14-night Grand France Cruise

Paris, world capital of art and culture, gathers some of the most famous museums and monuments in the world. Like all the world's great capitals, Paris lives at a fast pace, by day, by night and especially at rush hours. Bear in mind that museums and monuments are often less crowded during the week. Sights that should not be missed include: The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. Visit any of the many others according to your tastes and interests: the Musee Picasso, Musee Rodin, Musee Carnavalet, Musee Marmottan and the Arab Institute are just a few. Essential Paris monuments are the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe or the Grande Arche de la Defense.

Destination Guide

At the gateway to Normandy, 75 km from Paris and 60 km from Rouen, the village of Giverny (pronounced Jee-va-nyee) is located on the right bank of the River Seine, at its confluence with one of the two branches of the River Epte lined with willows and poplars. But Giverny rises to fame in 1883 when the painter Claude Monet discovered the village whilst looking out of the train window (the line has since closed down). Monet was enthusiastic about the spot. He found a large house to rent, "the Press House". By the end of April he had moved in with Alice Hoschedé, his lady-friend, his two sons and her six children. The house was a farmhouse with a vegetable garden and an orchard of over one hectare. At the time there were about 300 inhabitants in Giverny, most of them farmers, and a few middle-class families. The village consists of two streets on the hillside lined with low houses in a pink or green roughcast with slate roofs, their walls covered with wisteria and Virginia creeper. These streets are crossed by narrow lanes running down the hill. The Claude Monet Road runs straight to the village. The "Chemin du Roy" (Secondary Road 5) follows the banks of the River Epte. Claude Monet's house lies between the two roads.

Destination Guide

Settled by the Celts, Rouen really flourished in the Middle Ages. In a natural amphitheater on the Seine, the capital of Normandy is important as a commercial and cultural center. Today the city is a blend of ancient and modern. Rouen is known as the City of a Hundred Spires; many of its important edifices are churches. The most magnificent one is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture immortalized in Claude Monet's series "Cathedrales de Rouen." Surrounding the large square are picturesque half-timbered houses with steeply pointed roofs. The wealth of architectural treasures and the ambience of Rouen’s historic center will impress any visitor. Exploring the narrow, cobbled streets in the old quarter is a must. The giant clock above the archway spanning the Rue du Gros Horloge is a focal point and famous emblem. Rouen is connected to the sea by the Seine Valley. The city serves as a starting point for trips to Paris and to Norman castles and abbeys.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Le Havre: D-Day Beaches - 9 hours — Optional Private Excursions
The numerous monuments and memorials on the Normandy coastal area bear witness to the fierce fighting that took place here during and after the D-Day Landings of World War II. Your driver-guide meets you after you have departed your cruise ship and takes you on a full-day tour of the American Sector to visit some of the most important sites of this pivotal point in the war.

Your day starts on the famous coastline at Pointe du Hoc, which the US Rangers scaled, demonstrating a triumph of planning, training and execution by elite and well-led troops. Further eastwards along the coast is the sector known as Omaha Beach, also captured by invading American forces, and where you can examine several sites from both the German and US perspectives. You also hear about Operation Aquatint, a failed 1942 British Commando raid on the area. Your day ends with a poignant visit to the US Military Cemetery and Interpretation Centre at Colleville-sur-Mer, the final resting place of over 9300 US soldiers located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. You are transferred back to your cruise ship from here.

Highlights:

• Visit Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach; two of the most significant D-Day sites

Tour Duration: 9 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Moderate

Inclusions:
•    Private transport by luxury car or minivan
•    An expert local driver-guide for 9 hours
•    Entrance fees to all sights and museums
•    All taxes

Exclusions:
•    All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
•    Gratuities

Caudebec-en-Caux is located on the right bank of the river Seine. The chief architectural interest of the town is its church, which dates back to the 15th and early 16th centuries. Other interesting buildings in the town are the Maison des Templiers (The Templars' House) from the 12th century, which now features a small museum of local archeology and history; a former prison from the 14th century, and the Hôtel de ville which was built around 1800.

Settled by the Celts, Rouen really flourished in the Middle Ages. In a natural amphitheater on the Seine, the capital of Normandy is important as a commercial and cultural center. Today the city is a blend of ancient and modern. Rouen is known as the City of a Hundred Spires; many of its important edifices are churches. The most magnificent one is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, a masterpiece of French Gothic architecture immortalized in Claude Monet's series "Cathedrales de Rouen." Surrounding the large square are picturesque half-timbered houses with steeply pointed roofs. The wealth of architectural treasures and the ambience of Rouen’s historic center will impress any visitor. Exploring the narrow, cobbled streets in the old quarter is a must. The giant clock above the archway spanning the Rue du Gros Horloge is a focal point and famous emblem. Rouen is connected to the sea by the Seine Valley. The city serves as a starting point for trips to Paris and to Norman castles and abbeys.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Le Havre: D-Day Beaches - 9 hours — Optional Private Excursions
The numerous monuments and memorials on the Normandy coastal area bear witness to the fierce fighting that took place here during and after the D-Day Landings of World War II. Your driver-guide meets you after you have departed your cruise ship and takes you on a full-day tour of the American Sector to visit some of the most important sites of this pivotal point in the war.

Your day starts on the famous coastline at Pointe du Hoc, which the US Rangers scaled, demonstrating a triumph of planning, training and execution by elite and well-led troops. Further eastwards along the coast is the sector known as Omaha Beach, also captured by invading American forces, and where you can examine several sites from both the German and US perspectives. You also hear about Operation Aquatint, a failed 1942 British Commando raid on the area. Your day ends with a poignant visit to the US Military Cemetery and Interpretation Centre at Colleville-sur-Mer, the final resting place of over 9300 US soldiers located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach. You are transferred back to your cruise ship from here.

Highlights:

• Visit Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach; two of the most significant D-Day sites

Tour Duration: 9 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Moderate

Inclusions:
•    Private transport by luxury car or minivan
•    An expert local driver-guide for 9 hours
•    Entrance fees to all sights and museums
•    All taxes

Exclusions:
•    All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
•    Gratuities

Mantes-la-Jolie is located to the west of the Paris region. Situated close to the French Vexin Nature Park, Mantes-la-Jolie is a wonderful example of a French counrtyside town. To the east, the town's historical center is overlooked by the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame. To the west, the Val Fourré district built in the 1960s and 1970s continues to undergo dramatic change. Throughout the year, the town's associations propose no less than 80 sprorting and cultural activities to rediscover each year during the sporting and cultural events season for all to enjoy.
 

Transformed from a hunting lodge into a monumental Chateau, this medieval village and farmland curled around the castle bringing much prosperity to northern France during the 13th century. By late 17th century, King Louis XIV’s transformation of Versailles established the permanent residency of the royal court and government. Simultaneously, a new city was emerging by the decree of the king who would annually tax its residents who purchased land. While population sky-rocketed, so did the city adding new French architectures to the new neighborhoods, churches, markets, and mansions. Versailles’s main attraction is its Palace a status symbol of cultural nobility. Within the Palace are significantly decorated rooms for guests of the royal court who often visit and gardens that hosted grandeur parties for the rich and famous. In 1979, the Palace and Park of Versailles, the epitome of royal elegance of Old Europe, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Destination Guide

Paris, world capital of art and culture, gathers some of the most famous museums and monuments in the world. Like all the world's great capitals, Paris lives at a fast pace, by day, by night and especially at rush hours. Bear in mind that museums and monuments are often less crowded during the week. Sights that should not be missed include: The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. Visit any of the many others according to your tastes and interests: the Musee Picasso, Musee Rodin, Musee Carnavalet, Musee Marmottan and the Arab Institute are just a few. Essential Paris monuments are the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe or the Grande Arche de la Defense.

Destination Guide

Paris, world capital of art and culture, gathers some of the most famous museums and monuments in the world. Like all the world's great capitals, Paris lives at a fast pace, by day, by night and especially at rush hours. Bear in mind that museums and monuments are often less crowded during the week. Sights that should not be missed include: The Louvre and the Musee d'Orsay. Visit any of the many others according to your tastes and interests: the Musee Picasso, Musee Rodin, Musee Carnavalet, Musee Marmottan and the Arab Institute are just a few. Essential Paris monuments are the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe or the Grande Arche de la Defense.

Destination Guide

Lyon, the natural crossroads between northern Europe and the Mediterranean coast, is located in the heart of the Rhone-Alpes region. 2,000 years of history have left their mark on the city landscape. Lyon's rich heritage, passed down through the ages, tells the story of a great city. Lyon's rich historical heritage and its creative initiatives of all kinds find their expression in a multitude of establishments and prestigious events. The arts are represented in Lyon; from fine arts to performing arts, everyone will find their hearts' content. Every year finds sport increasing in popularity in Lyon. Lyon offers impressive facilities: some fifty sports fields and forty gymnasiums provide 550 clubs and associations with optimal training amenities. The City also knows how to make sport spectacular; every year it hosts events -like the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix and the Lyon Marathon - that draw top athletes. Though the mention of the word "Lyon" may conjure up images of fine dining, this is only the tip of the iceberg in a city proud of its diversity and quality image.

Destination Guide

Lyon, the natural crossroads between northern Europe and the Mediterranean coast, is located in the heart of the Rhone-Alpes region. 2,000 years of history have left their mark on the city landscape. Lyon's rich heritage, passed down through the ages, tells the story of a great city. Lyon's rich historical heritage and its creative initiatives of all kinds find their expression in a multitude of establishments and prestigious events. The arts are represented in Lyon; from fine arts to performing arts, everyone will find their hearts' content. Every year finds sport increasing in popularity in Lyon. Lyon offers impressive facilities: some fifty sports fields and forty gymnasiums provide 550 clubs and associations with optimal training amenities. The City also knows how to make sport spectacular; every year it hosts events -like the Lyon Tennis Grand Prix and the Lyon Marathon - that draw top athletes. Though the mention of the word "Lyon" may conjure up images of fine dining, this is only the tip of the iceberg in a city proud of its diversity and quality image.

Destination Guide

A stroll along the quays of this sunny city reveals the natural beauty of the Saône river. See the Benedictine monastery of Cluny for a glimpse of the abbey’s former glory, view part of the Roman transept, the octagonal tower, the Chapelle de Bourbon and the monastery with its cloisters. Wine connoisseurs may journey to Mâconnais for a wine tasting at a local winery. Also see the rocks of Solutre, with the famous altar of Solutreen.

During its 2000 year existance Beaune was for a short period the capital of the Dukes of Burgundy, then a busy commercial center for the cloth and wine industries. The town took on a defensive character through the continous fortification of its ramparts and castle whose functions were to protect its interests and inhabitants. In the 18th century Beaune became the center of commerce for Burgundy's fine wines. Today, the visitor finds a charming blend of medieval half timbered houses, the gentle curves of romanesque architecture, rooftops ornamented by weathervanes, fascinating townhouses and the multicolored tiles and lead "lacework " of the Hôtel Dieu within the city walls. Bastions and towers offer a peaceful protection to the region's most prestigous products, and the moat has been transformed into public or private gardens sheltering century old plant collections.

Destination Guide

The imposing 16th-century Castle and Roman ruins that dot the countryside of Tournon are a photographer's dream. Visit the Hermitage and St. Joseph's vineyards. Consider the optional excursion to the Ardeche region, one of the area's natural wonders, via the nostalgic steam locomotive "Le Mastrou". (Operates May 12 - September 15)

Located in one of the most beautiful areas in Southern France, Viviers has retained its Old World charm. The town was developed around its Romanesque cathedral, with facade, porch, and solitary tower that still survive today.

Destination Guide

Visitors to Avignon won't want to leave, and the town is too interesting to leave. Avignon is ancient, full of history, life, youth, art, music and activity. Just to "see" the town itself, a visitor could wander the narrow streets inside the fortified walls for days without tiring of them.

Destination Guide

Arles is a small town with a rich architectural past and exciting contemporary culture. An important Roman and Medieval center, Arles has also served as home and motif to some great modern artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, and Pablo Picasso. The city's many monuments play an important part in its cultural life. Its famous Arena, built to hold 24,000 spectators, is one of the most ancient in the Roman world and is used today for celebrating traditional, popular festivals. In the picturesque stone setting of ancient Roman Theater, covered with greenery, important shows take place. The city's old hospital, where van Gogh stayed in the late 1880's, is today a cultural center housing an international translation center, a media library, and exhibition rooms. Thanks to the National School of Photography and its international summer photography festival, Arles is known throughout Europe as capital of photography. Mediterranean Arles has many street-side cafes and restaurants, as well as markets with everything from antiques to Provence herbs and spices.

Destination Guide

Arles is a small town with a rich architectural past and exciting contemporary culture. An important Roman and Medieval center, Arles has also served as home and motif to some great modern artists, including Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cezanne, and Pablo Picasso. The city's many monuments play an important part in its cultural life. Its famous Arena, built to hold 24,000 spectators, is one of the most ancient in the Roman world and is used today for celebrating traditional, popular festivals. In the picturesque stone setting of ancient Roman Theater, covered with greenery, important shows take place. The city's old hospital, where van Gogh stayed in the late 1880's, is today a cultural center housing an international translation center, a media library, and exhibition rooms. Thanks to the National School of Photography and its international summer photography festival, Arles is known throughout Europe as capital of photography. Mediterranean Arles has many street-side cafes and restaurants, as well as markets with everything from antiques to Provence herbs and spices.

Destination Guide