Seine Cruise 800
Seine Cruise 800
Seine Cruise 800
8 Days Starting and ending in London, UK
Visiting: London, Gare du Nord, Paris, Musée de l'Orangerie, Parking Indigo Rueil-Malmaison Claude Monet, Rue Claude Monet, Vernon, Bois des Moutiers, Jardin Le Vasterival, Château Canon, Calvados Père Magloire l'Experience, Pont-l'Évêque, Côte Fleurie, Honfleur, Memorial Pegasus, Le Jardin Plume, Rouen, Les Jardins d'Angélique, Les Andelys
Tour operator:
Tour code:
BSEI
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
6 - 25
Age range:
1-99
Special diets catered:
Meat, Vegans, Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
Join us on a relaxing cruise on the sinuous River Seine, into which we have woven a series of visits to the outstanding gardens of Normandy, including Monet’s garden at Giverny, which continues to enthrall countless visitors more than 90 years after his death.
Other garden highlights include Château de Mirosmesnil, which represents four centuries of harmonious architectural styles, and Le Vasterival, one of the finest gardens of its type and a lasting legacy of its creator, the Princess Sturdza. At the Jardin de Plume we will discover a natural yet structured contemporary garden in a typical Normandy orchard and at the Jardin Angélique we explore a romantic and delightfully old-fashioned garden. A visit to the interesting garden at Château de Canon is combined with a heart-warming taste of Normandy at the cellars of Calvados Père Magloire.
Waking up to a new view every day (without having to pack and unpack) is always a lovely experience and combined with these wonderful gardens this promises to be an unforgettable cruise holiday.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : London
Location: London, Gare du Nord
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Dinner
We depart from London St Pancras International on the morning Eurostar service through the Channel Tunnel to Paris Gare du Nord. (First Class upgrades and regional connections also available on request). On arrival we will be met by our comfortable local coach and transfer to our ship on the banks of the River Seine.
In the evening once you have settled into your cabin we will be introduced to the crew and enjoy a welcome cocktail before dinner on board. Water levels permitting, we will also enjoy a cruise through Paris ‘by night’.
Day 2 : Musée De L’Orangerie Des Tuileries,
Location: Paris, Musée de l'Orangerie, Parking Indigo Rueil-Malmaison Claude Monet
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Following breakfast we depart for a morning excursion to the Musée de l’Orangerie des Tuileries, which is home to the series of 2-metre high murals entitled Les Nymphéas, a sequence of impressions such as clouds, reflections and sunsets which Claude Monet installed between 1914 and 1918, when he was at the height of his extraordinary powers.
We return to the ship for lunch with the afternoon free to go ashore to shop and sightsee at your leisure. Paris is, of course, the most romantic city in the world with wonderful art galleries, churches, and shops.
We will return to the ship in time for dinner, mooring overnight in Paris once again.
Day 3 : Claude Monet
Location: Rue Claude Monet, Vernon
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning is spent cruising to Vernon. In the afternoon we depart for nearby Giverny and the world famous house and gardens of Claude Monet. Both the house and gardens have been lovingly and accurately restored - one would believe that the family have just gone out to walk in the garden. You will have plenty of time to explore this marvellous garden at your leisure, followed by an opportunity to visit the little church where Monet is buried.
We return to our ship in time for dinner followed by entertainment as we cruise through Rouen to our overnight berth in Duclair.
Day 4 : Le Bois Des Moutiers
Location: Bois des Moutiers, Jardin Le Vasterival
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we depart by coach for the first of two garden visits today, Le Bois des Moutiers on the northern coast, near Dieppe. The garden, in part influenced by the English designer Gertrude Jekyll, is full of charm. Near the house a white garden, held in check by disciplined box hedges, is full of white valerian, Iceberg roses, white irises and other ghostly plants. One can amble through the glades whose themes, colours and scents vary enormously in one of the most beautiful landscapes of the region. A packed lunch is included today.
We continue to the nearby garden of Le Vasterival. In 1957 Princess Sturdza, a talented plantswoman, started to create this magnificent garden in a natural style covering 7 hectares of acid soil, a kilometre from the sea. Princess Sturdza died in 2009 but the garden continues to thrive, with a huge range of plants which grow to perfection in its composted earth. Its informal design with paths, woodlands, glades and immaculate grass walks leading temptingly in all directions, contains a richness of flora in a variety of settings all year round. A guided tour is included here.
We will rejoin the ship at Honfleur, our overnight stop at the mouth of the Seine.
Day 5 : Côte Fleurie
Location: Château Canon, Calvados Père Magloire l'Experience, Pont-l'Évêque, Côte Fleurie, Honfleur, Memorial Pegasus
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast this morning we drive along the Côte Fleurie from Honfleur to Caen, pausing for a visit to the Pegasus Bridge Memorial Museum, which pays tribute to the Anglo-Canadian 6th Airborne Division who captured and liberated the bridge here during the D-Day Landings of June 1944.
In the afternoon we visit the garden at Château de Canon at Mezidon-Canon, which was redesigned by a barrister who knew Horace Walpole. The layout is best understood as a French interpretation of the Augustan Style. Like Chiswick Park, it has an axis leading from the house across a grass parterre and an axial woodland ornamented with small temples, including The Temple de la Pleureuse and a Chinese pavilion. A packed lunch is included today.
We conclude today in Pont L’Evêque at the famous Calvados house of Père Magloire. Welcomed by the hostesses who will accompany us to the Museum of Calvados and Old Trades, we will be guided by the Cellar Master with the aid of the audio-visual presentation, and have a visit to the cellars followed by a tasting in the shop.
Dinner is served on board is the evening as the ship moors overnight in Honfleur once again.
Day 6 : Jardin Plume
Location: Le Jardin Plume, Rouen
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
As we sit down to breakfast this morning the ship will sail back upstream towards Paris, arriving in the city of Rouen around midday. After lunch on board we depart for a visit to the Jardin Plume. Since 1997, Sylvie and Patrick Quibel have been creating this natural yet structured contemporary garden in a typical Normandy orchard. Making generous use of grasses and perennials, the four acre garden includes seasonal plantings, a central square mirror pool and a kitchen garden.
We return to the ship in time for dinner and moor in Rouen overnight.
Day 7 : Jardin D'angélique
Location: Les Jardins d'Angélique, Les Andelys
Accommodation: Overnight Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
The morning is spent cruising. After lunch on board we visit the impressive Jardin d'Angélique at Montmain. Created six years ago, this garden, whose queen is the rose, displays intense bursts of flower in a relaxing environment characteristic of Normandy. Opposite the magnificent former Norman manor house is a subtle and sensuous collection of 1600 varieties of rose surrounded by lawn gardens.
We rejoin the ship at Les Andelys, a little town on a bend in the river which is dominated by a ruined castle, built by Richard the Lionheart in 1196. A farewell gala dinner is served tonight on board the ship, a chance to discuss with new-found friends the many sights we have seen along the River Seine.
Day 8 : Gare Du Nord
Location: London, Gare du Nord
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast on board we disembark and transfer to the Gare du Nord for our Eurostar train back to London where we expect to arrive in the evening.
What's Included
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Accommodation
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Meals as per the itinerary
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Comfortable coach travel throughout
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Services of a professional tour manager
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Train travel
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All visits as outlined in the itinerary
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Yes
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Are flights included in this tour?
No
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No
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Will I receive more details of the holiday before I travel?
You will receive detailed joining instructions around 10 days prior to you departure, but you are of course welcome to contact us at any time should you have any queries.
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What facilities do your coaches have?
Generally, our coaches have reclining seats, air-conditioning and toilets, however this cannot always be guaranteed as sometimes we have to use smaller vehicles. Toilets are recommended for emergency use only and regular comfort stops will be made throughout your holiday while travelling around.
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Do I have to go on the included excursions?
Absolutely not. You are more than welcome to spend the day at your hotel or exploring independently should you wish. All we ask is that you inform your Tour Manager, so they are not left waiting for you to join the group.
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Is there time to relax?
Although our itineraries may seem jam-packed, boasting access to some of the most exclusive sites across the UK and beyond, a Brightwater Holiday is just that: a holiday. Each trip will counter in more than enough free-time for you to explore places at your own leisure. And with most nights and the majority of meals being included in our tour prices, you can relax in hand-picked accommodation.
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Do I need to be an expert?
Absolutely not! Although some of our tours are specifically focused on one thing, all you need to enjoy a Brightwater holiday is interest and bags of enthusiasm! Even on our most specialist tours, we take travellers from all skill levels, from experts to beginners.
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How fit or active do I need to be for one of your holidays?
You need to be able to get on and off the coach unassisted, and most – but not all – coaches have a kneel facility that lowers the front step for ease of boarding
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Do you have self-drive holidays?
Yes, we do – tailored to your exact requirements!
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What’s the luggage allowance on your coaches?
There’s no fixed limit, but we generally say one large suitcase to go in the luggage compartment and a smaller bag that you can take onto the coach with you. For flight-inclusive holidays, we include a luggage allowance of at least 20kg.
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Where are your departure points?
UK garden holidays generally depart from London, with additional pick-ups depending on the route of the coach, while holidays to Scotland depart from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth, with Dundee, Inverness and Aberdeen sometimes included. All Eurostar holidays depart from London St. Pancras and flight-inclusive holidays depart from one or more of the main London airports, with regional flights .
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What about the company that will be kept?
For single travellers, those with a companion or even those travelling in a larger group, you'll find that the signature of any Brightwater Holiday is the company. You won't ever be travelling with a group of strangers, instead, you'll find yourself surrounded by like-minded people with a strong shared interest who will soon become your firm friends.
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What is a Brightwater Holiday?
Bursting with enthralling, educational and enlightening itineraries, a Brightwater Holiday, by its very nature, is packed with bucket-list-worthy destinations, behind the scenes passes and expert-led experiences. From creating bespoke quality garden and special interest tours for groups and individuals alike, we have made it our business to make our guests' travel dreams come true.
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Why is there a single supplement?
Unfortunately, single room supplements are charges that are often imposed on us as a company when we book rooms for group holidays. However, most hotels do charge less for single occupancy, and we always pass this saving on to our solo travellers in the form of a modest single supplement.
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How much are your optional excursions?
Prices start from as little as £20, but please contact our friendly team for questions about specific itineraries or excursions.
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Can I pre-book my coach seats?
Yes, you can. In the case of front seats, guests with limited mobility are given priority. Please get in touch with our friendly team to discuss any requirements you may have.
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How to get there? Easy!
With a Brightwater Holiday, the journey is just as important as the destination and we make getting you to your tour start point easy. From organising group flights and individual travel plans, to offering accessible local departure and pick-up points, we go out of our way to ensure that your journey is as convenient and hassle-free as it can be.
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Do I need to have travel insurance?
Travel insurance is required for all overseas holidays and is also strongly recommended for UK holidays – primarily to protect yourself against cancellation charges should you be unable to travel.
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May 23, 2025 - May 30, 2025Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Brightwater Holidays allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform brightwater holidays, 25 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Brightwater Holidays requires a minimum deposit of 15% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 70 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of brightwater holidays charges.
At 40 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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