Wintertime on the Seine

Discover Avignon, known as the City of Popes, and the variety of residences, chateaux, fortified palaces, and churches built by Popes who had left the turmoil of Rome in the 14th century. Tour the medieval city and its famous Pont D’Avignon, and then enjoy a visit of the impressive Palace of the Popes followed by an included lunch. Continue your discoveries at your leisure before we return.

Immerse yourself in the roots of the city at the Carnavalet Museum. There, with your local expert guide, experience the charm and history of Paris, where the city’s story comes to life through exquisite period rooms, fascinating artifacts, and treasures from the French Revolution to modern times. Stroll through the elegant mansions and soak in the atmosphere of centuries past. Afterward, enjoy a leisurely pause at a quintessential Parisian café, savoring champagne and delicate pastries while watching the city go by. 

Please note: This optional tour must be reserved at least 15 days prior to your trip's departure.

Get to know Bruges, a city of canals, the former capital of West Flanders, and Europe’s best-preserved medieval city. From the 13th to the 15th centuries (until the Zwin River silted over), Bruges was northern Europe's leading trade center, owing its prominence largely to thriving wool and textile industries. You’ll see signs of this mercantile history in the beautiful houses built by the wealthy textile merchants.

Your walking tour takes you to the Church of Our Lady and to Market Square, with its distinctive belfry tower and carillon of 47 bells. The charming structure is also home to Michelangelo's Madonna of Bruges statue, notable for the artist's treatment of the subject matter, as well as for being the only one of his works to leave Italy during his lifetime. You’ll also see the Holy Blood Chapel, containing relics from the Crusades. Then, enjoy a snack of Belgium waffles, a treat for which the country is renown. After some free time to explore on your own, you'll sit down to an included lunch at a local restaurant. Wrap your optional tour up with more time to explore independently before returning to the hotel. 

During your evening outing to the Latin Quarter, delight in a Parisian cabaret performance that features the famed Cancan dance, and find out why this kind of theater has been celebrated for so many years—in France and throughout the world. Your excursion includes dinner at the theater.

Please note: This traditional cabaret performance is intended for an adult audience, and includes some nudity. This optional tour is not available in August. The cabaret is closed on Tuesdays; this optional tour may be featured on an alternate day.

This excursion brings you to the Palace of Versailles—the former home of 3,000 princes, ministers, and servants. Your guided tour will take you through the palace’s Grand Chambers, the Hall of Mirrors (where the Treaty of Versailles, ending World War I, was signed in 1919), and the Royal Chapel. You’ll marvel at the luminous decor in marble, chased bronze, and golf leaf, as well as Rococo-style woodwork and Italian-style painted ceilings. As you explore, you’ll discover how much the palace has been expanded and embellished since Louis XIII first built a modest hunting lodge here in 1623. You’ll also enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to the ship in Paris.