SHORE EXCURSIONS

Wander through modern Le Havre with the confidence and familiarity of a local, the result of experiencing the city through the eyes of a resident. Although Le Havre was heavily bombed during World War II, it has been rebuilt with such architectural unity and integrity that UNESCO declared it a World Heritage site. You will enjoy a panoramic view of modern Le Havre while riding the funicular with the locals. As the residents go about their daily business, getting on and off the funicular, you will feel like an integral part of the city. In time, you will walk through Le Havre to one of the guide’s favorite bakeries. While lingering over a flaky croissant or a sweet Madeleine cake, you can watch the world unfold before you. To become further immersed in daily life, you will then browse a bustling market where the locals will be socializing as they select ingredients for their evening meals.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Follow a local guide around Le Havre, an architecturally rich World Heritage site.
• Ride the funicular through town with the locals to experience an authentic slice of life.
• Ride the funicular through town with the locals to experience an authentic slice of life.

OVERVIEW

This excursion is for guests that use a cane/walker, have limited mobility issues or for companions of those guest that have booked mobility equipment tour.

Those guests that are fully dependent on their mobility device please book: LEH_A2 Accessible Mobility Equipment -Honfleur Harbour And Town Center .

Tour includes step-free routes, shorter distances and no stairs. Accessible restrooms with wide doors for wheelchairs are present along the tour route. Vehicles are adapted with an access ramp (or lift where available) to accommodate a limited number of wheelchairs and/or mobility scooters. Guides are not allowed to push wheelchairs; therefore, guests needing special assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied.

Delve deeply into the history of Honfleur in the beautifully restored old harbor and by browsing landmark churches in the town center and beyond. This city at the mouth of the Seine River has roots dating to the 9th century and exudes history. Centuries-old houses rim the harbor, including the Lieutenancy, a residence that French impressionist Claude Monet painted when he lived in town. Honfleur’s maritime influence is apparent at Sainte Catherine Church, the country’s largest wooden church. Shipbuilders constructed it in the 15th century with a timbered ceiling that resembles an upside-down boat. Salt storehouses were built around the same time period, and you will see one of the three remaining ones. The stones were repurposed from Honfleur’s original defensive walls. You will also visit Notre Dame de Grace, an even older structure where the likes of explorer Samuel de Champlain and Napoleon Bonaparte have worshipped.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into the history of Honfleur, a city that dates to the 9th century.
• Visit France’s largest wooden church and a church where Napoleon Bonaparte worshipped.
• See a centuries-old salt storehouse built with stones from the city’s old defensive walls.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.

OVERVIEW

This excursion is for guests who are fully dependent on their mobility device. You will be required to supply your own wheelchair/scooter. Your mobility equipment (manual or electric) must not exceed the following dimensions: W 28", L 40", H 66".

Those guests that are companions, use a cane or walker, or have limited mobility issues must book the companion tour code: LEH_A1 ACCESSIBLE Companion: Honfleur Harbour And Town Center.

Tour includes step-free routes, shorter distances and no stairs. Accessible restrooms with wide doors for wheelchairs are present along the tour route. Vehicles are adapted with an access ramp (or lift where available) to accommodate a limited number of wheelchairs and/or mobility scooters. Guides are not allowed to push wheelchairs; therefore, guests needing special assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied.

Delve deeply into the history of Honfleur in the beautifully restored old harbor and by browsing landmark churches in the town center and beyond. This city at the mouth of the Seine River has roots dating to the 9th century and exudes history. Centuries-old houses rim the harbor, including the Lieutenancy, a residence that French impressionist Claude Monet painted when he lived in town. Honfleur’s maritime influence is apparent at Sainte Catherine Church, the country’s largest wooden church. Shipbuilders constructed it in the 15th century with a timbered ceiling that resembles an upside-down boat. Salt storehouses were built around the same time period, and you will see one of the three remaining ones. The stones were repurposed from Honfleur’s original defensive walls. You will also visit Notre Dame de Grace, an even older structure where the likes of explorer Samuel de Champlain and Napoleon Bonaparte have worshipped.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Gain insight into the history of Honfleur, a city that dates to the 9th century.
• Visit France’s largest wooden church and a church where Napoleon Bonaparte worshipped.
• See a centuries-old salt storehouse built with stones from the city’s old defensive walls.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Paris, many of them iconic attractions that define the city. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie expert guide will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Paris, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:
• Pantheon
• Rue Valette
• Notre Dame exterior
• Louvre Museum area
• Arc de Triomphe

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Paris.
• Follow tips from your selfie expert guide to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Stop at the iconic Arc de Triomphe and at the Panthéon, a neoclassical mausoleum.
• Behold the exteriors of Notre-Dame cathedral and the Louvre.
• Spend free time in the Trocadéro area and capture the ultimate shot of the Eiffel Tower.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Giverny, located on the right bank of the Seine is a charming city known all over the world through the famous paintings of Claude Monet, who lived in the village from 1883 to his death in 1926. The house and gardens formerly owned by Monet have since been turned into a museum. The house has been restored in pink and green, and contains reproductions of the painter’s works, collection of Japanese prints from the 18th and 19th centuries and pieces of china. The adjacent flower garden replanted according to the original design of Claude Monet, is a spectacular display of colors. After the visit, you’ll have free time before your drive to a countryside restaurant for lunch.

Rouen is the capital of Higher Normandy with a skyline of towers and spires, and its heritage of fine buildings and many museums offers visitors a wealth of artistic delights. Follow your guide through the historical part of the city. See the Old Market Place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 and the modern Joan of Arc Church completed in 1979. Other sites you’ll find during your walking tour are the Gros Horloge Street with its belfry and a sculpted archway on which rests a Renaissance lodge decorated with clock faces that still indicate the time of the day, the phases of the moon and the days of the week. Discover the Law Courts, the seat of Normandy’s Parliament and the cathedral, made famous by Claude Monet’s paintings of its façade.

Discover a skyline of towers and spires in Rouen, the capital of Higher Normandy, and its importance stemming from Roman times. The alignment of its two main streets – Rue du Gros Horloge and Rue des Carmes – still reflects the layout of the early city. With its heritage of fine buildings and many museums, the city offers its visitors a wealth of artistic delights.

Follow your guide through the historical part of the city. See the Old Market Place where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake in 1431 and the modern Joan of Arc Church completed in 1979. Other sites you’ll find during your walking tour are the Gros Horloge Street with its belfry and a sculpted archway on which rests a Renaissance lodge decorated with clock faces that still indicate the time of the day, the phases of the moon and the days of the week. Discover the Law Courts, the seat of Normandy’s Parliament and the cathedral, made famous by Claude Monet’s paintings of its façade.

Head to Arromanches, a modest seaside resort that owes its fame to the Mulberry Operation, an integral part of the Allied Landing in Europe on June of 1944. Visit the Cinema circular movie Arromaches 360, hich depicts the landing operations where you'll see the remains of this artificial port which enabled allied forces to land in France.

Drive to Port en Bessin or stay in Arromanches for lunch before heading to Colleville Saint Laurent for a stop at the American Cemetery where more than 9,000 marble crosses stand aligned in an impressive site overlooking Omaha Beach. A memorial, inscribed with a map of the operations and preceded by a pool, stands in the central alley surrounded by trees. Drive to Pointe du Hoc, which was heavily fortified by the Germans to serve as an observation post. During D-Day, American troops climbed the cliffs with rope ladders. After witnessing part of World War II, reboard your coach for the return drive to Le Havre.

A scenic drive will take you from Le Havre via the Normandy Bridge to the city of Honfleur. This colorful port on the Seine estuary has remained a major center for the arts for centuries. The history of Honfleur, which has been sung by many poets and painted by famous artists, has always been tightly bound-up with the sea. Today, Honfleur offers visitors a unique heritage which can be best seen by strolling along the picturesque narrow streets lined by timber-framed houses. Leaving your coach, your guide will escort you to the slightly hilly town center overlooking the harbor. The guided walking tour of the town includes St. Catherine’s Church and its bell tower, the Salt Warehouses, the Lieutenancy, residence of the former Governor of the town and the old port. Enjoy some free time at leisure before the drive back to Le Havre.

Don’t miss a unique opportunity to visit the spectacular ‘City of Lights’, from two perspectives. After an approximately three-hour drive from Le Havre, you’ll arrive in Paris to discover the most important sights.

Your guide will point out Place de l’Etoile, its Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees Avenue at the end of which the Place de la Concorde offers to all visitors, its legendary obelisk. Continue to the Rive Gauche where the most impressive monuments of Paris are located. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, a glass-covered sightseeing riverboat awaits you for a scenic cruise on the Seine River. Enjoy a different perspective of this monumental city from the water while having lunch. See the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and much more. During your lunch cruise, you’ll not only discover the quays and the monuments of this enchanting city, but also the districts where the nobility and the Bourgeoisie live. Afterwards, before driving back to Le Havre, you’ll enjoy some free time in the city near the Trocadero.

For those who are interested in exploring Paris on their own, we are pleased to offer a round-trip motorcoach transfer to the ‘City of Lights’. An escort will accompany you for this approximately three-hour journey and will happily assist you with sightseeing plans and provide information about locations. Upon arrival you’ll be dropped at a central location, convenient to the many shops and city sights.

Visit the magnificent first 20th-Century urban center in Europe to be added to the UNESCO world Heritage list, downtown Le Havre. The genius behind the design was architect Auguste Perret, a “poet in concrete” who was both traditional and innovative in his approach.

A short drive takes you to the city center, where your walking tour begins. Along the way, you’ll discover countless architectural gems such as the Town Hall, Saint Roch gardens, Avenue Foch, and Saint Joseph church,. At the end of your tour, you can stay in the city center to shop or explore further, and later return to the ship on your own.

A scenic drive through the rolling countryside of Normandy takes you to Paris. Enjoy an orientation tour of the city’s most iconic landmarks with free time for lunch on your own.

Among the many sights you’ll see during your drive though the city, are the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, and the Louvre, the world’s most famous art museum. Pass important landmarks such as the Arc de Triomphe. Mid-way through your day in Paris, enjoy approximately 1 1/2 hours of free time for lunch on your own.