Paris to Normandy

Welcome to France! Flights into Paris must arrive by 2:30 pm, and you must be on board the ship by 5 pm.

Explore Paris independently before your cruise begins on the Seine. You can spend time walking through the city, shopping, or relaxing at a café with a croissant and cafe au lait while watching daily life in the city.

In the evening, you board the ship and begin your overnight cruise to Vernon.

Spend the day in Vernon and choose from guided excursions. You may bike through the Normandy countryside to Giverny and visit Monet’s gardens and home, or take a guided tour of Giverny to see Monet’s house and gardens. You can also visit Bizy Castle, known for its courtyard, water garden, and stables.

While sailing, you enjoy a French crêpe luncheon and a pastry demonstration on board.

In the afternoon, you cruise to Les Andelys and either hike to the Château Gaillard ruins or take a guided walking tour of the town.

In the evening, you enjoy live entertainment on board as you continue your overnight cruise to Caudebec.

*Monet’s House is closed in March and November. During this period, this excursion will be replaced with a Guided Tour of La Roche-Guyon and its castle
** This excursion will not be operated in November

Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine

• Active Excursion- Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine.

This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.

• Discovery Excursion- Enjoy an Onboard Lecture about the days before and after the Normandy landing of D-Day.

Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions

• Classic Excursion- Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial (until the end of May replaced with a visit to the D-Day Museum), the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Join a Guided Tour to get a taste of authentic tradition in the beautiful region of Normandy. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados.

Evening cruise to Rouen

The Cathedral of Notre-Dame and a Heroine for France

• Active Excursion- Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Saint Joan of Arc’s martyrdom—and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

Evening/Overnight cruise to Conflans

The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV

• Active Excursion- Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.

This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
Afternoon/Evening cruise to Paris

* Château de Malmaison is closed the 1st Sunday of each month. On these dates, this excursion will be replaced by a visit to Château de Chantilly

Cafés, Cathedrals and Canvases in the City of Light
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

• Active Excursion- Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:
• Classic Excursion- Join a Guided City Tour featuring the iconic sites of Paris, which make the City of Light the most romantic and remarkable city in the world.

Stroll through Paris on your own or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.
Overnight docking in Paris

Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.