More than a year after the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, another winner has emerged: river cruises in France.
River cruise lines report increased demand for France sailings, partly linking it to the attention France received during the Games. Lines have added capacity with new itineraries and additional ships.
This comes as no surprise to Avalon Waterways president Pam Hoffee. France has topped the wish lists of Avalon customers in recent years, and the itineraries are selling like hot cakes -- or crepes -- she said, calling the growth "meteoric."
To meet the demand, Avalon moved its Artistry II ship to France this year to launch Bordeaux itineraries and expanded its Rhone capacity by 60%.
Other lines, too, have seen a notable increase in demand for France. Uniworld Boutique River Cruises said advance bookings are up 30% from a year ago, while Tauck reported a 26% increase in advance bookings. Tauck also said 2025 France bookings were 60% higher than 2024. And although they didn't share data, AmaWaterways and Viking reported the country's rising popularity.
"France has long been a destination of great interest for our guests, who are curious travelers eager to explore the region's rich history and cultural treasures," said Richard Marnell, Viking's executive vice president of marketing.
"Viking was a proud advertiser of NBC's coverage of the Paris Games in 2024, so we launched a 'Summer of France' campaign to offer travelers the inspiration to plan future voyages. Now, over a year later, France remains a popular destination for Viking guests, and we are continuing to grow capacity there."
Viking added the Viking Nerthus on the Seine this year and will add the Viking Fjolvar in 2026, bringing its fleet on the river to six. The line debuted its Christmastime in Paris & Normandy cruise this year.
Tauck will add a trio of ships to France over the next two years: the Serene and Reverie will cruise the Seine while the Lumiere will ply the Rhone.
Avalon moved its Artistry II ship to France this year to launch Bordeaux itineraries. Photo Credit: Avalon Waterways
Demand is being driven in part by what France has to offer, from cuisine to culture, said Tauck CEO Jennifer Tombaugh. Media attention from the Olympics and the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral last December also have been factors, she said.
Hoffee mentioned one particular culinary adventure: an Avalon excursion where guests hike about a mile into a cave to sample cave-aged wines in utter darkness, relying solely on taste and smell.
Tombaugh links increased interest in France to guests who have already cruised the Danube and are looking for a new destination to explore.
"For us, it's always going to be about the destination and about the culture and the richness," she said. "We've seen that growth in France because it offers so much in that area."
Hoffee said travelers searching for "a more immersive destination experience" are attracted to France, where they are exploring just one country instead of visiting several in a week, like they do on the Danube.