We thought a Seine River cruise would be a gentle, sleepy glide through France. We were wrong! 🇫🇷
Join us on an unexpected adventure aboard the Avalon Tapestry II as we travel from Paris to Le Havre. This wasn’t just a luxury cruise; it was a week of high-octane Action, classic French Romance, and deeply moving Remembrance.
From cycling 27km through the French countryside and a “near-disaster” kayaking trip on the River Epte, to standing on the hallowed sands of Juno Beach and the Normandy D-Day sites, this Avalon Waterways Active & Discovery itinerary challenged every preconception we had about a Seine river cruise.
In this video, we explore:
* The ultimate Paris food tour in St. Germain.
* The “City of a Hundred Spires”—Rouen—and its midnight light show.
* Hiking to Richard the Lionheart’s Château Gaillard.
* A poignant journey to the Commonwealth and Canadian War Cemeteries.
* The brutalist beauty if the most unusual ‘kaleidoscope’ church you’ve ever seen at Le Havre.
Is this the best river cruise in France? Whether you’re here for the luxury dining and gala dinners or the adrenaline-fueled excursions, this Seine River cruise vlog covers it all.
KEY MOMENTS (Timestamps)
0:00 Intro – This was NOT what we expected!
1:36 Hello and the Eiffel Tower
5:14 St. Germain Breakfast Crawl (Croissants & Macarons)
9:41 Panache Cruises Advert
10:40 Ship and Cabin Tour
15:37 The 27km Cycle Challenge to Maisons-Laffitte, Conflans
21:17 Kayaking the Epte in Vernon: Did we capsize?
25:17 Climbing to Richard the Lionheart’s Fortress in Les Anderles
27:49 Rouen: Vikings, Cathedrals, and Joan of Arc
35:52 Normandy Remembrance: Pegasus Bridge & Juno Beach
40:09 Le Havre: Brutalist Churches and Rainbow Containers
43:18 Final Night Gala & Paris Farewell
ABOUT OUR CRUISE
Cruise Line: Avalon Waterways
Ship: Avalon Tapestry II
Itinerary: Active & Discovery on the Seine (Paris to Le Havre)
Learn more about Avalon: [Link to your website/affiliate/Avalon info]
#SeineRiverCruise #AvalonWaterways #ParisToNormandy #RiverCruiseVlog #LuxuryTravel #DDayBeaches #VisitWithUs #FranceTravelGuide #CruiseReview
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VOLUNTARY DISCLOSURE:
We were invited on board as guests of Avalon Waterways (AW) as Ambassadors of Panache Cruises, the UK luxury cruise provider. We paid for our own flights to the ship and received no fees or remuneration for producing media during and after this voyage from either of the aforementioned companies. Any resulting videos have been produced without influence or expectation from AW or Panache and we had complete editorial and artistic freedom. Neither AW or Panache have had prior preview of this content and are watching for the first time along with you. All our videos contain our personal and unbiased opinion. Please ask us if you want to know more or visit www.asa.org.uk for more information on blogger/vlogger disclosure requirements. Thank you and we hope you enjoy the content as much as we did creating it. Rich and Helen x
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17 Comments
Honestly, we’re still drying out from that "gentle" kayaking trip! 🛶💦 It was certainly NOT the pootle down the river we expected, but we loved every second of it.
We want to know: Are you an "Active" traveler who wants the cycling and kayaking, or do you prefer the "Discovery" side—the history, the gala dinners, and the croissants? 🥐🇫🇷 Let us know in the comments👇
Frogs legs are something I have always wanted to try.
Silly tone of voice. Not funny.
Another absolutely wonderful video. It's always a treat to live vicariously through your videos. My favorite was the Normandy Memorials. As an American, I can say your explanation for your choice of memorial to attend was not required, however very appreciated.
I anxiously look forward to your vlogs. They are mini vacations!
Wonderful videography and charming narration!
And we never tire of seeing footage of our favourite country that is not 🍁. Somehow, we ended up alone at the Bény-sur-Mer cemetery, which was special.
Continued happy sailings!
Paris is truly a city of magic. Great vid!
Maybe I missed it, but why cant people put in the description when the actual trip took place. Viewers like to know when the travel happened. Again maybe I missed it.
Thank you for juggling 3 cameras, is a great video.
Magnificent river cruise vlog ✨
Certainly far better scenery than on the Rhine.
Well done as always, looks like a trip worth taking, Thanks, Jim
love your vlog, it so relaxing and scenic!! especially love all the historic and funny commentary. We are definitely active travelers and will be on the Ama Sophia this August traveling the Danube. Our first river cruise! hope to do some biking also while there.
As residents of France for fifteen years, we watched the cabaret with amusement. We have managed to integrate to almost every level of French life but understanding of one aspect eludes us. The French approach to sex and sexuality is….French. It is at once refreshing and sensible and then jaw dropping! We have been to weddings and birthday celebrations where, in the UK, the police would have been called😮. Yet, whether we like it or not, it is who we are…and the French celebrate that fact so we have learned to adapt accordingly. Your video is excellent and has spurred us to think about our first river cruise on the Seine- which is pretty much on our doorstep. After our Explora and Yacht Club cruises this spring, the Seine is now top of our to-do list. Just to add, the French Sons et Lumieres as seen on the cathedral are repeated in France on churches throughout the country in summer. They are a little 'different' but always impressive.
Great video! That cruise looked “in-Seine” 😊
Thoroughly enjoyed as I do every trip. Thank you for another armchair tour – no packing, no exhaustion, just the joy of watching two great tour guides 🤗🥰
Thanks for a very enjoyable video. You made this river cruise look very enjoyable and great fun. I will admit that far too much modern public sculpture does not appeal to me at all, however if I ever got there I would seek out those shipping containers. If I was an upper executive for say Maersk or MSC I would commission a copy for the main office lawn.