An Impression of the Seine (Rail and Cruise)

We meet our Tour Manager and group at London St Pancras before our journey to Paris on the Eurostar*. In Paris, we transfer to our ship, the MS Renoir, where we are welcomed with a relaxing drink before dinner.

*If you would like to travel by air, view our Fly & Cruise option here.

• Day 1 - Dinner

This morning we enjoy a guided tour of the splendid French capital. After lunch aboard you have some free time before we set sail for a cruise along the Seine, admiring the illuminated attractions along the way (weather permitting).

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We start the day cruising to Giverny, and are treated to an expert talk on board - 'A Definition of Impressionism'. Now synonymous with Monet, the town of Giverny almost missed out on getting its name on the map. It was during a train journey in 1883 when the artist saw the area and decided this was where he wanted to live and work. With its instantly recognisable lily ponds, the gardens are the image of how they were when Monet first painted them, almost like stepping into one of his artworks, and the house still has the atmosphere of a creative retreat. Alternatively, you may prefer to visit the opulent Palace of Versailles today. We rejoin our cruise ship and tonight there's a traditional French 'guinguette' evening onboard.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our destination today is Rouen, former capital of Normandy, where we enjoy a guided tour which follows in the footsteps of the Impressionists. This medieval city is home to the Museum of Fine Arts and a vast collection of Impressionist compositions. We make a visit to the gallery as well as taking in Rouen Cathedral, which was depicted in oil paint by Claude Monet. His series of over 30 paintings show the building at different times of day. Following an insightful few hours, we return to our ship for tonight's dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We make our way to Duclair today, sailing through a landscape of steep cliffs and timeless villages, fleeting views of which influenced the Impressionist style itself. On arrival in Duclair we embark on an excursion along the Route des Abbayes, exploring the abbeys that line the route of the river by coach. Stretching between Rouen and Mont-Saint-Michel, this historic trail has seen religious orders being built here from the 5th century onwards, and at one point there were up to 120 sites of worship. Later we continue upriver to Honfleur, where we moor for the night.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The charming port town of Honfleur, on the southern bank of the Seine Estuary, is in the Calvados region of France famous for its apple brandy. Centred on its historic port and marina - the 'Vieux Bassin' - today you can choose to take a tour of Honfleur. The town was an influence on the work of many artists, including Monet, Courbet and Boudin, who set up the Ecole de Honfleur, an artists' colony and melting pot for the whole Impressionist movement.

Otherwise you might choose to join our excursion to the nearby beaches of Gold and Juno, two of five D-Day landing sites. Following some free time this afternoon, tonight we celebrate the end of our cruise at the captain's special gala dinner.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We transfer by rail to Paris this morning, after a final breakfast together. From here we catch the return Eurostar service back to London.