The Saone River flows through France’s Burgundy wine region, joining the Rhone River in Lyon. Typically, both rivers are combined in a single itinerary.
Learn about the area’s viticulture in locales like Beaune. It’s also known for the Hospices of Beaune, a 15th-century charity hospital complex renowned for its intricately detailed, colorful roofs. Near the town is the Chateau de Savigny-les-Beaune, which houses an eclectic collection of aircraft, racing cars and motorcycles.
In Tournus, passengers spend time at St. Philibert Abbey, a Romanesque church. Walking tours of Macon take in the Wooden House, a charming, half-timbered Renaissance home.
Lyon is France’s gastronomic capital, and its culinary reputation can be traced to the “Mères Lyonnaises” of the mid-19th century. These women, originally cooks for wealthy families, started their own restaurants and quickly gained recognition for their simple but flavorful fare. Tour the indoor food market known as Les Halles, stroll the maze of medieval alleys in the old quarter and see the 19th-century Fourviere basilica, which looms over Lyon and is visible from many points in the city.