b'By Ship 1 Nights on shipPARIS TO/FROM By Coach THE WATERWAYS OF FRANCELONDON By RailDays 1-2 - London, Sens and Montereau ENDWe depart from London St Pancras on the Eurostar. Alighting inCHTEAU DE Paris, we transfer by coach to Sens, on the banks of the Yonne River.VAUX LE VICOMTEBoarding our barge, MS Raymonde, were greeted with a welcomeVRY MELUNcocktail before dinner. Were introduced to Sens on an insightful guided tour on Day 2, discovering one of the oldest cities in France.CHTEAUPROVINSWe visit the Gothic cathedral, with its intricate stained-glass windows,DE FONTAINEBLEAU MONTEREAUand spend time at the lively food market, March Couvert. HundredsMORET-LOING- 6of sellers come here daily with local vegetables, cheese, meat,ET-ORVANNESTARTgingerbread and honey. Theres some free time to experience thisSENSsnippet of everyday life in Sens before returning to our barge for lunch. In the afternoon, we begin cruising the Yonne River, glidingWHATS INCLUDED past idyllic hamlets of stone cottages and thick woodland until we reach Montereau-Fault-Yonne for the night. Your evening is free to explore. This quiet French town is a well-kept secret, boasting someUK Tour Manager until excellent cafs, a quaint riverside church, and a number of colourfulembarkation and from murals painted on walls across the town.disembarkation of the Days 3-4 - Moret-sur-Loing, Provins and Fontainebleau MS RaymondeWe reach the Loing River and continue to Moret-sur-Loing, a picturesque medieval town that lies close to Fontainebleau Forest,All cruise excursionswhere we moor for today. After lunch, we set out for Provins, a UNESCO-listed town boasting an impressive 58 historic monuments.Return, escorted rail We take a guided tour of the city, taking in the medieval charm astravel from London St well as half-timbered houses dating from the 13th century. ProvinsPancras to your bargeis famous for its rose cultivation and produces a wide variety of rose-based food products. We get to sample some of the local rose honey, enjoying its distinctive floral flavours, before returning6-night cruise aboard to our barge for dinner. We re-join the Seine on Day 4, cruisingMS Raymondepast pretty scenery on our way to Melun. We visit the Chteau of Fontainebleau in the afternoon, used by French royalty between theBreakfast, lunch and 12th and 19th centuries as a hunting lodge and home to Napoleondinner each day ofIIIs imperial theatre. One of the most impressive rooms in the palace,your cruiseit features three levels of plush seating, an ornate chandelier and a stage with hand-painted sets. Theres also a ballroom that displaysAll-inclusive selection of Italian frescoes and intricate woodwork from the 16th century, whilecomplimentary beers, hundreds of acres of parkland surround the Chteau, punctuatedwines and soft drinks with magnificent sculptures. We return to Melun for the night.each day of your cruiseDays 5-7 - Barbizon, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Paris and LondonAfter a relaxing morning sailing the Seine, we arrive in vry, on theSHIP INFORMATION outskirts of Paris. From here, our coach takes us to the painters village of Barbizon. A settlement that began as a grocery storeFor deck plans and more ship soon grew to become the birthplace of the Barbizon School of Art,information, please see pages a precursor of French Impressionism. You are free to explore the144-145.charming village on your own; one of the main attractions here is the Auberge Ganne. Once the meeting place of the resident artists, it now houses a museum exhibiting the life and work of local artists. This evening, we enjoy a gala dinner. We explore another stately chteau, Vaux-le-Vicomte, on Day 6. Built by King Louis XIV, its considered a masterpiece of the French Baroque style. Opulent tapestries, paintings and chandeliers adorn the interiors, while the gardens boast beautifully laid-out flowerbeds and elaborate fountains.After a tour, we sail back to Paris for an illuminated city cruise. We travel on the Eurostar to London St Pancras on Day 7.2022 Rail & Cruise from London St PancrasTour Code: CYR | Standard Class RailSep 1 2,295 Sep 8 2,395Deposit from 360 per person. Solo Occupancy available. Call us on 01904 521973 or visitfor more information.GreatRail.com for more details 109Visit your local Travel Agent'