reims and its chalk cellars as a day trip, usually from Paris.
- Is Burgundy on a river cruise?
- Southern Burgundy is. Rhône and Saône itineraries stop at Chalon-sur-Saône for the Côte Chalonnaise and at Mâcon for the Mâconnais, home of Pouilly-Fuissé and Saint-Véran. The Côte d'Or (Beaune and the grand crus) is reached by excursion.