Paris and Normandy with Uniworld
North South River Conference
Sunday 17 [Easter Sunday] – Sunday 24 April 2022
Follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh, Cézanne and Gauguin on this exquisite journey through southern France; the same beautiful countryside and culture that inspired the masters will now inspire you.
Cruise from Paris through Normandy’s countryside, uncovering its many charms: Richard the Lionheart’s Chateau Gaillard, the medieval capital of Rouen, Monet’s beloved home in Giverny and the famed Normandy beaches.
Normandy has been the setting for many battles over the centuries, including the D-Day invasion of WWII, and the Normandy Beaches mean different things to different people, so you’ll have a rare choice to visit several of its historic sites, such as Utah and Omaha beaches, Juno Beach or the famous 11th-century tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings.
Experience a different side of Northern France’s history with a choice to tour two majestic palaces, Versailles, once home to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, or Château de Malmaison, once home to Napoleon’s first empress, Josephine.
See the best of Paris in one of three ways via the “Heart of Paris” cruise and city tour, an exclusive “Do as the Locals Do” tour or an exclusive guided “Let's Go” bike tour. There are plenty of opportunities to take part in more active experiences, such as golfing at Rouen’s Mont-Saint-Aignan and at Sainte-Mère-Église in Étretat, perched on the cliff high above the sea, making playing golf here a memorable experience and visual feast.
Inclusions:
1 UNESCO World Heritage Site
Services of an experienced Uniworld Cruise Manager
Arrival transfer to port on embarkation day
All gratuities, both onboard and onshore
Captivating onboard local entertainment
7-night cruise in a riverview stateroom on Uniworld’s newest Super Ship—the S.S. Joie de Vivre
All meals onboard, prepared using the finest and freshest ingredients
Captain’s Welcome and Farewell Receptions
Welcome and Farewell Gala Dinners
Unlimited beverages onboard, including fine wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, specialty coffee and tea, and mineral water
6 days of excursions, including “Choice Is Yours” options, all fully hosted by English-speaking local experts
Guided "Let's Go" and "Do as the Locals Do" programs
State-of-the-art Quietvox portable audio-headset system on all excursions
Use of bicycles and Nordic walking sticks
Details of our cruise through France
Day 1 - Paris, France (Embark)
Take advantage of a leisurely morning in Paris before being transferred to the port where the S.S. Joie de Vivre is docked. Please note that transfer details will be provided along with the social agenda 6-8 weeks prior to the Conference@sea.
Day 2 - La Roche-Guyon, Vernon Giverny
Today after a nights sailing from Paris, is a celebration of Northern France’s natural beauty, with an excursion to a splendid chateau and gardens situated in an equally grand setting. Take this chance to immerse yourself in the very landscapes that inspired Impressionist master Claude Monet.
Featured Excursion: Choice of Monet’s gardens at Giverny or “Let’s Go” bike ride from Vernon to Giverny
Day 3 - Rouen (Normandy Beaches)
The Normandy coast will forever be associated with the Allies’ D-Day invasion, a day that comes vividly to life today on an excursion to the beaches of 1944. Immerse yourself in the tactics, desperate courage and horrendous human cost of the 1944 Allied invasion of France, the first step in the ultimately victorious land campaign against the Third Reich. It began here, on these Norman beaches.
Featured Excursion: Omaha Beach and Normandy American Cemetery
Day 4 - Caudebec-en-Caux (Honfleur or Étretat)
Golfing? On a river cruise? This delightfully unexpected excursion—a Uniworld exclusive—features a dramatic links course set atop Normandy’s Alabaster Coast at the windy cliffs of Étretat .In a word, magnifique. Not into golf? Stroll through the beautiful Calvados countryside to seaside Honfleur, captured on canvas by generations of artists.
Choice of Honfleur walking discovery tour or Exclusive “Let’s Go” golfing in Étretat or “Let’s Go” bike ride to Villequiers Village
Day 5 - Rouen (Normandy Beaches)
Walk in the footsteps of greatness in Normandy’s medieval capital, a city with a historic quarter that remains amazingly intact. From the cathedral Monet painted dozens of times to the cross marking to spot where Joan of Arc was martyred, Rouen is a treasure trove for the culturally curious. The medieval capital of Normandy, Rouen has managed to preserve much of its historic core, despite being turned into a battlefield numerous times. The roll call of famous people who lived or died in Rouen is long and varied— Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, Gustave Flaubert and Claude Monet are among them.
Featured Excursion: Capital of the dukes of Normandy
Day 6: Mantes-la-Jolie (Versailles)
How did France’s rulers live over the centuries? Step into the private rooms of either the Palace of Versailles, the lavish palace built by the Sun King, or Marie Antoinette’s hamlet to find out.
Choice of Versailles Palace secret apartments or “Let’s Go” biking Versailles Gardens and the Queen’s Hamlet
A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.
Day 7 - Paris
Whether you’re a first-time visitor to the “City of Light” or you’ve been here many times before, there’s something for everyone today in Paris. Enjoy a panoramic overview of the city, or join a local expert for a walk through two much-loved neighborhoods.
Choice of Paris city tour or “Do as the Locals Do” Île de la Cité and Latin Quarter walking tour or “Heart of Paris” Seine River cruise or “Let’s Go” Left Bank bicycle ride
Day 8 - Paris (Disembark)
Disembark the ship. Transfers at your own arrangement.
Join us on our journey
It is a condition of registration of this conference that all delegates must book and pay for the Uniworld cruise component through CPE Travel. The reason for this is that we need to command the common areas of the ship in order to conduct our conferences and we can only do so if every delegate and accompanying person is part of our group booking. unfortunately any person booking directly with Uniworld or other travel agent will not be able to register or attend the conference.