Celebrating Battenkill Textile Tours 20th Year of International Travel

Picture yourself gliding along the sun-drenched Rhône River, wine glass in hand, as charming Provençal villages drift by your window. This isn't just any cruise—it's Battenkill Textile Tours' 20th anniversary celebration, and we're pulling out all the stops!

You'll start with two luxurious nights in Nice exploring either the Matisse or Chagall museum, and more, with the group. Then board the AMA Waterways Kristina in Arles for a week of pure indulgence. From wild truffle hunting and tasting to Roman ruins, Van Gogh walking tours to red wine and chocolate pairing classes, you'll experience the very best of Southern France. On top of that, there's shopping at the legendary Souleiado textile factory, a visit to Lyon's silk museum, and potentially even a hands-on silk printing workshop. Plus, you'll learn two knitting techniques, with accompanying project ideas, in on-board knitting classes taught by Julie Dubreaux (aka Julie Knits in Paris), designer and well-known European designer—the perfect way to spend an afternoon while the ship glides upriver.

But here's the real magic: while you're knitting brioche shawls with your classmates, swapping pattern tips between excursions, sipping wine on the sun deck, and debating whether to hit the spa or join the yoga class, you'll be surrounded by fellow fiber enthusiasts who totally get your yarn obsession. There's something about sharing knitting projects, excursion stories, and "just one more glass" over dinner that turns strangers into friends faster than you can cast on. Whether you're exploring a morning market in Lyon, hunting for yarn shops in Avignon, or simply relaxing with your knitting as the French countryside rolls by, you'll be creating memories—and friendships—that last long after you've bound off that final stitch.

What to expect for activity level?

You'll be on your feet most days, but there are different levels of activity depending on the shore excursions you pick. At a minimum, plan on being able to walk a mile a day at a stroll on uneven surfaces. Also plan on standing in tours of museums/workshops and in lines for up to two hours a day. And finally, you should be able to climb two flights of stairs at a time.

Mary Jeanne Packer, the founder of Battenkill Textile Tours LLC, has been leading groups of knitters and fiber enthusiasts on trips around the world (and around the corner) since 2006 when she put a small ad in the national knitting magazines to see if anyone might want to come and spend a few days knitting, wine tasting, and visiting fiber farms in the Finger Lakes; and 20 people signed up! Those first 20 said they would "like to go to Ireland sometime"; and the rest is history. Mary Jeanne is the founder and co-owner of Battenkill Fibers Carding and Spinning Mill in Greenwich, NY; and co-founder and executive director of the Hudson Valley Textile Project.

Andrew Hutter will be our guide for the entire trip - land and river (we will also have an on-board cruise director). People who have traveled with us before know that Andrew's focus is Scandinavia and the Baltics, but in honor of our 20th Anniversary, he has agreed to come along with us. You can be assured that any trip Andrew is involved with will be both well-organized and at the same time, lots of fun.

Booking note

If you don't see availability in the class of Stateroom you are looking for, please join the waitlist and send an email to mjpacker10@gmail.com. There may be other cabins that we can access, especially since we're so early. We should be able to get more double cabins in any category, except for E which we're sold out of. And we may be able to get more single cabins in Stateroom category BB.

Learn more about AMA Waterways Kristina including deck plan >>>

Registration information:

Prices vary by the size of stateroom you select for the 7 nights on-board AMA Waterways Kristina You can see the deck plan and room layout, including window and balcony options, on their website here:

https://www.amawaterways.com/ca/ships/amakristina

If you take a single room on the cruise, you will also be placed in a single for the two nights in Mercure Nice Centre Grimaldi, Nice (and that is included in the single supplement price).