Compare Active & Discovery on the Seine (Southbound) by Avalon Waterways vs French Impressionism Along the Banks of the Seine by CroisiEurope
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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4.5 | Great
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| Duration | 9 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 4,519 | $ 2,530 |
| Price Per Day | $ 502 | $ 361 |
| Highlights |
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CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
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| Trip Style | River cruise | River cruise |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Premium |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Internal airfare and ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A | N/A |
| Description | With a delicious menu of culturally immersive experiences, an Avalon Active & Discovery cruise on the Seine serves up joie de vivre at every port. History meets happiness as you decide how to savor the castles, croissants, châteaux, and chèvre of fabulous France from Paris to Normandy.Our wide array of Classic, Discovery, and Active excursions puts you in the driver’s seat of your vacation – whether that’s a bicycle seat, canoe seat, or a front row seat at a culinary or cocktail workshop where you’ll learn hands-on how to master the delightful delicacies this gastronomic country is known for. This is your tour de France. No matter how you choose to journey through it, monumental discoveries and moving experiences await at every turn.Move.Enjoy a little get-up-and-go on your cruising vacation when you:•Say “oui” and “whee” on a bicycle tour through the heart of Paris. •Paddle a canoe past the timbered houses, 12th century castles and gothic church of charming Vernon. •Hop on an E-bike for a leisurely tour of the impressive Château de Maisons-Lafitte.And be moved.Get off the beaten path and relish the world when you:•Whip up sweet Chantilly cream with the culinary experts at the even sweeter Chantilly Castle.•Stop and smell the roses as you stroll through the home and gardens of master impressionist Claude Monet.•Shake it up at a Benedictine cocktail workshop at the palace where the world-famous liqueur is made. Plus, Classic sightseeing is always available in every port along the way.Activate your senses and discover a world of wonder in all-new, entirely “you” ways on your personal, passion-packed cruise along the Seine. |
Join CroisiEurope for an art- and culture-filled cruise on the Seine River. Visit celebrated museums— including the Musée Marmottan Monet—as well as the lovely home of Claude Monet and his supreme gardens in Giverny. Enjoy thematic tours of cities and villages that were part of the French Impressionist movement, such as Barbizon, Rouen, and Honfleur. |
Day 1: PARIS, FRANCE
Bienvenue en France!
Your day is free to explore the world’s most romantic city. Get acquainted with the City of Lights today with some shopping, strolling, or with a croissant and café au lait to watch the world go by amid the Parisian cityscape.
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Day 2: PARIS–LE HAVRE (EMBARKATION)
Welcome to France! Your Suite Ship® is Ready for Boarding.
Enjoy some free time in Paris today, before transfer to Le Havre and board your cruise on the Seine. Tonight, enjoy dinner on board and explore your Suite Ship®.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN LE HAVRE
(Breakfast,Dinner)
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Day 3: LE HAVRE
20th Century Architecture and White Cliffs of Normandy
Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.
ACTIVE Explore the city as only a local would: by bicycle. Cycle up to the quartier Saint François, OR: DISCOVERY Travel to Fecamp to visit the Palais Benedectine where the world famous Benedectine liquor is made. Enjoy a short Self-Guided Tour followed by a cocktail workshop focused around the famous liquor, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour to Le Havre and discover the modern architecture of its city center, rebuilt by Auguste Perret and part of the World Heritage of Humanity. This afternoon, you may want to choose among the Guided Optional Excursions available
EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CAUDEBEC
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 4: CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY
Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions
DISCOVERY Join a ‘Day in Normandy’ tour with a Local Guide to trace the steps of William the Conqueror, King Henry IV, and Queen Marie de' Medici. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to the WWII landing beaches of Normandy. Take a full-day tour of significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR: CLASSIC Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship while sailing to Rouen. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ROUEN(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 5: ROUEN
The Cathedral of Notre-Dame, and a Heroine for France
CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—home of the martyred Saint Joan of Arc—and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral. In the afternoon, you're free to explore the city on your own or to join one of our Optional Excursions.
Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN ROUEN
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 6: LES ANDELYS
Serenity on the Seine’s Most Beautiful Riverbends
ACTIVE Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart and a masterpiece of medieval military architecture, OR:DISCOVERY Visit one of 'most beautiful villages of France' situated in a beautiful forested setting in Normandy. Afterwards discover the legends of the haunted Abbey de Mortemere, OR:CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine. Visit the Saint Sauveur’s Church of Le Petit Andely.DISCOVERY While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.VERNON
Monet’s Muses and Castle Courtyards
ACTIVE Spend a fun and active day kayaking. Join an expert guide and paddle your way through areas accessible only by water, OR:DISCOVERY Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces, OR:CLASSIC Explore the picturesque town of Vernon with a leisurely Guided Tour through its marvelous medieval streets on the banks of the Seine River.EVENING CRUISE TO CONFLANS
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 7: CONFLANS
Walk in the Footsteps of Van Gogh and Bonaparte
Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.
ACTIVE This Guided E-bike Tour will take you to the Château de Maisons-Lafitte where you will enjoy a special snack, OR:DISCOVERY Travel to the Chantilly Castle on your own where the experts of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs de crème Chantilly will show you how to prepare your own Chantilly cream, OR:CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Auvers-sur-Oise, and walk in the footsteps of Vincent van Gogh, who lived, worked, and is buried here. See the landscapes and village scenes captured in his paintings, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.You may join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.
This afternoon, cruise to Paris and in the evening enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PARIS
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
*Château de Malmaison is closed the 1st Monday of each month.
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Day 8: PARIS
Cafés, Cathedrals, and Canvases—The City of Lights Truly Shines
ACTIVE Hop on a bike to explore Paris like a local on this enjoyable guided tour through its sights, mesmerizing history, and incredible ambiance, OR:DISCOVERY Immerse yourself on our Food and Cultural Tour of Paris where you will find out why the French food and culinary tradition has been even added to the UNESCO heritage list, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Sightseeing which will show you magnificent must-see sights.Alternatively, stroll through Paris on your own or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.
OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PARIS
(Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner)
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Day 9: PARIS (DISEMBARKATION)
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.
(Breakfast)
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Day 1 PARIS
Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Join us for a lecture entitledThe Definition of Impressionism, its Origins, Techniques, and Contexts.
Day 2 MELUN - Barbizon, legendary site of an entire art movement
We’ll spend the morning cruising to Melun. This afternoon, join us for a guided tour of Barbizon. This charming village found fame in the 19th century through the works of art created by landscape painters who were members of the Barbizon School art movement. The Auberge Ganne, where the artists once lived, is now a museum. We'll enjoy dinner and an evening of entertainment.
Day 3 MELUN - PARIS, plunge into the works of Claude Monet
We’ll spend the morning cruising. In the afternoon, join us for a visit to the Musée Marmottan Monet(1), which houses the largest collection of his paintings. After we return on board, we’ll begin to cruise to Mantes-la-Jolie. Join us for a second onboard lecture entitled Claude Monet, the Quintessential Impressionist.
Day 4 MANTES-LA-JOLIE - Giverny, Claude Monet's home and studio - ROUEN
Join us for a tour of Monet’s home and studio in Giverny. We’ll spend the afternoon cruising to Rouen. Enjoy a cabaret-style evening of entertainment on board.
Day 5 ROUEN, following the footsteps of the Impressionists - The Norman Abbey Circuit
We’ll set out on a guided tour of Rouen(2) this morning by following the footsteps of the Impressionists. The afternoon will be dedicated to a guided tour of the Norman Abbey Circuit. We’ll discover Jumiège and the ruins of one of the most magnificent abbeys in France, as well as the Church of Saint Peter and the Abbey of Saint Wandrille. Our ship will cast off for Honfleur (departure time will depend on the tides). Join us for a lecture entitled The Geography of Impressionism: Paris and its Suburbs, Honfleur, and the Coastlines of Normandy.
Day 6 HONFLEUR - ETRETAT, the Côte d'Albâtre
Set out on a walking tour of Honfleur, the cradle of Impressionism. Enjoy some free time on your own at the Eugène Boudin Museum. This afternoon, we'll visit the Côte d'Albâtre, with its magnificent white cliffs lined with pebble beaches and the small seaside city of Étretat.
Day 7 HONFLEUR
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m.
