The Gallivanter Vol. 200

In celebration of our 200th edition of our weekly newsletter, The Gallivanter, we've curated a special e-book edition! Find Paddington Bear with Michelle, delve deep into Japan with Kyle, and discover our top 10 places to visit in 2025...

Paris and the Heart of Normandy

Departs: 8 May 2025 | 8 Days | France | Ship: Viking Skaga

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

  • Explore Giverny and the charming house and gardens where Claude Monet lived and worked
  • Admire views of the Eiffel Tower and a replica of the Statue of Liberty from your ship
  • Visit the legendary D-Day beaches along the Normandy coast and the cemeteries 

PRICE

From $5,895* per person, twin share in a Standard Stateroom

From $8,495* per person, twin share in a French Balcony

DAY 1 Paris, France 

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Long a hub of French culture and cuisine, Paris is one of the most romantic destinations in the world. Over the centuries, Parisian culture has been built on the wings of inspiration. Music, film, architecture, literature, dance and the visual arts all have their brilliant place in the museums, theatres, bookstores and remarkably preserved buildings of this magnificent city. At the centre of it all is the Champs-Élysées. With its inviting riverside promenade, graceful bridges and splendid views of all things Parisian, from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre Museum

DAY 2  Paris, France

One of the most pleasurable activities in Paris is whiling away the time in one of the city’s outdoor cafés. Whether you are sipping a café au lait or a kir royal, there is no better way to feel like a Parisian. The hub of social and culinary life, cafés have been part of the city’s fabric since the 1600s. During the 20th century, literary and artistic figures—such as Ernest Hemingway, Colette and Pablo Picasso—famously met over drinks to share their works and ideas. Today, thousands of cafés line the pavements and squares to connect with France’s culture and history.

DAY 3 La Roche-Guyon and Vernon 

DAY 4 Seine River 

The Seine meanders through the mellow vistas of Normandy. As it makes its sleepy and serpentine way to the English Channel, it winds along for 240 miles from Paris, more than doubling the distance of a crow’s flight. As you sail, fertile fields unfurl toward groves of apple orchards, sources of the region’s famed calvados apple brandy. Norman cows graze the grassy meadows that help produce creamy Brie and Camembert. You will also gaze upon picturesque villages and historic abbeys on these bucolic banks.

DAY 5 Normandy, France 

History focused its sights along the coast of Normandy, France—notably Omaha, Juno and Gold Beaches—on the early morning of June 6, 1944, as American, Canadian and British troops made landfall in their first European incursion during World War II. The entire operation was termed Operation Overlord, the code name for the invasion of Normandy. The remains of the concrete structures and steel causeway of Mulberry Harbour, built by the British, can still be seen on the beach near the village of Arromanches. The Arromanches Debarkment D-Day Museum presents animated 3D scale models to help visitors grasp this exceptional harbour and its contribution to the battle—considered perhaps the single greatest innovation that ensured victory for the Allies.

DAY 6 Les Andelys, France

Les Andelys is best known for its imposing castle overlooking the city, the Château Gaillard. Built in 1196 by Richard the Lionheart, the castle and the village’s strategic location bolstered the importance of Les Andelys throughout the Middle Ages. The town also gained notice for its Sainte Clotilde Miraculous Spring, where the wife of the first Frankish king, Clovis, turned well water into wine to serve the builders of her Benedictine monastery. Europe’s devout, upon hearing of the act, flocked here on pilgrimages until the end of the 19th century.

DAY 7 Paris, France 

DAY 8 Paris, France

During World War II, occupied Paris became the centre for the Free French resistance movement. Unlike other French cities that were targets of Allied bombing raids, Paris escaped major damage and its many iconic landmarks, such as the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, survived the war intact and can still be enjoyed today. Liberation came just two months after the D-Day landings in Normandy, when divisions of the French tanks and US infantry entered the city on August 26, 1944, culminating with an exuberant march, led by Gen. Charles de Gaulle, down the Champs-Élysées. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.

Terms and Conditions apply, click here for details. 

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