Impressions of the Seine - 2024

Day 1 Travel to Paris by Eurostar or fly from Manchester. Transfer to the mooring to board the river cruiser for your seven-night cruise, which begins with a welcome drink and introduction to the crew. (D)

Day 2 Spend a full day at leisure in Paris, to take in the sights and sounds of the city. Perhaps combine a stroll in the Place de la Concorde and Tuileries Gardens, with a viewing of Impressionist works at the Orangerie Museum; see the superb Monet collection at the Musée Marmottan (closed on Mondays); or join us on an optional morning tour by coach, which shows you the past and present of Paris through its religious, prestigious, and cultural monuments, from the Louvre to the Latin Quarter, the Bastille, Marais and Trocadéro to the Champs Elysée, Arc de Triomphe, and Eiffel Tower (£55, pre-bookable). This evening, enjoy a pre-dinner Jules Verne drinks party aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 3 Cruise to the Vernon area to visit the Claude Monet Foundation in Giverny. The artist’s home from 1883 to 1926, the charmingly restored house and gardens seem still to be steeped in the calm and character of his tenure, when his passions for plants and painting came together in exquisitely colourful compositions, on canvas and in the equally artistic works of his flower and water gardens. Continue downriver toward Duclair, sailing through timeless bucolic landscapes in the Loops of the Seine Natural Park. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Arrive at Duclair for a guided tour on the Route des Abbayes, to visit awe-inspiring medieval monasteries including the Benedictine abbey of Saint-Wandrille (aka Fontenelle), one of the earliest in Normandy, its current church housed in a 13th century barn; the atmospheric ruins of Jumiéges Abbey, founded in 654, destroyed and rebuilt through wars and sieges, its 500-year-old yew tree still standing in the cloisters; and the church of St Pierre, an impressive example of 10th century Norman architecture. Sail to Honfleur, ‘the cradle of Impressionism’, at the mouth of the Seine Maritime. (B, L, D)

Day 5 A guided tour of the ‘Côte Fleurie’ takes you to the glamorous resort of Deauville, famed for its fine sand beach, luxury shops, charming villas, and boardwalk beach huts; and to the 16th/17th century Chateau du Breuil, a beautiful castle and prestigious distillery of Calvados Pays d’Auge, where we include a tasting. Return to Honfleur for a walking tour of the town, its St. Catherine Cathedral the country’s largest wooden church, its picture-perfect old port lined with 16th-18th century townhouses. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Return upstream this morning, sailing under the Normandy Bridge and passing peaceful valley scenery, the inspiration of painters and poets for centuries. Afternoon arrival in Rouen, the ‘City of a Hundred Bell Towers’, for a city tour including the Gothic façade of Notre-Dame Cathedral, many times painted by Monet; the iconic Great Clock in its 14th century belfry; the marketplace where, in 1431, Joan of Arc was burned for heresy, and the Jeanne d’Arc Church in the Place du Vieux-Marché, built 550 years later to celebrate the saint. Farewell drinks party this evening. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Cruise to Les Andelys, with its 12th century fortress, high on a hilltop, built by Richard the Lionheart. Travel by coach through rural villages along the Andelle River, and visit the 15th century twin-towered Château Martainville, now a museum of 500 years of Normandy’s history, artistry, traditions, and everyday life. Continue cruising to return to Paris. Gala Dinner aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Disembark in Paris and transfer to the airport or Eurostar station for your return journey. (B)

• Key
• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner