France Intensive Voyage Cruise

Day 1 - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Arrive: Tue 06 September 2022 / Depart: Tue 06 September 2022 at 17:00

Amsterdam has a personality all its own, including a long time reputation for tolerance. You'll be thinking of tulips and wooden shoes, perhaps Heineken beer, and some of the city's past inhabitants: Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Anne Frank, who wrote her famous diary hidden in a canal-side house. But do you know that Amsterdam has more canals than Venice (connecting a jigsaw puzzle of 90 islands), joined by some 1280 bridges (many illuminated by fairy lights at night)? Or that it boasts the oldest stock exchange in the world?

Day 2 - Zeebrugge

Arrive: Wed 07 September 2022 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 07 September 2022 at 17:00

In Bruges you can lose yourself in another time, wandering the maze of winding lanes or drifting along the canals of its medieval core, the whole of which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can also have a wonderful time discovering the fascinating stories behind the products for which Belgium is famous, in an unexpected array of museums. For sparkle visit the Diamond Museum, and for exquisite artistry the Lace Center. At Choco-Story, learn all about chocolate’s origins and production. And for lots of fun and more tempting tastes, don’t miss the Frietmuseum, dedicated to Belgian Fries, and presented with no doubt as to who actually invented this universally adored snack.

Day 3 - Rouen, France

Arrive: Thu 08 September 2022 at 13:00

The first thing you will notice as you approach Rouen is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, towering high above the city, its 490-foot cast-iron spire the tallest in France. Get lost in the old town where half-timbered houses line a labyrinth of lanes, and stop for a moment at the Rehabilitation Cross, marking the spot where in 1431 Joan of Arc was consigned to the flames. Paris, City of Light, arbiter of fashion, food and wine, and radiating romance, is within easy reach. Stroll along the Champs Elysées, the most beautiful avenue in the world, take in the view from the Eiffel Tower, or immerse yourself in that nirvana for art lovers - the Louvre..

Day 4 - Rouen, France

Depart: Fri 09 September 2022

The first thing you will notice as you approach Rouen is the Cathedral of Notre Dame, towering high above the city, its 490-foot cast-iron spire the tallest in France. Get lost in the old town where half-timbered houses line a labyrinth of lanes, and stop for a moment at the Rehabilitation Cross, marking the spot where in 1431 Joan of Arc was consigned to the flames. Paris, City of Light, arbiter of fashion, food and wine, and radiating romance, is within easy reach. Stroll along the Champs Elysées, the most beautiful avenue in the world, take in the view from the Eiffel Tower, or immerse yourself in that nirvana for art lovers - the Louvre..

Day 5 - Honfleur

Arrive: Sat 10 September 2022 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 10 September 2022 at 18:00

Honfleur is a lively town and a bustling port, where fishermen can be seen hauling in the daily catch. The maritime influence is everywhere evident; even the handsome church of Sainte Catherine has an oak ceiling that resembles the hull of an overturned ship. The charming square surrounding the church gives way to narrow cobbled lanes of half-timbered houses, elegant manors, and tall, narrow town houses. The quality of light has long attracted artists, including a particularly illustrious group, among them Monet, Corot, Turner, Courbet, Millet, Seurat – all of whom stayed at a little thatched inn called the Saint Siméon, now Honfleur's most luxurious hotel.

Day 6 - Cherbourg

Arrive: Sun 11 September 2022 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 11 September 2022 at 21:00

Cherbourg is a naval base on the northwest coast of France, with an important military history and roots that stretch back to the 9th century Viking invasion. The town was occupied by Germans during World War II and liberated by Allies following the invasion of Normandy, so a visit to the Musée de la Libération, which serves as a memorial of the events, will provide insight into the region’s important past; or take a day-trip along the Norman countryside to famed D-Day beaches, battlefields, bunkers and monuments. Art aficionados should see the Musée d’art Thomas Henry, which boasts an impressive collection of Italian Renaissance and Flemish works, and the iconic Mont Saint-Michel, a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey. However, the Cité de la Mer is the stop that tops everyone’s list. Originally constructed to handle two ocean liners this building is now home to a de-commissioned nuclear submarine, an aquarium and exhibits of sea life.

Day 7 - St Malo

Arrive: Mon 12 September 2022 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 12 September 2022 at 20:00

The walled city of St. Malo is a quaint maze of fine old buildings, museums, and cafés serving Breton specialties of crepes and cider. Stroll along the ramparts, walk the cobblestone streets, and hear tales of corsairs, privateers grown rich off captured ships and their booty, authorized by the government during wartime, in order to hinder the enemy. Nearby is the rocky tidal island of Mont St. Michel. The perfect spot for a religious retreat, the first monastic settlement was built here in the 8th century, and the Romanesque church that is its crowning glory in the 11th.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Nantes

Arrive: Wed 14 September 2022 at 08:00

Located on the Loire River, just 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Nantes was founded by the Celts in 70 BC, and since that time, has a venerable history. Today, with its many eco-friendly initiatives, biodiversity, great public transportation system and myriad of attractions—not to mention fantastic local wine, seafood and crepes—Nantes is regarded as one of the most livable and innovative cities in Europe. Visit the Jardin des Plante for one of the best botanical gardens in France, the Musée des Beaux-Arts for one of the finest collections of French paintings outside of Paris (with works by Chagall, Monet and Picasso), or the popular Musée Jules Verne, which includes a retrospective of the work of author Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828. At night, make your way to Hanger a Bananes for its eclectic group of restaurants, bars and clubs.

Day 10 - Nantes

Depart: Thu 15 September 2022 at 17:00

Located on the Loire River, just 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Nantes was founded by the Celts in 70 BC, and since that time, has a venerable history. Today, with its many eco-friendly initiatives, biodiversity, great public transportation system and myriad of attractions—not to mention fantastic local wine, seafood and crepes—Nantes is regarded as one of the most livable and innovative cities in Europe. Visit the Jardin des Plante for one of the best botanical gardens in France, the Musée des Beaux-Arts for one of the finest collections of French paintings outside of Paris (with works by Chagall, Monet and Picasso), or the popular Musée Jules Verne, which includes a retrospective of the work of author Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828. At night, make your way to Hanger a Bananes for its eclectic group of restaurants, bars and clubs.

Day 11 - Bordeaux

Arrive: Fri 16 September 2022

Bordeaux’s fortunes have long been tied to viticulture, beginning with an expansion of the wine trade with England in the 14th century. As a result it is a handsome and cohesive city of uniform classical and neoclassical style, with monumental buildings and many fine mansions financed by the almighty grape. The nearby countryside is alive with wine chateaux sporting impressive appellations such as Pauillac, Sauternes, Margaux, and Saint-Emilion. A visit is an excellent opportunity to learn more about wine production and appreciation, which of course requires a considerable amount of tasting to accomplish.

Day 12 - Bordeaux

Depart: Sat 17 September 2022

Bordeaux’s fortunes have long been tied to viticulture, beginning with an expansion of the wine trade with England in the 14th century. As a result it is a handsome and cohesive city of uniform classical and neoclassical style, with monumental buildings and many fine mansions financed by the almighty grape. The nearby countryside is alive with wine chateaux sporting impressive appellations such as Pauillac, Sauternes, Margaux, and Saint-Emilion. A visit is an excellent opportunity to learn more about wine production and appreciation, which of course requires a considerable amount of tasting to accomplish.