Itinerary
- Day 1
Nice
You'll arrive in France with the afternoon and evening ahead of you. The French Riviera stretches along the Mediterranean coast from Toulon all the way to the Italian border, and you have free time to get oriented and see what catches your interest on this beautiful coastline.
Optional Activities
- Explore the French Riviera at your own pace
Landmarks/POIs French Riviera - Day 2
Nice
A guided tour takes you through Nice, known as the Queen of the French Riviera. You'll walk the narrow, winding streets of Vieux Nice and see the baroque churches in the old city, a neighborhood that's stayed largely unchanged since the 1700s and really gives you a sense of the area's history.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing in Nice
- Explore Vieux Nice (Old City) with its narrow, winding streets and baroque churches
Landmarks/POIs Vieux Nice (Old Town) - Day 3
Nice to Arles
This morning you'll board your Avalon Suite Ship. A motorcoach picks you up and takes you to the ship, where you'll settle in for your first night. The ship heads toward Arles and docks there overnight so you can explore starting tomorrow.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Motorcoach transfer to board Avalon Suite Ship
- Day 4
Arles
The Adventure Center has three options for you: a power walk with your Adventure Host, a painting workshop where you'll learn Vincent van Gogh techniques, or a guided walking tour of Arles that includes the Roman Amphitheater. Later you'll have free time at Café Van Gogh before lunch, then the ship sails to Avignon with crepes served onboard.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Crêpes lunch onboard), Dinner
Included Activities
- Power Walk in Arles with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Walking Tour of Arles with visit to Roman Amphitheater (choice of activities)
- Crêpes lunch onboard
Optional Activities
- Painting Workshop - learn techniques of Vincent van Gogh and create your own painting (choice of activities)
- Stop at Café Van Gogh for wine
Landmarks/POIs Roman Amphitheater (Arles) Café Van Gogh - Day 5
Avignon
You get a guided tour of Avignon, the fortress city surrounded by ramparts with the Palace of the Popes as the main attraction. Optional excursions let you visit the ancient Roman aqueduct at Pont du Gard or the wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Free time lets you check out the city's art, culture, theaters, and museums, and there's live entertainment on the ship this evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing Tour of Avignon
- Visit to Palace of the Popes
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Pont du Gard (ancient Roman aqueduct)
- Guided Optional Excursion to Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine cellars for wine tasting
- Explore Avignon's art and culture at your own pace
- Visit city theatres and museums
- Photograph the countryside, historic monuments, and Pont Saint-Bénézet
- Onboard live entertainment
Landmarks/POIs Palace of the Popes Pont du Gard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pont Saint-Bénézet - Day 6
Avignon to Tain l'Hermitage
You'll sail leisurely toward Viviers in the morning with two choices: walk up to the hilltop Cathedral with your Adventure Host or explore the Old Town on a guided walk that includes local food tastings. From there the ship continues to Tain l'Hermitage for the evening and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Walk to Viviers' hilltop Cathedral with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided walk through Viviers Old Town with included local culinary tasting (choice of activities)
Landmarks/POIs Viviers Cathedral - Day 7
Tain l'Hermitage to Lyon
The Adventure Center offers a morning hike with your Adventure Host, a guided walking tour of Tournon to see its 16th-century castle, or an early afternoon cruise to Lyon. On the ship you'll watch a pastry demonstration by a French chef and then sit down to a French cuisine tasting dinner paired with wines, hosted by a Certified Sommelier, with live entertainment afterward.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (French cuisine tasting dinner with wine pairing)
Included Activities
- Morning hike in Tournon with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Walking Tour of Tournon - medieval city with 16th-century castle (choice of activities)
- Pastry demonstration by French chef onboard
- French cuisine tasting dinner with wine pairing
Landmarks/POIs Tournon Castle - Day 8
Lyon to Tournus
Choose between a culinary walk through Lyon to see why it's the gastronomic capital of France or a guided sightseeing tour from Fourvière Hill covering churches and the medieval Old Town. You can spend free time biking through town squares and along the riverbanks where the Rhône and Saône meet. Dinner onboard is inspired by legendary chef Paul Bocuse, and you'll have live entertainment as the ship sails to Tournus.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Unique dinner inspired by legendary chef Paul Bocuse)
Included Activities
- Culinary Walk through Lyon (choice of activities)
- Guided Sightseeing Tour from Fourvière Hill including churches, Old Town with medieval alleyways, Place des Terreaux (choice of activities)
- Unique dinner inspired by legendary chef Paul Bocuse onboard
Optional Activities
- Bike through Lyon's town squares, over bridges, and along riverbanks
Landmarks/POIs Fourvière Hill Place des Terreaux - Day 9
Tournus to Chalon-sur-Saône
You'll travel into the rolling Mâconnais region to learn about the world-famous Chardonnay vineyards there and do a wine tasting in a medieval castle's cellars. Back on the ship while sailing to Chalon-sur-Saône, you'll have a cheese tasting and live entertainment in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Travel to Mâconnais region to learn about Chardonnay vineyards
- Wine tasting in medieval castle cellars
- Cheese tasting onboard
Landmarks/POIs Mâconnais Region - Day 10
Chalon-sur-Saône to Paris
You'll drive to Beaune to visit the Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital built in 1443, which features Van der Weyden's painting and is one of France's architectural highlights. In the afternoon you take a high-speed train from Dijon to Paris, board your Suite Ship, and cruise overnight toward Vernon.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital in Beaune
- High-speed train from Dijon to Paris
Landmarks/POIs Hôtel-Dieu Charity Hospital (Beaune) - Day 11
Les Andelys
The Adventure Center offers three options: explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot, take a guided tour of Giverny where Claude Monet lived and created his masterpieces with beautiful gardens, or visit Bizy Castle. You'll have a traditional French crepes lunch and a pastry demonstration while sailing to Les Andelys, then choose between a hike to Château Gaillard's castle ruins or a guided walk through Les Andelys before heading to Caudebec for the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes), Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Chateau des Tourelles in Vernon by foot with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Tour of Giverny - Claude Monet's home, residence and gardens (choice of activities)
- Guided Visit to Bizy Castle (Normandy's Versailles) (choice of activities)
- Traditional French crêpes luncheon onboard
- Pastry Demonstration onboard
- Guided Hike to Château Gaillard castle ruins (choice of activities)
- Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys (choice of activities)
Landmarks/POIs Chateau des Tourelles (Vernon) Giverny Bizy Castle Château Gaillard - Day 12
Caudebec
You can take a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host or a guided trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route, where over 100 medieval abbeys and churches line the Seine. An optional excursion in the afternoon takes you to the old seaside town of Honfleur. There's an onboard lecture about Normandy's D-Day history, and you'll stay overnight in Caudebec.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Trip along Normandy Abbeys Route with medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches (choice of activities)
- Onboard Lecture about Normandy D-Day landing (before and after)
Optional Activities
- Relaxing bike ride along the river with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Optional Excursion to Honfleur (old seaside town)
Landmarks/POIs Normandy Abbeys Route Honfleur - Day 13
Caudebec to Rouen
Pick from three guided tour options: Normandy's WWII landing beaches including Omaha Beach and the American Cemetery, British and Canadian commemorative sites, or authentic Normandy traditions with a brandy tasting in Calvados. You'll have live entertainment onboard before the ship sails to Rouen in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Tour of Normandy WWII landing beaches (choice of activities)
- Guided Tour of British and Canadian commemorative sites (choice of activities)
- Guided Tour of authentic Normandy traditions with brandy tasting in Calvados (choice of activities)
Landmarks/POIs Omaha Beach Pointe du Hoc American Cemetery (Normandy) Pegasus Memorial Arromanches Juno Beach Center Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - Day 14
Rouen to Conflans
Choose between a guided bike tour of Rouen's famous monuments and hidden spots, or a guided walking tour of the medieval quarter featuring the 16th-century Astronomical Clock, Notre-Dame Cathedral, and sites related to Joan of Arc. The ship heads to Conflans for the evening and overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided Bike Tour of Rouen (choice of activities)
- Guided Walking Tour of Rouen - medieval quarter with Astronomical Clock and Notre-Dame Cathedral (choice of activities)
Landmarks/POIs Notre-Dame Cathedral (Rouen) Astronomical Clock (Rouen) - Day 15
Conflans to Paris
Three activities are available: a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, a guided visit to Auvers-sur-Oise where Vincent van Gogh lived and is buried, or a guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison, home to Napoleon and his wife Josephine. An optional excursion takes you to the Palace of Versailles. Live entertainment happens onboard as you cruise to Paris.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Relaxing bike ride along the Seine with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise - home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh (choice of activities)
- Guided tour of Château de Malmaison - home of Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine (choice of activities)
Optional Activities
- Guided Optional Excursion to Palace of Versailles
Landmarks/POIs Auvers-sur-Oise Château de Malmaison Palace of Versailles - Day 16
Paris
The Adventure Center has activities including a Seine river walk with your Adventure Host, a guided walk covering the Palais-Royal and Louvre pyramid through the Left Bank and Latin Quarter, or a guided city tour of iconic Paris sites like the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier, and Champs-Élysées. You can explore Paris on your own or settle in at a literary café with wine. You'll stay overnight docked in Paris.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Experience Seine river by foot with Adventure Host (choice of activities)
- Guided Walk featuring Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, Île de la Cité, Left Bank, Latin Quarter (choice of activities)
- Guided City Tour of iconic Paris sites including Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier, Champs-Élysées (choice of activities)
Optional Activities
- Stroll through Paris at your own pace
- Enjoy wine at a literary café on the Left Bank
Landmarks/POIs Palais-Royal Louvre Museum Île de la Cité Latin Quarter Arc de Triomphe Eiffel Tower Opéra Garnier Champs-Élysées - Day 17
Paris to London
After breakfast you'll say goodbye to the Avalon cruise. An included transfer takes you to the train station where you board the high-speed Eurostar train to London in Standard class.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Included transfer to train station
- High-speed Eurostar train to London (Standard class)
- Day 18
London
Your morning guided sightseeing tour covers London's famous landmarks, driving past the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall's mounted horseguards, Downing Street, Buckingham Palace, and Piccadilly Circus. You'll also visit St. Paul's Cathedral (unless it's Sunday), Sir Christopher Wren's masterpiece with its iconic dome.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided Sightseeing tour of London
- Drive past Houses of Parliament and Big Ben
- Drive past Westminster Abbey
- Drive past Whitehall's mounted horseguards
- Drive past Prime Minister's Downing Street
- Drive past Buckingham Palace and Piccadilly Circus
- Visit St. Paul's Cathedral (except Sundays)
Landmarks/POIs Houses of Parliament Big Ben Westminster Abbey Whitehall Downing Street Buckingham Palace Piccadilly Circus St. Paul's Cathedral - Day 19
London
You have a free day to explore London however you'd like. You could ride the London Eye for views over the city, tour Windsor Castle's State Apartments, catch a West End show, have dinner at a traditional pub, or take a nighttime cruise on the Thames River.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Ride on the London Eye for views over the city
- Visit Windsor Castle for a tour of the State Apartments
- See one of the West End shows
- Dinner at a traditional London pub
- Relaxing nighttime cruise on the Thames River
Landmarks/POIs London Eye Windsor Castle Thames River - Day 20
London
Your vacation ends after breakfast this morning.
- Meals
- Breakfast
