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Seine River Cruise: Paris to the Normandy Beaches
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Fly into: Paris
Fly out of: Paris
Total Duration: 7 days
This week-long river cruise will take you through Paris, the Ile de France, and Normandy. Along the way you'll see such historic places as Monet's home of 40 years, Joan of Arc's final resting place, and the World War II landing beaches at Normandy. Each stop is along the Seine, so it's perfect as a river cruise—or of course the trip can be driven instead.
- History
- Art and Culture
- Great River Cruise
This Trip's Top Experiences:
Days 1-3
ErickN/Shutterstock
1 Paris
City of Light
- Get a view of the city from the top of the Eiffel Tower
- An hour at the Louvre is enough to see two of the top draws—the Venus de Milo and the Mona Lisa.
- Explore iconic Notre-Dame cathedral
Day 4
Spedona/wikipedia.org
2 Vernon and Giverny
Monet's House
- Tour Vernon's Old Town, on the banks of the Seine, with its magisterial Gothic church and fine timber-frame houses
- Make your pilgrimage to Monet's house and garden, where he lived for more than 40 years, to see the legendary water lilies
- Learn more about the Impressionist movement at the newly reconceived and excellent Musée des Impressionismes
Day 5
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3 Rouen
City of a Hundred Spires
- Many of Rouen's most important edifices are churches, including the Cathédral Notre-Dame, which has the highest spire in France
- See the inner workings of the giant Gros-Horloge clock before rambling down its namesake street, the most popular in town
- Don't miss the Musée des Beaux-Arts' scintillating collection of paintings from the 16th to the 20th centuries
Day 6
Pete Hoffman/shutterstock
4 Normandy Beaches
A Historic Place
- Take in the rugged terrain and windswept sand of Omaha Beach
- The most spectacular scenery along the coast is at the Pointe du Hoc, where a granite memorial commemorates one of the most heroic episodes of World War II
- Visit the American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach
Day 7
Osbern/wikipedia.org
5 Les Andelys
The Picturesque Seine
- Tour the ruins of Chateau-Gaillard, perched above the Seine
- Explore Petit-Andelys, a tiny village with charming small restaurants and cafés
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