Le Pouzin (France)

Le Pouzin is a Rhone River cruise port and a small town in France's Ardeche Department (Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region) with a population of around 3,000. The town is located approx 25 km (16 mi) south of Valence (Drome Department) and approx 25 km (16 mi) north of Montelimar (Drome). At just 6 km (4 mi) to the east is Loriol-Sur-Drome (Ouveze River Valley). Both towns are connected by road 104 (via a bridge over the river).

The riverside scenery is highlighted by limestone surfaces, forested hills and canyons (of the Rhone river's tributaries Ouveze and Payre), Rhone Valley's steep (150-250 m high slopes), grazing sheep and goats, small farmhouses, hunting, and hiking trails. Le Pouzin is considered the main gateway to the Ardeche Mountain as from here Privas (department's capital) can be reached in less than 15 minutes (drive via Ouveze Valley) or ~20-min drive (via Payre Valley). Most of the town's infrastructure was destroyed during the US bombings in 1944 - at the end of WW2 (1939-1945). The air raids affected mainly the town's central and industrial districts.

As cruise port, Le Pouzin is included in the regular schedules of two of Europe's best-known river cruise travel companies - Phoenix Reisen (Germany) and Saga (UK). Both brands operate riverboats under charter from the shipowner Scylla AG. For seasons 2019 and 2020, Le Pouzin was included in itineraries operated by the ships Swiss Gloria (Phoenix) and Amadeus Provence (Saga). Next tables show these vessels' itineraries with call ports and prices per person (based on double-occupancy cabin rates).

(Saga River Cruises) 7-day roundtrip from homeport Lyon (~USD 2470 pp)

(Phoenix Reisen) 10-day roundtrip from homeport Lyon (~USD 1800 pp)