22 Day Avalon Waterways River Cruise from Basel to Bordeaux 2026(WZX)

Avalon Waterways River Cruise - Basel to Bordeaux

Vineyards, Chateaux & Bordeaux

Starting from $13,990
Ship(s): Avalon Envision, Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon View
22 Day Avalon Waterways River Cruise from Basel to Bordeaux 2026 - WZX
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1.888.804.CRUISE (2784)

River Cruise Description

Immerse yourself in German and French culture on this fabulous Europe river cruise vacation along the Rhine, Seine, Garonne, and Dordogne Rivers. Your adventure begins in Breisach, Germany, the gateway to unrivaled beauty of Germany's Black Forest. Soak in the sights of Strasbourg, France, located on the French-German border-perfectly blending the cultures of both countries. Sail through the dramatic Rhine Gorge, the most beautiful view of the Rhine River where ancient castles peer from 400-foot cliffs above the shores. History comes to life in Cologne, Germany-the 2,000-year-old city best known for its Gothic architecture and towering twin-spired cathedral. Continue to Amsterdam and board a canal cruise for an immersive view of the tall, narrow houses in the capital of Holland. Be whisked away via high-speed train to Paris to board your Seine River cruise to be wined, dined, and delighted by French culture, cuisine, and captivating charm. Discover the true heart of Paris on a guided walk or see the legendary landmarks of this enchanting city.

Your European river cruise vacation gets even better with a captivating cruise on France's Garonne and Dordogne Rivers. Sail through the brilliant Bordeaux region-famed for its legendary vineyards and lovely villages. Be carried away with your choice of Avalon's included Classic, Active, and Discovery experiences-from the regal histories of castles and Châteaux to the romantic cellars where wine bouquets and bon-vivant cuisine tempt the palate. While the landscapes and lush pastoral treasures are plentiful along the shores of the Garonne and Dordogne, Avalon elevates each immersive experience for a deeper discovery of the cultural and architectural treasures that recall the rich traditions of Southwest France. From unparalleled panoramic drives to forested two-wheel excursions by bike to the delicacies of seaside Arcachon-the world is your oyster on this adventure in la belle vie of Bordeaux!
Call Us Today at 1.888.804.CRUISE (2784)
Departure DateShipPriced From
(per person)		 
Apr 7, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
May 5, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
May 12, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon EnvisionWaitlistCall Us!
May 19, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
Jun 16, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
Jun 23, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon EnvisionWaitlistCall Us!
Jun 30, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry II$18,637Call Us!
Jul 7, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon Envision$18,487Call Us!
Jul 21, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon Envision$18,187Call Us!
Aug 11, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry II$18,387Call Us!
Aug 18, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon EnvisionWaitlistCall Us!
Aug 25, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry II$13,990Call Us!
Sep 1, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon Envision$14,590Call Us!
Sep 22, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
Oct 6, 2026Avalon View, Avalon Tapestry IIWaitlistCall Us!
Oct 13, 2026Avalon Tapestry II, Avalon EnvisionWaitlistCall Us!
Avalon Choice

Avalon has designed included activities with a choice of experiences. We invite you to select the tours, activities, and events that interest you most, so you can experience your cruise your way. There are 3 types of included shore excursion on every Europe cruise:

Classic
Your local expert is ready to guide you through the history and heritage of local destinations. You'll marvel at the legends, lore, and spectacular architecture of iconic and historic sites.
Discovery
We've found inspiring and interactive activities to speak to your interests — from cooking classes, to painting workshops — to immerse yourself in each culture you explore.
Active
Embark on energetic excursions to keep you in motion and on the go — from a guided jogging tour of Amsterdam, to biking, paddling, and hiking your way through scenic locales.
  • Plus independent exploration options and use of Avalon's exclusive AvalonGO APP.

River Cruise Itinerary

Day-By-Day

Day 1 BASEL, SWITZERLAND (EMBARKATION)

Welcome to Switzerland!
Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.
Flights into Zürich or Basel must arrive by 3 pm. Guests must be on board ship by 5 pm.
Enjoy dinner and explore the ship on your first night on board.
EVENING CRUISE TO BREISACH
(D)

Day 2 BREISACH, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO BLACK FOREST

German Winemaking and the Beautiful Black Forest
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
Active
Enjoy the view on a relaxing bike ride along the Rhine with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Join a full-day Guided Tour to the magical Black Forest to experience the Vogtsbauernohf open-air-museum, visit an authentic water mill, and see a traditional butter-making demonstration, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Tour to explore Freiburg’s medieval city center, sheltered by the Black Forest amid vineyards and gardens of the Upper Rhine Valley.
You may choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to visit the charming village of Colmar in the morning, with its half-timbered medieval and early renaissance buildings.
EVENING CRUISE TO KEHL
(B,L,D)

Day 3 KEHL. EXCURSION TO STRASBOURG, FRANCE

A Grand Cathedral and La Petite France
Active
Discover Strasbourg by bike with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Join a City Sightseeing Tour, including Strasbourg’s Gothic, stained-glass cathedral with its celebrated ancient murals and astronomical clock, as well as the magical La Petite France District.
You may also choose to join a Guided Optional Excursion to the historic Maginot Line—the pre-WWII fortifications designed to protect the eastern border of France—or visit Alsace’s wine country today.
Alternatively, take some free time in Strasbourg to visit a museum or stroll across the city center.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO MAINZ
(B,L,D)

Day 4 MAINZ, GERMANY. EXCURSION TO HEIDELBERG

Castle Walls and the World’s Biggest Wine Barrel
Active
Join your Avalon Adventure Host for an inspiring walk in Heidelberg, the Philosophers' Way, OR:
Classic
Enjoy a Guided Tour to Heidelberg Castle to see the ruins of the magnificent renaissance treasure towering above the city, and its famed Great Vat, the “World’s Largest Wine Barrel,” OR:
Classic
Enjoy a Guided City Walk in Mainz, including a visit to the Gutenberg Museum to see the captivating history of printing.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship after a short sailing to Rüdesheim.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN RÜDESHEIM
(B,L,D)

Day 5 RÜDESHEIM–RHINE GORGE

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry in Wine Country
Active
Enjoy a hike with your Avalon Adventure Host through the picturesque vineyards of Rüdesheim, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided Tour of the incredible Mechanical Music Museum for a one-of-a-kind instrumental experience; enjoy a tasting of the authentic Rüdesheimer coffee, OR:
Discovery
Take a Guided Visit to the historic 18th-century wooden-barrel cellar of Johannisberg Castle and enjoy a delicious wine tasting.*
En route to Koblenz, sail through the Rhine Gorge (a UNESCO World Heritage site). Take in the breathtaking views of ancient castles perched on cliffs 400 feet above the water and pass the legendary Rock of the Lorelei—where the mythological siren’s songs lured ill-fated sailors.
KOBLENZ
Travel Through 2000 Years Of Monumental History
Enjoy free time in Koblenz before a relaxing evening on board with dinner and live entertainment.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN KOBLENZ
*This excursions will not be operated on departure June 23 and will be replaced by a Guided Tour to Eberbach Monastery with a wine tasting.
(B,L,D)

Day 6 COLOGNE

Prost! Celebrate in the Rhineland
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
Active
Enjoy a bike ride like the locals in Cologne with your Adventure Host, OR:
Discovery
Choose a Guided Walking Tour of Cologne’s important Jewish heritage sites, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided City Walk of Cologne—with its soaring twin-steepled Gothic cathedral.
Spend free time over a glass of Kölsch pale lager—locally brewed for over 100 years!
AFTERNOON/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO AMSTERDAM
(B,L,D)

Day 7 AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND

Canals of Colorful Amsterdam
Active
Start your day joining your Adventure Host on an early morning walk in Amsterdam, OR:
Classic
Discover the true beauty of Amsterdam with an off-the-beaten-path Guided Walking Tour through its cobblestone streets for a captivating look at this legendary city, OR:
Classic
Explore the iconic waterways of Amsterdam on a Guided Canal Cruise past stately homes of Amsterdam’s “Golden Age.”
During tulip season, you may take a Guided Optional Excursion to Keukenhof gardens—with more than seven million tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths, as well as other bulbs, planted each year. You may also choose an Optional Biking Tour to discover the countryside.
Take some free time to explore Amsterdam’s colorful streets, canal houses, galleries, and shops.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN AMSTERDAM
(B,L,D)

Day 8 AMSTERDAM (DISEMBARKATION)–PARIS, FRANCE (EMBARKATION)

On to Paris
This morning, board a high-speed train for Paris to embark on your Avalon Suite Ship® and enjoy dinner onboard this evening.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VERNON
(B,D)

Day 9 VERNON

Monet’s Fleurs and Crêpes du Jour
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
Active
Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces*, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Visit to Bizy Castle—called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.
Discovery
While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.
This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys.
LES ANDELYS
Serenity on the Seine
Active
Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CAUDEBEC
(B,L,D)
*Monet’s House is closed in March and November. During this period, this excursion will be replaced with a Guided Tour of La Roche-Guyon and its castle.

Day 10 CAUDEBEC

Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine
Active
Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine.
This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.
Discovery
Enjoy an Onboard Lecture about the days before and after the Normandy landing of D-Day.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CAUDEBEC
(B,L,D)

Day 11 CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY

Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions
Classic
Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:
Classic
Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Tour to get a taste of authentic tradition in the beautiful region of Normandy. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
EVENING CRUISE TO ROUEN
(B,L,D)

Day 12 ROUEN

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame and a Heroine for France
Active
Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Saint Joan of Arc’s martyrdom—and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CONFLANS
(B,L,D)

Day 13 CONFLANS

The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV
Active
Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:
Classic
Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.
Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO PARIS
(B,L,D)
*Château de Malmaison is closed the 1st Sunday of each month. On these dates, this excursion will be replaced by a visit to Château de Chantilly.

Day 14 PARIS

Cafés, Cathedrals and Canvases in the City of Light
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
Active
Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
Classic
Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:
Classic
Join a Guided City Tour featuring the iconic sites of Paris, which make the City of Light the most romantic and remarkable city in the world.
Stroll through Paris on your own or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PARIS
(B,L,D)

Day 15 PARIS (DISEMBARKATION)–BORDEAUX (EMBARKATION)

Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding
This morning, travel to Bordeaux to board your Suite Ship® and start your cruise on the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers.
This evening, enjoy a very special scenic sailing in Bordeaux.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BORDEAUX
(B,D)

Day 16 BORDEAUX–PAUILLAC

On the Steps of Montesquieu
Discovery
Join a delicious onboard experience in Bordeaux wines with a presentation by a worldclass wine sommelier.
Classic
Take a guided tour of Château de la Brède—birthplace of Montesquieu—political philosopher and author of “The Spirit of Law.” Visit the fortress-style castle still reflected in its impressive moat, OR:
Discovery
Join a guided visit with wine tasting at a local wine estate. Sip the sweet notes and fresh acidity of Sauternes, the beloved golden-yellow wine.
This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your Suite Ship®.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PAUILLAC
(B,L,D)

Day 17 CUSSAC FORT MÉDOC

Bikes, Vines, and Wines
This morning, enjoy a leisurely sailing to Cussac Fort Médoc
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
Active
Enjoy a relaxing E-bike guided tour in Bordeaux’s finest wine region. You will be amazed by the picturesque countryside while you enjoy a wonderful ride through the vineyards, OR:
Classic
Join a guided tour to discover the culture and traditions of the southern Médoc region at one of Margaux' beautiful château and enjoy a wine tasting, OR:
Classic
Take a scenic drive through the famed Médoc wine country and enjoy a tasting of their wonderful wines, with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon as protagonists.
This evening, enjoy a brief sailing to Blaye.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BLAYE
(B,L,D)

Day 18 BLAYE–BOURG

Fine Art, Fine Bubbly, and a Fine Day for a Drive
Ask your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
Active
Join a refreshing power walk through the historic Citadel of Blaye with your Adventure Host, OR:
Discovery
Join a guided tour to discover Blaye from a different perspective, including a visit to a local art gallery with wine tasting, OR:
Classic
Take a panoramic drive following the famed Route de la Corniche along the right banks of the River Dordogne, followed by a guided visit to the Citadel of Blaye, an UNESCO World Heritage site.
Relaxing afternoon sailing on the Dordogne River to Bourg.
Active
Alternatively, bike from Blaye to Bourg with your Adventure Host.
Classic
Take a wonderful walking tour in the Citadel of Bourg on the banks of the Dordogne River and visit the carriage museum.
Alternatively, join an optional guided excursion to learn how the Fine Champagne of Cognac is made while enjoying a Rémy Martin tasting.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BOURG
(B,L,D)

Day 19 LIBOURNE. EXCURSION TO SAINT-ÉMILION

The Village Amid the Vineyards
Discovery
Enjoy a guided visit to Saint-Émilion to discover one Bordeaux’ must-see wine-growing towns and celebrate your day with a wine tasting, OR:
Classic
Join a guided tour of the medieval village of Saint-Émilion—a UNESCO World Heritage site of legends and legendary landscapes, OR:CLASSIC Take an orientation walking tour to discover the history and beauty of Libourne, where wine and wonderful views are cherished in the 12th-century fortified town.
Discovery
Onboard lecture about WWII hosted by a history expert.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LIBOURNE
(B,L,D)

Day 20 BORDEAUX

Bordeaux Sights and Brilliant Lights
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
Discovery
While sailing to Bordeaux, enjoy a pastry demonstration.
Active
Join your Adventure Host for a bike ride along Bordeaux’ postcard river views of the Les Quais, OR:
Classic
Join a guided walking tour to discover the heart of Bordeaux with a stroll amid its stunning squares, avenues, and cathedrals sights.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BORDEAUX
(B,L,D)

Day 21 BORDEAUX. EXCURSION TO ARCACHON’S BAY

Seas, Shells, and Sips
Active
Join your Adventure Host for a bike ride along Bordeaux’ postcard river views of the Les Quais, OR:
Classic
Take a guided tour to La Cité du Vin, Bordeaux’s iconic wine museum and cultural center, OR:
Classic
Join a full-day guided tour of the seaside resort of Arcachon on the Atlantic coast. Gaze upon its 19th-century architectural treasures and taste its local delicacy of oysters and wine.
This afternoon, consider an optional guided excursion to Les Bassins des Lumières for a breathtaking visit to the submarine base where art and music surround you in an immersive experience.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN BORDEAUX
(B,L,D)

Day 22 BORDEAUX (DISEMBARKATION)

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.
(B)
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