Paris & Normandy Seine River Cruise

Individual arrival in Paris by train, flight or car.

You may already treat yourself to a few wonderful days in Paris before the Seine river cruise.

Check-in on the Excellence Royal from 3 PM, moored in the heart of Paris.

Welcome aperitif and dinner on board.

At 21:30, the Excellence Royal departs from Paris and glides along the Seine towards Rouen.

Overnight on board as the ship sails through the night.

Breakfast buffet on board as the ship glides through the Seine Valley, passing beautiful landscapes and locks.

Around 11:00: Short stop in Les Andelys, a picturesque Norman village overlooked by the dramatic ruins of Château Gaillard, the hill fortress of Richard the Lionheart. Ideal for a short walk and photos in a medieval atmosphere.

Lunch buffet on board as the ship continues towards Rouen.

Around 18:00: Arrival in Rouen, the historic capital of Normandy, immortalised by Claude Monet and shaped by Joan of Arc.

Dinner on board.

Overnight in the port of Rouen.

Breakfast buffet on board.

Optional guided city walk of Rouen with a German-speaking guide (approx. 2½ hours): Explore the magnificent medieval old town: the impressive Notre Dame Cathedral, which Claude Monet painted more than 40 times, the great 15th-century clock tower, the place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, accused of heresy and witchcraft, and the old market with vegetables, cheese and seafood specialties.

Price per person: CHF 35.– · Minimum participants: 20

Optional guided visit to the Musée des Beaux-Arts (approx. 2½ hours). The German-language tour begins with a leisurely walk through Rouen's old town to the museum. Founded in 1801 after the French Revolution, expanded in 1888 and renovated in 1994, it houses around 2,500 paintings and sculptures, including works by Rubens, Caravaggio, Velázquez, Géricault, Delacroix and Modigliani. Those interested in Impressionism from 1860 to 1900 will find a rich collection of paintings by Monet, Sisley, Pissarro and Renoir. The museum is a key place for understanding the emergence of Impressionism in Normandy.

Price per person: CHF 45.– · Minimum participants: 8

Lunch buffet on board.

Free afternoon in Rouen: the ship remains within walking distance of the city centre.

Dinner on board.

After dinner, we invite you to a cozy one-hour chanson evening in the main lounge.

Overnight on board in the port of Rouen.

Breakfast buffet on board.

Optional full-day excursion to Mont Saint-Michel (approx. 11 hours) including a packed lunch. The coach journey takes you through the green landscapes of Normandy and Brittany to Mont Saint-Michel. The 2½-hour outward drive is more than compensated for by this mystical and spectacular World Heritage Site. With a German-speaking guide, explore the more than 1,000-year-old monastery on what is arguably the world's most beautiful hill. You will have plenty of time to explore the medieval village around the monastery on your own. The return journey takes a different route back to the ship, which has by then docked in Caudebec-en-Caux. Arrival for excursion guests is around 18:00.

Price per person: CHF 105.– · Minimum participants: 25

In the morning the Excellence Royal departs Rouen and winds along the Seine. In the late afternoon it docks in the small Norman village of Caudebec-en-Caux, where the famous Knights Templar once had a home.

Lunch buffet on board for guests not joining the Mont Saint-Michel excursion.

Optional gourmet excursion (approx. 3½ hours): A short walk leads to the elegant manor house of star chef David Görne. In an exclusive group, you sit directly in the kitchen and watch the maestro cook up close. Look forward to a refined 5-course menu, accompanied by fine wines and Calvados. Max. 14 people.

Dinner on board.

Overnight on board in the port of Caudebec-en-Caux.

Breakfast buffet on board.

Optional excursion to the chalk cliffs on the Normandy coast (approx. 4 hours). By coach and accompanied by a German-speaking guide, you travel about 1¼ hours to the towering cliffs immortalised by Claude Monet. See the iconic Elephant Rock with its natural arch, shaped over millennia. Free time for a stroll along the seafront promenade and the paths up to the cliffs and through the picturesque fishing village of Étretat. Return to the ship around 13:00.

Lunch on board the Excellence Royal.

The afternoon is dedicated to sailing on the Seine. Enjoy coffee and cake as the splendid landscape glides slowly past you. Visit the captain on the bridge and enjoy the river journey. We sail back past Rouen, and the ship moors for the night in a quiet harbour near Les Andelys.

Dinner on board.

Overnight on the ship.

The Excellence Royal continues towards Paris in the early morning.

Breakfast buffet on board.

Enjoy the last kilometres on the Seine and the lock passages into the centre of Paris.

Lunch buffet on board.

Arrival in Paris in the late afternoon.

Dinner on board.

Optional evening excursion: Moulin Rouge Dinner & Show including transfer. Experience the legendary Parisian cabaret with a spectacular show by more than 80 dancers in dazzling costumes. Before the show, enjoy an aperitif and dinner before the 90-minute performance begins. An evening to fall in love with.

Price per person: CHF 345.– (incl. apéritif, dinner & show plus return transfer) · CHF 225.– (incl. apéritif & show plus return transfer)

Minimum participants: 2

Overnight on board in Paris. The ship is staffed around the clock, and shore leave is possible at any time.

Breakfast buffet on board.

Check-out by 9:00 am at the latest.

Individual departure from Paris by train, flight or car, or extend your stay in Paris on your own.

Au revoir and until next time!