Sail along the Saone and Rhone River on AmaWaterways

April 18 – April 29, 2023

Paris / Burgundy / Provence / French Riviera

Join New Clairvaux’s Abbot Father Paul Mark Schwan and Winemaker, Aimee Sunseri on a unique wine cruise/tour featuring privately hosted visits to the medieval Cistercian Abbeys at Citeaux and Lerins on the Ile Saint-Honorat.

Our winemaker will host special wine receptions, wine tastings and a winemakers’ dinner as we sail along the Rhone River through the fine appellations of Burgundy and Provence..

Included in this tour is an exclusive VIP experience to the esteemed Clos de Vougeot Wine Chateau!

Standing in the very heart of Burgundy’s vineyards, built in the 12th century by monks from the nearby Abbey of Cîteaux. In the 16th century, a Renaissance style château was added to the existing buildings.

This one-of-a-kind trip has been custom designed with the influence and guidance of the Cistercian Abbeys of Trappist monks – New Clairvaux at Vina, CA, and at the Citeaux and Lerins Abbeys of France.

ABBEYS & VINES OF FRANCE

April 18 – April 29, 2023 (12 days/11 nights)

The wines provided by New Clairvaux Winery and Aimee Sunseri.

April 18, 2023 

Welcome to Paris!

Check-in for two nights Hotel des Jardins du Marais, 4-star hotel with daily breakfast. Day at leisure in this beautiful city to explore its gastronomy delicacies through the Marais

district, from delicatessens to high places of pastry, discover the artisan chocolate factories and

bakeries, or stroll through the many fine grocery stores of Paris. The Marais (the “marsh”) is a historic

district in Paris, France. Having long been the aristocratic district of Paris, it hosts many buildings noted to be

of historic and architectural importance. It spreads across parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements in Paris

(on the Rive Droite, or Right Bank, of the Seine) and is famous for its eclectic lifestyle, art galleries, fashion

houses and fine restaurants. Dinner on own. Overnight.

April 19, 2023 -

Breakfast. Day at leisure. In the evening, let’s gather to enjoy a Welcome Wine

Reception at hotel hosted by the winemaker, Aimee Sunseri. Taste the notable and unique, award-

winning wines from New Clairvaux’s vineyard in Vina, CA. Dinner on own. Overnight.

April 20, 2023 -

Early morning departure after breakfast via luxury motor coach with your English-

speaking private guide to the Burgundy region with first stop at Clos de Vougeot, built in the12th

century onwards by the monks of the Citeaux Abbey, a true symbol of Burgundy’s viticulture. We’ll be

privileged to an exclusive private group lunch with wine at the Table de Leonce.  After lunch we’ll

proceed to Citeaux Abbey (the mother abbey of New Clairvaux) where we will be hosted to a private

visit by the Abbot Dom Olivier, Brother Raphael and the monks there. The visit of the historic buildings

of the old Citeaux will immerse us in the monastic enclosure, leading you through 900 years of history to

the living community of today.

Continue by motor coach from Citeaux Abbey to the AmaCello's pier at Chalon-sur-Saone

to board your river cruise ship for an amazing 7-day cruise through Burgundy and Provence on the

Rhone River passing through scenic villages, picturesque vineyards, historic cities, palaces, and churches.

Ama cello

All-inclusive Rhone River cruise from Chalon-sur-Saone to Arles (separate cruise itinerary follows). Includes a variety of daily in port excursions provided by Ama Waterways.

Indulge in French flavors on a palate-pleasing itinerary that highlights the essence of France’s Burgundy and Provence. Uncover the Roman history of Chalon-sur Saône and delight in charming Tournus with its towering Romanesque abbey and historic apothecary shop. Visit French châteaux from Burgundy to Provence, taste your way through the French culinary capital of Lyon and visit the Papal Palace in Avignon.

While you’ll get more than a taste of Burgundy and Provence during this itinerary, the essence of these destinations will linger on your palate – and in your heart – for a lifetime! On our river cruises, you will enjoy an extensive lineup of included tours. In many cases, you will have a choice of excursions, such as standard tours, bike tours, hikes and Special Interest Tours. We always include a large variety of activities so that you can choose how you want to explore. No matter your preference, your days will be full of discovery and wonder.

• DAY 1 Chalon-sur Saône EMBARKATION

• DAY 2 Chalon-sur Saône Historic City tour OR Beaune walking tour OR Château de Couches Tournus Scenic cruising OR Chalon-Tournus bike tour OR Chalonnaise wine tasting

• DAY 3 Tournus Tournus city tour & Abbey of Saint Philibert visit OR Château Cormatin OR Medieval Brancion Macon Scenic cruising OR Tournus-Macon bike tour OR Maconnais wine tasting

• DAY 4 Macon “The South Burgundy City” Macon tour OR Cluny & Berze-le-Chatel visit OR Monastère de Brou OR Bike tour to Berze-le-Chatel Villefranche-sur-Saone Scenic Cruising OR Beaujolais wine tasting Lyon Illuminations cruise

• DAY 5 Lyon “France’s Culinary Capital” city tour OR Lyon bike tour OR Lyon tasting tour Vienne Vienne walking tour OR ViaRhôna bike tour OR Mount Pipet hike

• DAY 6 Vienne Scenic cruising Valence Valence city tour OR Bike tour OR Cornas wine tasting

• DAY 7 Avignon Walking tour and Papal Palace OR Tastes of Avignon OR a very special, unique side trip to the Cistercian Senanque Abbey in the beautiful Provencal Luberon Valley town of Gordes is planned exclusively for our group!

• Arles Arles walking tour

• OR Van Gogh walking tour

• OR Arles bike tour

• DAY 8 Arles DISEMBARKATION

Sept.13 - Segovia (B/L)

Today we will enjoy a cooking class with Chef Oscar Calle, a prestigious Chef in Castile who runs his own gourmet restaurant. We will learn how to prepare typical dishes of this region followed by a sumptuous lunch. 

In the afternoon we will visit The Royal Factory of Crystals of La Granja.  It is a grand space, where we will see the Technological Museum with magnificent collections of pieces of fine glass and learn about the history of glass making with demonstrations by the craftsmen at the kiln. 

* Return to the hotel.  Afternoon at  leisure.

Sept. 14 - Segovia to Ribera del Duero (B/L)

We head to Ribera del Duero today where we are invited to visit one of the best wineries with a tutored tasting.  

A private morning visit to an Abbey and winery is more than just your basic winery tour as we’ll immediately realize we are in a very special place, an estate steeped in history, a unique terroir, which has been carefully cherished over the years. 

Via 4x4 we will tour the estate’s most outstanding spots, some of the highlights are a winery tour to see its grape reception, fermentation room and barrel cellar, a visit to the 12th century Abbey of Santa María de Retuerta (if no events are programmed) with wine tasting session offering us Selección Especial and one of their excellent Vino de Pago, top tier niche appellation wines. 

Their wines, made from a careful selection of the best grapes in the vineyards, are a bold commitment to terroir wines. One of them has been chosen “Best Spanish White Wine 2013” at the 2013 Verema Awards (Verema.com is the best-known wine portal in Spain and ranked among the top 5 in the world).

RIBERA DEL DUERO  ***** ARZUAGA WINE AND SPA HOTEL (1 night)
Our hotel is located inside the Arzuaga Winery and surrounded by vineyards in the middle of the “Gold Mine” of Ribera del Duero river and wine region, where medieval castles, ancient walled cities and wildflower fields fill the landscape.  Here, bodegas are small, with intimate tasting rooms and vintner-led tours.  Our hotel is a place to enjoy a whole world around wine, where serenity reigns and the warm comfort of its rooms will make our stay pleasant and restful.  A host of amenities will make welcome and pamper us with its full-service spa, bodega and restaurant.

Castillo de Peñafiel and Winery

We’ll lunch at Peñafiel, home of kings and nobles.  In the afternoon we will visit its Castle, one of the most important fortresses of the Castile and Leon regions, which spectacularly rises on a hill overlooking the Duero and whose ancient, battle-scarred history has left behind an architectural heritage of great value and beauty.

We will visit its interesting Wine Museum, take a stroll around the beautiful Plaza del Coso where bullfighting festivals have been held since the Middle Ages.  The plana (town square) is surrounded by unique balconies displaying lovely wooden arabesques.

* Back at the hotel, evening free for a walk in its vast garden, to relax by the pool or enjoy dinner at its lovely view restaurant.

Sept. 15 - Ribera del Duero to La Rioja (B/L)

Today our first stop will be a modern masterpiece and impressive winery, designed by the famous architect Norman Foster, one of the finest wineries in the world. Tasting with a wine expert will follow. 

We will then travel to La Rioja, one of the most important wine growing areas of Europe and Spanish oldest wine region.

LA RIOJA  **** HOTEL & SPA VILLA LAGUARDIA  “relax among vineyards”  (1 night)

Our villa hotel is located in the heart of Rioja Alava, the charming medieval town of Laguardia.  Hotel Villa Laguardia, is a magical and exquisite establishment of modern construction combining all the elements that make up a great hotel -- quality, comfort, great service, charm and romance.  A unique property designed both for leisure or business meetings in a relaxed atmosphere.  It also has a fabulous modern spa and is a place to enjoy many of the area’s offerings.   Here, we will learn the processes of the famous Rioja wines and taste them accompanied with the fine cuisine of this land.

Laguardia

Laguardia is a completely preserved medieval village full of subterranean cellars under its stone streets, in the heart of La Rioja.  Lunch will be at one of the best restaurants in Laguardia with spectacular views of the vineyards.  In the afternoon we will be guided on a tour of Laguardia going to its tower for the panoramic views, visiting its unique Romanic Church and ending up at a stunning 12th century cellar, one of the many they have underneath the town, followed by a wine tasting with a wine professional.

*Return to the lovely hotel to relax or enjoy an optional treatment at its wine spa.

Sept.16 - La Rioja  to San Sebastian (b/L)

First, this morning we will have the distinct pleasure to visit the avant-garde winery of Marques de Riscal, designed by the visionary architect, Frank Owen Ghery.

Then we’ll continue to Bilbao to savor a MICHELIN STAR RESTAURANT lunch at Restaurante Etxanoble! 

Sample menu:

White turnip, nutmeg and slices of Iberian Gill

Castanets Iberian pork, sprouts and green coffee extract

Cod, spinach, red onion and eggplant juice

Part cow, green celery and juice mushrooms

Avocado, Grapefruit tears and coconut ice cream

Plain chocolate, marzipan hot sand

Bilbao is where more great architectural and infrastructure projects have been the driving force of urban and economic regeneration of the city.  The Bilbao Guggenheim Museum, the Euskalduna Conference and Music Centre, Norman Foster's Underground, Calatrava's airport, the towers designed by the architects Arata Isozaki and César Pelli, are all examples of the dynamism that exists in Bilbao.

* Continue to San Sebastian (1 hr), world’s greatest city for “foodies”

SAN SEBASTIAN  ****  HOTEL ASTORI 7  “The stars hotel”  (3 nights)
Centrally located, this modern hotel in San Sebastian is decorated with photos of film stars, due to the  famous International Cinema Festival which takes place here. With excellent accommodations and amenities as well as gastronomy, it is also within walking distance of the historic city center and the beautiful Concha Beach -- a perfect place to explore this amazing city!

sept.17 - San Sebastian (B/L)

Morning guided visit to the lively and fresh Food Market with a hands-on cooking class to learn how to prepare special recipes of this region.  Our class will take place in a lovely cooking school with an expert and amiable chef and is where we’ll enjoy lunch with wines in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere.  A panoramic view of the city by bus will follow lunch where we’ll see the La Concha beach with the noble Miramar Palace, former summer residence of the kings.

Then continue up to Igueldo to see another wonderful panoramic vista of San Sebastián, spotting the peak of the Parrot and the famous island of Santa Clara.  Later in the day we’ll embark on a cultural walking and “pintxos” * tour for dinner where the hundreds of tapas varieties will amaze us!

* In the Basque country, they serve “pintxos” which comes from the Spanish verb 'pinchar', which means 'to pierce'. The main difference between pinchos and tapas is that pinchos uses toothpicks to avoid the food top from falling off the bread slice bottom