France Intensive Cruise

Day 1 - Bordeaux

Arrive: Mon 10 June 2024

Bordeaux’s fortunes have long been tied to viticulture, beginning with an expansion of the wine trade with England in the 14th century. As a result it is a handsome and cohesive city of uniform classical and neoclassical style, with monumental buildings and many fine mansions financed by the almighty grape. The nearby countryside is alive with wine chateaux sporting impressive appellations such as Pauillac, Sauternes, Margaux, and Saint-Emilion. A visit is an excellent opportunity to learn more about wine production and appreciation, which of course requires a considerable amount of tasting to accomplish.

Day 2 - Bordeaux

Depart: Tue 11 June 2024 at 21:00

Bordeaux’s fortunes have long been tied to viticulture, beginning with an expansion of the wine trade with England in the 14th century. As a result it is a handsome and cohesive city of uniform classical and neoclassical style, with monumental buildings and many fine mansions financed by the almighty grape. The nearby countryside is alive with wine chateaux sporting impressive appellations such as Pauillac, Sauternes, Margaux, and Saint-Emilion. A visit is an excellent opportunity to learn more about wine production and appreciation, which of course requires a considerable amount of tasting to accomplish.

Day 3 - La Rochelle

Arrive: Wed 12 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 12 June 2024 at 18:00

La Rochelle is a lovely and unspoiled seaside town. Savor the many tastes, especially from the sea, of the rue du Port/rue St-Sauveur area just off the waterfront, or the attractive rue St-Jean-du-Perot on your stroll of old timbered houses, ancient fortresses and intriguing architecture. In the region surrounding LaRochelle, visit the vineyards which thankfully, offer the world Brandy and bordeaux wines.

Day 4 - Nantes

Arrive: Thu 13 June 2024 at 10:00

Located on the Loire River, just 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Nantes was founded by the Celts in 70 BC, and since that time, has a venerable history. Today, with its many eco-friendly initiatives, biodiversity, great public transportation system and myriad of attractions—not to mention fantastic local wine, seafood and crepes—Nantes is regarded as one of the most livable and innovative cities in Europe. Visit the Jardin des Plante for one of the best botanical gardens in France, the Musée des Beaux-Arts for one of the finest collections of French paintings outside of Paris (with works by Chagall, Monet and Picasso), or the popular Musée Jules Verne, which includes a retrospective of the work of author Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828. At night, make your way to Hanger a Bananes for its eclectic group of restaurants, bars and clubs.

Day 5 - Nantes

Depart: Fri 14 June 2024 at 21:00

Located on the Loire River, just 30 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, the city of Nantes was founded by the Celts in 70 BC, and since that time, has a venerable history. Today, with its many eco-friendly initiatives, biodiversity, great public transportation system and myriad of attractions—not to mention fantastic local wine, seafood and crepes—Nantes is regarded as one of the most livable and innovative cities in Europe. Visit the Jardin des Plante for one of the best botanical gardens in France, the Musée des Beaux-Arts for one of the finest collections of French paintings outside of Paris (with works by Chagall, Monet and Picasso), or the popular Musée Jules Verne, which includes a retrospective of the work of author Jules Verne, who was born in Nantes in 1828. At night, make your way to Hanger a Bananes for its eclectic group of restaurants, bars and clubs.

Day 6 - Brest

Arrive: Sat 15 June 2024 at 13:30 / Depart: Sat 15 June 2024 at 18:00

Day 7 - St Peter Port, UK

Arrive: Sun 16 June 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Sun 16 June 2024 at 19:00

Guernsey is a self-governing British Crown Dependency off the coast of France, British by virtue of the Norman invasion of England in 1066, and the subsequent merging of the two territories. St. Peter Port overlooks the harbor, with rows of brightly painted houses, and terraced gardens. The island is ideal for rambles along cliffside paths and through the bucolic interior. While traditional fishing, flower growing, and dairy farming are still important, Guernsey's favorable tax climate has of late brought an influx of offshore banks and insurance companies, with their attendant bistros and boutiques.

Day 8 - St Malo

Arrive: Mon 17 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 17 June 2024 at 20:00

The walled city of St. Malo is a quaint maze of fine old buildings, museums, and cafés serving Breton specialties of crepes and cider. Stroll along the ramparts, walk the cobblestone streets, and hear tales of corsairs, privateers grown rich off captured ships and their booty, authorized by the government during wartime, in order to hinder the enemy. Nearby is the rocky tidal island of Mont St. Michel. The perfect spot for a religious retreat, the first monastic settlement was built here in the 8th century, and the Romanesque church that is its crowning glory in the 11th.

Day 9 - Cherbourg

Arrive: Tue 18 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 18 June 2024 at 22:00

Cherbourg is a naval base on the northwest coast of France, with an important military history and roots that stretch back to the 9th century Viking invasion. The town was occupied by Germans during World War II and liberated by Allies following the invasion of Normandy, so a visit to the Musée de la Libération, which serves as a memorial of the events, will provide insight into the region’s important past; or take a day-trip along the Norman countryside to famed D-Day beaches, battlefields, bunkers and monuments. Art aficionados should see the Musée d’art Thomas Henry, which boasts an impressive collection of Italian Renaissance and Flemish works, and the iconic Mont Saint-Michel, a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey. However, the Cité de la Mer is the stop that tops everyone’s list. Originally constructed to handle two ocean liners this building is now home to a de-commissioned nuclear submarine, an aquarium and exhibits of sea life.

Day 10 - Honfleur

Arrive: Wed 19 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 19 June 2024 at 18:00

Honfleur is a lively town and a bustling port, where fishermen can be seen hauling in the daily catch. The maritime influence is everywhere evident; even the handsome church of Sainte Catherine has an oak ceiling that resembles the hull of an overturned ship. The charming square surrounding the church gives way to narrow cobbled lanes of half-timbered houses, elegant manors, and tall, narrow town houses. The quality of light has long attracted artists, including a particularly illustrious group, among them Monet, Corot, Turner, Courbet, Millet, Seurat – all of whom stayed at a little thatched inn called the Saint Siméon, now Honfleur's most luxurious hotel.

Day 11 - Zeebrugge

Arrive: Thu 20 June 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Thu 20 June 2024 at 20:00

In Bruges you can lose yourself in another time, wandering the maze of winding lanes or drifting along the canals of its medieval core, the whole of which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can also have a wonderful time discovering the fascinating stories behind the products for which Belgium is famous, in an unexpected array of museums. For sparkle visit the Diamond Museum, and for exquisite artistry the Lace Center. At Choco-Story, learn all about chocolate’s origins and production. And for lots of fun and more tempting tastes, don’t miss the Frietmuseum, dedicated to Belgian Fries, and presented with no doubt as to who actually invented this universally adored snack.

Day 12 - Rotterdam

Arrive: Fri 21 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 21 June 2024 at 20:00

Distinct from other Dutch cities, Rotterdam is creating its own identity as an energetic and dynamic metropolis. Long known for its important port, one of the busiest in the world, it has recently acquired the epithet “Manhattan on the Maas”, as a result of a modern building spree. Establish a frame of reference with a 360° view from atop the Euromast Observation Tower; then investigate some of the city’s striking architectural features. Do not miss the bizarre cube houses, tilted at 45 degrees, and from the outside looking like only Spiderman could live there. It is indeed a city of innovative design.

Day 13 - Amsterdam

Arrive: Sat 22 June 2024 at 06:00 / Depart: Sat 22 June 2024

Amsterdam has a personality all its own, including a long time reputation for tolerance. You'll be thinking of tulips and wooden shoes, perhaps Heineken beer, and some of the city's past inhabitants: Rembrandt, Van Gogh, and Anne Frank, who wrote her famous diary hidden in a canal-side house. But do you know that Amsterdam has more canals than Venice (connecting a jigsaw puzzle of 90 islands), joined by some 1280 bridges (many illuminated by fairy lights at night)? Or that it boasts the oldest stock exchange in the world?