The Rhône from Sea to Source

ITINERARY

Day 1 – London to Lille

Depart mid-afternoon on Eurostar from London St Pancras to Lille for an overnight stay.

Day 2 – Arles

Travel by train to Arles for a 3-night stay. Arles is situated at the point where the Rhône divides into two smaller branches forming the delta and flowing into the Mediterranean Sea.

Day 3 – Avignon

Full day excursion to Avignon, with its famous Pont d’Avignon and walled city. As well as the ramparts and the bridge there are several museums and the large Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes) to explore.

Day 4 – Camargue Delta

Guided tour by coach to the stunning Camargue Delta famous for its flocks of pink flamingos and cream coloured ponies – lots of photo opportunities today. Return to Arles.

Day 5 – Tournon

Leaving Arles after breakfast we travel via Nîmes to Valence where we have a coach transfer to Tournon for a 2-night stay.

Day 6 – The Vivarais Railway

Full day excursion on the steam train from Tournon-Saint-Jean to Lamastre on the Vivarais network. There is time for lunch in Lamastre before our return.

Day 7 – To Lyon

Morning departure by coach to Valence connecting with a TGV service to Lyon for an overnight stay. Free afternoon in Lyon, the largest city on the Rhône and the acknowledged start of the Rhône Valley.

Day 8 – Lake Geneva

An easy half day journey along a scenic rail route takes us via Culoz, through the Rhône gorge to Geneva and onwards to Lausanne for a 2-night stay. Your Swiss Pass starts today and allows for unlimited travel on various forms of transport.

Day 9 – Rhône Valley

A day at leisure. There will be an optional excursion offered on the lake steamer today but if you prefer, you can explore independently with your Swiss Pass and travel on a couple of the metre gauge lines which start from the valley station at Aigle.

Day 10 – To Visp

Leaving Lausanne after breakfast we travel to Montreux and changing to the metre gauge Golden Pass line which rises steeply out of Montreux delivering wonderful panoramic views of Lake Geneva before giving way to the peaks of the Bernese Oberland. After changes at Zweisimmen and Spiez we continue south to Visp for a 3-night stay.

Day 11 – Furka Steam

A full day excursion starting from Visp to Oberwald to connect with the steam train on the Furka Bergstrecke. This rack line uses the original track bed of the Glacier Express route to Realp. The Rhône Glacier above Oberwald, is the source of the River Rhône.

Day 12 – At Leisure

A free day in Visp. There will be an optional excursion to visit Zermatt and a chance to ride on the Gornergrat mountain rack railway which delivers wonderful views of the Matterhorn.

Day13 – To Frankfurt

Leaving Visp after breakfast we travel to Frankfurt via Bern and Basle for an overnight stay.

Day 14 – Home

We take a morning ICE to Brussels and change on to the Eurostar to London, arriving mid-afternoon.