Paris and its monuments
A relaxed guided cruise will leave you with unforgettable memories of the Seine:
bridges that breathe history (the Pont Neuf immortalised by Christo),
mythical monuments: the Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame cathedral, the Louvre, the Musée d’Orsay, the Statue of Liberty…..
The Oise and Van Gogh
After a leisurely cruise on the smooth waters of the Oise, you will land at Auvers-sur-Oise and explore the narrow streets of the old village where Van Gogh painted most of his works before he passed away there in 1890.
The Seine and the Impressionists
Around the islands of Chatou and Bougival, come and discover the scenery that inspired the most famous of the Impressionist painters, including Monet, Sisley, Pissarro and Berthe Morisot, as well as poets and writers such as Maupassant. Stop off at the Maison Fournaise in Chatou, a famous meeting place for the Impressionists, take a tour of the museum, and round off your visit with a refreshing drink on the famous terrace.
Pause for a moment at the site of the Machine de Marly, built in 1684 to pump water for the fountains at Versailles for Louis XIV, the Sun King, at the very spot where Sisley set up his easel on glorious summer days to paint his most famous works. Enjoy the easy rhythm of life along the banks of the Seine, and travel back in time to this glorious period of the past.
The Marne, an abundance of greenery
A source of inspiration and a favourite holiday destination, the banks of the Marne river have been trodden by numerous writers and poets.
François Rabelais, Alexandre Dumas, Alphonse Daudet, Emile Zola and Victor Hugo came to the Marne and found inspiration for the words that make up the essence of their works:
“Sachez qu’hier de ma lucarne
J’ai vu, j’ai couvert de clins d’yeux
Une fille qui, dans la Marne
Lavait des torchons radieux…”
Victor Hugo”
The Marne also has something for visitors in search of fun with its boat garages housing flotillas of canoes for trips up and down the river, its famous guinguette riverside restaurants such as Les Bibelots du Diable at Joinville-le-Pont, or its bathing, much loved by Parisians.
The lower part of the Seine - Rouen and Honfleur
In the Belle Époque period, Parisians would take the train from Paris to Le Vésinet, a village west of the capital. From there, they would embark on a cruise lasting several days though the Seine Maritime to Rouen, or, for the more fortunate, as far as Honfleur. During this cruise, you will be able to admire the ever changing scenery and luxurious houses, vestiges of the Middle Ages (Les Andelys, Château Gaillard) .
Rouen lies in a meander of the Seine, an amphitheatre offering an unforgettable sight with its 100 steeples and 1,000 timbered houses.
Carried along by the outgoing tide, you will be able to contemplate at your leisure scenery typical of the Basse-Normandie region.
After passing the Honfleur lock, you will land inside Honfleur, made famous by the Impressionist painters Corot, Eugène Boudin and Monet, who liked to meet up in this small coastal town.
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