Seine River Cruise: the best of Normandy

Whether travelling with our no-fly Eurostar option or enjoying complimentary airport lounge access before your flight, you’ll be met on arrival in Paris by an included transfer to your luxury ship. Here, you’ll settle into your marbled cabin to enjoy serene river views and an all-inclusive spread of fine dining and open-bar drinks. The best in wine-paired French gastronomy is taken among handcrafted furniture and original antiques. Then, alongside the complimentary WiFi, local entertainment and lecture series, the luxurious facilities range from cocktail bars and chef’s-table tasting rooms to a Parisian café and an onboard spa, complete with yoga classes and fitness centre.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

Today, you’ll start your series of included excursions, beginning with the hilltop Chateau La Roche-Guyon. Surrounded by gorgeous gardens and sweeping views over the Seine, its grand 18th-century manor house is joined by intriguing WWII-era tunnels. You’ll then take in Claude Monet’s home and gardens, which served as inspiration for much of this impressionist master’s works. Alternatively, you might want to get active with a guided hike or bike ride through northern France’s rural idyll. Whatever you chose, the day concludes with a captain’s welcome reception and dinner back on board.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

Today is given over to the Normandy beaches, striking out among the headlands and WWII-era fortifications. With guiding from historical specialists, you'll learn about the fateful events of 1944 and the human sacrifice that they entailed. There's also a choice of touring routes, including the likes of the American Cemetery, a private ceremony at Omaha Beach and a visit to the Bayeux Tapestry Museum.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

Wonderfully exclusive to your cruise, you’ll have the chance to play a round of golf on a dramatic links course atop Normandy’s Alabaster Coast. If golf isn’t your bag, further included excursions offer the chance to stroll through the rolling Calvados countryside to seaside Honfleur – an artists’ favourite. A walking tour brings the smugglers’ past of this fishing village to life as you admire its slate-roofed townhouses and 15th-century cottages. Your last option is a bike ride to the quaint village of Villequiers.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

Rouen, Normandy’s medieval capital, retains much of its historic core. A cross marks the spot where Joan of Arc was martyred, its cathedral was painted by Monet a dozen times and its surrounding battlefields have hosted the likes of Richard the Lionheart. Expect everything from Gothic severity to centuries-old churches. It’s all showcased on your expert-led walking tour.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

Discover how France’s rulers lived over the centuries past as you step into the Palace of Versailles, enjoying privileged access to Louis XVI's royal apartments. Lush silk draperies, exquisite marquetry tables and gilded beds abound, revealing the elegancy of an 18th-century royal life. There’s also the included option of visiting Marie Antoinette’s hamlet or cycling along the Seine River to La Butte Verte Parc, before enjoying a captain’s farewell reception and dinner back on board.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

With a full day in the French capital, you’ll have a full choice of included excursions, ideal for returners and first-time visitors alike. A full city tour, for example, takes in everything from the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées to the legendary Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. Alternatively, follow the locals with a walking tour of the Latin quarter’s cathedral delights and street cafés, frequented by Sartre and Hemingway. Lastly, whether by cruise or bike, there’s the chance to take in the sights of the Seine, which include fantastic views of the Eiffel Tower from the Champs de Mars – one of Paris’s largest green spaces.

Stay: S.S. Joie de Vivre (Deluxe)

After a final breakfast, an included transfer will see you to either the airport for your flight home or the Gare du Nord to take the Eurostar back.