By: Jerry Steves, Travel Consultant
Overview
We came ready to embrace the holiday season with a taste of Joyeux Noel. We explored Paris, France’s twinkling “City of Light” and sailed through the landscapes of Normandy’s countryside and to admire the scenes of fairy-tale villages along the way. Along the way we enjoyed the scented aroma of mulled wine and roasted chestnuts amid a festive backdrop of Christmas markets.
Day 1 – Arrive at the Ship
Due to high waters on the Seine, we met our original ship at the departure point just steps from the foot of the Eiffel Tower and were whisked away by a luxury couch to the sister ship just outside of downtown about 14 miles away in the town of Le Pecq. We were greeted by the friendly staff as we checked in and found our wonderful french balcony accommodations waiting for us. After a greeting from the staff with champagne, we went on our first excursion to Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
We went on a walking tour in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a beautiful town with castles, Christmas Markets, and panoramic views of the surrounding areas. We could even see the Eiffel Tower in the distance!
Day 2 – Paris and Palace of Versailles
Today we opted to skip the morning tour of Paris as we had arrived two days prior to the cruise and saw many of the sights included in the morning excursion. After a leisurely breakfast, we explored on our own and then came back to the ship for lunch. We then met the rest of the tour group at the palace of Versailles for a very informative glimpse into the opulence of the French royal court. Having lived the first nine months of my life in a smaller hunting lodge on the grounds of Versailles, I was very interested to see this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site. As we explored the palace, room by room, we were delighted with the history of Versailles. Hidden passageways allowed the king to visit the queen in her quarters as she was never allowed in his. Of course, his mistresses also used these same passageways.
Day 3 – Vernon
Vernon is very charming. With half-timbered houses and cobblestone streets you feel like you’ve been thrust back in time. Everywhere you look, magnificent wooden carvings adorn the architecture. The Christmas market here is rather small, but we enjoyed the walking tour in the morning. It included a memorable Organ Recital.
Day 4 – Caudebec-en-Caux and excursion to Le Havre
We then set sail for Caudebec-en-Caux to tour the small village and its gothic Notre Dame of Caudebec-en-Caux. While most of the city’s medieval buildings were destroyed by a 1940 fire, this 15th-century church survived. Of particular note are the 333 human figures carved on its west portal.
After lunch, we traveled by motor-coach to Le Havre, the major port for most ocean cruise ships heading to Paris. Rich with history, brutalist architecture and a popular beach destination, Le Havre had one of the more interesting cathedrals we visited. From the exterior, you couldn’t see the beautiful stained glass that lights up on the inside as the sun shines on it. The Christmas market was quaint and we rode the ferris wheel. After a bit of shopping and exploring, we completed our tour and headed back to the ship for dinner.
Day 5 – Rouen
Enjoying eggs benedict again this morning was a treat before we set out to explore the city of Rouen. It’s a city as opposed to a small town. More gorgeous churches. This is where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Now there’s a church marking the spot. There was a peaceful protest while we were walking the charming streets. We ran into the ship’s entertainer, Elton Guy, while enjoying a beverage at a local cafe. Being from England, he was thrilled to have found an authentic Fish & Chips restaurant in town.
Day 6 – Les Andelys
Today’s walking tour to Château Gaillard was a bit more strenuous as it is located atop a steep hill overlooking the city. Built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart, the castle and the village’s strategic location bolstered the importance of Les Andelys throughout the Middle Ages. We met a friendly cat on the way back down the hill. The rest of the day was spent relaxing onboard the ship in preparation of our journey back to Le Pecq since the Seine is still too high to allow docking in Paris.
Day 7 – Paris
Today we ventured out to the largest of all the Christmas Markets in the “New York of Paris”, La Défense. It is a major business district in France, located approximately 2 miles west of the city limits of Paris. It is part of the Paris metropolitan area in the Île-de-France region. We enjoyed mulled wine and shopped our way through the market. From one vantage point, you could see the Arc de Triomphe as it lines up with the newest Arc located here in La Défense, La Grande Arche de la Défense.
Day 8 – Paris
We bid farewell to our Viking Radgrid crew and friends we made along the way.
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