The Saône river in eastern France flows for around 300 miles from its beginnings in Switzerland, through the beautiful Burgundy wine region with its picturesque vineyard-lined banks before meeting the Rhône at Lyon at an altitude of 158m above sea level. It is usually combined with a Rhône cruise, and features the heart of Burgundy.
Principal towns and cities along the way include Chalon-sur-Saone, Cluny, Trevoux, Tournus, Dijon and Macon, often with a short side-trip to the wine centre of Beaune. Wine specialists in the region include Pommard, Volnay and Meursault,
In recent years The Saône river has experienced the repositioning of more and more boats and this increase is continued in 2013, making it one of the big growth areas of French river-cruising.
WHO GOES THERE: AmaWaterways, APT, Avalon, CroisiEurope, Scenic Tours, Swan Hellenic, Titan Travel, Uniworld, Vantage, Viking.
