Grand France 2013

Day 1: Paris
Arrive at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport where you will be transferred to your hotel.

Day 2: Paris
Featured Excursions: Choice of Paris city tour OR exclusive “Heart of Paris: Garnier to Comedie Francaise” walking tour

Your panoramic city tour will begin with a drive up the grand boulevard Champs-Élysées, where you will pass the Arc de Triomphe before stopping at the Champs de Mars for an opportunity to photograph the Eiffel Tower. Then continue on to Place Vendôme, Hôtel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Latin Quarter. Then it’s on to Les Invalides, the Louvre courtyard, and Luxembourg Gardens, where you will see a slice of daily Parisian life—gentlemen playing boules and children sailing boats on the glassy pond. Or get an intimate look at Parisian daily life on a walking tour that takes you on an up-close exploration of one of Paris’s neighborhoods. Wander from the Opera House to the Comédie-Française Theater, and get a glance at the Palais Royal gardens. (BB)

Day 3: Paris, transfer to the ship (embark)
Transfer from your hotel to the ship. (BB, D)

Day 4: Les Andelys, Rouen
Featured Excursion: Hike to Château Gaillard

Les Andelys was of considerable strategic importance during the Middle Ages, prompting King Richard the Lionheart to build a fortified castle to protect the Duchy of Normandy from the French King Philip II in the 12th century. Your adventure takes you on a hike to the English king’s stronghold to admire the remains of the impressive Château Gaillard. In the afternoon, take in the enchanting beauty of the Seine’s lovely countryside. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Gala)

Day 5: Rouen (Normandy Beaches)
Featured Excursions: Full-day Normandy Beaches and a Choice of D-Day Museum at Arromanches OR the Tapestry Museum in Bayeux OR June Beach and Canadian Center

Normandy’s proximity to the sea has made it the site of many battles, including the famous D-Day Invasion by Allied forces during WWII. Before visiting the beaches of Normandy, you’ll be taken to Mulberry Harbor at Arromanches. Spend time understanding the logistics of the Allied forces invasion when you visit the D-Day Museum, or drive to Bayeux, where you can appreciate the Medieval depiction of the Battle of Hastings on a tapestry from the 11th century. You’ll stop at the Allied landing sites at Omaha Beach before visiting a haunting reminder of the Allied forces’ hard fight for freedom—the American Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer. (BB, D)

Day 6: Rouen
Featured Excursions: Choice of walking tour of Rouen OR “In the Steps of the Impressionist Painters” walking tour

Rouen, founded in pre-Roman times and the Medieval capital of the region, has managed to preserve many notable buildings from its long history despite being invaded, conquered, and bombed countless times over the years. Your visit will take you to the stunning Gothic cathedral; the haunting Medieval quarter; and the Gros Horloge, a Renaissance clock tower. The walk ends at Vieux Marche, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by the English. Or see the sights that inspired the Impressionists, followed by a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts, which has the largest group of Impressionist paintings outside Paris. (BB, L, D)

Day 7: Caudebec-en-Caux (Honfleur)
Featured Excursion: Honfleur visit

After crossing the majestic Normandy Bridge spanning the river delta, travel overland to Honfleur, a charming French harbor town recreated in numerous paintings by such artists as Monet. You’ll be taken on a tour from the former smugglers’ harbor of Vieux Bassin—the most frequently painted scene in Honfleur—through the pedestrian streets to St. Catherine’s Church. (BB, L, D)

Day 8: Vernon (Giverny)
Featured Excursion: Monet’s Giverny

Visit Monet’s home in his beloved village of Giverny, where he lived for 43 years. Stroll through the gardens, where you will see the familiar Japanese bridge and water garden that so inspired this master’s work. (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)

Note: Giverny will be closed during the March 16, March 23, and October 26 cruise departure dates. Instead of Giverny, guests will visit Versailles Palace.

Day 9: Paris
Featured Excursions: Choice of Montmartre village OR exclusive “Heart of Paris: Ile de la Cite and Latin Quarter” walking tour

Climb Montmartre’s picturesque little hill, which is surrounded by a labyrinth of
extraordinary tiny streets and crowned by the Sacré Coeur. Take in the gorgeous views from this perch above the rooftops of Paris. Many fabulous figures have made this village their home, and you will understand why as this area of Paris provides the perfect setting to inspire. Or choose to take an intimate look at Parisian daily life with a “Heart of Paris” walking tour of the Île de la Cité, the epicenter of Paris and home to the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame. (BB, L, D)

Note: The Paris city tour is offered for cruise-only passengers.

Day 10: Paris (disembark), transfer to Lyon (embark)
Transfer from Paris to Lyon via TGV train (high-speed train).

Day 11: Chalon sur Saône (Beaune)
Featured Excursions: Beaune, Hospices de Beaune, and open-air food market visit

Located in the heart of Burgundy, Chalon sur Saône is an important center for France’s wine trade. From here, you will journey to nearby Beaune to visit the famous Hospices de Beaune, a charitable hospital founded by the Chancellor of Beaune in 1443. Marvel at the multicolored roofs of this architectural jewel, which has become one of the symbols of Burgundy. The hospice monks were given some vineyards in the 15th century so they could make wine to auction in order to help support charities, and to this day, the tradition continues.  (BB, Captain's Welcome Gala)

Day 12: Lyon
Featured Excursions: Choice of Lyon city tour OR exclusive “See Lyon as the Lyonnais Do”

Lyon is the country’s lively and creative capital of gastronomy. The city’s origins date to the first century, when it was founded by the Romans, but it didn’t become an economic power in the region until the 15th century, when it was the center of France’s printing industry. A couple of centuries later, Lyon’s silk looms employed half the city’s population, who produced textiles that were famous the world over. Now France’s second largest conurbation, the city is a commercial powerhouse and the proud possessor of a UNESCO World Heritage-designated Old Town. Your tour starts with a drive to the Basilique Notre Dame de Fourvière, Lyon’s hallmark church, for a dramatic view of the town, which was built at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers. From the motorcoach, you will view Terreaux Square, the Musée des Beaux-Arts, and the Opera House. Or opt for an intimate exploration of Lyon on foot, venturing into the alleyways, courtyards, and traboules (historic passageways) of the St. Jean old quarter. Some of these passageways were constructed by the Romans, but most owe their existence to 19th-century silk weavers—and WWII resistance fighters found them pretty handy. (BB, L, D)

Day 13: Tournon, Tain l'Hermitage
Featured Excursion: Tournon walking tour with wine tasting

Nestled among famous vineyards, the twin cities of Tournon and Tain l’Hermitage are an ideal destination for those who are true connoisseurs of wine. Visit Tournon and its historic castle, then cross the Marc Seguin suspension bridge and indulge in some mid-valley Côtes du Rhône wines from the Hermitage, a wine-growing district credentialed by Louis XIV. If you love chocolate, you might want to stop by the Valrhona shop too. (BB, L, D)

Day 14: Viviers, Avignon
Featured Excursion: Viviers walking tour and organ concert

Lovely Viviers, developed around its Romanesque cathedral, retains much of its historic charm. Your tour of Viviers starts in Old Town with an introduction to the city. You will take the Rue Chévrerie to Porte Riquot, then climb Rue du Château to reach St. Vincent Cathedral, where you will enjoy an organ concert. Finally, you will walk through the Medieval streets of this delightful town on your way back to the ship. (BB, L, D)

Day 15: Avignon
Featured Excursions: Choice of Avignon walking tour and Palace of the Popes OR exclusive “Back Streets of Avignon” tour

Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, brims with history, culture, art, and life, and you will capture all of that on your walking tour of the “City of the Popes.” Start at the Medieval ramparts and continue to Clocktower Square, where the colorful café terraces face the magnificent City Hall, the Opera Theatre, and the classic mansions. Then, it’s on to Popes’ Palace Square for an inside view of the maze of galleries, chambers, and chapels that make up the grand Palace of the Popes, where seven 14th-century popes resided during a turbulent period in church history. Or opt for a tour of Avignon’s back streets, with a walk through hidden alleys, secret squares with sparkling fountains, and the flower market. You will have leisure time to enjoy more of this magical city on your own. Check out the cheese shops, where you may find 50 kinds of chevre for sale, or linger on the shady terrace of a courtyard cafe with a cool drink. (BB, L, D)

Day 16: Arles
Featured Excursion: Arles walking tour and open-air food market visit

Vincent van Gogh found inspiration in the charming town of Arles and you will, too. Under the spell of the Provençal light and the vivid colors of nature, he spent a period of intense and impassioned work under these bright sunny skies. In fact, he produced more than 300 paintings and drawings in 15 months, including Starry Night. During your walking tour, discover Van Gogh’s Arles as well as a fascinating wealth of Roman monuments, such as the Amphitheater and Constantine’s baths. Afterwards, visit open-air market and sample some of its delicacies. (BB, L, D)

Day 17: Arles (disembark), transfer to Marseille airport
Disembark the ship in Arles and transfer to the Marseille International Airport for your return flight home, or extend your stay in Aix-en-Provence. (CB/BB) 

From the bridges of Paris to the beaches of Normandy and the sunny landscapes of the Mediterranean, you will experience all of France in unsurpassed style and comfort. Sail north and explore world-famous Paris. Discover the charming towns of Honfleur and Giverny that inspired the Impressionists. See the beaches of Normandy where Allied forces landed during WWII’s D-Day Invasion and visit Rouen where Joan of Arc was martyred.

As you sail south through Burgundy and Provence from Chalon sur Saône to Arles, you will enjoy lively towns and gorgeous landscapes. Visit Lyon, the culinary capital of France. Walk through the streets of Arles, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the town immortalised by Van Gogh in over 300 of his paintings and drawings. And explore the well-preserved Medieval city of Avignon, with its spectacular Palace of the Popes. Grand France offers you the very best of France.

• 14-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on the alluring River Baroness and the breathtaking River Royale
• 2 nights in Paris at the superior first-class Radisson Blu Ambassador Hotel* (or similar) with breakfast
• All transfers on arrival and departure days 
• All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
• 16 breakfasts, 10 lunches, 14 dinners
• 2 Captain’s Welcome Galas and 2 Farewell Dinners
• Complimentary fine wine, beer, and soft drinks during lunch and dinner onboard; bottled water replenished daily in your stateroom; and 24-hour specialty coffee and tea station
• 20 excursions, including 7 “Choice Is Yours” options, fully hosted by English-speaking local expert
• Exclusive Go Active Program and "Gentle Walking" Program
• 4 UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
• State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio headset system on all shore excursions
• Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks throughout your cruise
• Captivating onboard local entertainment
• 2 Signature Lectures
• Exclusive Epicurean Adventurer Program™

Paris: Radisson Blu Ambassador Hotel
Cruising: Cabin aboard River Baroness & River Royale

Aix-en-Provence
3 days - $949 per person (single supplement $349)

Experience the joie de vivre of the South of France in Aix-en-Provence—famed home of Paul Cezanne and Emile Zola. With its abundance of revered fountains, charming squares, quaint streets, and gourmet delights, this classical Provençal town provides an inspirational starting or ending point for your “Burgundy & Provence” river cruise.

Extension will be offered between May 5 and November 3 sailings.

• Cabin upgrades are available.
• Hotel is subject to change.
• Prices exclude additional port charges of $280.
• A limited number of singles are available for an additional supplement.
• Please ask your Vacations To Go travel counselor for more information.

* The prices shown are U.S. dollars per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability. Prices quoted for land/cruise arrangements are subject to increase without notice. Once we have received your deposit, land/cruise prices are guaranteed. Air prices quoted via phone or email are subject to increase and are guaranteed only from the time that full payment is received. Also, air prices or air promotions mentioned on this site or on the phone do not include baggage fees imposed by airlines. Sorry, we are unable to offer air from countries other than the U.S. However, for those international customers who are able to arrange their own transportation to the trip origination city, we are able to offer the land/cruise portion of the package at the price quoted.