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Vacations By Rail · Escorted small-group tour (Landmark Vacations)

Venice Simplon-Orient-Express & Rhône Cruise

Venice to Paris by luxury train, then Rhône river cruise through Provence

Illustration of Venice Simplon-Orient-Express & Rhône Cruise

Vacations By Rail operates this 10-day escorted journey that fuses rail and river cruise through Italy and France, departing from Venice and concluding in Paris. The heart of the experience is a single night aboard the legendary Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, the train that carried royalty and spies through the 20th century; you sleep in a Historic Cabin while the train climbs the Alps toward Paris, dine in the elegant restaurant carriage, and enjoy cocktails and live piano music in Bar Car 3674. From Paris you travel by First Class high-speed rail to the Rhône, where you board the Belmond Napoléon, a six-cabin luxury river vessel that carries only 12 passengers. Six days cruise south through Provence, stopping to explore the medieval town of Viviers, visit a truffle farm, taste Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, join a chef at Avignon's produce market, and walk the Roman streets of Arles and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. The tour includes five-star accommodations in Venice and Paris, all meals, all beverages aboard the boat, and expert-guided excursions throughout. Small-group travelers seeking the pinnacle of European luxury rail and river travel will find this journey designed explicitly for them.

What to know before you look closer

  • Single supplement pricing is not disclosed in the operator's materials; confirm the cost for a solo traveller before booking.
  • Flights are not included; international travellers must book their own airfare to Venice and from Paris.
  • The group is capped at 12 passengers aboard a six-cabin boat; availability on any given departure is strictly limited.

Day by day

  1. Day 1overnight: Venice

    Your luxury journey begins in Venice

    A private airport transfer to a five-star hotel behind St. Mark's Square; explore the city by gondola or on foot before meeting your Tour Manager and small traveling group ahead of dinner at a local restaurant.

  2. Day 2railovernight: Train (Venice Simplon-Orient-Express)

    Boarding the iconic Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

    Transfer to Venice Santa Lucia station to board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, settling into Historic Cabins with lunch and dinner in the dining carriages, cocktails in Bar Car 3674, and live piano music.

  3. Day 3railovernight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    First Class from Paris to your luxury boat

    The VSOE arrives into Paris around lunchtime; transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon for a First Class TGV journey to Valence, then on to La Voulte-sur-Rhône to board the Belmond Napoléon with a champagne reception.

  4. Day 4overnight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    Medieval Viviers & Provençal lavender

    Sail south through the Rhône Valley, then disembark for a walking tour of medieval Viviers, including the 12th-century St Vincent Cathedral, followed by a visit to a lavender farm and a game of pétanque onboard.

  5. Day 5overnight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    Wild roses of Grignan & truffle tasting

    Visit the hilltop village of Grignan, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, then a truffle farm tasting, sailing past the Écluse de Bollène toward Roquemaure.

  6. Day 6overnight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    Pont du Gard & Châteauneuf du Pape wine tasting

    Visit the Roman Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge, sail toward Avignon, then tour and taste wines at Châteauneuf du Pape.

  7. Day 7overnight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    Joining a chef on a tour of Avignon's food markets

    Join a chef at Avignon's Les Halles market to select produce for a Provençal feast, with free time to explore Avignon including the Palais des Papes, then cruise to Vallabrègues.

  8. Day 8overnight: Cruise ship (Belmond Napoléon)

    In the footsteps of van Gogh in Arles & St Remy

    A guided tour of Arles, including the UNESCO-listed Roman Arena and Van Gogh sites, followed by an afternoon excursion to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and a farewell dinner aboard.

  9. Day 9railovernight: Paris

    Unforgettable evening in Paris

    Disembark and transfer to Avignon TGV station for a First Class journey through Burgundy to Paris, followed by a guided city tour taking in the Arc de Triomphe and Notre-Dame Cathedral, then dinner together.

  10. Day 10

    Traveling home

    Breakfast at the Parisian hotel before the vacation concludes; a luxury transfer to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport is available for flights departing after 1 P.M.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express at Venice Santa Lucia station and settle into a Historic Cabin; dine in the restaurant carriage and enjoy live piano music in Bar Car 3674 as the train heads toward Paris.
  • Day 4Walk through medieval Viviers and tour the 12th-century St Vincent Cathedral, then visit a lavender farm in the Rhône Valley.
  • Day 6Visit the Roman Pont du Gard aqueduct bridge, then tour and taste wines at a Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate.
  • Day 7Join a chef at Avignon's Les Halles market to select fresh produce for a Provençal meal; explore the Palais des Papes in free time.
  • Day 8Guided tour of Arles including the UNESCO-listed Roman Arena and Van Gogh sites, followed by a visit to Saint-Rémy-de-Provence.

Included

  • Escorted to and from your train and luxury boat by an expert Tour Manager
  • 2 nights' 5-Star hotel accommodation
  • 1 night in a Historic Cabin aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
  • 6-night cruise onboard the Belmond Napoléon
  • Private airport transfers
  • First Class rail travel
  • All rail, cruise and coach travel throughout your tour
  • Breakfast and dinner each day, 6 lunches
  • Selected drinks with meals on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
  • All drinks included on the Belmond Napoléon
  • Small Group: max group size of 12
  • All guided tours and excursions

Not included

  • Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour but can be arranged
  • Flights

Questions travellers ask

Is the train travel included in the price?
Yes. The from-price of USD 19,995 covers the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express from Venice to Paris in a Historic Cabin, First Class TGV rail from Paris to Valence and from Avignon to Paris, and the six-night Belmond Napoléon cruise. Flights to and from Europe are not included.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. Vacations By Rail provides an expert Tour Manager who escorts the group to and from the train and boat, guides all excursions, and travels with the group throughout the 10 days.
What is included in the daily meals?
Breakfast and dinner are included every day, plus six lunches. Selected drinks are included with meals on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. All drinks are included aboard the Belmond Napoléon.
How many people travel in this group?
The group is capped at 12 passengers, making it small and intimate throughout the journey.
What hotels are included?
One night in the Hotel Baglioni Luna in Venice (five-star, behind St. Mark's Square) and one night in Maison Proust in Paris (five-star). The remaining seven nights are spent aboard the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express and the Belmond Napoléon.
What level of physical activity is involved?
The tour carries a Mobility Rating 2, which includes city walking tours, visits to medieval villages, the Roman Pont du Gard, and excursions with stairs and some uneven terrain. Disembarking and reboarding the river vessel is required.

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