The City Of Light
The first day of this cruise
aboard the Viking Fjorgyn
offers a tour of Paris and
the chance to marvel at
its remarkable sights,
including the iconic Eiffel
Tower. Visitors can take
in the École Militaire
(Military Museum), the
artworks of the Musée
d'Orsay, the culture-
rich Latin Quarter, and
Notre-Dame Cathedral.
There's also the option
to join a tour to explore
Montmartre and
Sacré-Coeur, or sample
the delights of French
cuisine during a food tour.
On our departure from Paris, I'd been admiring the
impressive chalk cliffs that towered over the Seine when
suddenly a striking castle appeared, high on a hill.
No time to go grab my camera, I thought with some
annoyance. Not to worry - Château Gaillard was to be
a highlight on the return to Paris.
I had been up on the top deck that morning in the
winter sunshine, captivated by the eerie mist that
floated across the calm water, marvelling at the amount
of mistletoe groaning in the bare trees, spotting
numerous cormorants and herons and admiring the
picturesque homes lining the banks.
ROYAL HISTORY
Docking at the village of Les Andelys, we hiked up to
the castle ruins. We'd been 'introduced' to Richard the
Lionheart the previous day at Rouen, where his heart
is buried in the cathedral. At Château Gaillard, the
'brave' part of the English king's name was illustrated
by our guide Marie, who explained how he defended
his Dukedom of Normandy from here at the turn of
the 13th century. The vista was memorable, the cliffs
marching away downstream and our ship nestled far
below.
Paris is obviously a major draw of this cruise and
another 24 hours here provided a suitable finale. I
had not been to the French capital for more than two
decades, and so decided to re-acquaint myself via
the Métro and my eager two feet. I came upon what
must be France's biggest Christmas attraction near the
Louvre. As much funfair as festive market, it thronged
with Parisians and tourists downing vin chaud,
FRANCE
SEINE
La Roche-Guyon
Les Andelys
Rouen
Le Pecq
Paris
Omaha Beach
Gold Beach
Juno Beach
Giverny
C r ui s e
O ve r night in Po r t
PARIS & THE HE ART
OF NORMANDY
PARIS – PARIS
8 DAYS | 6 GUIDED TOURS | 1 COUNTRY
SET SAIL MAR – NOV 2024; 2025
From
$4,195pp in Standard stateroom
SAVE up to
$2,000 per couple
munching on spiced pastries and fretting over their
children on the ferris wheel. Stalls selling jewellery,
candles, bags and scarfs were doing a brisk trade.
Taking a long, leisurely walk back to the ship, the Eiffel
Tower peeked in and out amongst the buildings lining
Paris's elegant boulevards. As night began to fall, the
tower suddenly burst into life, lights sparkling rapidly
up and down the 1,000-ft steel spike. The display only
lasts for five minutes each hour. My memories of this
cruise will last far longer.
This article was originally published in the September
issue of MiNDFOOD magazine.
Musée d'Orsay in Paris
BOOK
NOW
10
VIKING
10
