”Paris and Normandy”
8 to 16 May 2010
Itinerary
08 May – Sat – Depart USA
Depart your hometown today for your overnight flight to Paris
09 May – Sun – Paris, France
Arrive at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport where you will be met and transferred to the ship. (D)
10 May – Mon – Les Andelys
 Featured Excursion: Walk to Chateau Gaillard
We sail this morning to Les Andelys which was of considerable strategic importance during the Middle Ages, prompting King Richard the Lionheart to build a fortified castle to protect the Duchy of Normandy from the French King Philip II in the 12th century. Walk to the English king’s stronghold and admire the remains of the impressive Chateau Gaillard. (BB, L, Captain’s Welcome Dinner)
11 May – Tue – Rouen
 Featured Excursion: Walking tour of Rouen
Our visit to Rouen will take you to the stunning gothic cathedral of Rouen, the haunting medieval quarter with its half-timbered, glazed tile houses; and the Gros Horloge, a Renaissance clock tower that arches overhead. The walk ends at Vieux Marche, where Joan of Arc was punished for her defiance. (BB, L, D)
12 May – Wed – Rouen (Normandy Beaches)
 Featured Excursion: Full-day Normandy beach tour
Spend the day where one of the most famous events in recent world history took place – the beaches of Normandy - site of the D-Day Invasion by the Allied forces during WW II. Visit the American Cemetery at Colleville sur Mer, the Allied landing sites at Omaha Beach, Mulberry Harbor at Arromanches, and the battlefield of Pointe du Hoc, which are all haunting reminders of the Allies’ hard fight for freedom. (BB, D)
13 May – Thu – Caudebec (Honfleur)
 Featured Excursion: Visit to Honfleur
After crossing the majestic Normandy Bridge spanning the river delta, travel overland to Honfleur, a charming French harbor town recreated in numerous paintings by such artists as Gustave Courbet and Claude Monet. You’ll be taken on a guided walking tour from the former smuggler’s harbor of Vieux Bassin – the most frequently painted scene in Honfleur, where the fishing village backdrop is seemingly unchanged from over 500 years ago – through the pedestrian streets to St. Catherine’s Church. (BB, L, D)
14 May – Fri – Vernon (Giverny)
 Featured Excursion: Monet’s Giverny
Visit Monet’s home in his beloved village of Giverny, where he lived for 43 years, until his death in 1926. You’ll explore Monet’s house, furnished as it was when the leader of the Impressionist school lived here, including his precious collection of Japanese engravings. Strolling through the gardens, you’ll see the familiar Japanese bridge and water garden shaded by the weeping willows that so inspired this master’s work. Watch the light play on the pond which is covered with the water lilies reproduced in Monet’s numerous enchanting versions of The Nympheas (The Water Lilies). (BB, L, Captain’s Farewell Dinner)
15 May – Sat – Paris
Featured Excursion: Paris city tour
We begin our city tour with a drive up the grand boulevard Champs Elysees and past the Arc de Triomphe. We’ll stop for a photo opportunity at the Eiffel Tower before continuing to Place Vendome, Hotel de Ville, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the Latin Quarter. Then it’s on to Les Invalides, the Louvre courtyard and the Luxembourg Gardens, where we will see a slice of daily Parisian life – gentlemen playing boules and children sailing boats on the glassy pond – as well as viewing Bartholdi’s model for the Statue of Liberty. (BB, L, D)
16 May – Sun – Depart Paris
Disembark the ship and transfer to Charles de Gaulle Airport for your flight home …or, if time permits…extend your stay in Paris.
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For those lucky ones who have a few extra days at the beginning of our tour, we invite you to extend your vacation with this exciting, optional pre-tour extension!
06 May – Thu – Depart USA
Depart your hometown for your overnight flight to Paris
07 May – Fri – Paris, France
Arrive at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.
Hotel: Le Meridien Montparnasse (or similar)
08 May – Sat – Paris
Today you are introduced to the Impressionist movement by taking a guided tour of the stunning Musee d’Orsay. Located right in the center of Paris on the banks of the Seine, opposite the Tuileries Gardens, the museum is housed in the former Orsay railway station, which was built for the Universal Exhibition of 1900. The building itself could be seen as the first work of art at the Musee d’Orsay, which displays collections of art from 1848 to 1914.
And, of course, no stay in Paris is complete without spending time savoring the fine French cuisine at the many tucked-away cafes and bistros. (B)
Hotel: Le Meridien Montparnasse (or similar)
09 May – Sun – Transfer to Ship / Embarkation
Your Uniworld representative will advise the time when you will be transferred from the hotel to the ship to join the rest of the group. (B, D) |
