France Cruises: Ports, Ships and Things to Do

At a glance

2,179 current cruises call at the 83 ports Cruiseable lists under France, on 240 ships from 33 cruise lines. The busiest of those ports is Strasbourg, on 709 itineraries. The lowest lead fare across those cruises is $289. The lines sailing the most of them are AmaWaterways (300), Avalon Waterways (206) and Viking River Cruises (202).

About

France is located in Western Europe with several of its overseas territories and islands located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. It is bordered (clockwise from the north) by Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Spain and Andorra. The largest cities in France, in terms of metropolitan area population, are Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Lille, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux and Nantes. The fortified town of Carcassonne is home to monuments from different eras. Visitors traveling with kids will want to visit Disneyland Paris, Europe's own Magic Kingdom that comes complete with all the storybook characters and theme park rides. Lyon is known for its restaurant scene as well as its art museums, riverside walks and a historic old town.

Photos of France

Scenic Emerald guests in Avignon will marvel at the Pope's Palace, a 14th century Gothic architecture that used to house sovereign pontiffs. It's known for its frescoes and chapels.
Scenic Emerald passengers will be in awe once the ship reaches the banks of Avignon, with the magnificent Pope's Palace as the backdrop.
Crystal Serenity in Bordeaux in southwestern France.
Stop in the charming river town of Blaye, near Bordeaux, during your River Royale adventure in France.
Uniworld's S.S. Bon Voyage stops in Blaye in the Bordeaux region of France.
Visit Bordeaux, France, and other dreamy destinations on Ponant's L'Austral.
Stroll the Pont de Pierre in Bordeaux, France, on your next Ponant cruise.
Cruise to Bordeaux, France, on Ponant and visit Place de la Bourse.
Silver Spirit sails into ports in South America, the Caribbean, the Black Sea and Mediterranean, including the Cannes Film Festival and Monaco’s Grand Prix.
Visit the Bonifacio Citadel in Corsica, France, during a shore excursion on your Royal Clipper sailing.
Spend some time in beautiful Monaco when you cruise the French Riviera.
Explore the lovely Villefranche-sur-Mer, on the French Riviera, on your next Mediterranean cruise.
The lavender fields of Sénanque Abbey, in Provence, France.
Grandeur of the Seas off the coast of Villefranche-sur-Mer, France. The ship now sails to the Caribbean.
If you cruise the Mediterranean in the summer, the fragrant lavender fields of Provence, France, are a must-see.
Fields of lavender on D56 between Puimoisson and Valensole, France.
Fields of Lavender on D56 between Puimoisson and Valensole, France.
The lovely 12th-Century Sénanque Abbey is one of the best places to see the famed lavender fields of Provence, France.
Uniworld's S.S. Catherine features luxury itineraries through Burgundy and Provence, France.
No trip to Normandy would be complete without a visit to Monet's house in Giverny, France.
A Japanese footbridge in Giverny that inspired Claude Monet's water-lily paintings.
Plan a day trip to Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge in southern France, on your next Mediterranean cruise.
A visitor poses in the front of the ancient Roman aqueduct bridge, Pont du Gard, crossing the Gardon River in southern France.
A tour guide tells visitors the history of Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge in southern France.