France
French Art Voyage: Paris, the Rhône and the French Riviera
Program No. 22040RJ
Discover French artistry from the Mediterranean to Paris, reveling in museums, sculpture gardens, vineyards and the timeless landscapes that inspired many of Europe’s masters.
Participant Reviews
Based on 24 Reviews
SHOWING
Very well-organized trip with visits to so many towns in France. I enjoyed the mix between a cruise and on-land exploring. Highly recommend
— Review left June 14, 2025
This was a very well organized learning experience in a beautiful country led by delightful knowledgeable guides.
— Review left June 2, 2025
Everything was just right. I do have a big discontent, as a constant user I am often very disappointed by my accommodations. Many times others have supervisor rooms. I can give many examples. It makes me feel that after 41 trips I should at least not get the most inferior room. Also, hearing travelers talk about balconies,
views , etc makes me to think about taking more OAT trips that consider loyalty. Please consider.
This would
— Review left September 28, 2024
The program was very informative and the guide was excellent. It is intensive and gave a broad view of the area and the artists who spent time in the South of France. The area is as beautiful as the images.
— Review left September 24, 2024
We just finished French Art Voyage: Paris, the Rhône and the French Riviera. It was terrific. We visited fascinating sites to see art and architecture, enjoyed a lovely time on the boat on the Rhone and had the company of terrific people. We had great guides, and things were well organized.
— Review left September 21, 2024
Hello. I thoroughly enjoyed my recent trip. Odile was a great tour leader and personally provided the French experience. She is charming and persuasive.
A few suggestions. I would have loved more time in southern France and wouldn’t have minded skipping Paris. Many of our group were tired at the end of the trip, and the exertion it takes to tour Paris took its toll. We had 1/3 of our Red group down with colds or Covid so many didn’t participate in the Paris activities. That could have happened in Lyon as well but I think the train trip and Paris frenzy contributed to the spread of disease.
I’d also recommend that we not have 3 groups together. It may be more cost effective for the boat, but the 80 of us got in each others way at the venues. Maybe you could schedule 2 days in some venues, so that the groups could spread the visits out to avoid tripping over one another.
— Review left May 30, 2024
The French Art Voyage provided a wonderful opportunity for us to immerse ourselves in French art, culture, food, and wine. Nice and Paris and all the stops in between were great, and cruising the Rhone River was heavenly. What a terrific way to spend two weeks in September.
— Review left September 25, 2023
Our Group Leader was fantastic in every way. He had a very positive effect on my enjoyment of the program!
— Review left September 17, 2023
Two stellar group leaders, an exceptionally congenial group, a wonderful itinerary--what's not to love?
— Review left September 16, 2023
The French Art Voyage: Paris, the Rhone and the French Riviera, is an excellent look into many artists of the Impressionist's era. It was interesting to tour the place where the artist painted and lived, and then see original art in Paris. I learned a lot and had a lot of fun!
— Review left June 11, 2023
Despite the several people coming down with COVID and the Novotel in Paris a horrible place to stay; I give this trip a 10 plus. I suggest that covid cards are checked again despite it no longer being a requirement. Once the staff was made aware of covid in the group, all were asked to wear masks and were provided them. Jerome was my leader and Laura assisted him. Caroline and Martin were the other guides and all spectacular !! The sites we saw and the information that Jerome provided were beyond anything I expected. My travel companion wasn't able to use public transportation so we took a taxi and Jerome made sure we were met at the destination. There is so much more in France to see. So, anyone who expected to see everything on this trip, didn't read the itinerary. I was so appreciative the way the luggage was handled getting on and off the train. Dealing with 75 people some with high expectations is not easy. Yet, Jerome and the others were always positive. The crew on the boat was fantastic and so was the service and food. I recommend this trip.
— Review left June 4, 2023
Want to sit in a chapel with stained glass designed by Matisse, an auditorium with windows by Chagall, count the brush strokes in a Monet, or stand in a field where Van Gogh painted? Then this is the adventure for you.
— Review left June 4, 2023
I loved this trip. I think France is a place where good Americans should go after they die. My experience with the admin staff prior to the trip was spotty and dissatisfying. I assume the office is way understaffed and overworked.
However, once my sister and I got to France and became part of the RED group under Caroline Buzzi, we were in good hands. You cannot pay guides like this enough. She knew her stuff, was incredibly organized, patient, funny, and thoughtful.
I don't know if you need to be on the boat for four days due to some requirement, but I would have much preferred dropping the Hospices de Beaune and spent an extra day in Paris with the intent of going to Giverny. We stayed an extra week in Paris and we were able to go. Although my second trip there, it still was one of the highlights of the trip.
Also, I wish there had been more in-depth discussion of the Impressionists vs some of the other artists we encountered through lecture in terms of how they compared and contrasted. Caroline did one very good lecture aboard ship on the subject (about 20 -30 minutes) but I wanted a lot more.
I found I skipped several meals and perhaps that's a strategy to save the organization money. However, I found that after a fullest of the days in transit, that was when most on land meals were provided. I wish provided meals had been planned for less strenuous days.
The ship was a marvelous respite for the middle of the trip. However, transferring from ship to train in Lyon would have been disastrous if the three guides had not commandeered friends and relatives to come help us transfer 75 people's luggage to the train in a short timeframe. I applaud their initiative but, it was one more thing out of 100s they had to plan. I'm sure they would have appreciated having a better thoughtful transfer process in place.
In sum, I would definitely recommend this trip to others. It was one of my lifetime gems.
— Review left May 27, 2023
The COVID safety was not at the level Road Scholar had promised. My wife and I (as well as several others) contracted COVID on the trip.
— Review left May 25, 2023
I'm afraid this was this was the most disappointing Road Scholar experience I've had. This was not the fault of anyone connected with Road Scholar, but rather the fact that illness took much of the enjoyment out of this experience.
I had to go the ER in Nice on our second night I spent the rest of our trip recovering from fatigue and stomach problems. Additionally, I tested positive for Covid the day after we got home. (Evidently, Covid hit 12 of the twenty-five people in our group during or immediately after the trip).
As I mentioned, the Road Scholar team did everything possible to make the voyage successful. Our group's leader, Jerome, had an encyclopedic knowledge of the art, history, and architecture of all we saw, and offered numerous pieces of advice on heightening our experiences.
The staff and crew of the boat were all helpful and courteous at all times.
I only wish my physical maladies hadn't prevented me from getting the most of this experience.
— Review left May 24, 2023
Our guide Jerome H. proved to be exceptional. He was not only knowledgable about the art and culture but patient and organized. He deserves much credit for his handling of those who became sick or had other issues.
The #1 issue for everyone was the Novotel in Paris. The problems there are so deep and constant that they were known months before the trip when I wrote to RS asking that that another hotel be reconsidered. The RS response was that the hotels are constantly rechecked for quality. That could not be true. Beneath the layer of glitz are poor service, mediocre food (nonworking coffee machines), untrained staff and physical plant troubles.
The 30-story building had 6 elevators for guests, but only two were working. This meant long waits, some forced long walks down stairs and packed cars (over wt. limit, tight air space during covid outbreak) that stopped on every floor. The last day we saw that we could not get from the 10th floor to the breakfast, so we returned to our room, got our luggage and pushed an UP button in order to find any space for us. From the top our filled car stopped on every floor needlessly. Some forced their way in desperately.
Surely RS did not pay attention to all of the red flags and reports available months ahead. Others in our group said they had also alerted the co. Usually on a tour, the last site is a sweet farewell. This place turned out to be the opposite. Maybe some response is due to us who have enjoyed RS trips and would consider making them again. Jean and Gary
— Review left May 23, 2023
Enduring memories in every sense of the word.
Bob W.
— Review left May 17, 2023
Good trip.
— Review left October 26, 2022
This was a great trip! The guides (Jerome and Laura) were truly well-versed in the history of the sites we visited, as well as the background and life stories of the artists whose work we reviewed. Traveling on the ship was very comfortable (though the cabin was really small), and the food was varied and uniformly well-prepared and delicious. The crew was careful to meet the needs of travelers with allergies or other issues. This was my first Road Scholar trip, but will definitely NOT be my last.
— Review left October 20, 2022
This trip was constantly in chaos. Travel was consistently with a group of 84 people. We travelled on ship and that group size was expected, but off ship we were three bus loads going to same destination and meals all about the same time. Trying to serve such a large group in restaurants and at rest stops was mayhem and chaos. There was little regard for Covid safety. Our vaccination were never checked and travelling on metro and being constantly in large groups increased risks. Many of us wore masks but never requested to do so. Many times tour had to be adjusted due to river problems and maintenance issues but alternative plans fell quite short of planned activities. There were ample tour guides and assistants but their abilities frequently fell short. Hotel in Nice was sub par (self locking bath door, lights not working and poor weak internet). Hotel in Paris was too far from main attractions, very small, room keys constantly not working requiring three or four trips to front desk, dangerous shower over high tub, no bar open in eves. Many experienced travelers travelling with us rated this worst RS trip out of five, seven or ten taken. This is NOT small group travel.
— Review left October 13, 2022
Delightful journey, wonderful guide Caroline. We enjoyed learning so much and seeing Cezanne's home, Matisse's chapel, museums, beautiful countryside and Paris. We highly recommend this trip to anyone who loves art and wants to learn more about the artists and areas they lived in. We also enjoyed having the boat chartered just by Road Scholar and the small size our our group. All was enjoyable!
— Review left June 6, 2022
This program provided an insightful look at the French artist masters, largely by taking you to the places that inspired them and the places where they left their mark. It is quite a different experience to see the work of Van Gogh, Cezanne, or Matisse in a museum and to see the actual landscapes that Van Gogh painted while in the mental hospital, to see Cezanne's studio and the surroundings he painted, and the see the chapel Matisse created in appreciation for the nurse who cared for him after cancer surgery. The six days on the CroisiEurope river boat allows you to see several parts of France without unpacking, offers some of the best food we've enjoyed on Road Scholar trips, and provides a nice setting for socializing with other participants. Paris museum visits did not include some of the 'biggies' so you might want to add in a few days on your own at the end for a fuller Paris art experience. Overall, I highly recommend this tour!
— Review left June 2, 2022
My expectations weren't fully met for this program, but it was a wonderful program nevertheless. I was expecting more of an art focus, and was a bit surprised that there were several city and other tours (such as the hospital) that weren't directly art-focused. That said, they were all very well done and interesting. Group Leader Caroline did an excellent job "herding cats" for our large group and there were several calamities that she managed effectively. Her enthusiasm was contageous and her knowledge impressive.
The highlight for me was seeing Van Gogh's room at the Saint-Remy-de-Provence Asylum. I also enjoyed the cave tour, but it was rushed due to all the other groups there. The Chagall museum was terrific, and gave me a greater appreciation for his art.
The hotels are very nice and the river boat comfortable, although the wifi was spotty. You eat well on this trip!
— Review left May 18, 2022
If you have never been to the south of France, this trip is for you. Beautiful countryside, beautiful and historic cities with visits to the towns that made Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Cezanne famous. I loved it. Melanie Groseta
— Review left September 16, 2021