15-night Active & Discovery On The Seine & Rhône With 2 Nights In Saint-Malo (Mont St. Michel Visit) Cruise/Land Package

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

The peaceful setting of the picturesque port of Honfleur along the estuary of the Seine attracted many artists and writers over the years, including Impressionist Painters. Throughout its history, numerous maritime journeys were initiated from Honfleur. It's a place of great historic charm, notably around the Vieux Bassin, where lofty slate-and-timber fronted houses overlook the colorful yacht and fishing harbor, and sloping cobbled streets recall 16th century Honfleur. Not to be missed are the 15th century wooden church and the Impressionist paintings of the Musee Eugene Boudin. From here it is possible to visit Monet's Garden, Arromanches, the Normandy Landing Beaches and if there is time, Paris.

Excursions

Honfleur - Flower Coast - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Honfleur - Etretat / Fecamp - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Honfleur - Normandy Landing Beaches - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Honfleur - Pays d'Auge Gourmet Tour - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Saint Malo is a prime tourist destination in Brittany. Visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the old citadel. Visit Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained glass windows. The museum in Château de Saint Malo has exhibits illustrating the city's prosperous time during its heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. The ramparts afford great views over the roof tops and harbor. Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to legendary Mont Saint Michel - with the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and its ensemble of buildings soaring high above the sea. As amazing as the abbey itself are extraordinary tide variations that leave the mount to look out on stretches of bare sand at low tide, while the same expanse of land is submerged during high tide. South of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, 14 towers and a good part of the walls are still standing, encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Saint Malo Shore Excursion - Brittany Coast and Saint Malo - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Saint Malo is a prime tourist destination in Brittany. Visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the old citadel. Visit Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained glass windows. The museum in Château de Saint Malo has exhibits illustrating the city's prosperous time during its heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. The ramparts afford great views over the roof tops and harbor. Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to legendary Mont Saint Michel - with the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and its ensemble of buildings soaring high above the sea. As amazing as the abbey itself are extraordinary tide variations that leave the mount to look out on stretches of bare sand at low tide, while the same expanse of land is submerged during high tide. South of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, 14 towers and a good part of the walls are still standing, encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Saint Malo Shore Excursion - Brittany Coast and Saint Malo - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

Saint Malo is a prime tourist destination in Brittany. Visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the old citadel. Visit Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained glass windows. The museum in Château de Saint Malo has exhibits illustrating the city's prosperous time during its heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. The ramparts afford great views over the roof tops and harbor. Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to legendary Mont Saint Michel - with the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and its ensemble of buildings soaring high above the sea. As amazing as the abbey itself are extraordinary tide variations that leave the mount to look out on stretches of bare sand at low tide, while the same expanse of land is submerged during high tide. South of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, 14 towers and a good part of the walls are still standing, encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

Destination Guide

Excursions

Saint Malo Shore Excursion - Brittany Coast and Saint Malo - 8 hours — Optional Private Excursions

The twin communities of Grand-Andely and Petit-Andely form a commercial center, with a distillery, metalworks, glassworks, and silk and leather industries. On the border between Normandy proper and the Norman Vexin, it was of considerable strategic importance in the Middle Ages

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

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

Conflans Ste Honorine is considered the boating capital of France. Just outside of Paris, Conflans is well worth a day trip. Conveniently located near the Seine river, cafés and restaurants will certainly bring you more pleasure and enjoyment than some crowded locations in the big city. Additionally, Conflans offers visitors beautiful canals, river boat rides, and very interesting museums.

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

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

Port Saint Louis offers sandy beaches and good swimming 20 minutes away from the Carmargue. The Camargue, the remarkable and immense plain where the sea, marshes, and lakes are inhabited by an extraordinary population of aquatic birds and famous flamingos, is nearby. Avignon is not too far to enjoy a tour of this historic city including the imposing Palace of the Popes perched on a rocky outcrop surrounded by ramparts.

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