VIKING – Paris & The Heart Of Normandy, France – 8 days

DAY 1 Paris

Arrive in Paris and transfer from the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris to your ship.  After boarding, take some free time to explore Paris—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (D)

DAY 2 Paris

Wake up to a full day in Paris to enjoy. After breakfast, embark on a half-day tour of this beautiful city and take in its most remarkable sights, including the iconic Eiffel Tower. Continue past the Orsay Museum, École Militaire and Latin Quarter. See the amazing Cathedral of Notre Dame, then drive past the Louvre and Opera House and along the world famous Champs Elysées. Return aboard your ship for lunch. Afternoon is free to visit the Louvre, shop the many boutiques, visit the artists’ district of Montmartre or enjoy a cruise along the Seine. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dinner is served aboard your ship. (B, L, D)

DAY 3 Giverny & Vernon

Arrive in Vernon before breakfast and take a short ride into the town of Giverny, where Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. Visit the beautiful gardens and charming stone farmhouse where he lived and worked; see the water garden with its Japanese bridge, azaleas, wisteria and water lilies that inspired many of his masterpieces.†

After lunch, spend some time with your Program Director in the provincial town of Vernon. Take a stroll to see the 1th-century Church of Notre Dame and Maison du Temps Jadis (House of Past Times), Vernon’s oldest house. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)

† Monet garden not available before April 1 or after November 1; a visit to the charming village of Auvers-sur-Oise, favored by van Gogh and other artists, will be substituted.

DAY 4 Rouen

Indulge in a leisurely morning cruising along the Seine. In the afternoon visit the medieval city of Rouen, historic capital of Normandy. Begin with a walking tour through the old town center, where you see the spectacular Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral so often painted by Claude Monet and the famous Gros Horloge, a 16th-century astronomical clock. As you walk among the half-timbered buildings, feel yourself transported back in time; see the 14th-century courthouse where Joan of Arc was sentenced to death and the nearby Market Square where she was martyred.

Take some free time to discover more of Rouen or visit one of its museums of art or antiquities. Dine aboard your ship or visit a sidewalk café—your ship remains docked overnight. (B, L, D)

DAY 5 Normandy Beaches

After breakfast, begin your full-day tour to the historic beaches of Normandy. Drive past Gold Beach, Courseulles sur Mer and Juno Beach on your way to visit World War II landmarks such as Omaha Beach, the American Military Cemetery and Arromanches Debarkment Museum. Dinner is served aboard. Later,  relax on board or take an evening stroll. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 Les Andelys & Conflans

This morning, enjoy a leisurely cruise to the small town of Les Andelys, known for its imposing castle, Château Gaillard which was built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart. After lunch, join a guided walk to this fatally flawed masterpiece of Middle Ages architecture. Return aboard for scenic cruising and dinner aboard. Late in the evening we dock in Conflans, a riverside town whose unique culture reflects its status as a local hub for barge transportation along the Seine and its tributaries. (B, L, D)

DAY 7 Conflans & Paris

After breakfast, take a walking tour through the charming neighborhoods of Conflans. Or, join an optional tour to the luxurious Palace of Versailles, former home of Louis XIV. Lunch is served aboard as you sail back to Paris this afternoon. Dine aboard before enjoying some free time in the wonderful City of Light. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 Paris

After breakfast, disembark and proceed to the Paris airport for your return flight home. Why not extend your time in France’s romantic capital with a 3-night Paris extension. (B)

The following meals are included:
B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner