ULTIMATE FRANCE

• Arrive at Bordeaux-Mérignac International Airport.
• If your cruise package includes a group arrival transfer or if you have purchased a private arrival transfer, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the ship.

• The French phrase “la douceur de vivre” is an accurate description for your time in Cadillac, known for its deliciously flavored dessert wines.
• Visit Château Royal de Cazeneuve, site of Henry IV’s and Queen Margot’s tempestuous love.
• Meet the owner around a glass of Sauternes in the reception hall.

In the evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.

Note: Sailing this stretch of the Garonne depends on the tides. If it is not possible to sail to Cadillac, you will be transferred to your destination via motorcoach.

Choose between:

• Private Owner’s Tour of Royal Château with Sauternes Toast OR The Colorful Life of Toulouse Lautrec at Château de Malromé

• The legendary Médoc region abounds with prestigious wine châteaux in a dizzying array of architectural styles, as well as miles of grapevines stretching to infinity.
• Take a scenic drive through the storied Médoc wine route, followed by a wine tasting at a beautiful wine estate.

Featured Excursion:

• Fresh Médoc Oysters Tasting

Choose between:

• Médoc Châteaux Route with Private Wine Tasting OR Let’s Go: Bike in the Médoc Vineyards

• Find out today on the drive to Blaye Fortress, passing through one impossibly picturesque hamlet after another.
• Once you arrive, you’ll discover the wonders of this historic fortress, a UNESCO-designated citadel that once protected Bordeaux from attacks by sea.

Featured Excursion:

• Panoramas of Route de la Corniche Fleurie with Blaye Fortress

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Rendez-Vous Chez Rémy Martin

• With Libourne as your base, travel to nearby breathtaking Saint-Émilion and immerse yourself more deeply in the region’s history and wine culture.
• The medieval town of Saint-Émilion is an ideal place to linger.
• Wander its cobblestone lanes lined with wine shops and bakeries, and stop to admire the amazing rock-hewn church that extends beneath the city’s streets.

Note: Today’s lunch will be on your own; ask your Cruise Manager for recommendations on the best nearby restaurants.

Featured Excursion:

• Saint-Émilion Walking Tour with Wine Tasting

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Château Cooking Class
• Grand Cru Tasting

• France’s rich agricultural tradition is the heart and soul of the region’s exquisite cuisine—and what better way to get a taste for the freshest vegetables, cheeses, breads and fruits than with a visit to Libourne’s lively farmers’ market?

Featured Excursion:

• Village Day: Libourne with Farmer’s Market
• Nights Out: After Hours at the Bassins desLumières

• Discover Bordeaux’s many charms today, either on foot with a local expert or on two wheels—the locals’ preferred way to navigate the city’s charming backstreets. ‘
• You have a wonderful selection of active opportunities to see this magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Choose between:

• Do as the locals do: Bordeaux Walking Tour OR Let’s Go: Bike Bordeaux Backstreets

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Retro Sidecar Bordeaux Tour
• Retro Sidecar Romantic Tour

• Disembark the breathtaking S.S. Bon Voyage and transfer to Paris via high-speed TGV train.
• Your next ship, the magical S.S. Joie de Vivre, waits to carry you along the Seine on the next leg of your adventure.

Note: Ship schedule and order of sightseeing may change throughout the itinerary. Tour to port of destination by motorcoach and substitute visits to other sites may occur during your trip due to the impact of water levels, closures because of public holidays or other uncontrollable factors.

• Today is a celebration of northern France’s natural beauty, with an excursion to a splendid château and gardens situated in an equally grand setting, plus a chance to immerse yourself in the very landscapes that inspired Impressionist master Claude Monet.
•  In the morning, choose between a scenic hike or a visit to the hilltop Château de La Roche-Guyon, which is surrounded by beautiful gardens and offers sweeping views over the Seine.
• Later, explore the beautiful gardens of Monet.
• You’ll have the opportunity to take in the French countryside on your way there with an invigorating bike ride, or opt to arrive by coach instead.

Note: Giverny will be closed during the March and November cruise departure dates.

This evening, a special Captain’s Welcome Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you.

Choose between:

• Château de La Roche-Guyon OR Let’s Go: Hike on the Crests Trail OR Monet’s Gardens at Giverny OR Let’s Go: Bike Ride from Vernon to Giverny

• Walk in the footsteps of greatness in Normandy’s medieval capital, a city with a historic quarter that remains amazingly intact.
• From the cathedral Monet painted dozens of times to the cross marking the spot where Joan of Arc was martyred, Rouen is a treasure trove for the culturally curious.
• The roll call of famous people who lived or died in Rouen is long and varied—Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc, Gustave Flaubert, and Claude Monet are among them.

Featured Excursion:

• Nights Out: Private Concert at the Rouen Cathedral

Choose between:

• Rouen Walking Tour the Dukes of Normandy’s Capital OR Camembert Cheese Farm

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Mont Saint Michel – Wonder of the Western World

• Caudebec-en-Caux, a lovely little town on the right bank of the Seine Estuary, is your base for one of two very different excursions.
• You could drive through the beautiful Calvados countryside to Honfleur, a delightful seaside harbor and city of painters, or head to the windy cliffs of Étretat for a game of golf.

Choose between:

• Honfleur Walking Tour OR Let’s Go: Golfing in Étretat

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• St. Wandrille Monastery

• There are moments when we travel that move us on an otherworldly level—experiences that stir a profound emotional connection.
• On your full-day outing, you’ll visit Normandy’s beaches, with a choice to venture to either the American, British and Commonwealth, or Canadian beaches.
• After, you’ll partake in a private ceremony at the Omaha Beach Memorial—a sentimental remembrance of Operation Overlord.

Choose between:

• Normandy Beaches: Highlights of American Sites OR Normandy Beaches: Highlights of British & Commonwealth Sites OR Normandy Beaches: Highlights of Canadian Sites

• How did France’s rulers live over the centuries? Step into the private rooms of the Palace of Versailles, the lavish palace built by the Sun King, to find out.

A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Featured Excursion:

• Versailles Palace Secret Apartments

• Whether you’re a first-time visitor to the “City of Light” or you’ve been here many times before, there’s something for everyone today in Paris.
• Enjoy a panoramic overview of the city, join a local expert for a walk through two much-loved neighborhoods, or pedal your way along the Left Bank, a fresh and fun way to take in the sights.

Choose between:

• Let’s Go: Seine Riverbanks Bike Ride OR Paris City Tour OR Paris Walking Tour of the Latin Quarter

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Moulin Rouge
• Retro Sidecar Illuminations Tour
• Retro Sidecar Montmartre Discovery
• Musée du Louvre

• You’ll transfer from the magical S.S. Joie de Vivre cruise ship in Paris to the striking S.S. Catherine in Lyon via high-speed TGV train for the second half of this fabulous grand tour.
• Once you’ve settled into your new home, you’ll have some time to explore delightful Lyon, which is nestled alongside the Saône River.

• Ancient Lyon is a city of tantalizing contrasts, from Roman roots to stunning modern architecture and plenty of Renaissance flair in between.
• There’s much to explore here, from the city’s bike paths to the silk weavers’ secret passageways.
• While you’re in town, you might like to have lunch on your own at one of the many traditional bouchons that proliferate in the epicenter of French gastronomy.

Choose between:

• Lyon Panoramic Tour with Traboules Visit OR Silk Weavers Walking Tour OR Let’s Go: Lyon Peninsula Bike Tour

• The pace of life is decidedly more relaxed in Burgundy, where endless rows of grapes hang heavy on the vine.
• The capital of the region’s wine trade, Beaune is renowned for its history, beauty, and highly prized wine, as well as its medieval-era hospital—the Hospices de Beaune.

Featured Excursion:

• Burgundy Landscapes, Beaune, and the Hospices

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Château de Rully Wine Tasting & Lunch

• If you love fine wine, you’ll love the twin villages of Tournon and Tain-l’Hermitage.
• Tournon may be a small town, but stirring events took place here: A castle was raised on the hilltop in the 10th century to protect the region, and new fortifications were added over the centuries, including two “new” towers built to defend against Protestant attacks in the 16th century.
• You’ll see the handsome houses constructed by wealthy merchants and garrison officers when you walk through the Rue de Doux area, and you’ll pass the 14th-century church and the oldest secondary school in France.

Choose between:

• Tournon and Tain-I’ Hermitage Twin Villages Stroll with Wine Tasting OR Let’s Go: Hermitage Terrace Vineyards Hike with Wine Tasting

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Premium Wine Tasting on the Hermitage Hill

• An enchanting village where time seems to have stopped centuries ago, Viviers has a long and storied past that goes back more than 1,600 years—and a splendid architectural heritage to match.
• At one time, Viviers was divided along religious lines—the clergy lived in the upper part of the town, the laity in the lower part. Your exploration of the town will take you through both parts, as you begin at the crest and make your way to the riverbank.

Featured Excursion:

• Village Day: Ardèches

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Truffle Farm & Chateauneuf du Papa Wine Tasting

• The walled city of Avignon is one of the most fascinating towns in southern France, with a host of historic gems to explore—including the fortress residence of rebellious popes who broke from Rome and once lived and ruled here.
• You’ll see the Palace of the Popes and much more today, or have the chance to visit a 2,000-year-old Roman aqueduct.

A special Captain’s Farewell Reception and Dinner will be prepared for you this evening.

Choose between:

• Avignon Walking Tour with Palace of the Popes OR Pont du Gard Roman Aqueduct Visit

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Collector’s  Island
• Cooking Lesson at La Mirande
• Let’s Go: Kayak Ride on the Gardon River

• Explore a sun-drenched Provençal town today with an allure all its own.
• Known for its remarkable Roman ruins, Arles so inspired Van Gogh that he painted some 200 paintings there.
• Arles has existed since the sixth century BC, when the ancient Greeks founded it and named it Theline.
• It was here that the Romans built their first bridge across the Rhône River, creating a vital overland route between Italy and Spain.

Featured Excursion:

• Arles Walking Tour

Masterpiece Collection (optional experience):

• Olive Farm Visit and Immersive Art Experience

• Disembark the ship.
• If your cruise package includes a group departure transfer or if you have purchased a private departure transfer, you will be transferred to the Marseille Airport for your flight home.