Sunset Vacations and Travel Planning is taking a river cruise in France, roundtrip from Paris, October 5-15, 2025. This is a chance to immerse into French culture, delve into history, and absorb beautiful scenery along the Seine. We hope you’ll consider joining Denise and Tom Koranek, along with other fun, like-minded travelers on this unique 5-star journey. Each day comes with a choice of three excursions of which you choose one; best of all, all are included at no additional cost on this all-inclusive getaway. Here’s a sampling of what’s offered.
Active excursions in Les Andelys: After leaving Paris, we’ll sail northwest to Les Andelys on the second day, a beautiful riverfront town overlooking the ruins of King Richard the Lionheart’s castle, Chateau Gaillard. For those feeling like an active day, you can choose to hike to the castle, exploring historic architecture along the way prior to wandering among the ancient ruins. Another excursion is a 5-mile bike ride past riverside scenery and Les Andelys’ 13th-century Gothic church with its impressive glass windows that date to the 16thcentury.
Somme Battlefields. We’ll spend days 3 and 4 in Rouen, the “city of a hundred spires” which is the capital city of the Normandy region. On offer is a full-day tour to the Somme Battlefields including Newfoundland Memorial Park. The Battle of the Somme claimed the lives of more than 150,000 British and French soldiers during World War I. After lunch you will also visit the Lochnager Crater created by a large mine placed beneath the German front lines on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Newfoundland Memorial Park is one of the largest areas on the western front where you can still see the shell holes and trenches from the ‘Great War’.
Cheese tasting near Honfleur. We’ll dock in the center of Honfleur on day 5, a colorful town on the coast known for having one of the most scenic harbor in France. Nearby you can visit the picturesque Norman village of Pont l’Eveque where you’ll learn the process of cheesemaking at a local producer and sample their famous cheeses. From there, the tour heads to Beuvron-en-Auge to learn about Calvados brandy. Like Champagne, this liqueur must be produced in the Normandy region in order to be called Calvados.
Normandy Beaches. On Day 6 while docked for a second day in Honfleur, learn about the D-Day Landings, where tens of thousands of allied troops came ashore to free northwest Europe from Nazi occupation. Six weeks of heavy fighting and losses followed by this campaign ultimately ended the war. This is a full day tour, somber but informative, starting at the memorial on Utah Beach, where more than 20,000 U.S. troops landed on June 6, 1944. Visit the Normandy American Cemetery and Visitor Center followed by the Omaha Beach Memorial. Omaha Beach is often referred to as “Bloody Omaha” as it resulted in the most casualties during the operation with more than 2,400 dead.
Tour of the Benedictine Palace. The ship stops in Caudebec-En-Caux on Day 7, where you can transfer by coach to Fecamp, a seaside town surrounded by some of the tallest cliffs in Normandy. Included on this excursion is a guided tour of the Benedictine Palace, an architectural masterpiece built in the 19th century, famous for the Benedictine liquor that is produced on site and is said to contain 27 plants and spices. After the tour, a tasting is included for you to enjoy.
Giverny, home of Claude Monet. Artists come to this quiet riverside town to walk in the footsteps of Claude Monet, the founder of French Impressionist painting. On day 8 you can choose to visit Monet’s house and gardens which includes a Japanese-inspired water garden with lilies, the very place that inspired his most famous paintings. After exploring the town, surrounded by hillsides with many walking paths, you may feel inspired to take a painting class offered on the ship in the evening.
This is a sampling of the excursions available on this 10-night river cruise. With three options to choose from daily, each day’s experience is crafted to match your interests and activity level. If you’re interested in joining this Sunset group tour along the Seine, including optional extensions in Paris or beyond, contact Denise today! Only a few staterooms remain.
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