Exclusive Features of your French River Cruise

• 6 days of Tom Lynch's plein air watercolor instruction
• Full-day excursion to the Normandy beaches and D-Day sites
• Features the deluxe ms River Venture — the best river cruise ship on the Seine River
• Includes historic Honfleur, one of the few Seine river cruises to do so
• D-Day 70th Anniversary tour to the Normandy beaches & American Cemetery
• 29 meals and wine with dinner every night aboard ship, including a Normandy-style dinner and entertainment ashore at Abbey Valasse / Commanderie des Templiers
• Onboard entertainment every night — including a Parisian Cabaret show, jazz and folk ensembles, and swing classics
• Lectures on impressionist painters, WWII & Normandy
• French language lesson
• Normandy apple tart-making demonstration
• Complimentary use of bicycles aboard ship
• Pub crawl in Honfleur
• Paris city tour
• Walking tours of Vernon and Honfleur
• Bayeux Tapestry tour
• Abbey trail tour
• Coffee and cake with a French family in their home
• and more!

Highlights Preview

Normandy Beaches & D-Day Sites
Visit the Normandy beaches that took their place in history on D-Day: June 6, 1944. At cliff-top Pointe du Hoc, see where German guns threatened the critical landings. Then, continue on to Omaha Beach, where brave US troops stormed ashore. This poignant experience also includes a remembrance ceremony at the Normandy American Cemetery, where nearly 10,000 soldiers are buried. And visit the D-Day Museum in Arromanches to learn about construction of the artificial Mulberry Harbor, part of which remains visible nearby.

Giverny & Monet’s Garden
This historic village on the banks of the Seine is where Impressionist Claude Monet found a home - and his muse. Discover lush flower gardens designed by the artist himself and the Japanese bridge that inspired many of his paintings.

Rouen
In the city where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431, your guided tour includes entry into the beautiful Rouen Cathedral, which Monet so brilliantly captured in his renowned series of paintings.

Honfleur
Arrive by sea at this historic port city so beloved by the Impressionists. Vantage is one of the few companies licensed to sail out of the harbor here, offering you a unique view of Honfleur’s inspiring and picturesque waterfront.

Les Andelys
This pretty, half-timbered town is tucked into a bend where the Seine winds past white limestone cliffs. High above, you’ll see the ruins of Château Gaillard, built by England’s Richard the Lionheart in the 12th century to guard his Normandy holdings. You may take a leisurely tour of this charming town or opt to explore the fortress ruins up close.

Paris & Banks of the Seine
Your guided tour of the French capital includes all the “must-see” sights, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe. You’ll also visit Notre Dame — on the banks of the Seine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and stop outside of Les Invalides, the former military hospital that now holds Napoleon’s tomb. (Please note: Travelers who have booked the Paris optional extension will visit the Musée d’Orsay instead.)