France’s Finest

  • From $8,899
  • |
  • 15 Days
  • |
  • 13 Guided Tours
  • |
  • 1 Country

Paris (Le Pecq), France

  • Louvre Museum and Gardens in Paris

The origins of Paris can be traced back to a Gallic settlement founded during the 3rd century BC. By the time Napoleon III established the Second Empire during the mid-19th century, it had expanded into a large city and was in need of a major transformation. What transpired was a division of Paris into 20 arrondissements, starting at the Île de la Cité and spiraling out in a consecutive numerical order—the city’s present design. From the lively jazz bars of the Latin Quarter to the steep, ivy-clad streets of Montmartre, these charming districts are a delight to explore.

Paris, France

  • Pont Alexandre III with Eiffel Tower View

Life in Paris revolves around the Seine River, with 37 bridges crossing the river, each telling a story. Perhaps none are so extravagant as the Pont Alexandre III, a graceful span named for the Russian tsar who signed the Franco-Russian Alliance in 1892. Downriver, the five-arched Pont d’Iéna is beloved for its scenic location linking the Eiffel Tower to the Trocadéro district. The Pont des Arts, set between the Louvre and the Institut de France, was famed for its thousands of padlocks, attached by couples to the railing grate as a sign of their devotion to each other.

Shore Excursions

Shore excursions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.

Historic mansion with frozen pond reflection

Napoleon’s Château de Malmaison

Visit the historic château where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final days in France.

Included
Historic mansion with frozen pond reflection

Napoleon’s Château de Malmaison

Duration: 3 hours      

The Emperor’s Final Residence Before His Exile

Visit the historic château where Napoleon Bonaparte spent his final days in France. Along with the Tuileries, this elegant manor house, purchased by the emperor’s wife, Josephine, in 1799, served as the seat of Napoleon’s French government from 1800 to 1802. After the couple’s divorce, she collected an annual pension of 5 million francs and kept the house, which she called home until her death in 1814. The emperor returned the following year after his defeat at Waterloo and received news of his exile to the island of Saint Helena. Admire the courtyards and see Josephine’s beloved music room and library. Visit her opulent chambers and salon, and view the emperor’s bedroom and the stunning mahogany decor of his study with its original furnishings. Enjoy free time here before returning to your ship.

* Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Elegant French garden with geometric design

Small Group Experience: The Palace of Versailles

Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe-inspiring Château de Versailles.
Elegant French garden with geometric design

Small Group Experience: The Palace of Versailles

Duration: 5 hours      

The Extravagant Home of French Royalty

Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe-inspiring Château de Versailles. The palace and its sprawling gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, began as a hunting lodge. Over time, it was enlarged by each of its three resident kings—most famously Louis XIV, the “Sun King.” A local guide will accompany your small group (maximum of ten guests) to the château, where you will discover the extravagant lives and excesses of French royalty. See the state apartments of the king, the Hercules Drawing Room with its magnificent painted ceiling and the famed Hall of Mirrors—the glittering corridor of chandeliers and glass in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed, thus ending World War I. Learn about court life during the 18th century, and see the queen’s apartments and the chamber of Marie Antoinette. Later, there will be time to explore the vast gardens.

* Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Elegant French garden with geometric design

The Palace of Versailles

Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe-inspiring Château de Versailles.
Elegant French garden with geometric design

The Palace of Versailles

Duration: 5 hours      

The Extravagant Home of French Royalty

Enjoy a day at the former home of French kings: the awe-inspiring Château de Versailles. The palace and its sprawling gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, began as a small hunting lodge. Over the years, it was enlarged by each of its three resident kings—most famously Louis XIV, the “Sun King.” A local guide will accompany you to the château, where you will discover the extravagant lives and excess of French royalty. See the state apartments of the king, the Hercules Drawing Room with its magnificent painted ceiling and the famed Hall of Mirrors—the glittering corridor of chandeliers and glass in which the Treaty of Versailles was signed, thus ending World War I. Learn about court life during 18th century, and see the queen’s apartments and the chamber of Marie Antoinette. Later, there will be time to explore the vast, elaborate gardens.

* Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Illuminated bridge over Seine at night

Paris Cruise by Night

See Paris in all its illuminated glory as you drift along the Seine River on a leisurely night cruise.
Illuminated bridge over Seine at night

Paris Cruise by Night

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes      

Sail Through the “City of Light”

See Paris in all its illuminated glory as you drift along the Seine River on a leisurely night cruise. Board your open-air vessel and set sail to view the city’s renowned monuments, such as the Louvre, the Musée D’Orsay, the Grand Palais and the imposing Conciergerie—once part of the Palais de la Cité and a former courthouse and prison that housed Marie Antoinette. Your leisurely cruise is one of the most relaxing ways to see the sights along the Banks of the Seine River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral, which re-opened to the public in 2024. Take in the illuminated bridges as you glide through the heart of the French capital awash in a glow of twinkling lights. At the end of the excursion, you will return to the dock and transfer back to your awaiting ship.

* Easy - Walking portions are generally over easy surfaces with few steps or inclines. Total time walking or standing is normally not longer than 1.5 hours.

The Louvre Museum & Brasserie Dinner

Explore the treasures of the Louvre, France’s magnificent repository of art.

The Louvre Museum & Brasserie Dinner

Duration: 6 hours      

Art Treasures and French Cuisine

Explore the treasures of the Louvre, France’s magnificent repository of art. When Louis XIV left Paris for his “country house” of Versailles, he left his royal collection behind. The Louvre served several other functions until the French Revolution put it in the hands of the people so they could enjoy their nation’s great art. During your guided visit, admire classical Greek antiquities, such as the Venus de Milo; view Napoleon’s gilded crown in the Apollo Gallery; and see the Winged Victory of Samothrace. You will also have time to contemplate the mystery of the Mona Lisa’s smile and marvel at the sculptures of Michelangelo and Canova. After free time in the museum to explore on your own, head to a local brasserie. Here, sample some of the delights of traditional Parisian cuisine as you savor a three-course dinner before returning to your ship.

* Moderate - Walking portions may be long and somewhat challenging with occasional step-ups, stairs and inclines. Total time walking or standing normally ranges from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Shore excursions vary by itinerary and are subject to change.

Videos

Notre Dame Cathedral under cloudy skies

Gothic Cathedrals

Marvel at the ingenuity and ethereal quality of Gothic architecture, a style inspired by a period when religion governed life and epitomized by Europe’s soaring cathedrals from the 12th to 16th centuries.