Spotlight on Paris & Medieval France

Be filled with joie de vivre as you soak in the romance and unparalleled charm of Paris. Savour dinner at the Eiffel Tower, featuring wonderful French cuisine and breathtaking views of Paris. Choose how you explore the neighborhood of Montmartre – at the Musée de Montmartre or the Sacré-Coeur Basilica. Explore priceless treasures in the Louvre Museum. Learn about the history, architecture, and gardens of Versailles, one of the world’s most opulent royal palaces. Enjoy free time to discover Paris independently. Glide down the Seine on a romantic river cruise. Revel in the allure of the city and take in its spectacular sights, history, architecture, art, and cuisine.

This barge cruise brings you gently from the edges of Burgundy to Paris.  Discover prestigious monuments and famous sites. The architectural treasures of Provins, a medieval city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Sens unfold before your eyes. You'll fall in love with Barbizon, the timeless painters' village. Travel back in time at the Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte castles. You'll pass the famous beautiful forest of Fontainebleau, once the hunting grounds for French royalty and a natural inspiration for many artists. 

Your Fly, Tour & Cruise Package Includes:

• $2,500 flight credit per person
• Private transfer airport to hotel
• 5 night Paris guided tour with Collette, Paris return
• Includes handpicked hotels, most meals, must-see highlights, exclusive Eiffel Tower dinner plus more
• 1 night 4-star accommodation in Paris with breakfast
• 6 night Medieval France barge river cruise onboard Ms Deborah, Paris return
• Includes all meals & beverages onboard, shore excursions, coach transfer from Sens to Paris plus more

Pricing is per person twin share and based on travel 09-21 April 2026

Tour Itinerary:

Day 1 / Paris, France

Be swept off your feet as the Paris of your dreams comes alive. Tonight, say salut as you toast the beginning of your tour and savor a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 2 / Paris

Step into the shoes of a local and navigate Le Métro, your main mode of transportation for the week. Get to know this underground system with a local pro, giving you the freedom to set off later as you wish. First stop – the Louvre Museum.* The ethereal glass pyramid at the Louvre’s entrance serves as your gateway to another realm, where ancient sculptures lead to 19th-century canvases. Wander past and marvel at the palette progeny of Raphael and Botticelli before making your way to Da Vinci’s renowned Mona Lisa. On the next stop, your cultural lessons continue to the hip and historic district of Le Marais. Along the way, stroll among the flourishing trees and bright grassy patches of the spectacular Place des Vosges, the oldest town square in all of Paris. Take a walk down to the Ile de la Cité to snap pictures of the awe-inspiring Notre Dame or relax in one of Le Marais’ cozy cafés and indulge in the Parisian art of people-watching. As your day wraps up, make the most of it, and admire the city skyline as you gently float down the Seine on a dinner cruise.

Day 3 / Versailles

Channel your inner royal at Versailles, an iconic palace located in the heart of France. There’s a reason why Versailles has served as a model for countless international abodes, which you’ll discover as you wind your way through sprawling green gardens and palace halls with a local guide. From the Hall of Mirrors to the opulent bedchamber of the Queen, take in the palace’s most famous sights. This evening, experience Parisian nightlife during an optional dinner at the dynamic Paradis Latin** for a champagne-flowing, can-can kicking, music-driven night at the cabaret.

Day 4 / Montmartre

Today spend the morning exploring the hip, bohemian neighborhood of Montmartre. Blending artistic roots and quirky modernity, this 18th arrondissement neighborhood is home to classical painters and cultural provocateurs. Choose how you discover the area because it’s your choice! Venture into the Musée de Montmartre and get a glimpse into the roots of cabaret and the lives of Paris's most famous artists with a local guide -OR- head inside Sacré-Coeur and take in the city from this iconic hilltop basilica, and enjoy a stop at a local café. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure to explore Paris as you please. Perhaps you’ll take a leisurely stroll through the Tuileries Garden.

Day 5 / Paris

Enjoy a day on your own exploring Paris however you want. You may choose to take an optional tour and delve into the creative mind of Claude Monet with a visit to his countryside home at Giverny.*** Stroll through the colorful living work of art that is Monet’s garden, where you’ll see the source for the artist’s inspiration, including the setting for his iconic Waterlilies. However you choose to spend your day, tonight say adieu as you toast the end of your Parisian getaway. Nothing compares to the view from within the Eiffel Tower,**** where you’ll enjoy an exclusive dinner featuring savory French cuisine.

Day 6 / Paris - Tour Ends

Au revoir! Your tour comes to a close today.

Ms Déborah

A canal barge cruise is an authentic and timeless experience. A privileged moment where you take the time to discover “la douce France” in a different way.

The MS Deborah is a superb Premium canal barge, measuring 38,50 meters long and 5,07 meters wide. It can accommodate 22 passengers, in 11 cabins offering amenities and providing guests with all the comforts they need during their stay. On board, everything has been taken care of down to the smallest detail with 6 crew members to guarantee a personalized service. The decoration creates a particularly soft and welcoming atmosphere. Located on the upper deck are the restaurant, which offers delicate cuisine in a refined setting, the lounge bar and a relaxation area with a jacuzzi. Comfortable sun loungers are provided on the sun deck, the ideal place to relax and admire the surrounding landscapes.

Barge Cruise Itinerary:

Day 1: Paris

Passengers are welcome to board our ship in Paris at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail before dinner. We'll cruise through Paris. "Parisian titi" evening on board.

Day 2: Paris to Evry

We'll spend the morning cruising on the Seine. You will sail through the heart of the capital and enjoy a wonderful view of the monuments along the river. We’ll reach Evry in the early afternoon. Join us for a visit to the sumptuous Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte. The architect Louis Le Vau was already widely celebrated when Fouquet called on his services in 1653. As the King’s “Principal Architect,” he had erected a number of Parisian mansions including the Hôtel Lambert. Considered the greatest ambassador of the Italianate style in France, Le Vau also drew inspiration from classical antiquity. Drawing on these traditional sources, he then created a powerful new style of his own, starting with Vaux-le-Vicomte – and thus lay the foundations of French architecture for the next 150 years. After our tour, we'll return on board. The evening is free to do as you please.

Day 3: Evry - Melun

We'll spend the morning cruising towards Melun. Sit back and enjoy the bucolic scenery along the Seine riverbanks. In the afternoon, visit the village of Barbizon. Around the year 1820, Edmée and François Ganne set up a grocer’s shop in the hamlet of Barbizon. In 1827, Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot discovered the village, paving the way for other painters to come here, including Théodore Rousseau and Jean-François Millet. A whole generation of young artists decided to paint “from nature”, leaving their studios to work in situ, like their two great English precursors, John Constable and Turner. Stroll through the cobbled streets and push the door of small shops and art galleries! Afterwards, we'll return on board. The evening is free to do as you please.

Day 4: Melun – Moret-Loing-Et-Orvanne

We'll spend the morning cruising towards Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne.In the afternoon, join us for a tour of the Palace of Fontainebleau and its magnificent gardens. All the kings and queens of France passed through Fontainebleau at one time or another. The château is a unique example of a residence that was inhabited regularly for more than eight centuries. The French gardens, fountains and flowerbeds will transport you back to the palace’s days of glory. We’ll also visit the cosmopolitan town which sprung up around the château to round out your tour.After our visit, we’ll return to the ship. The evening is free to do as you please.

Day 5: Moret-Loing-Et-Orvanne – Cannes-Ecluses

Morning, excursion included: guided tour of Moret-Loing-et-Orvanne. Situated on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, this royal town is famous for its barley sugar and landscapes immortalised by the Impressionist Alfred Sisley. You'll discover the fortified medieval gates, the superb Renaissance facades, the banks of the Loing and Notre-Dame church. Free time after the visit to wander around the town at your own pace, and don't hesitate to visit the barley sugar shop, a sweet and delicate flavour created during the reign of Louis XIII in Moret.In the afternoon, sail to Cannes-Ecluses. The evening is free, so take the opportunity to wander around this pleasant little town on the banks of the Yonne.

Day 6: Cannes-Ecluses - Sens

We’ll spend the morning cruising the Yonne River, a tributary of the Seine. During our peaceful journey, we'll pass by several lakes and ponds. We’ll arrive in Sens in the afternoon. Upon arrival, join us for a visit of the city, home to a variety of historical buildings with impressive architecture. The cathedral in Sens was the first of the great Gothic cathedrals in France and was the inspiration in layout and design for many others, including Canterbury Cathedral in Great Britain. Strolling through the street and along the promenades, you’ll take in the remarkable homes, buildings and wall fronts that are testimony to the town’s rich past. Take some time to browse in the market and taste the local products. After our tour, we’ll return to the ship. Tonight, is our gala dinner and evening.

Day 7: Sens – Paris(1)

Enjoy breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. Possible transfer(1) by coach from Sens to Paris (duration ~2:00.) End of our services.

Prices listed are per person in AUD, based on twin occupancy, including all discounts unless otherwise stated. The offer is subject to availability at time of booking and shown on the lowest category available at the time.  Fares are capacity controlled and are subject to change at any time without notice. Prices/Offers are correct as at 06-09-2024 and can be withdrawn without notice.   Cabin categories include prepaid government fees and port taxes unless otherwise stated.  Hotels may charge resort fees not included in this package, payable direct upon check in. Visas are not included.  Payments made by credit card will incur a surcharge.