Please note that the opinions expressed in this article are entirely our own, and we have not been compensated in any way for these opinions.
Returning to Europe for our 4th Viking River Cruise, we decided to spend three weeks in France. The cruise we selected, France’s Finest, was actually two back-to-back cruises. The first, Paris & the Heart of Normandy, is a roundtrip sailing up the Seine from Paris to Rouen and then back to Paris. The second cruise is Lyon & Provence, which sails on the Rhone from Lyon to Avignon. This combined cruise is 15 days in length.
We also decided to add the Viking pre-extension in Paris for three nights and the Viking post-extension in Nice, called the French Riviera extension, for another three nights. Together with the cruise, these extensions totaled 21 days, for a full three-week vacation.
In this article, we will cover each part of our itinerary, including the pre-extension, first cruise, second cruise and the post-extension.
Before discussing the specific itinerary of this cruise, we thought we would first take a look at the Viking Cruise company and some general information regarding what to expect from any of their river cruises. If you read our previous article on the Viking Rhine Getaway Cruise, this information may be familiar to you.
Viking Cruises
Founded in 1997, Viking Cruises has grown to be the world’s leading river cruise line and has expanded to include an ocean fleet that now sails around the world. In January 2022, Viking launched the new expedition voyages, sailing to Antarctica, the Arctic and North America’s Great Lakes. Also in 2022, Viking expanded its destination-focused travel experiences with the launch of Mississippi River cruises. You can see all of their cruise options on their site here.
Why You Should Give Viking a Try – One of the reasons we love Viking, and there are many, is that so much is included, with very few additional charges. For one price you will have a beautiful stateroom, all your meals, a free excursion in every port, unlimited wine and beer with lunch and dinner and free WiFi. You will only pay for drinks outside of lunch/dinner, gratuities and any optional excursions that you elect to take. Need some additional incentive to consider a Viking cruise? Take a look at one of our recent articles, Viking River Cruise – 10 Reasons to Go.
– Preparing for Your River Cruise – To ensure you get the most from your river cruise experience, we recommend a number of things that you can do to enhance your trip, and it all starts from the time that you book your trip.
For example, Viking offers the option of booking your flight directly through Viking. Typically, their pricing is very competitive and they even offer free air on some cruises. For a small additional fee, you can even work with Viking to select your specific flights, including options for stopping over in other destination cities on the way to and from your cruise. You can also enhance your trip by taking advantage of pre and post extensions, allowing you to spend additional time before or after your cruise in some spectacular destinations.
You can find more information about booking tips in one of our previous articles, Tips for Booking a Viking Cruise.
– Life on Board Viking’s River Ships
The Viking river ships have no more than 195 passengers and never feel crowded. There are several areas to relax, take in the sights and have a libation. But there are a few things you will not find on a Viking river ship. First, everyone must be 18 or over, so there are no children. Second, there is no casino, theatre or exercise gym (although there is a walking track on the top deck). You can think of the ship as a luxury hotel that takes you from destination to destination.
– Dining – The primary dining area is simply called The Restaurant and is the main dining venue. The other option is the Aquavit Terrace for al fresco dining. On a nice day there is nothing better than sailing down the river while having your morning coffee or one of your meals in this lovely spot on the front of the ship. Take note that there is no room service on the river ships (with the exception of breakfast in the Explorer Suite), so don’t plan on meal delivery to your room.
– Lounge – The lounge is the main gathering place in the late afternoon as guests relax with their favorite beverage, after a fun-filled day of sightseeing. Each evening before dinner, the cruise director discusses any pertinent announcements and the next day’s itinerary, while the chef previews the evening’s dinner options. By the way, we found the drink prices in the lounge to be very reasonably priced, much less than your typical luxury hotel!
After dinner the lounge is the place to go for the evening’s entertainment, which could be a cultural experience, live music or even a trivia game.
– Sun Deck – Our favorite spot to relax, the Sun Deck is the perfect place to view the towns, vineyards and castles along the river. With deck chairs that are both under cover or out in the sun, you can find your favorite spot to relax. The Sun Deck also has a walking track, putting green and herb garden.
We know that first time cruisers may have many more questions about what to expect during the cruise itself. You can find some additional information in another article, Viking Cruises Frequently Asked Questions.
Another frequently asked question is what to wear during your cruise. In our article, What to Wear on a European River Cruise , we will walk you through what to pack.
France’s Finest – Part 1 – Paris Pre-Extension
Now that we have discussed some of the general information, let’s get started on our itinerary. We opted for the pre-extension in Paris mainly because there is so much to see in the city, and we had never been to this part of France.
Our trip was from late August to early September. The weather was warm during our first few days in Paris, but was mostly pleasant for the rest of the trip. We were very lucky because the weeks before we arrived, Paris was having some pretty high afternoon temperatures.
TIP: Weather is always unpredictable, so it’s best to bring along layers so that you can easily adjust to changes in the weather during the day. A light rain jacket is necessary, even during warmer months for those unexpected showers.
– Day 1 – Paris
Our long travel day began with a flight from Charlotte to Munich, and then on to Paris. Arriving late in the day, a Viking representative met us at baggage claim and escorted us to a private car for the trip to the hotel.
Our hotel was the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel Tower. Our room was relatively small, but we had a wonderful view of the Eiffel Tower, located only a few blocks from the hotel. A very nice rooftop bar was on the same floor as our room. After our long day of travel, we opted for a drink and snack while watching the dramatic lighting of the Eiffel Tower just after dark.
– Day 2 – Paris
The morning started with an included Walking Tour of Paris. This was an exceptional tour as it took us to the Marais section of Paris. Marais is a historic district spread across parts of the 3rd and 4th arrondissements in Paris on the Rive Droite, or Right Bank, of the Seine. Having once been an aristocratic district, it is home to many buildings of historic and architectural importance.
Among the many historic sites in this area were the Parish Church of Saint-Paul of Saint-Louis and the Hôtel de Sens.
Next, we visited the area around the Louvre. However, we opted to skip the bus ride back to the hotel. Instead, we stopped for lunch at a quaint restaurant on a side street, and then walked along the Seine while making our way back to the hotel.
Later that day, we visited the most iconic spot in Paris – the Eiffel Tower. In order to avoid waiting in long lines, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets well in advance of your arrival in Paris. There are several ticket options available, but we had purchased tickets that allowed us to visit the very top of the tower. We walked up to the entry location at our assigned time and only waited a few minutes before boarding the first elevator. We had to take a second elevator to reach the top, but the views from there were incredible. A trip to Paris would be incomplete without visiting the top!
– Day 3 – Paris
We started the morning with a Viking optional tour to Montmartre Hill. We met our guide at the hotel entrance and walked a short distance to the Paris Metro. We found the Metro a very easy and convenient way to get from place to place. The Metro delivered us to the base of Montmartre Hill.
The area below the hill is rich with history and interesting cafes. We didn’t have a chance to explore the area here, but it looked like a fun place to explore another time.
You have two options to get to Montmartre, you can walk up the steps or ride the funicular. The Viking guide provided two tickets, one for going up and another for going back down. Rather than ride the funicular, we decided to just walk up and down ourselves. It really wasn’t very difficult. Plus, these same tickets are used on the Metro, so we used them later to visit the Louvre.
Upon reaching the top you are rewarded with incredible vistas of Paris and the Basilica of the Sacré-Coeur (Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris). After touring the Basilica, we stopped for a bite to eat at a small, nearby bistro.
When our tour ended, most of the group returned to the hotel with the guide on the Metro, but we took the Metro to the Louvre for a previously scheduled guided tour. We met our guide near the Louvre for a non-Viking tour (purchased through Trip Advisor). Our tour guide had worked at the Louvre for many years and had a deep knowledge of its history and art. He expertly navigated us to the most notable works, and we ended the tour just as the Louvre was closing with a stop to see the Mona Lisa. Since the museum was about to close, there were not too many people waiting in line to see it. I must admit though, while I am happy to have seen it, it was a little underwhelming.
After leaving the Louvre, and a rather long day of exploring, we boarded the Metro back to our hotel.
TIP: It is not difficult to get around in Paris, so you could easily plan your own pre-extension. While Viking does include transportation, breakfast each morning and an included tour, you can save some precious vacation dollars by planning an extension yourself. For more information on extensions, check out our blog: Viking Cruise – Viking Extension Package versus Plan Your Own
France’s Finest – Part 2 – Paris & the Heart of Normandy Cruise
After a fantastic 3 days in Paris, we were ready to start our roundtrip cruise up the Seine to Rouen and then back to Paris. The highlight of the trip, and one of the main reasons this cruise is so popular, is the all-day included excursion to Normandy. But we will get to that on Day 8!
– Day 4 – Paris Embarkation
Viking arranged for luggage to be picked up from passengers’ hotel rooms and taken to the ship. They also have buses available to transfer the passengers from the hotel to the ship later in the morning. However, from our hotel, the ship was less than a 15-minute walk. We did leave our luggage out for Viking to transfer to the ship. But, since the weather was so nice, we decided to just walk to the ship on our own. By doing that, we actually arrived ahead of the buses of people embarking that morning, and our room was ready shortly after we checked-in.
We were very tired from the previous long days, so we decided on a short stroll along the river to the see the sights, including the small version of the Statue of Liberty.
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing on the sundeck and enjoying the views of Paris. We were now ready for the busy week to come.
– Day 5 – Paris
The ship remained docked overnight for another fabulous, although slightly hot, day in Paris. We selected the morning included excursion, Panoramic Paris. Whenever you see the word ‘Panoramic’, that usually means a bus tour. Although we did tour around Paris in a bus, we stopped at all of the iconic sites, including the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Notre Dame and a drive down the Champs-Élysées. We also had plenty of free time to explore some on our own, including the area around Notre Dame. We were also able to visit the English-language bookstore, Shakespeare and Company, the meeting place of many famous writers beginning in the 1950’s. It is quite an interesting place and if you get the chance, it’s a great place to see.
We had scheduled the Palace of Versailles excursion for the afternoon, but the day was very hot. The palace is not very well air conditioned and the gardens do not offer much shade, so we opted out of the excursion and relaxed on board the ship for the rest of that afternoon.
– Day 6 – La Roche-Guyon & Vernon, France
We arrived in La Roche-Guyon early in the morning for a few hours and were free to explore the small village. The main attraction is the La Roche-Guyon Castle, with its fortified keep that has towered above the Seine valley since the 12th century. It is linked to a lower stronghold by a tunnel carved through the rock. It is definitely worth exploring and climbing the tower.
We returned to the ship for lunch as we continued sailing to Vernon, where we arrived just before 2 PM. From there, we joined the included excursion to Giverny to explore Monet Gardens. Here you stroll the gardens to see firsthand the landscapes that grace Monet’s paintings, including the Japanese bridge and water garden shaded by weeping willows and teeming with water lilies. We also toured his house, which of course includes many paintings by Monet. If you are a fan of Monet and his water lilies, you will certainly enjoy visiting the Gardens.
After our visit, we returned to the ship for an overnight in Vernon.
– Day 7 – Rouen
The morning started with a beautiful sail down the Seine. The best place for viewing is either the Aquavit Terrace or Sundeck. We selected the Sundeck and it was nice to relax and enjoy the scenery as we sailed.
After lunch it was time for the included Rouen Walking Tour. The tour included walking through the center of old town, where we stopped at the Gothic Notre Dame Cathedral and the famous Le Gros Horloge, a 14th-century astronomical clock. Although, Rouen was heavily damaged during World War II, there are still some 2000 half-timbered buildings remaining, that date back to the Middle Ages.
As we made our way around the city, our guide told the remarkable story of Joan of Arc. We visited the 14th-century courthouse where she was sentenced to death. A marker is located within the nearby Market Square at the spot where she was martyred by being burned at the stake. Adjacent to this spot, is the Church of St Joan of Arc built in 1979. Although quite modern, it is still beautiful inside, especially its stained-glass windows which were removed from the 16th century Church of Saint Vincent, before it was destroyed during the war.
After the tour we stayed in Rouen and found a fantastic place called the Auzou Chocolatier that had incredible macarons. We bought a box to take back to the ship, and they didn’t last long!
The ship remained overnight in Rouen, providing the perfect opportunity to venture out and select a local restaurant for dinner. We made an effort to get a good night’s sleep though, because the next day was our all day excursion to Normandy.
– Day 8 – Rouen (Normandy)
The included Normandy Beaches excursion is one of the best excursions Viking offers. Both a Common Wealth and US version are available. Either tour is about 11-hours in length, leaving before 8 AM and not return until about 7 PM.
We chose the US version of the excursion and boarded our bus about 8 am for the 2-hour ride to Juno Beach. During the D-Day landing, Juno Beach was the responsibility of the First Canadian Army. We stopped there for a brief tour and had an opportunity to take some photos.
After leaving Juno Beach, we reached the WWII museum. The museum was somewhat limited, as a new, larger museum was under construction. After visiting the museum, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant. The meal included shrimp, pork and ice cream for dessert.
After lunch, we were back on the bus to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer. Located high on a cliff over Omaha Beach, it is the final resting place of nearly 9,400 American service personnel. The grounds are stunning, as is the memorial itself.
Viking arranged for a special presentation at the memorial. All of the passengers that had served in the military were invited up front, and one person who was a WWII veteran was selected to lay a wreath. It was a very moving presentation. After the ceremony, we were free to walk around the grounds before returning to the bus.
From the cemetery, we drove to Omaha Beach, were we had time to explore the beach. Walking out to the water’s edge and looking back across the beach toward shore, we could see the well-preserved remains of the German fortifications. It was so sobering to see just how exposed the Allied soldiers were when they landed. There were also many obstacles on the beach, yet they managed to advance, sustaining incredible losses while doing so.
At breakfast that morning, before we left for our excursion, Viking gave us small test tubes so that we could collect some sand from the Normandy beaches. My Father was so appreciative when we presented it to him on our return home.
Yes, it was a long, even emotional day. But one I would do over again without a second thought.
– Day 9 – Les Andelys
The morning started with a relaxing cruise south from Rouen to Les Andelys. It was nice to enjoy the scenery on a very pretty day.
After lunch we docked right in front of the small town of Les Andelys. While there was an included excursion of the town, we decided to explore on our own. We started with a climb to Château Gaillard, which was built in the 12th century by Richard the Lionheart of England, who was also Duke of Normandy. The Château is mostly just in ruins now, but the views are worth the climb.
The town itself is very quaint with many shops and restaurants, as well as the St. Savior Church of Petit-Andely, built in the 11th century.
Back on the ship, the Explorer’s Club cocktail party was held before dinner. The bar staff created an incredible array of drinks stacked all over the bar. We had a great time trying a few new drinks. Then, after dinner we returned to the bar for a nightcap of Aquavit.
– Day 10 – Le Pecq & Paris, France
The next morning we docked in Le Pecq, which is not far from Paris, for an included excursion to Napoleon’s Château de Malmaison. Along with the Tuileries Palace in Paris, 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. Josephine lived here until her death in 1814.
Once back on board, the ship sailed the short distance to Paris. We spent some time that afternoon packing to prepare for disembarkation the next morning.
That night, we left at 9:30 pm for the optional tour, Paris by Night. As with the Panoramic Paris tour we took earlier in the cruise, we stopped at many of the iconic sights, but Paris at night is a completely different experience, earning its well-known moniker as the City of Light!
– Day 11 – Paris & Lyon
The following morning was disembarkation day. About half of the passengers were headed to the airport for their flights home that morning. Like us, the other half of the passengers were transferring to Lyon in order to join the second cruise. According to our Program Director, Ken Dermer, our group was the largest that he had ever seen continuing on to Lyon – 3 full busloads!
We set our luggage out at 6AM, which was transported by truck to our awaiting ship. We then left for the train station around 9AM and boarded the high-speed train to Lyon. The train took about 2 hours and we arrived in Lyon in the early afternoon. Having never before been on a high-speed train, we found traveling at 180mph to be pretty thrilling!
After arriving in Lyon, we took a short bus ride to our waiting ship. We boarded, unpacked, relaxed with drinks before dinner and got a good night’s sleep in order to be ready for the next day.
France’s Finest – Part 3 – Lyon & Provence Cruise
We were excited to start our second cruise on the Rhone River and to see all the sites in the south of France. Our ship was a standard Longship, whereas the ships that travel on the Seine are slightly shorter. Once on board though, we really did not notice much of a difference.
– Day 12 – Lyon
We started our day with the included tour, Panoramic Lyon. Our first stop was the beautiful Basilica of Notre Dame, at the top of Fourvière Hill. Not only is this a gorgeous church, but from atop the hill we were treated to sweeping views of Lyon. Our next stop was the Saint-Nizier Church and the old town. We walked along the cobblestone streets of Vieux Lyon, where the city’s famous traboules, unique hidden passageways made for busy merchants in medieval days, wind through buildings and courtyards.
We had plenty of free time at the end of the tour, and we were able to sample some delicious brioche bread from a nearby bakery.
After a quick return to the ship for lunch, we were off for our optional afternoon excursion, Timeless Town of Pérouges. We chose this excursion because the description of this village seemed so interesting and unique that we decided we had to go. Pérouges is a beautiful, walled, hilltop town from the 13th-century. The tour took us along cobblestone streets and we learned about the farmers and linen weavers in this communal village.
At the conclusion of the excursion, our guide brought out Galette Pérougienne, a delicious sweet pastry, for us all to try. It was delicious!
– Day 13 – Lyon
The morning started with the included Beaujolais Wine Country excursion. We started with about a one-hour bus ride to the town of Beaujeu. This small town is located in the heart of the Beaujolais region. We took a short tour of the area and then had free time to stroll on our own, including some stops at a few shops and a café. We also visited the Church of Saint-Nicolas de Beaujeu. The church was built in the early twelfth century by Guichard II de Beaujeu. According to legend, it was founded on the site of a pond where his son had unfortunately drowned.
From the Beaujeu, each bus went to a different vineyard for wine tasting. We went to the Château de Nervers (Nervers Castle). The castle is the former hunting lodge of the Château de la Chaize, it was acquired in 1841 by Pierre Denoyel and is still owned today by his descendants, a branch of the Chabannes family.
We were lucky to have an owner, and descendant from the family, as our guide during the visit. She shared some history of the Château and her family, as well as information about the operation of the vineyard. The vineyard of Château de Nervers covers an area of 50 hectares and produces several types of wines. We tasted four wines during our visit and had the opportunity to make purchases at the gift shop.
After another quick stop back on board the ship for lunch, we were off for an afternoon optional excursion.
We booked the Flavors of Lyon excursion because it sounded like a fun time and offered the chance to spend more time in the town of Lyon. Lyon was once hailed as the “world capital of gastronomy”, so we looked forward to trying some local specialties. We started our tour with Brioche à la Praline—a pure butter brioche packed with pounded pralines. Next was a stop at a renowned chocolatier where we sampled a selection of handpicked delights. Next, we learned all about cheese and tasted a variety of local favorites, accompanied by a glass of wine. Our last visit was at a traditional bistro, where we sampled a platter of cured meats, pâté croute, terrine and grattons, a local delicacy made from pork rind. We really enjoyed this excursion and highly recommend it!
While we were on our excursion, our ship continued down the river. So, after our excursion, we rendezvoused with our ship in Vienne.
– Day 14 – Vienne & Scenic Sailing: Rhone River
For our included Vienne Walking Tour excursion, Viking offered an ‘active’ group for those that wanted to move a little faster and also climb Pipet Hill.
This walking tour was full of wonderful surprises, including Saint Maurice Cathedral, the Roman Temple of Augustus and Livia, and the spectacular amphitheater built into the hillside, one of France’s best-preserved Roman theaters. In its heyday, the theater could host up to 14,000 spectators. Each of these sights were indeed very impressive.
Above the Roman amphitheater is Pipet Hill, where the Pipet Belvedere is located. Pipet Belvedere dates back to Roman times, was converted in to a fortress in the Middle Ages and then to a church in the 11th century. Just in front of the church is an overlook with extraordinary views of the city of Vienne, with the majestic Rhone River in the background.
After the tour we had time to make our own way back to the ship, stopping along the way to visit shops and a cafe.
After lunch back on board, the ship left Vienne for Tournon. We spent a few hours enjoying the scenery from the ship’s Sun Deck and then joined the Explorer’s Club cocktail party before dinner.
– Day 15 – Tournon
We started the morning with the included Viviers Walking Tour excursion. This excursion was a short walking tour of the town that left directly from the ship.
Our first stop was the Marc-Seguin footbridge, which was just down the river from the ship. The Marc Seguin footbridge (suspension bridge) was built by Marc Seguin from 1847 to 1849. It is an enlarged and higher version of the first suspension bridge he had built in 1825. This bridge was closed to all but pedestrians and cyclists when the modern Gustave Toursier bridge was opened 1958.
We continued with a walk through the small town, including the Church of Saint-Julien de Tournon-sur-Rhône. Construction of the current church of Saint-Julien was started in 1300 and erected as a collegiate church on June 16, 1316 by William, bishop of Valence and Die. The church is one of the best-preserved examples of Gothic architecture in the area.
As soon as the walk concluded, we boarded a bus for our next included excursion, the Tournon Stream Train. The train station was only a few miles from the ship, so the trip only took a few minutes. We boarded the Train des Gorges, a meter-gauge steam train and engine listed as a French historic monument. The train traverses the Doux Valley, a conservation area with beautiful panoramic views. Since this region is inaccessible by road, it is pristine wilderness. After reaching the top of the line, we disembarked and watched the engine proceed to a turntable to reverse direction and reattach to the train. We were given a small snack and drink for the ride back to the station.
After lunch we started sailing again down the Rhone. Plans called for a quick stop in Viviers for a short nighttime excursion. Unfortunately, the Captain announced that due to a delay caused by a lock issue, we would not be able to make that stop and would sail on to Arles.
– Day 16 – Arles
The included Arles Walking Tour leaves from the ship and tours the town of Arles. Our first stop was the Amédée Pichot fountain. The fountain was constructed in 1887 and is dedicated to local author and historian Joseph Pichot, who was born in Arles in 1795. The highlight of the fountain is the beautiful and colorful central medallion.
Our next stop was the Arles Amphitheatre. Built in 90 AD, the amphitheater held over 20,000 spectators, where they watched chariot races and bloody hand-to-hand combat of gladiators. Today, it draws smaller crowds for bullfighting during the Feria d’Arles, as well as plays and concerts in summer.
Next, we saw the Obélisque d’Arles, the Saint-Trophime Primatial Catholic Church and the Église Sainte-Marthe de Tarascon, also known as the Collégiale Royale Sainte-Marthe, which was dedicated in 1197 and enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Our last stops centered on Van Gogh. The Espace Van Gogh is the local hospital that treated the artist and today serves as a cultural center. A short walk from there is the famous Le Café Van Gogh, with its yellow façade. This cafe was the subject of Van Gogh’s famous painting, Café Terrace at Night.
After lunch on board the ship, we walked back to town to explore the shops and cafes on our own. In all, Arles was very charming, with an abundance of sights to see.
We departed Arles about the time we sat down for dinner.
– Day 17 – Avignon
Our included tour this morning was the Avignon Walk & Pope’s Palace. With the Viking ship docked right in town, our tour started from the ship. Avignon is known as the “City of Popes” because the papacy was relocated here from Rome, amid great controversy, from 1309 to 1377.
Our first stop was Place de l’Horloge, the city’s central square. There were many shops, restaurants and cafes on this lively square, as well as the Hôtel de Ville d’Avignon (Avignon City Hotel).
Our next stop was the main attraction of the excursion, Notre Dame des Doms d’Avignon and the Palace of the Popes. The Palace of the Popes is one of the largest and most important medieval Gothic buildings in Europe. Once a fortress and palace, the papal residence was a seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century. Six papal conclaves were held in the palace. The tour inside the palace was packed full of historical information and we found it very interesting.
After lunch, we were on the optional Pont Du Gard Aqueduct excursion. After a 30-minute bus ride to the site, we started with a tour of the museum. The museum has done a very good job explaining the construction and history of the aqueduct. From the museum, it is an easy 5-minute walk along the Gardon River to the aqueduct.
The three-tiered structure was built without mortar by Romans 2,000 years ago. One of the most ambitious engineering projects of its time, the Pont du Gard aqueduct carried water to the Roman outpost of Nimes from the springs of Uzes, 31 miles away. This huge structure channeled 44 million gallons of water each day over a tiny gradient of 25 inches per mile for the entire 31 miles.
After returning to the ship, we attended the Captain’s Farewell Toast which marked the end of our river cruise.
France’s Finest – Part 4 – Nice, French Riviera Post-Extension
The morning was very hectic with passengers leaving in the very early morning hours for the airport. Since we were continuing on with the Viking extension to Nice, we had the opportunity to have a leisurely breakfast.
It is always a little sad when your cruise comes to an end. We had an incredible time during our France’s Finest cruise. But we were quite excited about our post extension to the French Riviera!
– Day 18 – Avignon to Nice
Our bus departed from Avignon about 9:30AM for the 3.5-hour drive to Nice. Our guide while on the bus was very helpful and pointed out many sights along the drive.
Our hotel was the Le Méridien Nice. The hotel was excellent and located right on the Mediterranean. Our room had a view of a park, as well as a partial view of the water. We ventured up to the rooftop bar where the views were endless. The hotel is also located only blocks from restaurants, shopping and old town. If you travel to Nice, you may want to consider this hotel, especially considering its excellent location.
We visited the Viking Host at the hotel for a recommendation for a seafood restaurant in the area. She suggested Boccaccio. If you are in Nice, don’t miss this restaurant. As with most restaurants in Nice, they open at 7 PM, and there was a line waiting to be seated. They have an amazing selection of oysters, but be careful with the appetizers, because the dinners are huge. I had the Spaghetti Mare with Seafood and my wife had the Spaghetti with Clams. As I said, the serving was huge and each one could have easily served two people. But we vowed to return after seeing the most amazing Seafood Paëlla “Valenciana” that our fellow diners had ordered. They actually offer three versions of the Paëlla, and each one served two people.
After dinner we walked around old town and then returned to the hotel.
– Day 19 – Nice and Monaco
Breakfast at the hotel was wonderful, with a very large selection on the buffet and excellent service.
Our included excursion, which started at 9 AM, was the Picturesque Nice. This tour was a combination bus/walking tour. We started off with a bus tour that took us down the Promenade des Anglais. For the local inhabitants, the Promenade des Anglais has simply become the Promenade or, for short, La Prom. It is popular with bicyclists, joggers, baby strollers, and families, especially on Sundays.
Our excursion continued by driving through the Russian Area and the English Quarter. From there, we drove to Mount Boron. Mount Boron is located in east Nice, where it reaches to a height of 625 feet, providing an excellent lookout over the city of Nice and the neighboring bay of Villefranche sur Mer. There are also some incredible homes, including some with famous owners, along the lovely drive.
We then returned to Old Town where we had a brief walking tour and then had free time on our own. We ended our tour only a few blocks from the hotel.
We decided on lunch at El Mekado, and a gelato at Glacier Artisanal. Both were excellent.
We couldn’t pass up the optional A Night in Monaco excursion. We left on a small bus around 4:30PM for the short 30-minute drive to Monaco.
Upon arrival in Monaco, we disembarked the bus next to the Oceanographic Museum. This building itself is a sight to see. The Oceanographic Museum was inaugurated in 1910 by Monaco’s modernist reformer Prince Albert I. From there we walked to the gardens just past the museum. This garden is in a beautiful setting along the water and contains several monuments and statues, including one of Princess Grace.
Back on the bus, our driver drove the Grand Prix course, although at a much slower pace than the race cars, allowing us to take in the sights along the drive.
We ended our drive at the famous Monte Carlo Casino. The number of exotic cars parked outside the casino was amazing to see in itself! Originally, we were scheduled to have dinner at a nearby restaurant, but fortunately for us, the restaurant had an event scheduled. This meant we got to have dinner inside the casino. Ordinarily the tour does not rvrn include entry into the casino, so we were quite lucky to not only eat at the casino, but also to be able to explore the casino after dinner. In all, we had an exceptional time.
– Day 20 – Côte d’Azur
For our last day in Nice, we decided on the optional Panoramic Cote d’Azur excursion, which took us up the coast all the way to Cannes. The drive from Nice to Cannes is just over an hour, but we stopped for pictures along the coast and for a tour in Antibes, before having lunch and a tour in Cannes. The overall day long excursion was almost 7 hours.
Antibes – We didn’t know much about Antibes before our stop and tour, but Antibes has a long history dating back to the early Iron Age. Remains beneath the Holy Spirit Chapel show there was an indigenous community there with ties to other Mediterranean populations, including the Etruscans.
Our tour started near the huge and beautiful Antibes Marina. Here you will see many mega-yachts docked. Just to the south of the Marina is a protected beach, one of the few sand beaches along the Cote d’Azur.
Near the marina is one of the entrances to the old town. Just inside the entrance we found the Antibes Provençal Market. This market is large and bustling with both locals and tourists. All sorts of products were offered at the market, but we were amazed at the fantastic local produce including fruit, flowers, vegetables, meats, cheeses, spices, herbs, fish and sausages.
Next was the Antibes Cathedral, located in old town near the water. Local tradition maintains that a pagan temple dedicated to the Roman goddesses Diana and Minerva once stood on the site, and that St. Paul stopped here to preach in AD 63, during a journey to Spain. It is now a Roman Catholic Church.
We had plenty of free time to explore the old town and enjoyed a stop at a café for coffee and a snack.
Cannes – Our next stop was Cannes were we had lunch in a nearby restaurant. After lunch we explored the area along the water. While we were really impressed by Antibes, Cannes was a bit of a letdown. There was a large marina, casino and of course the building where the International Film Festival is held, but the building is pretty plain and is really just a convention center. Without the glamour of the celebrities and red carpet, there was not much to see. But we did get pictures of the spot where all of the celebrities walk.
After returning to the ship, we decided to walk into old town in Nice for our final dinner. We selected Bistro Jennifer and the food was exceptional. We had the Escargots au Beurre Pain à l’ailfor for our appetizer and La Marguerite Pizza for dinner.
– Day 21 – Nice
We awoke in the dark for our early flight out of Nice to head home. Viking escorted us to the airport and where we were met and escorted to check-in and then to security, where we said goodbye to our Viking host.
We really enjoyed this trip and we think you will too! If 21 days is too long, you can easily divide the trip into 2 different cruises in either the north and south of France.
We hope you found our review of the Viking France’s Finest Cruise helpful and informative. And we hope you join us in the future as we explore some of our other travel destinations.
Safe travels!
Thanks for your detailed description of the entire trip. Have been considering this trip.
We leave on 9/3/23 for Athens on the 21 day Italy, Adriatic & Greece cruise with pre and post extensions.
Have the new Morocco, Malta reserved for next fall.
May switch back to River cruise based on your input!!!
Thank you for the reply. Safe travels!
We leave in 8 days for France’s Finest with pre/post extension like yours. This recap was very, very timely. Thank You!
Thanks for the comment, have a great trip!
Thank you for the great review! We leave a week from today to do your trip in reverse! We will be going on some of the same non-included excursions also. So, we hope to have a great time, as I am sure we will.
Thanks for the great memories!
Thanks for the review. We have been spending at least 3 to 4 weeks when traveling as we are finding as we get older the jet lag is difficult. We have planned 2 back to back rivers in France for 2025. Chateau rivers and wine and Lyon and Provence. Totally agree with you re the offered extensions if fully guided totally worth it. If not then arrange on own. Thanks.
Thanks for the comment and reading our blog. Safe travels!