Cruising the Seine plus Versailles, Paris and London - Southbound 2016
Member Savings
Sign in to see which companies give additional
savings to Travelstride Members (it’s free)
Overview
Highlights
- Private cheese and chocolate tasting tour
- private visit to the Absinthe Museum
- private dinner with music at a Rouen château
- early opening visit to Claude Monet's home
- two nights London at The Savoy
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Gratuities to ship staff, drivers, local guides, Tauck Directors and Tauck Cruise Director All private Tauck shore excursions - $2,316 Value! Two nights in London at The Savoy, one of the world's most prestigious hotels, and two nights in Versailles at Trianon Palace Versailles Tauck Exclusive: Presentation by Celia Sandys, granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill A Tauck Exclusive: Private tasting tour at a goat farm in Étretat that makes cheese and chocolate Tauck Exclusive: Private visit to the Absinthe Museum in Auvers-sur-Oise Tauck Exclusive: Private dinner (with music) at Château Bizy Visit to Château Gaillard for cider and calvados tasting Visit to artist Claude Monet's house and gardens in Giverny Guided visit to seaside Honfleur, home of the Impressionist movement Unlimited complimentary beverages aboard ship include regional wine, beer and premium spirits in addition to specialty coffee, water and soft drinks Airport and train station transfers upon arrival and departure as noted 33 meals; beer and wine with lunch or dinner on the riverboat; service charges, taxes, porterage, and applicable fuel surcharge
Itinerary
Tour begins: 7:00 PM, The Savoy. A transfer is included from London's Heathrow Airport to The Savoy, one of the world's most prestigious hotels, situated on the banks of the Thames in the heart of the city; check-in begins after 4:00. Settle in at The Savoy, a luxury ...
Morning sightseeing gives you a good introduction to the major landmarks, after which you're free to explore on your own. What to do? Your hotel's wonderful central location puts you in easy reach of most of famed sites such as the Tower of London, the British Museum,...
Depart London this morning for passage to France, by way of high-speed train under the English Channel. Within a couple of hours you'll arrive at the Paris Nord station, and from there a transfer takes you to the Seine, where your riverboat awaits. Settle in, then join us for dinner aboard ship.
MEALS : B, D
LODGING : ms Swiss Sapphire
PORTOFCALL : Paris, France
Take a guided orientation tour of Paris this morning, then have your choice of museum visits (subject to opening times and days): Musée National de l'Orangerie, designed by Monet for display of his large water lily paintings; or the Musée d'Orsay, Impressionist and Po...
Visit the palatial War Museum, Musée de l'Armée, with its astonishing collection of military weapons from different time periods; aptly, Napoleon's tomb is here, at the Church of the Invalides. Or you can choose a tour of the exclusive Marais District, with its wealth...
Embark on a guided walking tour of Rouen, where Joan of Arc was tried and burned at the stake in 1431 (and her ashes consigned to the Seine). Once the prosperous medieval capital of Normandy, Rouen still bristles with spires and entices with Gothic churches, half-timb...
Your riverboat arrives at Les Andelys, named for two fishing villages at a scenic bend in the river where the imposing ruins of Château Gaillard rise on a cliff. The castle was built in 1198 by Richard the Lionhearted, Duke of Normandy, to defend against an invasion f...
This morning, sail to Rouen, which Victor Hugo called "the city of a hundred bell towers". Once the prosperous medieval capital of Normandy, Rouen still bristles with spires and entices with Gothic churches, impeccably restored half-timbered houses, and picturesque co...
This morning, visit Étretat on Normandy's Alabaster Coast, where sheer white cliffs plunge to the blue sea, and the elements have carved astonishing giant arches from the cliffside rock; an orientation tour of the town, once a magnet for artists like Boudin and Monet,...
Leave the ship in Le Havre for a tour of the beaches where the D-Day landings occurred on June 6, 1944. See Omaha Beach and Pointe-du-Hoc, where American troops scaled sheer cliffs with ropes and fire ladders to reach enemy artillery batteries, and visit the American ...
Your riverboat arrives at Les Andelys, named for two fishing villages at a scenic bend in the river where the imposing ruins of Château Gaillard rise on a cliff. The castle was built in 1198 by Richard the Lionheart, Duke of Normandy, to defend against an invasion fro...
Disembark this morning, and then it's your choice - a day at the Palace of Versailles, or a day in Montmartre. Explore Château Versailles, the stunning palace of the Sun King, Louis XIV, with its sumptuous salons, halls, and mirrors, and legendary gardens. Alternative...
Travel into the countryside for a visit to Château Vaux le Vicomte, the largest privately owned castle in France. Built by Nicolas Fouquet in the 17th century, the château was the inspiration for the Palace of Versailles, and a pioneer of French formal gardens; a priv...
Tour ends: Paris. Fly home anytime. Transfer is included from Trianon Palace Versailles, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel to Charles de Gaulle Airport, Gare de Lyon station, Charles de Gaulle station and Gare du Nord. You should allow 3 hours for flight check-in at the airport.
MEALS : B
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Tauck Reviews & Ratings
Other Tauck Reviews
Great Scenery but Accommodations Lacking for cost
My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sa...
Nine Tours and Done
Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...
Skip this cruise - not worth it
My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...
Tour Operator
It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.
In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.
Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.
Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.
youtube_video_1
twitter_1
Associations
About Travelstride
Find your perfect trip
Save time
Save money
Travel confidently
Logistics
MS SWISS SAPPHIRE One of our 361-foot riverboats, ms Swiss Sapphire and her sister ships accommodate no more than 118 guests, while similar-sized riverboats average about 160. Guest amenities inside her 14 lush 300-square-foot suites include brocade upholstery, roomy walk-in closets with built-in drawers, spacious marble baths with full-size tubs, and two French balconies with floor-to-ceiling windows that open to idyllic riverscapes. She also sports seven 183-square-foot cabins, similarly furnished. Standard cabins (150 square feet) are cozy and comfortable and are similar in décor and style to our larger suites. 85% have floor-to-ceiling windows with real French balconies that open on to a balcony in the fresh air; all have in-room movies, minibar, adjustable heating and cooling, private bathroom and shower with pampering toiletries
MS SWISS SAPPHIRE
ALL_AGES
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations