Upon arrival in Paris, we will board our motorcoach and make the drive to the Eiffel Tower for lunch. Good food and breathtaking views of the city will be a spectacular introduction to Paris! The remainder of the afternoon is at your leisure to explore the city known for its art, fashion, food, and culture. Called the “City of Lights,” Paris played a leading role during the Age of Enlightenment and was also one of the first European cities to use gas street lights on a grand scale on its boulevards and monuments. Fashion afficionados will love stepping into the luxurious world of Parisian couture with a peek inside the fashion houses of Dior, Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and more. Paris is also a food lover’s dream with the second-highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants plus countless cafés and bistros. We’ll head to our hotel in the late afternoon to settle in and have the evening on our own.

(Lunch included)

Relax at the hotel or do some more exploring during a leisurely morning. We will then embark on a food tour in Montmartre. This famous district perched on a hill in Paris’ 18th arrondissement has served as the backdrop for many films and is rich in artistic history.  Many artists lived or worked in or around Montmartre, including Monet, Renoir, Degas, Picasso, and van Gogh. Artistry lives on in the district today through eclectic galleries and an exquisite gastronomic scene. After savoring the district’s culinary delights, we’ll board CroisiEurope’s MS Deborah late this afternoon for a six-night cruise down the Seine. We’ve chartered the barge just for our group! After settling into our cozy cabins, we will be introduced to the crew at a welcome cocktail reception with dinner to follow. Our day will come to an end as we cruise through Paris to take in the views of the city from the water.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

The morning will be spent cruising the Seine, enjoying the views of the monuments as we sail through the heart of the capital. Upon our afternoon arrival in Evry, we will visit Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. Built between 1658 and 1661 for Nicolas Fouquet, the superintendent of finances of Louis XIV, the château was an influential work of architecture in mid-17th-century Europe. At Vaux-le-Vicomte, the architect Louis Le Vau, the landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and the painter-decorator Charles Le Brun worked together on a large-scale project for the first time. Their collaboration marked the beginning of the Louis XIV style combining architecture, interior design, and landscape design. Our tour will take us through the private apartments of Fouquet; continue through the Great Square room, the Muse’s room, the Games parlor, and the King’s bedroom; and end with the staff rooms and kitchen in the basements. Afterward we will return to the ship for an evening at leisure.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

Sit back and enjoy the bucolic scenery along the banks as we cruise toward Melun, where we will begin our excursion to the village of Barbizon. Painters Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet settled here in the 1940, leading a whole generation of young artists who decided to leave their studios and work in nature. We will stroll through the cobbled streets and browse the quaint shops and art galleries during our time in the village before we return on board for an evening at leisure.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

Today’s touring will take us to the Palace of Fontainebleau and its magnificent gardens. All the kings and queens of France passed through Fontainebleau at one time or another, with Francis I and Napoleon having the most influence on the palace as it stands today. The château is a unique example of a residence inhabited regularly for more than eight centuries. The French gardens, fountains, and flowerbeds will transport us back to the palace’s glory days before we round out our tour with a visit to the cosmopolitan town that sprung up around it. Our afternoon will be spent cruising to Moret-sur-Loing.

 (Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included) 

Relax as we cruise to Montereau-Fault-Yonne before venturing to Provins for a guided tour. It’s unique heritage and fifty-eight listed monuments, including ramparts and towers, keeps and barns, and thirteenth-century homes and wooden façades, are exceptional! The Provins rose is grown here and has been used for perfume and medicinal purposes since as early as the reign of Charlemagne. It is still used today to make rose petal jam, candy, and honey. We will complete our day’s touring with a tasting of one of the town’s most-renowned specialties – rose honey – before we return to our ship.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included) 

Enjoy the sights as we cruise past idyllic lakes and ponds along the Yonne, a tributary of the Seine. We’ll arrive in Sens this afternoon and embark on a tour of this town known for its variety of historical buildings with impressive architecture. The cathedral here was the first of the great Gothic cathedrals in France, and it served as the inspiration for the layout and design of many others, including Great Britain’s Canterbury Cathedral. As we stroll through the streets and along the promenades, take in the remarkable homes, buildings, and wall fronts that are a testament to the town’s rich past. Time will be available to browse the local market and taste the local products. Following our tour, we’ll return to the ship for our gala dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included) 

Enjoy one last breakfast before we disembark and transfer to the airport for our flight home.

(Breakfast included)