Paris and the Heart of Normandy 2010

Scenic cruising through France's Normandy region

Scenice cruising through Northern France

Evening at leisure for a riverside walk

Walking tour through medieval city including Joan of Arc's Market Square

Monte Foundation excursion touring the home and gardens of Claude Monet

 

Daily Shore Excursions 6 included guided tours

Included Meals All meals: 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 7 dinners

Port Charges

Included on all itineraries

Air Taxes, Fees, Fuel Surcharges & Transfers Included with airfare

Day 1 Paris
Arrive in Paris, romance capital of the world. We meet you at the Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris and transfer you to your ship.* After boarding, take free time to explore Paris—or join our “welcome walk” to stretch your legs and start getting oriented. (D)

Day 2 Paris
Wake up to a full day in Paris. After breakfast, embark on a half-day tour of this beautiful city and take in its most remarkable sights, including the iconic Eiffel Tower. Continue past the École Militaire, Orsay Museum and Latin Quarter. See the Cathedral of Notre Dame, then drive past the Louvre and Opera House and along the famous Champs Elysées. Return aboard for lunch. Afternoon is free to visit the Louvre, shop the many boutiques, visit the artists’ district of Montmartre or enjoy a cruise along the Seine. As always, your Program Director can help you plan your free time. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 3 Giverny & Vernon
This morning, take a short ride into the town of Giverny, where Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death in 1926. Visit the beautiful gardens and charming stone farmhouse where he lived and worked; see the water garden with its Japanese bridge, water lilies, wisteria and azaleas that inspired many of his masterpieces.

After lunch, we spend some time in the provincial town of Vernon. Take a stroll to see the Maison du Temps Jadis (House of Past Times), Vernon’s oldest house, and the 11th-century Church of Notre Dame. Dinner is served aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Rouen
Indulge in a leisurely morning cruising along the Seine. The afternoon is spent in the medieval city of Rouen, historic capital of Normandy. Begin with a walking tour through the old town center, where you see the spectacular Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral so often painted by Claude Monet and the famous Gros Horloge, a 16th-century astronomical clock. As you walk among the half-timbered buildings you feel yourself transported back through time. Finally, we visit the 14th-century courthouse where Joan of Arc was sentenced to death and the nearby Market Square where she was martyred.

Take free time to discover more of Rouen or visit one of its museums of art or antiquities. Dine aboard, or visit a sidewalk café—your ship remains docked overnight. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Normandy Beaches
After breakfast, begin your full-day tour to the historic beaches of Normandy. See World War II landmarks such as Pointe du Hoc monument, Omaha Beach, the American Military Cemetery and Arromanches Debarkment Museum. On the way back to the ship, pass Gold Beach, Courseulles sur Mer and Juno Beach. Have dinner and relax on board or take an evening stroll; we depart late tonight. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Les Andelys & Conflans
Arrive this morning in the small town of Les Andelys, known for its imposing castle, Château Gaillard, built in 1196 by Richard Lionheart. Join a guided walk to this fatally flawed masterpiece of Middle Ages architecture. Return to your ship for lunch and afternoon cruising. This evening we dock in Conflans, a riverside town whose unique culture reflects its status as a local hub for barge transportation along the Seine and its tributaries. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Conflans & Paris
After breakfast, take a walking tour through the charming neighborhoods of Conflans and visit its museum. Or, join an optional tour to the luxurious Palace of Versailles, former home of Louis XIV. Lunch aboard as you sail back to Paris this afternoon. Dine aboard and then enjoy some free time in the City of Light. (B, L, D)

Day 8 Paris After breakfast, disembark and we will take you to the Paris airport for your return flight.* (B)

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
9/5/2010 - 9/12/2010	$2,256
9/19/2010 - 9/26/2010	$2,256
9/26/2010 - 10/3/2010	$2,256
10/3/2010 - 10/10/2010	$2,256
10/10/2010 - 10/17/2010	$2,256
10/17/2010 - 10/24/2010	$1,856
10/24/2010 - 10/31/2010	$1,856
10/31/2010 - 11/7/2010	$1,856
11/7/2010 - 11/14/2010	$1,656
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

Price Guarantee Once you have paid in full for your trip, you are safe from any additional charges. Airfare increases, currency fluctuations, increased fuel surcharges, new government taxes—none of these will apply to you.

Fares are per person, based on CAT E double occupancy and include port charges. Limited single pricing is available; call for details. Offers listed above are valid on new bookings only as of August 1, 2009 and expire September 30, 2009; must request offer code EBD at time of reservation and pay in full by offer deadline. Complimentary wine (two glasses with dinner on board) is included with cruise purchase; international air does not have to be purchased to receive cruise offer. The 2-for-1 pricing applies to cruise portion only; 2-for-1 pricing, air discount and complimentary wine are considered a single offer and are not combinable with any other offer except Past Guest and Referral Rewards travel credit. Offers and fares are subject to availability and additional restrictions may apply. Additional fuel surcharges may be applied. Viking River Cruises reserves the right to correct or revise pricing or dates throughout the season.

Travel Protection You are looking forward to your trip, and we are looking forward to welcoming you aboard. But sometimes illness or an emergency at home may create the need to postpone or cancel your vacation. If that happens, make sure you are protected. Our new, updated travel protection plan provides 100% protection if you must cancel or interrupt your trip for any reason, including a pre-existing medical condition.

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