Rendezvous on the Seine Aboard ms Sapphire

Follow your Parisian rhapsody on a 10-day journey that's sure to impress on a river cruise aboard ms Sapphire. Discover the art of Paris for two nights before cruising to Rouen, Honfleur and Giverny, immortalized by Impressionist artists; visit D-Day beaches, sample Calvados where it is made, dine at a private chateau and more.



Your Parisian rhapsody... flows through the heart of the city of l'amour, meanders through painted landscapes and flowers with romance in seaside villages and exquisite gardens along the Seine...

Impressions of France... rendered on canvas within Musee du Louvre, quickly captured by street artists in Montmartre, gilded into a golden palace at Versailles, indulged during a chateau dinner, distilled into apple brandy and cider, carved into a clifftop castle, and floating in a Water Garden... linger long after you return home. Follow the Seine to coastal Normandy on a 10-day journey that's sure to impress. Discover the art of Paris for two nights before a 7-night cruise to Rouen, Honfleur and Giverny, immortalized by Impressionist artists. Visit D-Day beaches, sample Calvados where it is made, dine at a private chateau and more before returning to Paris via riverboat.



Your Parisian rhapsody... flows through the heart of the city of l'amour, meanders through painted landscapes and flowers with romance in seaside villages and exquisite gardens along the Seine...

Impressions of France... rendered on canvas within Musee du Louvre, quickly captured by street artists in Montmartre, gilded into a golden palace at Versailles, indulged during a chateau dinner, distilled into apple brandy and cider, carved into a clifftop castle, and floating in a Water Garden... linger long after you return home. Follow the Seine to coastal Normandy on a 10-day journey that's sure to impress. Discover the art of Paris for two nights before a 7-night cruise to Rouen, Honfleur and Giverny, immortalized by Impressionist artists. Visit D-Day beaches, sample Calvados where it is made, dine at a private chateau and more before returning to Paris via riverboat.



Traveling Well Includes:
  • Tauck Exclusive - Private Tauck evening at a Normandy chateau featuring a reception, dinner and music
  • Early opening visit to Impressionist artist Claude Monet's house and gardens at Giverny
  • Visit a farm along Normandy's Cider Route to taste the region's elegantly crafted apple ciders and calvados, and see how they're made; in Normandy, cider is an art, like winemaking, centuries old
  • Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $2,788
  • Excursion from Paris to Louis XIV's opulent Chateau de Versailles
  • Visit to the D-Day Beaches and American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach

  • Day 1 - Arrive Paris and embark ms Sapphire

    Tour begins: 4:00 PM. A transfer is included upon your arrival from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport or the Gare de Lyon, Charles de Gaulle or Gare du Nord train stations to your riverboat on the Seine. Settle into your cabin and make yourself at home, then join us for cocktails, canapes, dinner and entertainment at tonight's welcome reception aboard your ship.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: D

    Day 2 - Choice of sightseeing in Paris and an afternoon museum visit

    Your first full day in Paris promises to delight with a choice of sightseeing options. Join us for an orientation tour of city landmarks with a stop at Les Invalides to see Napoleon's Tomb. Alternatively, take a guided walking tour of the historic Marais district or explore the islands of Paris on a comprehensive walking tour that includes Ile de la Cite (where Notre-Dame is located) and Ile Saint-Louis. Return to your riverboat for lunch, then your afternoon is spent at one of the city's famed museums (details to follow) or free for you to explore as you please.Your Tauck Director can offer suggestions for sightseeing, people watching, art viewing, garden strolling and, of course, wining and dining.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 3 - Palace life in Chateau de Versailles

    Chateau de Versailles is unequaled in its display of regal splendor and privilege. Louis XIV (the Sun King) built this country home to escape the confines of the Louvre and Paris in 1682, and made it large enough to house all of his courtiers and servants – it was eventually expanded to include 2,300 rooms; he also built the town of Versailles while he was at it. Prepare to be dazzled when your guide takes you inside the palatial estate to see opulently decorated rooms in the King's Apartments, including the superb Hall of Mirrors where the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, ending the First World War. If you wish, enjoy some free time or take a tour of the chateau's gardens. The gardens are a monumental counterpart to the palace in design and decor, a showcase of magnificent bronze statues, patterned flower beds, lakes, fountains and architectural gems, from a marble colonnade to two smaller palaces. Meet your riverboat and sail for Rouen, which is home to Joan of Arc memorial sites.

    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 4 - Historic monuments in Rouen

    Enjoy informative insights about the history and sights you'll see today as we spend the morning cruising to Rouen. Victor Hugo called Rouen the city of a hundred spires, and while the ravages of war destroyed many of the steepled buildings he was referring to, those that still stand today are rich with historical associations. A guided city tour this morning shows you the Gothic Cathedrale Notre-Dame, immortalized in close to 30 paintings by Impressionist artist Claude Monet, and the Place du Vieux Marche, site of Joan of Arc's untimely death when she was burnt at the stake. Normandy is lush with fertile landscapes that make its agricultural endeavors flourish and prosper. World-renowned Camembert cheese is produced here along with meat, poultry and fruit products – local specialties that offer an authentic taste of the region. Enjoy the Chef's signature dinner in the Compass Rose as your riverboat continues to Le Havre tonight.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 5 - Caen & Bayeux or etretat and seaside Honfleur

    From Le Havre onthe English Channel coast, choose your sightseeing activity for the day; one option is a visit to Caen and the Caen Memorial, followed by a short drive to Bayeux and a visit to the Bayeux Museum; your other is a guided visit to Etretat – a village steeped in history and cultural treasures where agriculture and dairy products are mainstays and farms dot the countryside. Explore the beach resort town on a guided tour; sheer cliffs cut in a perfect arch protrude into the sea and then make your way toHonfleurfor an orientation tour and lunch. The first Impressionist artists, including Claude Monet and Charles-François Daubigny, developed their painting style in Honfleur, one of the most charming fishing ports in Normandy. See a parade of Renaissance architecture and half-timbered houses along its cobbled streets as you discover for yourself why this colorful town was so beloved by artists. Back aboard ship, an interesting lecture about D-Day, one of the most somber dates in history, shares insights on the immortalized sites you will see tomorrow.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 6 - Guided visit to the Normandy beaches

    For more than 70 years, the D-Day beaches along the Cote de Nacre have stood as poignant reminders of the historic Allied operation of June 6, 1944, when a massive armada of troops, with more than 5,000 ships and 13,000 aircraft, converged on the heavily fortified coastline to fight Nazi Germany. The wartime code names for the beaches along this 50-mile stretch still exist – Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno, Sword – paying proud tribute to the heroism of the thousands of soldiers who lost their lives here. Our expert local guide shares insights during stops at Omaha Beach, bordered at each end by large rocky cliffs, and the American Cemetery, located on a bluff overlooking Omaha Beach, eternal resting place for some 9,300 American World War II soldiers. Return to the riverboat to continue your cruise; enjoy evening cocktails before dining onboard as you wish.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 7 - Jumi?ges Abbey & an evening at Chateau du Taillis

    After a morning walking tour of Caudebec and lunch aboard the riverboat, drive along country roads past churches and chateaux in various states of repair to visit Jumièges Abbey, once one of the great Benedictine abbeys of France. First built in 654, this wealthy limestone abbey grew to house 700 monks and 1,500 lay brothers in its first 50 years. Destruction came in waves when it was attacked by Viking raiders between 841 and 940, rebuilt in the 11th century, then razed again in a succession of French wars. Today it reigns unrivaled in a parklike setting that evokes memories of its former grandeur, giving measure to what Victor Hugo called the most beautiful ruin in France. Tonight, you'll have the opportunity to experience the good life in Normandy when you enjoy a gala evening including a private reception, dinner and music at the picturesque Chateau du Taillis.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 8 - Chateau Gaillard and tastes of Calvados and cider

    Chateau Gaillard is the crowning centerpiece of Les Andelys. Built in 1197 by the King of England, Richard the Lionheart, during a power play with the reigning King of France Phillip II, Chateau Gaillard was lauded as the strongest castle of its time. What remains today evokes images of how this medieval castle looked and operated at its height of power, with the riverside views affording you the same vantage point coveted by its royal inhabitants. Pommes, apples in English, play an important part in the history of Normandy, with apple orchards taking root in Roman times. While the first cider was said to have been distilled in 1553, before that the Norman apple was used in poultices, ointments and cosmetics (hence the term pommade). With over two thousand varieties of apples, Normandy is naturally proud of its cider and of its Calvados – apple brandy, for which this region is also famous. Visit a local farm for a taste of both en route back to your riverboat. Cruise to Vernon for a late afternoon arrival.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 9 - Impressionist painter Claude Monet's home & gardens at Giverny

    Giverny invites discovery today on a Tauck Exclusive early-opening visit that shows you painter Claude Monet's home as he lived it and painted it. His pink stucco house gives the impression that his family of 10 still lives there; its rooms showcase his private furnishings and his collection of Japanese prints adorn walls throughout. Outside, you'll find easels displaying works-in progress in his garden studios, including replicas of the immense water lily paintings that hang in Paris at the Musee l'Orangerie, and the gardens that inspired them. You will have time to walk pathways bordered with nasturtiums, hollyhocks, hybrid lilies or snapdragons, depending on the season's blooms, and go through the tunnel that leads to the Water Garden and the oft-painted Japanese Bridge. Later this morning, you'll have the opportunity to visit the Impressionist Museum followed by lunch aboard the ship. After an afternoon at leisure, join us tonight for a farewell reception and dinner.



    Lodging: ms Sapphire

    Meals: B, L, D

    Day 10 - Journey ends

    Tour ends: Paris. Fly home anytime; a transfer from your riverboat to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Gare de Lyon Station, Charles de Gaulle Station and Gare du Nord. Allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in. For additional hotel nights in Paris, ask at booking.



    Lodging:

    Meals: B

    Call (951) 723-4188 for more information or to book today! Mention code 17247685

    Cruise Line
    Tauck River Cruising
    Duration
    10 Days
    Cruise Ship
    ms Sapphire

    Click for more information on this ship.

    DayPortArriveDepart
    Day 1Paris  
    Day 2Paris  
    Day 3Versailles  
    Day 4Rouen  
    Day 5Honfleur  
    Day 6Normandy Beaches  
    Day 7Duclair  
    Day 8Les Andelys  
    Day 9Giverny  
    Day 10Paris  
    Dates/Pricing

    Click Quote or call us to get additional information on your chosen travel date. Special offers or competitive pricing may be available!

    DatePrice / DescriptionQuote
    09/08/2024Quote
    10/03/2024Quote
    Disclaimer
    * Land / cruise price per person in U.S. dollars, based on double occupancy, includes cruise fare, most meals, port charges, shore excursions, applicable fuel surcharges, and gratuities to Tauck Directors, Tauck Cruise Director, ship staff, local guides & drivers, and on all included meals.

    Itinerary Changes - Although not expected, Tauck reserves the right to alter the sequence of ports or omit or substitute scheduled ports or attractions at any time without prior notice. Further, museums and attractions may be subject to closure due to state, local or religious holidays.
      
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