Paris to Normandy

8 Day River Cruise Paris to Paris
Escorted by Shawnda McAlester, November 2 – 9, 2027

2 VERNON - LES ANDELYS

• Monet’s Muses, Castle Courtyards, and Crêpes du Jour
  Visit the Adventure Center for today’s activities with your Adventure Host.

• Active Excursion - Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

• Classic Excursion - 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 Excursion - Join a Guided Visit to Bizy Castle—called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.

• Discovery Excursion - While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.

• This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys.

• LES ANDELYS - Serenity on the Seine

• Active Excursion - Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart**, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine.

• EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CAUDEBEC

• *Monet’s House is closed in March and November. During this period, this excursion will be replaced with a Guided Tour of La Roche-Guyon and its castle
  ** This excursion will not be operated in November

• breakfast

• lunch

• dinner

3 CAUDEBEC

• Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine

• Active Excursion - Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine.

• This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur.

• Discovery Excursion - Enjoy an Onboard Lecture about the days before and after the Normandy landing of D-Day.

• OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CAUDEBEC

• breakfast

• lunch

• dinner

4 CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY

• Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions

• Classic Excursion - Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR:

• Classic Excursion - 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, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Join a Guided Tour to get a taste of authentic tradition in the beautiful region of Normandy. Toast the day with a brandy tasting in Calvados.

• Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

• EVENING CRUISE TO ROUEN

• breakfast

• lunch

• dinner

5 ROUEN

• The Cathedral of Notre-Dame and a Heroine for France

• Active Excursion - Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Saint Joan of Arc’s martyrdom—and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.

• EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CONFLANS

• breakfast

• lunch

• dinner

6 CONFLANS

• The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV

• Active Excursion - Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison*—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.

• Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings.
  
  This evening, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship.

• AFTERNOON/EVENING CRUISE TO PARIS

• *Château de Malmaison is closed the 1st Sunday of each month. On these dates, this excursion will be replaced by a visit to Château de Chantilly.

• breakfast

• lunch

• dinner

7 PARIS

• Cafés, Cathedrals and Canvases in the City of Light
  
  Join your Adventure Host for today’s special activities.

• Active Excursion - Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR:

• Classic Excursion - Join a Guided City Tour featuring the iconic sites of Paris, which make the City of Light the most romantic and remarkable city in the world

• 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

8 PARIS (DISEMBARKATION)

• Your cruise ends with breakfast this morning.

• breakfast

Have a Question? Ask Shawnda Directly

Wondering if this journey feels like your kind of travel? Curious about the ship, the cabins, or what it’s really like to cruise the Seine in fall? Shawnda is here to help you sort through the details and imagine yourself there.

📞 Call or text Shawnda: 918-429-3267
✉️ Email: Shawnda@thejoyoftravel.net

Whether you’re weighing timing, picturing the daily rhythm, or just want a real conversation with someone who knows the experience inside and out, Shawnda is happy to talk it through. No pressure, no scripts — just thoughtful guidance and a genuine love of helping people travel well.

All payments are made directly to wholesale suppliers and any cancellations or changes are subject to their fee schedule and policies. Please be aware that deposits are non-refundable. If insurance has been purchased you may be entitled to a credit up to the full amount paid, minus the cost of the insurance. Exceptions may be made for medical reasons, but it is at the sole discretion of the insurance company. The Joy of Travel, LLC does not have any control over insurance claims or payments.

Personally Escorted Experience
Our group tours are thoughtfully designed to be personally escorted by a Joy of Travel professional when minimum participation is met. If the group does not reach 20 travelers, the tour will still operate exactly as planned—with all included services, experiences, and guided touring—just without a Joy of Travel personal escort.