Paris & Normandy (2022)


A journey steeped in wonder.
Cruise from Paris through Normandy’s countryside, uncovering its many charms: Richard the Lionheart’s Chateau Gaillard, the medieval capital of Rouen, Monet’s beloved home in Giverny and the famed Normandy beaches.
Normandy has been the setting for many battles over the centuries, including the D-Day invasion of WWII, and the Normandy Beaches mean different things to different people, so you’ll have a rare choice to visit several of its historic sites, including Omaha Beach.
Experience a different side of Northern France’s history with a tour of the majestic palace of Versailles, once home to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
See the best of Paris in one of three ways via the “Heart of Paris” cruise and city tour, an exclusive “Do as the Locals Do” tour or an exclusive guided “Let's Go” bike tour. There are plenty of opportunities to take part in more active experiences, such as golfing at Sainte-Mère-Église in Étretat, perched on the cliff high above the sea, making playing golf here a memorable experience and visual feast.
Who will enjoy this cruise
History buffs will be fascinated by D-Day sites and Rouen where Joan of Arc was martyred.
Other Excursions:
From cave dwelling to fortress to castle to palace: This is the history of Château La Roche-Guyon (the Rock of Guy), which takes its name from its medieval lords (traditionally named Guy) and its location, a limestone outcropping—a rock—above the Seine. Medieval knights kept watch for marauding Vikings from the tower high atop the hill and later defended the double wall around a 13th-century manor house; successive lords added to the buildings over the centuries, so you can see not just troglodyte chapels but Renaissance rooms where kings Francis I and Henry II were entertained (and, legend says, Henry IV pursued a lovely chatelaine without success) and handsome 18th-century state apartments. Enlightenment thinkers met with the Duchess d’Enville, who owned the château before the revolution and who had the huge kitchen garden laid out according to Enlightenment principles. You might think, as you walk through the elegantly designed garden and beautifully paneled rooms (mostly without furniture these days, so you can appreciate the Gobelins tapestries without distraction) that the residence’s military function was in the far distant past, but Rommel made his headquarters here during WWII, precisely because the ancient fortifications and caves were so secure.
Monet often painted the little riverside town of Vernon, so you are likely to recognize scenes the master rendered in oils on your way to his home in the village of Giverny, where he lived and worked for more than 40 years. When Monet bought the property, most of it was an orchard; he transformed it over the years into the enchanting visions immortalized in his paintings, essentially creating each work of art twice: once as a living garden and again as a painting. As you stroll through the grounds, you’ll see the famed Japanese bridge and water garden shaded by weeping willows. Monet’s house, which you will also visit, remains furnished as it was when the leader of the impressionist school lived here, complete with his precious collection of Japanese engravings.
Note: Giverny will be closed during the March and November cruise departure dates.
The country roads between Vernon and Giverny offer easy—and pretty—biking. Hop aboard your bike and pedal about three miles to the village where the artist lived for decades. You’ll pass the church and cemetery where Monet is buried and the Hotel Baudy, where his painter friends often stayed, and arrive at the artist’s home and garden for a tour.
Note: Giverny will be closed during the March and November cruise departure dates.
This evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.
Featured Excursion:
- Rouen walking tour, the Dukes of Normandy’s capital
Masterpiece Collection:
- Mont-Saint-Michel - Wonder of the Western World (available September- November)
One of France's most iconic sights, the abbey of Mont St. Michel seems to float above the shallow bay, impossibly beautiful. It's been a pilgrimage destination for a thousand years, as well as a fortress, a beacon of independence and even, at one point, a prison. Travel to this marvel of medieval architecture today, crossing the causeway bridge (the new one, which permits the tides to scour the bay and keep it free of silt) and climbing the cobblestone lane that twines around the island to the top, where the Gothic church reaches heavenward. Explore the historic crypts, chapels and vaults that support the church and cloisters above, stand on the walls that withstood a 30-year assault by the English in the 15th century and marvel at the legendary view. Only 50 people live on this tiny rock islet, but they and their families have fed visitors for centuries; choose a restaurant for lunch on your own-diners have enjoyed omelets here in particular for at least 100 years. Please note that this excursion will be available in September, October and November only.
Note: Mont Saint Michel is a full-day excursion, therefore the regular featured excursion will not be offered.
*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 5 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.
Other Excursions:
A walking tour of the fishing village begins at the former smugglers’ harbor of Vieux Bassin—the most frequently painted scene in Honfleur—which looks much as it did a century ago, though now the boats in the harbor are more likely to be pleasure craft than fishing vessels. Your local guide will take you down tiny lanes, where houses stand shoulder to shoulder in a jumble of styles: narrow 19th-century slate-roofed townhouses, 15th-century fishermen’s cottages, and tall and elegant mansions— many adorned with figures of chimeras or saints. You’ll also see St. Catherine’s Church, built in the 15th century by shipwrights who gave it an oak ceiling that looks like the hull of a boat.
It would be hard to find a more spectacular location than Étretat’s clifftop course, which is ranked as one of the best in France. Originally laid out in 1908 and substantially redesigned in the 1990s, it offers a multitude of challenges: Two nine-hole loops take players right to the cliff’s edge, the wind can be a serious challenge in and of itself, and the 10th through 14th holes offer formidable tests of a golfer’s skill. Spend the morning on the course, lunch on your own in charming Étretat and explore the seaside village that so many artists, including Monet, rendered in paint, or return to the ship for lunch and a leisurely afternoon onboard.
Note: Golf excursion is open to a limited number of golfers. Club entrance and use of golf clubs are provided for usage during your excursion.
Other Excursions:
Join your fellow passengers in a journey to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery, where almost 10,000 US soldiers are buried, most of whom lost their lives during the D-Day invasion. Today's journey also includes highlights of Canadian sites.
Note: Lunch on own if participating in this excursion.
Join your fellow passengers in a journey to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery, where almost 10,000 US soldiers are buried, most of whom lost their lives during the D-Day invasion. Today's journey also includes highlights of American sites.
Note: Lunch on own if participating in this excursion.
Join your fellow passengers in a journey to Omaha Beach and the American cemetery, where almost 10,000 US soldiers are buried, most of whom lost their lives during the D-Day invasion. Today's journey also includes highlights of British and Australian sites.
Note: Lunch on own if participating in this excursion.
Other Excursions:
It was the official residence of the country’s kings and queens from 1682 until the revolution, and though the monarchy possessed other palaces, Versailles stood alone in magnificence. Tour the royal apartments, which still look much as they did when Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette fled in 1789. In these rooms, you’ll find lush silk draperies, exquisite marquetry tables, gilded beds, Aubusson carpets and porcelain ornaments that reveal the elegance of the 18th-century royalty’s lifestyle, as well as the extravagance that helped fuel the rage leading to the revolution. Climb the great staircase and enter the jaw-dropping Hall of Mirrors, where the absolute ruler of France held court for the ambassadors of Siam, Persia and the Ottoman Empire, along with all the great seigneurs of France. Ladies intrigued behind their fans, plots were hatched, and careers were made and destroyed beneath the sparkling chandeliers here.
A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Featured Excursion:
- “Heart of Paris” Seine River cruise
Masterpiece Collection:
- Moulin Rouge
How can you resist? Montmartre's Moulin Rouge is the most famous cancan cabaret in the world, the place where the rowdy and athletic dance was perfected. Lavish, lively and festive, the show constantly changes - but it always features the Can Can. Over its 120-year history the nightclub has attracted princes, painters, bankers, musicians and many ordinary patrons. Sit back and enjoy your dinner and Champagne while the glamorous girls and larger-than-life spectacle delight you.
*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 5 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.
- Retro Sidecar Montmartre Discovery
Buckle up, don't forget your safety gear and get ready to explore Paris' architecture and history by way of sidecar. Join your guide on a retro motorcycle as you drive past the Eiffel Tower on your way to Saint-Germain-des-Prés. Continue cruising through the high-end shopping district on Boulevard Saint Germain. Enjoy some free time and make sure to stop by the famous Café de Flore or Ralph Lauren's restaurant featuring his take on classic American cuisine. On your way back to the ship you will pass by the Church of Saint-Sulpice. Built in the 17th century and elaborately enhanced in later centuries, Saint-Sulpice is the one of the largest churches in the city - second only, of course, to the Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris, which happens to be your next destination. Make your way to Notre-Dame, and witness the destruction and revival this cathedral has endured over the decades. Before this Masterpiece experience ends, you will descend onto the glamorous Avenue Montaigne, home to some of the world's most renowned and revered fashion houses, including Valentino, Chanel, Fendi, Louis Vuitton and Dior.
*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 5 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.
- Retro Sidecar Illuminations Tour
Hop into a retro sidecar for a thrilling ride through Paris at its most romantic—in the evening, when the reason it’s known as “The City of Lights” becomes apparent. Coast along the riverbanks of the Seine, zip past such sights as the glittering Eiffel Tower and the Luxembourg Gardens, then top off your ride with a champagne toast.
*Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences can be added to a booking up to 5 days prior to the cruise/tour start date if space allows. Some venues are limited in the number of guests they can accommodate. Guests can book onboard (space permitting) and pay in Euros. Pre-booked Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are refundable up to 48 hours prior to the cruise/tour start date; if inside of 48 hours they are non-refundable. Select Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences require a minimum number of participants and are subject to cancellation (with full refund) if minimum is not met. Masterpiece Collection Optional Experiences are non-commissionable. Prices are subject to change.
Other Excursions:
Hemingway called Paris a moveable feast: Once you’ve experienced it, you will take it with you wherever you go. If you are experiencing Paris for the first time, this tour will introduce you to the City of Light’s most cherished landmarks. You’ll head via motorcoach from the Arc de Triomphe, commissioned by Napoleon to celebrate his Grand Army’s 128 victories, down the Champs-Élysées to the Place de la Concorde. These broad 19th-century avenues and stately buildings were created by Baron Haussmann in a great urban development that eliminated the cramped, crazy-quilt medieval city and gave Paris its modern form. You’ll pass the magnificent Opéra Garnier, the Place Vendôme (home to designer salons), the legendary Louvre and, on the Left Bank, the Sorbonne University and the Panthéon. Stretch your legs at the Luxembourg Gardens, then take in the École Militaire before arriving at the manicured grounds of the Champs de Mars, the perfect vantage point from which to see Paris’s most iconic structure—the Eiffel Tower. Cross the Seine via the most stunning single-arch bridge in Paris, Pont Alexandre III; it displays elegantly sculpted nymphs, winged horses and graceful art nouveau lamps. Once on the other side of the river, you’ll be sure to spot the largest glass ceilings in France, which shelter the Grand Palais and the Petit Palais. As you continue along the Seine’s banks you’ll see many striking contemporary bridges too. Your city tour will finish at your ship’s dock.
As a true Parisian would, take the Métro to the Île de la Cité and the great cathedral of Notre Dame. Henry IV said that Paris was worth a Mass when he converted to Catholicism—and he made that conversion official here, in the center of Paris. In fact, Notre Dame is officially the center of France; facing its main entrance is Kilometer Zero, the location from which distances in France (including those of the French national highways) are traditionally measured. An expert in the history and architecture of this magnificent cathedral will be your guide. Begun in the 12th century and finished about 200 years later, Notre Dame is one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture in Europe.
After you’ve admired Notre Dame’s stained glass, flying buttresses and idiosyncratic gargoyles, cross the Archbishop’s Bridge to the Left Bank and the Latin Quarter. Wander through the narrow streets where for centuries artists, writers, philosophers and the Sorbonne’s students have lived and worked, argued politics, painted, sipped absinthe and lived the bohemian lifestyle for which the district is famous. Matisse, Picasso, Rimbaud and Sartre, as well as American expatriate writers Hemingway and Fitzgerald, are just a few of the notables who made this district home. Take some time to meander through the area’s little squares, perusing the shop windows and perhaps relaxing with a drink at a classic café.
The Seine’s quays may be protected by UNESCO for their cultural importance and significance in the development of Paris, but they are also the scene of a host of fun outdoor activities: games for kids and grown-ups, a climbing wall, a running track, yoga classes, even a beach in August—and an inviting bike path. Join a guide to pedal along the Left Bank, crossing the bridges that link historic Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis and getting a close look at the heart of the city’s origins. Bike to the Esplanade des Invalides (Napoleon’s tomb is one of the monuments here) and along the Quai d’Orsay to the Champs de Mars, one of Paris’s largest green spaces . . . which just happens to have one of the best views of the Eiffel Tower in the city. It’s a fun way to take part in the life of the city while also getting some exercise.
Cruise Departure | Double Occupancy Pricing | Ship | ||
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Sun, 21 Aug 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$5,299.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 28 Aug 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 04 Sep 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$5,199.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 11 Sep 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$5,199.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 18 Sep 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$5,199.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 25 Sep 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$0.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 02 Oct 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$4,499.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 09 Oct 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$4,299.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 16 Oct 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$3,499.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 23 Oct 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$3,499.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date | |
Sun, 30 Oct 2022
(Paris to Paris) |
$3,499.00 |
S.S. Joie de Vivre |
Select this date |
- All fares are per guest in US Dollars based on double occupancy unless otherwise noted.
- Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice.
- Availability of all stateroom categories cannot be guaranteed.
- Single Supplement applies for single accommodation.
- Itineraries, hotels, and vessels may change, and substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to water level fluctuations and other uncontrollable factors.
- The order of sightseeing and docking ports are subject to change according to port authority assignments.
- Prices exclude additional port charges of $200 per person
Dining
- All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
- 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 7 dinners
- Captain's Welcome and Farewell Receptions
- Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
- Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, specialty coffee and tea, soft drinks and mineral water

Excursions
- 6 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
- Guided “Let's Go” and “Do as the Locals Do” programs
- State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
- Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks

Accommodations
- 7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the alluring S.S. Joie de Vivre
- Lavishly appointed riverview staterooms and suites have handcrafted Savoir® Beds of England, high thread count 100% Egyptian cotton sheets and European duvets, and a menu of pillow options
- Free Internet and Wi-Fi access

Experiences
- 1 country: France
- 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites
- Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
- Group Transfers are included on arrival and departure days (please see terms and conditions for transfer guidelines)
- Gratuities for onboard personnel (ship staff, crew, Cruise/Tour Manager) are included during the cruise/tour
- Captivating onboard local entertainment
