Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

LeShuttle to Calais and travel towards Paris, where we board the A-ROSA VIVA at either St. Denis or Le Pecq for the start of our seven-night cruise. We enjoy a welcome dinner on board this evening.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

We arrive in Rouen in the early afternoon, giving us time to explore this fascinating Norman city at our own pace. Wander the medieval streets, admire the impressive Gothic cathedral or find a café in one of the atmospheric squares. We stay overnight, so there’s also the chance to enjoy Rouen after dark before returning to the ship.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

Enjoy a leisurely day on board or join our optional excursion into Normandy’s wartime past. We visit the Caen Memorial Museum, which puts the events of the Second World War into the wider history of 20th-century Europe, before continuing to Pegasus Bridge, Ranville War Cemetery and Sword Beach. There’s time to reflect on the stories behind these historic places before returning to the ship. We sail later this evening.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

We wake in Caudebec-en-Caux, a small town on the banks of the Seine, before heading out to explore two of Normandy’s most appealing coastal towns. First up is Honfleur, set at the mouth of the Seine and famed for its picturesque old harbour, narrow streets and colourful waterfront. Take your time to explore, perhaps stopping to sample some local Calvados. We then continue to elegant Deauville, known for its grand villas, sandy beach and famous boardwalk. Later, we return to the ship and sail south towards Les Andelys.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

We spend the morning in Les Andelys, one of the Seine’s most picturesque riverside towns. Look out for the imposing ruins of Château Gaillard, built by Richard the Lionheart in 1196 and perched high above the river. Explore Petit-Andely and Grand-Andely at your own pace before returning to the ship for lunch as we sail onwards to Vernon. From here, we travel by coach to Giverny, where we visit the beautiful home and gardens of Claude Monet, whose famous water lilies and landscapes inspired some of his best-known works. We return to the ship later this afternoon.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

We arrive at Le Pecq around midday, where the afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Stay on board and make the most of the ship’s facilities, perhaps relaxing in the sauna or fitness room, before an evening of dining and entertainment.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

A full day to enjoy life on board. Savour the included dining and drinks, unwind in the spa or simply find a comfortable spot to watch the Seine glide by. You can also step ashore to explore Le Pecq independently, with its riverside setting and nearby parks. Tonight, we enjoy our farewell dinner.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

After breakfast, we disembark the ship and travel to Versailles, the magnificent former royal residence just outside Paris. There’s time to explore the elegant town independently, browse its shops and cafés or simply soak up the atmosphere before we continue to our hotel later this afternoon.
For a closer look at one of France’s most famous landmarks, join our optional excursion to see the highlights of the Palace. Step inside the grand former home of French kings and discover opulent state rooms, lavish decoration and fascinating royal history. Afterwards, we head to our hotel in the Parisian suburb of Nanterre, for check-in and dinner

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

Today is all about Paris. Spend the day exploring the French capital at your own pace, from iconic landmarks and grand boulevards to riverside cafés and neighbourhood streets. Or join our optional guided city tour for a closer look at some of the city’s famous sights and fascinating history. We return to the hotel this evening for dinner.

Cruising the Seine – From Paris to Honfleur

 After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Calais for our journey home on LeShuttle.

Discover Normandy’s wartime story on a guided visit to the Caen Memorial Museum, where thoughtful exhibits place D-Day within the broader context of the Second World War. This is an additional-cost excursion, bookable on tour.

Continue to key sites of the 1944 campaign: Pegasus Bridge, Ranville War Cemetery and the sands of Sword Beach. Hear accounts of courage, trace the battle geography and take a moment to reflect amid memorials that honour the liberation of Europe.

Visit Claude Monet’s beloved retreat at Giverny and step into a living canvas. Cross the iconic Japanese bridge, linger by Monet’s water garden where lilies drift in dappled light, and trace the curves of willow and bamboo that animate his late masterpieces.

Inside the pastel-shuttered home, glimpse the artist’s studio and bold dining room, alongside a fine collection of Japanese prints. Outside, the Clos Normand flower beds blaze with seasonal colour, revealing the textures, hues and rhythms that shaped Monet’s daily life and art.

Explore central Paris on a hosted city visit with convenient coach transfer and helpful orientation from your Tour Manager. Disembark near headline sights to wander grand squares and riverside promenades, choosing your own mix of museums, cafés and window-shopping.

Take in views of the Eiffel Tower, the Champs-Élysées and elegant Seine-side boulevards, or cross to Île de la Cité for a look at Notre-Dame’s flying buttresses. This flexible outing balances guidance with the freedom to savour the capital at your pace.

Visit the historic town of Versailles, where broad avenues sweep from the monumental Place d’Armes toward the palace’s gilded gates. Stroll handsome streets lined with pâtisseries and cafés, admiring Baroque facades that once served courtiers and craftsmen.

Pause by the Royal Stables and glimpse the palace rooftops beyond the railings, tracing the grand urban plan that showcased Bourbon power. This elegant town visit sets the scene for Versailles’ royal heritage without entering the palace interiors.

Unwind each evening with on-board entertainment in the panoramic lounge, from live music and dancing to relaxed cabaret-style sets. Order a favourite drink and settle into plush seating as the nighttime river glides past the windows.

On selected nights, enjoy curated cultural performances that bring French traditions to life—perhaps chanson standards or accordion interludes—creating a warm, sociable atmosphere. Between sets, step onto deck for fresh air and glittering reflections across the water.

Step inside the Palace of Versailles on a guided highlights tour—an additional-cost experience, bookable on tour. Marvel at the glittering Hall of Mirrors and the gilded State Apartments, where ceremony and spectacle projected France’s royal power.

Time permitting, stroll part of the formal gardens designed by André Le Nôtre, with parterres, fountains and clipped avenues radiating toward the Grand Canal. Your guide shares courtly anecdotes that animate life behind those golden gates.

Join a guided panoramic tour by coach for a sweeping introduction to the capital—an additional-cost excursion, bookable on tour. Glide past the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées as your guide threads history through Haussmann’s grand avenues.

See the Louvre’s elegant courtyards, the bridges of the Seine and Île de la Cité with the restored facade of Notre-Dame. Well-chosen viewpoints and informed commentary help you orientate for deeper exploring later.

Explore the cobbled quays of Honfleur’s Vieux Bassin, where tall slate-fronted houses ripple in the water’s reflection. Wander lanes to the timber-built Église Sainte-Catherine and watch painters at their easels in the very light that inspired Boudin and Monet.

Continue to stylish Deauville for a stroll along the Les Planches boardwalk, lined with striped beach cabins and Belle Époque villas. Browse chic boutiques or pause for a café crème as sea air and equestrian heritage shape the town’s effortless elegance.

Cruise the River Seine aboard your premium ship, tracing elegant loops from Paris into Normandy’s green heart. From the sundeck, watch willow-draped banks, chalk-cliff bluffs and poplar avenues drift by while villages and steeples appear around each bend. Capture tranquil mornings and glowing evenings as the water mirrors the sky.

This storied waterway carried merchants, monks and monarchs for centuries. Glide past Île-de-France châteaux and half-timbered towns, sensing the soft light that lured the Impressionists. Between convivial meals and terrace time, simply settle in, let the scenic meanders of Normandy unfold and savour the rhythm of river life.