ITINERARY WHAT’S INCLUDED
Before I start this review, I have to tell you a quick story about how a poster I had hanging up in my room for years and Paris are connected (without knowing it). When I was a teenager, I found this black and white poster in a shop with a photo of a stairway with lamp posts as seen from the top of the stairs, looking down. It was a taken by a photographer named Brassai in Montmartre. I didn’t know where that was but I just loved the look of it and hoped that one day I could stand in the same spot and take my own version of the photograph. Fast forward 15 years and I’m walking the streets of Paris, loving the look and feel of the city and awed by the sights of the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre. This particular morning I was on route to the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur, which was supposed to have a great view of the city. Close to the base of the Basilica I was surprise to see the exact same stairway I had looked at for years in my room. My wish and desire to some day take the same photo came true. I did feel a bit silly to discover that Montmartre was just a district in Paris, not a separate city in France (I never thought to research it for some reason). The entire day I could not stop smiling…one item checked off the bucket list without planning it. I put the original photo and my version of it at the end of this post. You can judge for yourself how well I did recreating it.
The Cruise Itinerary:
The voyage starts in Paris, the City of Light. It is one of the cities in the world that does not need any additional explanation. Be sure to have the camera batteries charged and bring extra memory cards for your camera, at least one for Paris on its own. At every turn, you will be reminded of movies, TV shows and books you may have read that were set in the city.
The Itinerary on the Paris to Normandy River Cruise with Grand Circle Travel.
Once cruising along the Seine, highlights include stops in Conflans, also known as Van Gogh Country and Giverny, the city that inspired Claude Monet for 43years. There will be a home-hosted tour to really connect with the local feel in Vernon, and a lovely walk tour of Rouen. Once in Honfleur, you will be moved by the World War II Peace Memorial Museum, cemetery and sights of the beaches of Normandy. There is so much more to this cruise, so let’s go into the details.
Day 1 (Arrival in Paris).
Eiffel Tower is a wonderful sight at any time of the day.
You will leave from home and fly to Paris. Upon your arrival to Paris, you are met at the airport and then transferred to the 120 passenger ship m/s Bizet, your new home away from home. You will enjoy a Welcome aboard drink, a chance to meet your other fellow passengers and will have a briefing with your Program Director. It will be up to you if you want to go out on your own and discover a bit of the city on your own, or stay and unpack, relax and enjoy dinner on the ship.
Day 2 (Paris – Optional Montmartre Tour): Enjoy Breakfast and head out in the morning on a bus tour to enjoy a half-day panoramic tour of city where the highlight would be the Champs Elysees and the Arc de Triomphe. The Arc de Triomphe stands at the end of a a large central roundabout where twelve elegant, tree-lined avenues converge. Seeing how everyone drives around this roundabout without getting into an accident is a something you’ll never forget.
The view from where I was standing trying to reproduce my Brassai photograph.
Another view of the Basilica of Sacré-Cœur.
Once back onboard, enjoy a lunch buffet and you can choose to rest, go out on an independent tour of the city or go on the optional Montmartre tour ($85 per person) which based on my experience of the district, is well worth it. The one thing I must say about Paris, is that the metro system is the only one in the 70+ countries I’ve ever been to where I felt a bit lost (and I speak fluent French).
There will be a port talk by your Program Director back on the boat and dinner with your companions in the evening.
Day 3 (Paris – Optional Versailles Tour): For the independent traveler, you will be on your own for the day, and I would recommend getting off the ship early, go out for a walk and try and get to the Louvre to see the highlights. This museum is so large, it would take a week to see it properly. It would be worth it to just walk the grounds, fight your way to see the Mona Lisa (she’s much smaller in person than you would have imagined), and if time permits, sit down at a cafe and enjoy a cafe au lait and a chocolate croissant. There is an optional morning tour to Versailles ($90 and sells out quickly, must be booked at least 30 days prior to arrival) which is another highlight of the region.
The Hall of Mirrors. Versailles.
The View from the gardens. Versailles.
Louis the Fourteenth, the Sun King, expanded what was originally a hunting lodge and transformed it into Versailles Palace and it was the home for the royal family of France from 1682 to 1789. You will visit the hall of mirrors (where the Treaty of Versailles was signed ending world war 1), the official chapel and walk the gardens. There are few places in the world that compare to it and it will leave a definite impression on you. If you take the tour, the afternoon will be yours to enjoy the city, but don’t be late for dinner as you will set sail this evening to slowly make your way to Conflans. I would recommend taking the free french lesson offered that evening, as it will be fun and useful to say a few phrases, such as ‘Merci’ (thank you), ‘Excuse moi’ (excuse me) and ‘Bonjour’ (hello). If you would like to learn French before going on your trip, there is a great learning tool found at this site.
Day 4 (Conflans – Auvers-Sur-Ois): After this day, you will look at a piece of art produced by Vincent Van Gogh and feel a deeper connection to the artist, his personal struggles and appreciate the wonderful art he created during his time in Auvers-sur-Ois. In the 3 months he lived in this region, he produced 80 works of art, many considered to be his best works, before he ended his life here in 1890. During your guided walking tour, you will understand why Corot, Pissarro, and Cezanne also came to this area to take in wonderful landscapes. Once back onboard, you will begin cruising towards Vernon and enjoy a French Cooking Demonstration or you can soak in the tranquil atmosphere of the countryside. Before dinner, learn about the artists of the Impressionist period during an Exclusive Discovery Series presentation. Needless to say, today is an art lover’s dream.
Day 5 (Vernon – Giverny): While travelling on a train in 1883, Claude Monet first witnessed the beauty of the small village of Giverny, the location of today’s stop. It must have made an impression on him as he ended up in the village for 43 years until his death in 1926. His son donated his home and gardens to the Academie des Beaux-Artsby, who now operate it as a museum dedicated to showcasing the artist and his legacy. As you walk the gardens, his art will come to life as you will see with your own eyes the subjects of his paintings. You’ll spot the familiar Japanese bridge and water garden shaded by weeping willows, its pond still full of the water lilies that are found in so many of his masterpieces. While in Vernon, you will enjoy time as guests in the home of locals and discover what it is like to live in the area. In the evening, you’ll have time to re-charge the batteries and get to share stories with your fellow passengers as you enjoy the scenery.
Day 6 (Vernon – Les Andelys):
C’est la vie … Ginny and Bill Rowe (right), 11-time travelers from Tappan, New Jersey, celebrated their 31st anniversary while cruising the Seine. Toasting with them in the lounge on the M/S Bizet are Connie and Bob Yaw, 11-time travelers from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
After breakfast, walk about on your own and discover the charming village of Les Andelys and test your French as you order a coffee and croissant at the local cafe. There is also an opportunity to taste French delicacies onboard if you aren’t in the mood to do much walking. After lunch onboard, sailing towards Rouen, you will have a chance to partake in an Exclusive Discovery Series event: a water-colour painting class. Hopefully the artists you’ll have been exposed to and the wonderful views of the Seine’s countryside will inspire you to create a masterpiece of your own. You’ll enjoy a wonderful dinner and arrive in Rouen in the evening.
Day 7 (Rouen – Optional Abbey St Wandrille tour): After breakfast, take a walking tour of the Capital of Normandy. Dating back to pre-Roman times, this important French commercial city may be better identified as the city where Joan of Arc was imprisoned, tried and burned at the stake in 1431. You will visit some of the important sites in her life, including the Market Square where her execution took place. After lunch onboard, you’ll be able to discover more of the city’s attractions, including the Joan of Arc museum with more details of her life and the Hundred Years War. You can also visit the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral where Monet hung 30 pieces in his lifetime and was inspired by the light as it bounced off the Cathedral’s facade. An optional tour is offered in the afternoon visiting Abbey St. Wandrille. Named after the monk who founded it in AD 649 as a missionary and spiritual center, you will be charmed by it’s history and that of the founder.
Day 8 (Rouen – Optional Cliffs of Etretat & Fecamp Tour):
Present day Normandy beach.
Those who prefer to explore on their own, today you will have the morning and most of the afternoon to do so. For those who prefer to see more of the surrounding region, the optional tour is highly recommended. This half day tour will keep your camera busy as you will enjoy a scenic drive along the Normandy coast, taking in views of mesmerizing cliffs that inspired Monet and Courbet. You’ll also tickle your tastebuds during your visit to the Benedictine Order Castle at Fecamp. Here you will sample the famous Benedictine liqueur—made from 27 different herbs and spices and afterwards take in some of the sights on your own. Enjoy the afternoon to relax or do some more exploring, perhaps buying a few more souvenirs and postcards to send to your family & friends back home. In the early evening, you’ll set sail to your final destination, Honfleur. En route, you will pass under Honfleur’s 90-foot tall Tancarville Bridge and sample some of the local cheese onboard. Dinner will have an additional highlight of arriving at your final port of call.
Day 9 (Honfleur – Normandy Beaches):
A moment of silent tribute at the Omaha Beach Cemetery in Normandy, France, photographed by Benjamin Finch, 6-time traveler from State College, Pennsylvania. The memorial here commemorates the site of the first American cemetery on European soil in World War II.
Today will be an emotional day as you will revisit the site of Operation Overlord that began on June 6, 1944. History is brought to life as you start your day visiting the Battery at Longues Sur Mer. One of the most formidable gun emplacements the Allies faced, the four guns here could fire on either Gold or Omaha beaches and, at 215 feet above sea level, were ideally placed to confront the D-Day forces. As you look down upon the beaches from here, you can only imagine the challenges the Allied forces faced that day. After a box lunch in the village of Arromanche, you will visit the American Military Cemetery where the graves of 9,386 American soldiers remind us of the price of the freedom.
The tour continues on to Pointe du Hoc—a place all Normandy veterans know well—where Allied forces scaled 328-foot cliffs as they sought to silence German artillery. It is a moment to take in the sights, and reflect quietly on everything seen and heard during the day. Upon arrival to the ship, you will enjoy dinner with your table mates and most likely the conversations will be lively and engaging based on the day’s tour. You will also have time to go out on your own and enjoy the city if you have some extra energy, otherwise you can simply get some rest and get ready for the next day.
Day 10 (Honfleur – Optional Bayeux tour): After breakfast you’ll enjoy a walking tour and discover the historical importance of this port city. Samuel de Champlain—who went on to found Port Royal in Nova Scotia and the settlement of Quebec in Canada set sail from here. It was also fought over, lost and re-claimed often by the French during the 100 year war with England. After the walking tour, independent travellers are able to discover more of the region on their own. The optional afternoon tour ($85 ) to the Tapestry Museum of Bayeux showcases a remarkable piece of embroidered fabric—230 feet in length—depicting events of the 1066 Normandy invasion of England. A masterpiece created with wool yarn of russet and gold displays elaborate historic scenes, you’ll learn of the history that inspired such a fascinating work of art. This will be the last evening on the ship, and the Captain’s Farewell Dinner is not to be missed. At this point,you will have many new friends and there will not be a lack of something to talk about during the evening.
Day 11 (Honfleur – Disembarkation – Paris Airport Transfer – Optional Brittany & St. Michel extention): Today you will finally have to pack up your bags, and leave the boat, but there is still more to do. In the morning after breakfast (your 2nd last meal included in the trip), you will visit the Peace Memorial Museum in Caen. It is a state-of-the-art facility that presents the events of World War II, including D-Day, very vividly. It’s an excellent way to put into context what you saw at the Normandy beaches. You’ll have a chance to enjoy lunch on your own before being transferred to your hotel located near the Charles de Gaulle airport for a final night in France before flying home the following day. For those who chose to stay a bit longer, they will be transferred instead to St. Malo to begin their post-trip extension to Brittany & St. Michel (more details on this post trip soon).
Day 12 (Flight Home): You will have breakfast in the morning before you are transferred to the airport to fly home. If this will be your first time in Europe or France, you will most likely not want to go home and have your next trip already being planned out. Make sure to stay hydrated and bring little chocolate if you can for the hardworking flight crew. It’s always much more enjoyable to fly with people who have enjoyed a bit of chocolate.
- Choose to purchase Grand Circle’s airfare, and your airport transfers and government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges are included. Or, make your own air arrangements
- Accommodations: for 10 nights aboard Grand Circle’s M/S Bizet in an outside cabin and 1 night at the Novotel Convention & Wellness Roissy CDG or similar
- 30 meals: 11 breakfasts, 9 lunches, and 10 dinners
- 6 exclusive, included tours: Paris • Auvers-Sur-Oise (Van Gogh country) • Giverny • Rouen • Normandy Beaches • Honfleur
- Exclusive Discovery Series events: French language lesson • French cooking demonstration • Introduction to Impressionism presentation • Home-Hosted Visit • French gourmet tasting • Painting lesson • Cheese tasting • Caen Peace Memorial Museum
- Personal headset on all included and optional tours during the base trip
- Program Director: We are the only cruise line to provide the exclusive services of a resident Program Director (assigned to no more than 47 travelers)
- Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions and Dinners
- 5% Frequent Traveler Credit toward your next Grand Circle trip—an average of $292
- Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips
- Beverages during lunch and dinner onboard, including beer, wine, and soft drinks
- All port charges—a value of $165 per person
- Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your main trip
I know some people may be considering taking this cruise and take advantage of the sale going on right. You will find details of the sale here. If you want to go ahead and book it now, please remember that by using my referral code: N.Reilly-2610230 you can save $100 off your first Grand Circle Travel cruise. It will help me support my site. My main goal as always though it just to inspire people to see more of this world comfortably and safely. You can book your cruise by calling Grand Circle Travel at 1-800-221-2610 or go to GCT.COM.
I promised I would show you my version of the Brassai photo, so here it is.
The Master’s Photograph that I stared at every morning for 15 years.
This is my version of the Brassai stairway photograph.
Leave me a comment below to tell me what you think. As always, I just hope that some of this information has inspired you to travel and see more of this amazing world. Safe Travels.
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