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www.rivercruisetours.com A division of the Atlas Travel Network |
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GRAND FRANCE (WPA2010) A 17-Day tour starting from $4,429 |
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Live, experienced travel consultants available:
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About This Tour |
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Vacation Overview This fantastic vacation combines two exciting river cruises and showcases the variety that France has to offer—from its scenery to its food and drink! Embark in Paris, heading northwest along the Seine into the picturesque Normandy region. Experience Vincent van Gogh’s Auvers-sur-Oise, Claude Monet’s stunning gardens at Giverny, Joan of Arc’s Rouen, dramatic Château Gaillard at Les Andelys, and take an included excursion to the historic Normandy landing beaches or sample creamy camembert cheese and Calvados apple brandy—delicacies for which northern France is famous! Heading south, discover charming cities along the Saône and Rhône Rivers, including fascinating Beaune, Chalon-sur-Saône, Tournus, and Mâcon. Then, on to Lyon, France’s gastronomic capital, as well as medieval Tournon, charming Viviers, Avignon, Arles, and the stunning Côte d’Azur. |
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What's Included? |
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Meals Buffet breakfast (B) in Côte d’Azur; superb dining with all meals on board daily featuring full breakfast (B), lunch (L), and dinner (D), including a welcome reception, Captain's reception, and farewell dinner; quality wines from Europe's most famous wine regions with every dinner; one sitting with open seating arrangements; Complimentary wine, beer, or soft drinks with all onboard dinners; Complimentary coffee and tea available throughout the day Hotels Côte d’Azur Boscolo Plaza, Nice (SF) |
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Sightseeing / Highlights |
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City Highlights Cruise: Deluxe 14-night cruise from Paris to Paris and Chalon-sur-Saône to Arles in an outside stateroom with hotel-style beds Paris: Guided sightseeing Conflans: Choice of guided excursion to Auvers-sur-Oise or Saint-Germaine-en-Laye Vernon: Choice of guided excursion to Giverny or Bizy Castle Rouen: Guided sightseeing, Astronomical Clock, visit the Cathedral; choice of excursion to Normandy landing beaches or “A Taste of Normandy” Les Andelys: Orientation; Château Gaillard Beaune: Orientation walk; Hôtel Dieu Lyon: Guided sightseeing; picture stop on Fourvière Hill Tournon: Orientation walk Viviers: Guided walk; visit Old Town and the cathedral Avignon: Guided sightseeing, visit Palace of the Popes Arles: Guided sightseeing, visit the Roman Amphitheater Nice: Orientation walk of Old TownNotes:In the event of water level problems on stretches of any river, it may be necessary to operate part of the itinerary by motorcoach.Included visits and special features are subject to change. If a change is necessary, a substitute will be offered. Ship Avalon CreativityAvalon Scenery® |
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Your Itinerary |
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| Day 1: (Mon.) Board your overnight transatlantic flight. Day 2: Paris, France (Embarkation). (Tue.) Welcome to Paris, France’s capital on the River Seine. This afternoon, board your river cruise vessel and meet your crew at a WELCOME RECEPTION. (D) Day 3: Paris. (Wed.) Paris’ famous sights are living history: your included city sightseeing shows you magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, the unique Louvre Museum with its glass pyramid as a contrast to its ancient architecture, the commemorative Arc de Triomphe, Opéra, Madeleine, Champs Elysées, and the Eiffel Tower, a structural miracle of its age. The city is well known for its colorful nightlife, including some of the world’s most famous cabaret shows. (B,L,D) Day 4: Paris–Conflans. (Thu.) Enjoy a relaxing morning on the Sky Deck as your ship slips its moorings and glides gently down the River Seine. This afternoon, dock at Conflans—and now the choice is yours: either join our guided excursion to AUVERS-SUR-OISE, the quaint little town where Vincent Van Gogh lived and died, or the guided visit to SAINT-GERMAIN-EN-LAYE, which boasts a 14th-century château with views over the Seine Valley toward Paris. (B,L,D) Day 5: Vernon. (Fri.) This morning, choose between a guided visit of Claude Monet’s house and stunning gardens at GIVERNY or a visit of BIZY CASTLE with its magnificent courtyard. Relax on board this afternoon or take your pick of a number of optional excursions on offer. (B,L,D) Day 6: Rouen. (Sat.) Rouen is the capital of Upper Normandy, perhaps best known for its connection to Joan of Arc, who lived, was imprisoned, and burned at the stake in the marketplace of this town in 1431. Enjoy the guided walk through the medieval quarter with its half-timbered, glazed-tile houses, and the Gros Horloge, an intricate ASTRONOMICAL CLOCK. The splendid gothic CATHEDRAL was once the tallest building in the world and the subject of a series of Claude Monet’s paintings. (B,L,D) Day 7: Rouen. (Sun.) Make your choice today between an included excursion to the historic Normandy landing beaches—with poignant sites such as Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery—or a “Taste of Normandy” for a more in-depth look at this picturesque, mainly agricultural region. This afternoon we explore the Calvados region, famous for apple brandy and cider. (B,L,D) Day 8: Les Andelys. (Mon.) The most dramatic sight along the Seine is imposing CHÂTEAU GAILLARD at Les Andelys. Built by England’s King Richard the Lionheart in 1196, the château is truly a masterpiece of Middle Ages military architecture. (B,L,D) Day 9: Paris (Disembarkation)–Beaune–Chalon-sur-Saône (Embarkation). (Tue.) After breakfast today, bid farewell to the crew of the Avalon Creativity and head south into Burgundy. Beaune owes its wealth to the production, aging, and selling of fine wines. Its most famous historical site, the HÔTEL-DIEU charity hospital, houses Van der Weyden’s painting of the Last Judgement and is one of France’s architectural highlights. Enjoy a TASTING of Burgundy wines before continuing to Chalon-sur-Saône, where you’ll board the Avalon Scenery. Before dinner, meet your crew at a WELCOME RECEPTION. (B,D) Day 10: Chalon-sur-Saône–Tournus–Mâcon. (Wed.) This morning, explore the NICÉPHORE NIÉPCE photography museum in Chalon-sur-Saône at your own pace. After lunch, enjoy free time in Tournus. The cloister of St. Philibert or the Burgundy Museum’s folklore collection, located in an old family mansion, are worth a visit. Later, cruise to Mâcon. A choice of optional excursions, including a visit to a wine cellar, is available. (B,L,D) Day 11: Beaujolais Region–Lyon. (Thu.) Enjoy a leisurely morning cruising on the Rhône. Lyon is France’s second-largest city and its gastronomic capital. Founded by the Romans in 43 BC, the city’s prosperity dates back to the 16th century and is due to commercial, industrial, and banking activities. Beaujolais is the wine of the region and wine connoisseurs will know that the grapes must be hand picked. An optional dinner gives gourmets insight into the local haute cuisine. (B,L,D) Day 12: Lyon. (Fri.) A free day in this fascinating city to explore at leisure. Early risers might like to visit the local produce market. (B,L,D) Day 13: Tournon/Tain l’Hermitage–Viviers. (Sat.) The twin cities of Tournon and Tain l’Hermitage lie nestled among vineyards between the River Rhône and the granite slopes of the Hermitage. Charming Viviers developed around its ROMANESQUE CATHEDRAL, and the OLD TOWN has an appealing mix of Christian, Roman, and medieval influences. (B,L,D) Day 14: Avignon. (Sun.) Avignon, also referred to as the “City of Popes,” was the center of the Catholic Church in the 14th century, and is dominated by the grandiose PALACE OF THE POPES. Optional outings to Pont du Gard or to the famed wine cellars of Châteauneuf-du-Pape are available this afternoon. (B,L,D) Day 15: Arles. (Mon.) Arles is the capital of the Provence and was once known as the “Little Rome of Gaul.” See the church of St. Trophime; “Les Alyscamps,” the remains of the Gallo-Roman burial road; and visit the ROMAN AMPHITHEATER. (B,L,D) Day 16: Arles (Disembarkation)–Côte d’Azur. (Tue.) After breakfast, transfer by motorcoach along the Côte d’Azur. An afternoon stroll through Nice’s narrow winding streets will acquaint you with the OLD TOWN of this sophisticated city. (B) Day 17: Côte d’Azur. (Wed.) Your homebound flight from Nice arrives the same day. (B) |
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Dates & Prices |
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Additional Information |
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Price Details US Cruise taxes, fees, fares and port charges: $196Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.Extra nights per person in Paris:in single room $440, in twin room $259Extra nights per person in Nice:in single room $350, in twin room $220Cruise-Only Option From $4,099Day 2 Paris, France (Embarkation) - Day 16 Arles (Disembarkation)Cruise-only option allows you to participate in just the river cruise portion of the vacation, removing the overnight stays at the beginning or end of the cruise itinerary. Ask your Travel Consultant for details at the time of booking. Prices shown above include cruise in Category E in a deluxe outside stateroom on Indigo Deck.To upgrade to a higher category (all staterooms Twin/Double), add per person:Category / Decks / PriceB / Sapphire Deck / $998A / Sapphire Deck / $1,098P / Royal Deck / $1,298Jr. Suite / Royal Deck / $2,398 Related Tours WPAE|Add the Provence Region to Your River CruiseWAP|Grand France (Côte d’Azur to Paris) |
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Specials |
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Save up to $2,000 on select 2010 Europe River Cruises Save up to $2,000 per couple on these select 2010 Avalon Waterways River Cruises.*
$2,000 off per couple
Paris to Normandy’s Landing Beaches 8 days from Paris to Paris or 9 days incl. travel
Aug 30, 2010
11 days from Côte d’Azur to Paris or 12 days incl. travel
Aug 30, 2010
12 days from Prague to Paris or 11 days incl. travel
Aug 19, 2010 Sept 30, 2010
13 days from Budapest to Prague or 14 days incl. travel
Oct 21, 2010 Oct 24, 2010
13 days from Vienna to Amsterdam or 14 days incl. travel
Oct 18, 2010
13 days from Paris to Amsterdam or 14 days incl. travel
October 4, 2010
13 days Vienna to Bucharest or 12 days incl. travel
Aug 17, 2010
14 days from Amsterdam to Basel or 15 days incl. travel
Oct 16, 2010
15 days from Amsterdam to Budapest 16 days incl. travel
Aug 21, 2010 Oct 9, 2010 Oct 16, 2010
15 days from Budapest to Amsterdam 16 days incl. travel
August 28, 2010 September 4, 2010 September 25, 2010 October 2, 2010
The Upper Rhine to the City of Music 13 days from Zürich to Vienna or 14 days incl. travel
Oct 29, 2010
23 days from Bucharest to Amsterdam or 24 days incl. travel
August 27, 2010
*Book a select 2010 Europe Avalon Waterways River Cruise vacation to receive $1,000 off per person. Book a select Taste of Danube river cruise vacation to receive the $500 off per person. Offer available on select dates of select cruises listed above. Suites excluded. Booking must be made, under deposit, and discount applied anytime after May 18, 2010 for travel at select times in 2010. Applies to new 2010 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability and may be withdrawn at any time. Not combinable with any other offer other than Journeys Club member benefit. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply.
Avalon Waterways Will Not Be Undersold! Avalon will match competitor pricing on 2010 European river cruises!*
Call today and gives us the name and departure date of a competitor's river cruise you are considering. If Avalon has a comparable 2010 cruise available, they'll match the per diem price - with the newest fleet on the market, why not?
*Book a Europe Avalon River cruise vacation to receive the match offer. Must provide the name and departure date of the competitor cruise in order to qualify. Must be made, under deposit, and discount applied prior to March 2, 2010 for travel through December 31st, 2010. Offer good in conjunction with other qualifying offers including Journeys Club. Offer is subject to change and could be withdrawn at any time. Applies to new 2010 bookings only, and offer will not be applied to pre-existing bookings. Offer reliant on space availability. Full cancellation penalties will apply. Additional restrictions may apply. |
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| Important Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. |
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