Dorothy Society · July 18 – 25, 2028
Seven glorious days to nourish your body, stir your soul, and indulge every sense. Feast on exquisite French cuisine, raise a glass of celebrated wine, wander through places filled with beauty and art, lose yourself in music, and share it all with wonderful people who believe friendship is one of life’s greatest pleasures. This is more than a journey through France. It is a celebration of everything that makes life worth savoring—and of those of us who are still hungry for more.
The retreat promise
If you are a curious traveler in the second half of life who believes the best years should be savored, not saved, then join us for Delicious Decadence—an eight-day culinary river cruise through France—so that you can taste remarkable food and wine, learn the secrets behind French favorites, create art with abandon, and return home hungry for whatever comes next.
The Dorothy Society difference
Do you belong on this cruise with us? Mais, Oui!
This is not a standard cruise. It is a Dorothy Society-hosted voyage: a small circle of fellow travelers who love good food, good wine, and the particular pleasure of being exactly where they are.
For eight days — July 18 through 25, 2028 — you will move through Provence and Burgundy together, sharing long lunches, cellar tastings, and late-evening conversations on deck. The ship holds just 128 guests. Our group is intimate by design.
This culinary departure is offered only once in 2028. Come as strangers. Leave as the sort of friends who already know how you take your coffee.
0
Days on the river
0
Guests aboard, no more
0+
Tastings & chef-led outings
Before you board
Come early. Pack less.
Why rush into Arles on embarkation day when you could begin your French adventure a few days early—and possibly without your pants? Within the Arles region, Piémanson Beach stretches along the wild Camargue coast, with an officially designated naturist area at its eastern end. It is gloriously undeveloped, beautifully untamed, and proof that France understands how a beach should be enjoyed: naturally.
For the grand naked prelude, drive about an hour and a half southwest to Cap d’Agde, home to one of the world’s most legendary naturist communities. Its self-contained Naturist Village has a two-kilometer sandy beach, restaurants, shops, accommodations, and a marina—all designed for people who prefer their Mediterranean holidays with considerably fewer clothes. Spend a day or two soaking up the sun, then meet us in Arles rested, relaxed, and ready to put your napkin back on.
Need a hotel recommendation? Mention it in your interest form and we’ll point you toward a few favorites.
The route
One departure. July 18 to 25, 2028, and that is the only culinary sailing Avalon runs all year.
Arles to Lyon, up the Rhône and into the Saône, with two of your seven nights docked in the food capital of France. You will taste olive oil where it is pressed, walk a market in Avignon and then cook what you saw, tour the Valrhona chocolate works, drink Chardonnay in a castle cellar, and sit down to a menu built in Paul Bocuse's own tradition.
Pick a day below and look inside it.
Day 1 · July 18 · Arles
Welcome to Provence
The first glass, tied up in Provence
You board in the afternoon and the week starts slowly, which is the correct way to start this particular week. Arles is where Van Gogh made three hundred paintings in fifteen months, and the light he was chasing still does the same thing to the buildings at six in the evening. Welcome reception before dinner, and the ship stays docked overnight.
Flights into Marseille must land by 3pm. Aboard by 5pm. Dinner.
Culinary programming
Two hands-on cooking classes
Avignon, day 3
Walk Les Halles with a guide. Then cook, properly, with a chef.
Lyon, day 7
An interactive class with an expert chef, learning authentic Lyonnaise dishes in the city that defined them.
Most river cruises marketed as culinary give you demonstrations to watch. This one gives you two sessions where you actually cook.
01
Day 2 · Arles
An olive oil tasting at a working Provençal farm.
02
Day 3 · Avignon
A guided walk through Les Halles market.
03
Day 3 · Avignon
A hands-on cooking class with a chef.
04
Day 4 · Viviers
An Old Town walk with a tasting of local specialities built in.
05
Day 4 · Viviers
A chocolate and wine tasting aboard, hosted by a French chef.
06
Day 5 · Tain l'Hermitage
The Valrhona Chocolate Factory and Museum.
07
Day 5 · Tain l'Hermitage
A French cuisine tasting dinner with pairings led by a Certified Sommelier.
08
Day 6 · Mâcon
Chardonnay tasting in the cellars of a medieval castle in the Mâconnais.
09
Day 6 · Mâcon
A cheese tasting aboard as the ship sails to Lyon.
10
Day 6 · Mâcon
A dinner inspired by Paul Bocuse, cooked aboard, served once on the voyage.
11
Day 7 · Lyon
A Culinary Walk through the city, or a second cooking class with an expert chef.
“Food is proof that pleasure doesn’t always require an apology.”
The ship
An intimate 128-guest river ship designed entirely for the view. Floor-to-ceiling windows, an open-air sky deck, and a crew that remembers how you like your morning coffee.
- 128 guests, 1:3.5 crew-to-guest ratio
- Panorama suites with wall-to-wall windows
- Open seating, farm-to-table cuisine
The bar
Someone who knows what you drink by Tuesday.
Wine and beer come with every lunch and dinner, sparkling wine arrives with breakfast, and happy hour is on us every evening. Come up before dinner, stay after, and let the barman make you something you would not have ordered.
Life aboard
Staterooms & suites
Fares are per person based on double occupancy, vary by departure, and are subject to availability and change until booked.
What's included
The best trips are the ones where you stop reaching for your wallet from the moment you land to the moment you wave goodbye. Nearly everything is handled.
Included
- Seven nights aboard the Avalon Poetry II in the stateroom or suite category you book
- Chef-prepared breakfast, lunch, and four-course dinner daily, with regional cuisine and Avalon Fresh® lighter options at every meal
- Open-seating Panorama Dining Room, so you sit where you like, with whomever you like
- Panorama Bistro, a more intimate alternative for the nights you do not want a full sitting
- Sky Grill dining on the top deck, weather permitting
- Complimentary regional wine, beer, and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
- Sparkling wine with breakfast
- Daily happy hour, plus welcome and farewell cocktails with sparkling wine and canapés
- Select happy hour cocktails hosted by Dorothy Society, so you never have to guess at the menu
- 24-hour Club Lounge with self-serve cappuccinos, lattes, hot chocolate, and fresh treats
- Complimentary coffee, tea, and iced tea throughout the day
- Afternoon tea daily, with proper sandwiches, scones, and pastries
- Complimentary continental room service for breakfast in bed or a quiet night in
- Classic, Discovery, and Active excursions at every port of call, led by Certified Local Guides
- Personal audio headsets on guided excursions, so you can wander without losing the commentary
- The full culinary programme: olive oil tasting, Les Halles market walk and cooking class, Viviers tasting walk, chocolate and wine tasting aboard, Valrhona Chocolate Factory, sommelier-led pairing dinner, Mâconnais castle-cellar Chardonnay tasting, cheese tasting, Bocuse-inspired dinner, and the Lyon Culinary Walk or second cooking class
- A Certified Sommelier aboard for the voyage
- Live evening entertainment and onboard cultural programming
- Complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi throughout the ship
- Avalon Adventure Center with bicycles, e-bikes, hiking and jogging maps, walking sticks, binoculars, daypacks, yoga mats, and fitness bands
- An Adventure Host to lead active excursions
- Fitness centre access and daily yoga or stretching
- Sky Deck with whirlpool, shade awnings, game area, and premium loungers
- Covered Observation Lounge with panoramic river views
- Elevator access, and a fully non-smoking interior
- Porterage of one piece of luggage per person, so you never carry your own bags on or off
- All port charges, taxes, and shipboard gratuities for the Cruise Director and crew
- English-speaking crew and a dedicated Cruise Director
- L'Occitane bath products, robes, and slippers in every stateroom
- A greener footprint, with Avalon contributing to Trees4Travel on your behalf
Not included
- International airfare into Marseille and home from Lyon
- Airport transfers, which can be added at the time of booking
- Travel insurance. Not included, and strongly recommended. We will not book you without a conversation about it
- Optional excursions, including the Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct and the wine cellars at Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Gratuities for local port guides and drivers
- Bar drinks outside of meal service and happy hour, including cocktails, spirits, and wine by the bottle
- Laundry service, available aboard for a modest fee
- Personal expenses, souvenirs, salon services, and premium specialty drinks
Reserve your place
No deposit is needed right now—and you’re not committing to anything. We’re simply gathering interest to see if enough deliciously adventurous travelers want to join us.
Our hosted group will be intentionally small, and this is the only culinary cruise we’re considering for 2028. Tell us a little about yourself, and we’ll keep you first in line for details. If there’s enough interest to move forward, you’ll be among the first invited to reserve your cabin with a deposit.