Avalon Waterways Britain Sampler with Paris to Normandy (XGE5)
16 Day River Cruise London to Paris
Join us for an adventure on this guided tour of Britain to sample iconic and inspiringly beautiful locales in England and Scotland. See the classic landmarks in exciting London, including Big Ben, and take an excursion to see the mysterious Stonehenge, and the excavations of the Roman Baths. Your Globus guided vacation in Britain also takes you to Liverpool (home of the Beatles), and Edinburgh, Scotland. Visit York, England, as well as William Shakespeare’s birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, before concluding your England and Scotland vacation tour in London. Your Britain Sampler vacation segues into a wonderful French river cruise from Paris to Normandy aboard your Avalon Suite Ship®. You’ll board a Eurostar train from London to Paris to embark on your Seine River cruise from the “City of Light.” You’ll first sail to Vernon, where you’ll choose between two exciting guided visits—Claude Monet’s stunning gardens at Giverny or the remarkable Bizy Castle, known as “Normandy’s Versailles.” You may choose to go on an excursion to the historic Normandy Landing Beaches, including Omaha Beach, the Point du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery. In Rouen, best known as the site of Joan of Arc’s persecution, you’ll go on a guided walk through the medieval quarter. From Conflans, join an excursion to the quaint and inspiring town of Auvers-Sur-Oise—the inspiration of famous artists, including Vincent van Gogh—or visit Napoleon and Josephine’s Malmaison.On this French river cruise, enjoy wine, cheese, and beautiful scenery along the Seine River. Discover the true heart of Paris on a guided walk through the sites of Paris’ rich history, or take a tour showing you the iconic sites of the Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Eiffel Tower, and more. Ships: Tapestry II
Avalon Highlights & Sightseeing Day 1 London: Welcome to England Day 2 London: Guided sightseeing Day 3 London–Stonehenge–Bath: Explore prehistoric Stonehenge, see the Roman relics in Bath, welcome dinner Day 4 Bath–Ludlow–Llangollen–Liverpool: Sightseeing in Ludlow and Llangollen, transfer to Liverpool Day 5 Liverpool–Grasmere–Gretna Green–Edinburgh: Stop in Wordsworth's village, travel to Edinburgh Day 6 Edinburgh: Guided sightseeing, visit Edinburgh Castle Day 7 Edinburgh–Abbotsford–Jedburgh–York, England: Guided tour of Sir Walter Scott's house in Abbotsford, visit Jedburgh, walking tour in York Day 8 York–Stratford-upon-Avon–London: Visit of Shakespeare's birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon Day 9 London–Paris (Embarkation): Transfer to Paris; onboard welcome reception Day 10 Vernon–Les Andelys: Choice of excursions to Giverny or Bizy Castle or walk with your Adventure Host; choice of guided walk, or guided hike in Les Andelys; crêpes tasting on board Day 11 Caudebec: Choice of excursion along the “Normandy Abbeys Route” or bike with your Adventure Host Day 12 Caudebec: Choice of full day excursion to Normandy landing beaches, or “A Taste of Normandy” excursion Day 13 Rouen: Guided sightseeing, see the Astronomical Clock and visit the cathedral or bike tour Day 14 Conflans: Choice of excursions to Auvers-sur-Oise, or Napoleon and Josephine's Château de Malmaison or bike with your Adventure Host Day 15 Paris: Choice of guided sightseeing or “Heart of Paris” walking tour to see Paris’ historic sights or walk with your Adventure Host Day 16 Paris (Disembarkation): Your vacation ends this morning
Related Avalon Tours WPP - Paris to Normandy WPP1 - With 3 Nights in London WPP2 - With 3 Nights in Venice & 3 Nights in Rome XGE5 - With Britain Sampler
Itinerary (2024)| Day 1 | LONDON, ENGLAND | | | Welcome to London, Start the Globus part of your vacation. Free time this afternoon. | | Day 2 | LONDON | | | The Royal TreatmentMorning sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Whitehall, Prime Minister’s Downing Street residence, Piccadilly Circus, Buckingham Palace, and a visit to St. Paul’s Cathedral. Free time this afternoon.(B)HISTORIC SITES See the legendary landmarks of England’s historic capital city. Walk where voices have rung out for centuries in Parliament Square and where chimes rise high above you with the ringing of Big Ben’s quarter bells. See Westminster Abbey, where royal coronations, weddings, and funerals have made history. | | Day 3 | LONDON–STONEHENGE–BATH | | | Ancient Stones & Spa DaysLONDON Meet your Tour Director and travel companions at 8 am before departing for Stonehenge.STONEHENGE Join a guided visit. (Departure 19 June: due to closure, Stonehenge visit replaced by Salisbury Cathedral visit).BATH Visit the excavations of the Roman Baths. Free time the remainder of the day. (B,D)139 mi / 224 kmCULTURAL GEMS The traditions of one ancient Roman ritual are in full flow in Bath. Amid the remarkable Roman and Georgian architecture and the best-preserved Roman Baths of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, a good spa day is never hard to find in one of the “Best Spa Towns in Europe.” The city of Bath sits above geothermal springs that bubble up from the limestone below. Bath also turns up the heat with some of Britain's grandest Georgian buildings, a mecca for elite 18th-century society. | | Day 4 | BATH–LUDLOW–LLANGOLLEN, WALES–LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND | | | Welsh Country Beauties LUDLOW Visit the historic market town.LLANGOLLEN Visit the picturesque town.LIVERPOOL Free time the remainder of the day. (B) 204 mi / 335 km CULTURE & TRADITION Explore the charming medieval town of Ludlow on the River Teme. Noteworthy buildings include Ludlow Castle and the impressive St. Laurence’s church. With nearly 500 buildings on the Historic England list, Ludlow’s medieval and Tudor-style half-timbered architecture inspired poet laureate Sir John Betjeman to call it "the loveliest town in England." | | Day 5 | LIVERPOOL–GRASMERE–GRETNA GREEN, SCOTLAND–EDINBURGH | | | Sonnets, Sweets & Scottish Sips LAKE DISTRICT Take a scenic drive.GRASMERE Visit Wordsworth’s beloved village. Sample the [LF] original Grasmere gingerbread.GRETNA GREEN Visit [LF] The Whisky House and taste some well-known malts.EDINBURGH Free time this evening. (B)237 mi / 390 kmTIMELESS TRADITIONS Sweeten the day with classic gingerbread in Grasmere baked following an 1854 recipe invented by Sarah Nelson, and whet your whistle with a tip of the glass at The Whisky House in Gretna Green. | | Day 6 | EDINBURGH | | | Crown Jewels & Castle Views EDINBURGH Morning city sightseeing with a Local Guide includes the New Town, Old Town, and a visit to Edinburgh Castle to see Scotland’s Crown Jewels. Free time this afternoon.EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO Attend the world-renowned Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo performance. (Departures July 31 through August 21 only).(B)MUSIC & MASTERPIECES Ascend to Castle Rock to explore Edinburgh Castle, one of the most important historical strongholds in the Kingdom of Scotland, with an 11,000-year history as "the most besieged place in Great Britain". Here, you’ll find the royal regalia and Scotland’s Crown Jewels. The Castle forms the background of the spectacular Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an extravaganza of bagpipes and drums performed en masse in August each year. | | Day 7 | EDINBURGH–ABBOTSFORD–JEDBURGH–YORK,ENGLAND | | | Augustine’s Monks & Medieval Markets ABBOTSFORD Take a guided tour of Sir Walter Scott’s Abbotsford House.JEDBURGH Take photos of the Augustinian abbey ruins.YORK See York Minster on a guided walk through The Shambles.(B,D)HISTORIC SPOT While strolling the cobblestones of York’s Shambles, it’s easy to imagine the medieval butcher shops and boisterous crowds bartering for beef and bones outside the 14th-century timber-framed windows. The Shambles is one of the best-preserved medieval shopping streets in Europe, said to have been the inspiration behind Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley, and today is a vibrant gathering place with cheerful cafés and quirky boutiques brimming with the sweet aromas of chocolate, pastries, and pies. | | Day 8 | YORK–STRATFORD-UPON-AVON–LONDON | | | Mr. & Mrs. Shakespeare STRATFORD-UPON-AVON See Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace. (B)256 mi / 411 kmA LEGEND SLEPT HERE Ah, young love! Even more true, as Shakespeare’s fiancée was eight years his senior. See Anne Hathaway's Cottage, the family home where the bard’s wife-to-be was born and courted by young Will. Built more than 500 years ago, much of the original structure remains. Visit Shakespeare’s Birthplace and family home in the heart of Stratford-upon-Avon. Hear tales about his family life, marriage, and children with a close look at fascinating artifacts in a world-class collection assembled by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. | | Day 9 | LONDON–PARIS, FRANCE (EMBARKATION) | | | Transfer to Paris to board your Avalon Suite Ship®.This evening, enjoy dinner on board.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO VERNON (B,D) | | Day 10 | VERNON | | | Monet’s Muses, Castle Courtyards, and Crêpes du JourStart the day with a Morning Stretch with your Avalon Adventure Host. ACTIVE Explore Vernon's Chateau des Tourelles by foot with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Tour of Giverny, home and inspiration of the master impressionist painter Claude Monet. Walk the grounds and see Monet’s charming residence, and the flower and water gardens captured in his masterpieces, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Bizy Castle—called “Normandy’s Versailles” for its magnificent courtyard, water garden, and stables.DISCOVERY While sailing, enjoy a traditional French luncheon of authentic French crêpes, followed by a Pastry Demonstration.This afternoon, enjoy a beautiful cruise to the picturesque town of Les Andelys. LES ANDELYSSerenity on the SeineACTIVE Join a Guided Hike up to the castle ruins of Château Gaillard—historic home of King Richard the Lionheart, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Les Andelys—one of France’s most picturesque spots on the Seine.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CAUDEBEC(B,L,D) | | Day 11 | CAUDEBEC | | | Ancient Abbeys Along the Seine ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the river with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Trip along the Normandy Abbeys Route—where more than 100 medieval Benedictine and Augustine abbeys and churches were built along the Seine. This afternoon, you may choose a Guided Optional Excursion to the old seaside town of Honfleur. OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN CAUDEBEC(B,L,D) | | Day 12 | CAUDEBEC. EXCURSION TO NORMANDY | | | Heroic Bravery on Normandy Beaches and French Farming Traditions CLASSIC Join a Guided Tour of Normandy’s WWII landing beaches, visit significant U.S. sites, including Omaha Beach, the Pointe du Hoc monument, and the American Cemetery, OR: CLASSIC Take a full-day Guided Tour of the British and Canadian commemorative sites, including the British cemetery, Pegasus Memorial, the seaside town of Arromanches, the Juno Beach Center, and the Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, OR: CLASSIC Join “A Taste of Normandy” Guided Tour for an in-depth look at this rich agricultural region. See the famous Bayeux Tapestry, visit the beautiful village of Beuvron en Auge and taste Calvados at a local distillery.Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship. EVENING CRUISE TO ROUEN (B,L,D) | | Day 13 | ROUEN | | | The Cathedral of Our Lady and a Heroine for France ACTIVE Take a Guided Bike Tour to discover and explore the most famous monuments and the lesser known hidden gems of Rouen on two wheels, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided Walking Tour of Rouen—site of Joan of Arc’s martyrdom-and see the medieval quarter with its 16th-century Astronomical Clock, and Notre-Dame Cathedral.EVENING/OVERNIGHT CRUISE TO CONFLANS (B,L,D) | | Day 14 | CONFLANS | | | The Footsteps of Van Gogh, Bonaparte, and Louis XIV ACTIVE Enjoy a relaxing bike ride along the Seine with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided Visit to Auvers-sur-Oise, home and resting place of Vincent van Gogh, OR: CLASSIC Take a Guided tour of the opulent Château de Malmaison—home of Napoléon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.Perhaps, join a Guided Optional Excursion to the Palace of Versailles—home to a succession of French kings. Later, enjoy live entertainment on board your ship. EVENING CRUISE TO PARIS(B,L,D) | | Day 15 | PARIS | | | Cafés, Cathedrals, & Canvases in the City of Lights ACTIVE Experience the Seine river by foot with your Adventure Host, OR: CLASSIC Discover the ancient heart of Paris on a captivating Guided Walk featuring the Palais-Royal, Louvre pyramid, ancient sites on Île de la Cité, the Left Bank, bustling Latin Quarter, and more, OR: CLASSIC Join a Guided City Tour, that shows you the iconic sites of Paris, such as the Louvre Museum, the Arc de Triomphe, the Eiffel Tower, Opéra Garnier, and the famous Champs-Élysées.Stroll through Paris on your own, or linger over wine in a literary café on the Left Bank.OVERNIGHT DOCKING IN PARIS (B,L,D) | | Day 16 | PARIS (DISEMBARKATION) | | | Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B) |
Avalon Pricing Details Port charges:$196Gratuities to Local Guides & Excursion Drivers are included.Avalon offers the opportunity for solo travelers to sail with no single supplement (subject to availability).Please call for single accommodation price. Triples not available.
Avalon Notes - In the event of technical or water level issues, it may be necessary to operate the itinerary by motorcoach or alter the program, including hotel overnight when necessary.
- Guided Tours, Optional Excursions, activities, sailing and docking schedules may be contingent on weather conditions or other issues outside of our control and could therefore be subject to change at any time.
- Please check visa requirements with your local consulate(s); responsibility for obtaining visas rests with the traveler.
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