Last month I was aboard the Riverside Ravel, sailing eight days from Avignon to Lyon along the Rhône and Saône rivers. As a boutique travel agency owner who takes the recommendations we provide our travelers very seriously, there is no better research than first-hand knowledge. Having the opportunity to personally experience Riverside’s luxury river cruising firsthand, from the suite to the shore excursions to (a personal highlight) the pastry cart has provided enough insight and perspective for an entire blog series, but let’s start first with overall impressions and highlights. This post is the overview of the ship, the ports, the food, and who I think this kind of travel is genuinely built for. Over the next few weeks I’ll be publishing deeper dives into each port, so consider this your starting point.

Life Aboard the Ravel

Calling the Ravel a “ship,” almost undersells it — it feels much more like a floating boutique hotel. With only 110 guests and a crew of 55, the space never felt crowded, and the crew-to-guest ratio truly enhances the overall feel of luxury throughout the entire sailing.

The Vista deck

With its open air bar and cushioned loungers I could have happily spent every happy hour and then some on the top deck. I loved waving to locals we sailed by who were dining at shorefront venues, fishing, or relaxing along the river. Also the upper deck is the site of crew-hosted BBQs and open-air movie nights where the sofas feel like home, but the attendants refilling your wine glass absolutely feels like vacation.

The Atelier

Riverside’s café-bistro, where more than once I could be found working from a cozy banquette with my laptop, a cheeseburger and glass of champagne within reach. Remind me again why every work day can’t be like this?

The Suite

My cabin on the Ravel was a true haven. The Seahorse Suite — which features a double-sink vanity bathroom (rare on a ship, if you’ve cruised before you know), a walk-in closet, panoramic windows, and enough room at 259 square feet that it never felt tight. A few mornings I even skipped the amazing dining room and ordered room service breakfast instead.

Speaking of room service – one of the biggest reasons I fell for the Riverside brand: their Premium All-Inclusive package. Twenty-four-hour room service is just one item on a much longer list of amenities that are actually included, not upsold.

The Ports

Choose Your Own Adventure

I’ve sailed luxury ocean lines that also advertise “included” excursions, and the gap between that experience and Riverside’s was definitely more significant than I expected. On most cruise lines, the free or included options are the basic tours, and anything uniquely interesting comes with an extra fee. With Riverside’s Premium All-Inclusive with Excursions package, every excursion offered was mine to book — no up-charge, no hidden fees that hit your statement at check-out.

The variety impressed me as much as the pricing: easy walking tours, wine tastings, and several options built for a more active traveler like me. A few standouts:

Viviers — Lavender Farm, Drôme Provençale

A visit to a lavender farm where we learned about the region’s roughly 40 species and 400+ varieties of lavender, made our own lavender body butter, and finished with lavender ice cream in the fields.

Mâcon — Rock of Solutré

An accessible 2–2.5 mile hike with big payoff at the top — especially memorable given the heat wave France was experiencing that week. Our guide, Claire, met us at the windy summit with a glass of wine, which didn’t hurt either.

Tournus — E-Biking Through Chalon

My favorite excursion of the trip, hands down. The bike paths wound through vineyards and small villages in a way that felt genuinely idyllic — I could have done this every single day. We capped it off with another wine tasting back in town.

The Cuisine

I already mentioned The Atelier above, but no recap of this trip is complete without its own section on the food, because it exceeded what I’ve come to expect from “cruise cuisine” by a wide margin.

Everything on the Ravel is cooked to order — a fact I didn’t fully appreciate until a galley tour where I noticed there wasn’t a single microwave in sight. The culinary team, from the executive chef and sommeliers down to the bartender who mixed me a pepper-infused tequila cocktail after hearing spicy margaritas are my go-to, made the meals a highlight in their own right (a special mention to the pastry chef responsible for the pistachio croissants I still think about).

One evening, several of us reserved The Vintage Room, an add-on dining experience: a 6–7 course meal with wine pairings, designed collaboratively by the chef and head sommelier. It’s a reservation-only experience limited to 6–10 guests, which makes it feel like a private dinner party rather than a ship excursion — and it’s one I’ll be recommending specifically to my food- and wine-focused travelers.

Who Riverside Is Right For

Active travelers

Riverside is offering a limited number of cycling-focused itineraries next summer, and I am personally looking to host a group on this July sailing. It pairs daytime cycling and scenery with luxury dining and accommodations each evening — and you choose your own cycling distance each day. If that sounds like your kind of trip, sign up for my newsletter and I’ll add you to the interest list.

First-timers and the cruise-curious

If Europe or river cruising still feels like a big first step, start with one of Riverside’s shorter 3- or 4-day itineraries. It’s a great way to spend more time in one or two specific regions while still getting the full luxury experience.

Suggested sailings: Burgundy Bliss: Lyon to Lyon or Dutch Tulip Season: Holland, Gelderland & Limburg

Food and wine enthusiasts

Having just sailed through some of France’s best wine country while being thoroughly spoiled by the gastronomy, I’d point any food-and-wine traveler toward the Rhône and Saône specifically.

Suggested sailings: French Fête on the Rhône & Saône: Avignon to Lyon or Vines, Wines & Castles of the Rhine, Moselle & Main

Solo travelers

River cruising remains one of my top recommendations for solo travelers — there’s a built-in sense of community without anything feeling forced. On my sailing, I met a group of women traveling together who had originally connected as solo-travelers on a previous river cruise. Riverside also offers generous solo supplement fares, which isn’t true across the industry.

Suggested sailings: Danube Legends: Hungary, Slovakia, Austria & Germany or Southern France Sojourn During Lavender Season

Groups

Between private suite space, individual excursion choices, and built-in group touch points like dining and receptions, river cruising works well for multi-generational families, friend groups, or interest clubs. With only 55 suites total on the Ravel, a full ship charter is also worth considering for the right group — the week I disembarked, the ship was prepping for exactly that.

Suggested sailings: Danube Legends with City of Music Focus or Four-Country Christmastime on the Rhine

FAQ

How long is the Avignon-to-Lyon Riverside Ravel itinerary?

Eight days and seven nights, sailing the Rhône and Saône rivers between Avignon and Lyon.

What’s included in Riverside’s Premium All-Inclusive package?

• Pre-selected excursions in each port
• Premium beverage package, including premium wines, spirits, and champagne
• 24-hour room service
• Meals of your choice in all restaurants and bars
• Pastries, waffles and ice cream
• Water, coffee and tea
• Port and Service Charge, as well as VAT
• WiFi
• Minibar

Is this itinerary a good fit for solo travelers?

Yes — Riverside offers solo supplement fares that are more generous than many other lines, and the ship’s size makes it easy to meet other travelers without anything feeling forced.

Does Riverside luxury cruises offer butler service?

Yes! The Riverside all-Suite cruise ships include Butler services for every guest. Dedicated Butlers provide exceptional levels of comfort and care daily, which may include packing / unpacking luggage, scheduling laundry and pressing services, shoeshine, serving hors d’oeuvres / meals in the Suite when requested, deliveries, providing recommendations, and assistance making reservations on board for restaurants and spa appointments, as well as on shore for excursions, private arrangements, restaurants, theater / opera, etc.

What’s the best time of year to sail this route?

If seeing the lavender fields in bloom is a priority, then I would suggest sailing this itinerary June to mid-July. Though this can be a much warmer time of year, so alternative times I would suggest would be May or September to October.

Final Thoughts

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in southern France and will absolutely be river cruising again — the only question is when. As soon as possible I hope! If you’ve been dreaming about Europe but aren’t sure where to start, this is exactly the kind of trip I love helping people create and plan.

Want help planning your own river cruise? Get in touch and let’s find the right itinerary for you.

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Photos and video from this trip are all saved in the Highlights on Instagram