Join an exciting yet relaxing 12-day cruise aboard La Nouvelle Etoile as it sails from Belgium to Paris for a tour that will introduce you to the region's history and modern-day beauty. Visit the beautiful town of Bruges, also known as the Venice of the North. Have a look at the "Adoration of the Mystic Lamb” by the Van Eyck brothers. Have an adventure going to Vermandois Hills of Picardie and view rural France and its spectacular scenery.
Highlights
Visit the beautiful town of Bruges
Visit Ghent and the fabulous painting “The Adoration of the Mystic Lamb”
Climb over the Vermandois Hills of Picardie and view the scenery
Visit the war museum in Peronne
Visit the charming village of Auvers sur Oise and Gogh's home
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Guests can meet in Bruges or Brussels to be transferred to La Nouvelle Etoile moored in the beautiful town of Bruges, known as "Venice of the North". The crew waits to give you a warm welcome, complete with champagne. Once settled in, you will visit Bruges to tour on one of the little canal boats which meander through this picture perfect town. Upon returning to the ship, you will have your first dinner on board.
A local tour guide will join you on a walking tour of Bruges this morning. You will then return to the ship for lunch. After enjoying lunch, you will have ample time to wander around Bruges before returning to the ship to sail to Ghent. Dinner will be served on board.
You will visit Ghent in the morning to view the exceptional painting by the Van Eyck brothers, the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb. Upon returning to the ship, you will continue cruising up the River Schelde to the town of Oudenaarde where you will spend the night. Enjoy dinner with your fellow travelers on board.
This morning, the cruise will continue up the River Schelde which will take you to the ancient town of Tournay. Here you can see the famous "Pont des Trous" or Bridge with Holes. It was used to collect tolls on the rivers in ancient times. In the afternoon, stroll around Tournay before returning to the La Nouvelle Etoile for dinner.
Continue sailing along the Schelde through the town of Valenciennes while enjoying a relaxing breakfast. Then have an excursion off of the ship to visit the museum of fine arts in Valenciennes. After admiring local art, board the ship which will eventually come to the junction of the Canal du Nord at the little French village of Arleux. Dinner on board.
La Nouvelle Etoile begins the climb over the Vermandois Hills of Picardie through the many locks and several tunnels of the Canal du Nord. From this vantage point, you will have sweeping views of rural France and its spectacular scenery. After lunch, there will be a trip to Amiens to visit one of the greatest of all Gothic cathedrals! Dinner will be served on board.
After breakfast on the ship, have the opportunity to visit the war museum in Peronne. Upon returning to La Nouvelle Etoile, the cruise will continue on the Canal du Nord. Passengers will have many opportunities to walk or bike while the ship travels from each lock. After navigating the Canal du Nord all day, your sailing will end in the valley of the Somme River. Dinner will be served on board.
This morning, we cruise down to the Oise River valley to moor in the riverside town of Compiegne. There are many sights to see in Compiegne including the train where the World War I armistice was signed, as well as the Royal Palace. Return to the ship this evening for dinner.
Start this day by cruising down the Oise River valley to explore the village of Auvers sur Oise, a charming town reminiscent of a van Gogh scene. Vincent van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. He lived in Auvers ser Oise and painted most of his last and most important paintings here in a small room above a local café. In the afternoon, take a walk around the town and visit the cemetery where Vincent and his brother are buried. End your day with a delicious dinner on board.
After an early lunch, you will be driven in Giverny to visit the home and gardens of Claude Monet. This time of year, you will see the famous lily pond and Japanese bridge which inspired so many works of this famous impressionist painter. Moor for the night at Conflans - the junction of the Oise and Seine Rivers. Enjoy a lovely dinner on board La Nouvelle Etoile.
This morning you cruise to Bougival and visit Malmaison, the home of Napoleon. Here you will see its many lavishly decorated rooms that were furnished by Josephine. You will return to La Nouvelle Etoile for an afternoon cruise up the River Seine past the Eiffel Tower to our Paris mooring for the Captains Farewell Dinner on board.
Day 12: Paris
1 Breakfast
After breakfast, disembark La Nouvelle Etoile and transfer to your drop-off point in Paris.
This itinerary is no longer available. For other trip ideas, please visit Belgium River Cruises.
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Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
Suites
200 sq. ft. including en-suite facilities. Twin/double beds, private bathroom with shower, wardrobe, small tables and a chair.
Initial deposit is 25%, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 100 days prior to departure by Credit card, check, and bank transfer. All final payments by credit card subject to a surcharge of 2.5% and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip was terrific with great planning on your part. Most of the adventures were not mainstream and somewhat off the beaten path which made it especially enjoyable!! We felt taken care of and you all were readily available to respond to questions and issues. I would highly recommend your company and friends have already expressed interest based on our pictures and excitement.
Gale Cantor
TrustScore 4.9 | 333 reviews
TrustScore 4.9 of 5
Based on 333 reviews on
1 day ago
Erin is such a fabulous resource! She helped us bring our target destinations to life by suggesting activities that match our interests, fabulous lodging and excursion options, and patiently coordinating a seamless experience.
Debra D - RI USA
2 days ago
I don’t have the words to describe it but the last week has been one of the best I can remember. 6 days of adventure in South East Alaska including trekking through lush rain forest, sitting in silence listening to glaciers calving, up early to see the northern lights, kayaking and stupidly swimming in iceberg frozen waters ! (That actually hurt).
Animal sightings including black and brown bears, Minke and hundreds of Humpack Whales, porpoises, sea lions, mountain goats, harbour seals, bald eagles, salmon and more birds than I can count. Wonderful friends and connections made. A huge shout out to Trevor and his totally amazing crew on the Admiralty Dream whose energy and enthusiasm made this most incredible experience.
DAVID JAMES
3 days ago
Excellent safari trip with Adventure Life and Albatross Travel. Special shout out to our guides Eric Turasha (Kenya), and Blasi Shirima (Tanzania) from Albatross Travel. Both were world class!!! The trip went off without a hitch; all the camps were amazing…worth mentioning...one of the camps we were going to stay in on the Tanzanian side was damaged by high winds so we ended up in a different camp (Mara under Canvas Camp). Can't say enough good things! A great experience and superb service!!
Brenda Cox
4 days ago
very easy to deal with kassandra. she listened to what our interests were and planned a great trip for us. nothing to worry about!
carole therisod
4 days ago
Always professional knowledgeable and efficient. Jess H. is great.
