Why Is the Rhône Having Its Moment? What New Ships Mean for Your 2027 and 2028 Plans

In late April I stood in an oak forest outside Viviers while a white Lab dug a black truffle out of the ground. That same week I tempered chocolate in Tain-l'Hermitage and stood at a ranch in the Camargue, learning that the bulls there are local celebrities and are never harmed.

I came home and wrote that the Rhône is for people who want France in their hands, not just out a window.

Six months later, the river cruise lines seem to agree.

Why is the Rhône getting so much attention?

The Rhône is getting attention because several of the biggest names in river cruising are adding ships and itineraries there. Tauck is doubling its Rhône capacity with a second ship in 2028. AmaWaterways has announced a new Rhône ship, AmaClara, for the same year. And Avalon Waterways says France, on both the Seine and the Rhône, is where its guests want to go right now.

What are the cruise lines actually doing?

Tauck launched ms Lumière on the Rhône in 2026, a ship built for this river that carries no more than 130 guests. In 2028 her sister ship, ms Harmonie, joins her and doubles Tauck's capacity on the Rhône. Tauck says its Rhône sailings were pacing nearly 30 per cent ahead of 2025 before the expansion began, and at the end of October it opened bookings for three new Rhône itineraries for 2028.

AmaWaterways announced AmaClara in April 2026 as part of a plan to grow its fleet to more than 50 ships by 2032. She's slated for the Rhône in 2028 and follows the design of AmaKristina, which already sails the river.

Avalon Waterways has been the most direct about why. Its president, Pam Hoffee, said: "Right now, that place is France – specifically sailing along the Seine and Rhône Rivers." In Avalon's Wish List survey of 10,000 past guests, 35 per cent named France as the place they most want to visit next. For 2027 Avalon added France Unveiled: Seine & Rhône, which sails from Paris to Provence, with an optional two-night stay on the French Riviera.

Why the Rhône, and why now?

The cruise lines have their reasons. Here's what I saw from the deck.

The Rhône packs a lot of France into one week. Lyon, for food. The wine villages of the northern Rhône. The Palace of the Popes in Avignon and the Roman arena in Arles. Then the Camargue, where the river meets the Mediterranean. The days move from city to vineyard to delta, and you never repack a suitcase.

It's also a river built for doing. On my sailing the excursions put things in my hands: the truffle hunt, the chocolate workshop, a working farmhouse near Avignon where essential oils are distilled. If you've spent years arranging other people's experiences, being handed one of your own is the whole point.

What does this mean if you're planning 2027 or 2028?

Mostly, it means choice.

• New ships in 2028. If a brand-new ship matters to you, Tauck's Harmonie arrives that year, and AmaWaterways has AmaClara slated for the Rhône as well.
• Established ships in 2027. The Rhône already has well-loved ships sailing it, including Avalon Poetry II and AmaKristina, on itineraries that have been tested and refined.
• Two rivers in one trip. If you can't choose between Paris and Provence, a multi-river itinerary like Avalon's France Unveiled: Seine & Rhône lets you have both.

There's more on the Rhône to choose from than there was even two years ago. That's a good reason to take your time and pick deliberately.

Which Rhône cruise is right for you?

A few questions narrow it down quickly:

• Do you want to be active most days, or would you rather choose day by day?
• Are you travelling solo, with a friend, or as a couple marking something?
• Does a brand-new ship matter to you, or is the route more important?
• One river slowly, or two rivers and Paris?

The right cruise is the one that fits the way you want to feel when you get home.

Where I'll be

Next June I'm hosting a small group on Avalon Poetry II, sailing Lyon to Arles, 22 to 29 June 2027. It's an Active & Discovery sailing, so in port you choose between something active, something hands-on, or a classic guided walk.

If you'd like the details, or you'd simply like to talk through which Rhône cruise fits you, I'd love to hear from you. Not a sales call. Not a pitch. Just a conversation.

It's your turn now.

Sources: Tauck doubles Rhône capacity with new river vessel, Cruise Trade News, 2 September 2026; AmaWaterways to Operate Over 50 Ships by 2032, Cruise Industry News, April 2026; Avalon expands France river cruise portfolio for 2027, Travelweek, May 2026; and Avalon expands France portfolio for 2027, adds multi-river voyages, PAX News, May 2026.