Itinerary
Days 1-2 – Board the MS Renoir in Paris
Your holiday begins with a flight to Paris. On arrival we
transfer by coach to our ship, the Ms Renoir, where we are welcomed
with a relaxing drink before dinner.
On the morning of Day 2 we enjoy a
guided tour of the splendid French capital. After lunch aboard you
have some free time before we set sail for a cruise along the
Seine, admiring the illuminated attractions along the way (weather
permitting).
Day 3 – Giverny or Versailles
We start the day cruising to Giverny, during which time we are
treated to an expert talk on board; ‘A Definition of
Impressionism’. Now synonymous with Monet, Giverny very nearly
missed out on getting its name on the map. It was during a train
journey in 1883 when the artist saw the area and decided that this
was the spot he wanted to live and work in. With its instantly
recognisable lily ponds, the gardens are the image of how they were
when Monet first painted them, almost like stepping into one of his
artworks, and the house still has the atmosphere of a creative
retreat.
Alternatively, you may prefer to visit the slightly more opulent
Palace of Versailles. We rejoin the boat where tonight there’s a
traditional French ‘guinguette’ evening held on board.
Day 4 – Rouen
Our destination today is Rouen, former capital of Normandy,
where we enjoy a guided tour that follows in the footsteps of the
Impressionists themselves. This medieval city is the proud home of
The Museum of Fine Arts and its impressive collection of
Impressionist compositions. We make a visit to the gallery as well
as taking in Rouen Cathedral, which was depicted in oil paint by
Claude Monet. His series of over 30 paintings show the building at
all different times of day. Following an insightful few hours, we
return to our ship for tonight’s dinner.
Day 5 – The Route des Abbayes
We make our way to Duclair today, sailing through a landscape of
steep cliffs and timeless villages, fleeting views of which helped
inspire the Impressionist style itself. On arrival in Duclair we
embark on an excursion along the Route des Abbayes, exploring the
abbeys that line the route of the river by coach. Stretching
between Rouen and Mont-Saint-Michel, this historic trail has seen
religious orders being built here from the 5th century onwards, and
at one point there were up to 120 sites of worship. Later we
continue upriver to Honfleur, where we moor for the night.
Day 6 – Tour Honfleur or discover the beaches of WWII
The charming port town of Honfleur is located on the southern
bank of the Seine Estuary in the Calvados region of France famous
for its apple brandy. Centred on its adorable historic port and
marina – the ‘Vieux Bassin’ – Honfleur boasts a number of preserved
traditional buildings and today you can choose to take a tour of
this quaint destination, famous as being an important influence in
the work of many artists, including Monet, Courbet and Boudin, who
set up the Ecole de Honfleur, an artists’ colony and melting pot
for the whole Impressionist movement.
Otherwise you might select our excursion to the nearby beaches
of Gold and Juno, two of five landing sites utilised for the D-Day
landings on June 6th 1944, a pivotal event in the eventual Allied
triumph over the Axis powers. Following some free time this
afternoon, tonight we celebrate the end of our cruise at the
captain’s special gala dinner.
Day 7 – Return home
We transfer to Paris after a final breakfast together. On
arrival in the French capital, we head to the airport for your
flight back home.
