If you’ve ever thought about visiting Paris and its surrounding region, why not consider taking a river cruise?
The Seine, which flows through this fairytale-like city, is one of the most popular rivers on which to take a European river cruise vacation. The river cruise ship passes all the highlights of Paris including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Arc de Triomphe and even allows for plenty of time to explore this historic city on shore.
Explore Paris by river cruise. Eiffel Tower in Paris
Paris is a bustling city with scores of the best shops, cafes and crepe stands at every corner. The “City of Love” draws over a million tourists every day, so being able to visit the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum with the guided tour included in the river cruise is an ideal way to save you hours of waiting in line. Plus, the ship docks right at the center of the city–exactly where you want to be.
Avalon Waterways’ will transport you from Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches
When you take a river cruise with Avalon on their Paris to Normandy Landing Beaches river cruise, you will not only see Paris, but also the cities of Vernon, Rouen, Les Andeleys, and Conflans all in eight days—without ever having to change hotels.
What makes taking your vacation on a river cruise even more special is that the local culture influences the special activities on board the ship. For example while in the port of Vernon, you can stay on board and participate in a cooking demonstration by a local pastry chef. In Roeun, the evening before your excursion to the Normandy Landing Beaches you are invited to attend a presentation on board the ship to learn about the history surrounding Normandy and also enjoy a specialty dinner featuring delicious local cuisine.
If you’re interested in really delving in deep into the history of Normandy or you are a world war history buff, Avalon features a WWI History special interest river cruise. This sailing has additional lectures and focuses on the famous war sites and history of WWI and WWII. What a unique way to combine a vacation and history lesson! Avalon also offers a variety of other themed cruises, including a Culinary Cruise and an Art & Impressionist cruise for art enthusiasts–just to name a few.
Explore Paris by river cruise. Viking includes an excursion to Normandy
Other European river cruise lines, including Viking River Cruises, AmaWaterways and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises also offer similar itineraries round trip from Paris featuring an Excursion to the Normandy Landing Beaches. Although the itineraries are similar, each cruise line has something exclusive to offer as well.
Viking offers a 3-night pre- or post- extended land vacation in Paris or a stay at the Oxford & Highclere Castle in London, which is referred to as “The Real Downton Abbey.”
AmaWaterways includes two nights in Paris as part of their river cruise vacation. So, it’s a seven-day river cruise down the Seine, followed by two nights at a hotel in Paris with guided tours around the city. Also added in their nine-day itinerary is an excursion to historic Horfleur–whose picturesque port was a favorite subject for artists like Monet. You will tour the ruins of the Norman Abbey of Jumieges and the still-functioning majestic St. Wandrille monastery.
Uniworld’s 8-Day Paris to Paris itinerary includes excursions in Auvers-sur-Oise and Mantes-la-Jolie
If you want to travel with kids on a river cruise in France, Uniworld offers a “multigenerational family-friendly” program. Maybe you want to get the maximum exposure to Northern France, in which case Uniworld has an itinerary that includes more cities than any other.
Without a doubt, a river cruise is the best way to see Paris and all the beautiful cities along the Siene, especially when you only have a week. The river cruises all include daily guided shore excursions, but there is also plenty of time to explore the area on your own and try all the delicious breads, pastries and French culinary delights as you stroll through the cities.
If you’re interested in taking a European river cruise along the Siene River from Paris, please call one of our CruiseExperts.com agents accredited by the Cruise Line International Association to help you get your cabin reserved. Contact us anytime by calling 1-888-804-CRUISE (2784) or visiting our website, www.CruiseExperts.com.
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