Oct 5 - Caudebec-en-Caux

10-05: Normandy Beaches. Our stop today is Caudebec-en-Caux. This is the day that most of the passengers went to the Normandy beaches Stuart has been there before and I have no desire to go there. I think it would just be a very depressing and sad. They did serve lunch on board in the lounge for the people who stayed back on the ship. I should mention it was a 10-hour excursion to go do this tour. I would say 15 to 20 people stayed on board. Now remember this cruise is described as a gastronomic cruise of the Seine serving French cuisine. Most of the food has been fine even if it isn't French. However, today's lunch was interestingly different. There were all the fixings for the salad bar but no lettuce to put it on and then I guess you're supposed to just take the different items and put dressing on them and eat it that way it is a different way to do it. Then for the main courses they had pork schnitzel with fried potatoes both serve lukewarm in chafing dishes with no heat below them, same as all the other dishes. They also had some sort of fish and mix vegetables it looked like peas and carrots from a freezer. The last was spaghetti with tomato basil sauce. The noodles were quite dry as they barely put any sauce on them. No extra sauce is provided or offered at the side either. They did serve that with cheese to add to it. The dessert was one type of cake that was pretty. There was also some beautifully sliced fruit and a cheese selection. So far, I would not call this a gastronomy cruise as described. We did have the tastings at the orchard a couple days ago, which was nice. They do serve little appetizers that happy hour but that is typical of river cruises anyway. Are the appetizers French? Well, one was a spring roll so I don't think so. We have been playing a lot of cards. The weather is cool for sure, but not too cold so far. There is fog on the river every morning. We ate in the Brasserie for dinner and that was nice enough with a very simple menu of 2 hot dishes and a huge array of meats and cheeses. The sunset was amazing tonight.

Oct 3-4 - Les Andelys and Rouen

10-03: Today our stop is Les Andelys. We will see the Château Gaillard, visit a cathedral and the cider farm. We took the optional “gentle” tour as we did not want to walk the 25 minutes up and down hill to visit the Chateau up close. The photos and views are fantastic enough. We are visiting one of the most beautiful spots I have seen along the Seine. The river twists and turns as it winds its way along the valley here. Beautiful white cliffs edge the river and swans glide long the water’s edge. The bus took us to the view point but actually you had great views of it from the town below. Next stop was the Collégiatle Notre-Dame Les Andelys. The final stop was the cider farm. We were met by the gracious owner of the farm. His daughter usually does these tours but today she is having a baby! I think that is a good reason not to show up for work. The guide said she would interpret but he did an excellent job in English. Some of the cider was tasty and some was not. It all depends on your taste, I am sure. With the cider we were served meats and cheeses from the area, of course with baguette to go with them. All foods were from this area and quite tasty. This was a part of the gastronomy tour we expected. The cider farm also has horses and is one of the oldest equestrian places in this area. I guess they do lessons and training of all sorts. 

10-04: Today we visit Rouen Normandy’s capital. We skipped the tour because it is a walking tour and I am not up to it. I guess the tarte tatin demonstration must have been on the tour as it was not on the ship, nor was there any announcement about it happening. During the day we cruised along some lovely areas. I was surprised that the homes are mostly all Tudor styled. It seems more like the English countryside than the French countryside. Leaving Rouen there are factories and tons of silos producing and shipping grain and other cargo such as scrap metal to other countries. Dinner was nice. There are French dishes scattered here and there on the menu, but it is not a French menu by any means. Tonight was supposed to be French musicians for the entertainment. I would not call them musicians but a great group of female singers called the Popcorn Girls. They did a lovely show singing the hits made popular around the period of time of WWII. Some were quite moving to me because my mother sang many of these songs just from memory. It made me cry I missed her so much. The singers were dressed as WACs so it was a nice performance for this point in time. Everyone seems to be turning in early tonight for their 8:15a departure tomorrow morning.

Oct 2 - Boarding the River Cruise, Paris

10-02: Embarkation Day! We left our hotel at noon and went to a nearby cafe the Le Nimrod to have a very long lunch. The hotel held After the long lunch we took an uber to the river cruise ship and called Jane Austen. Our luggage was efficiently whisked on board and we were taken to our cabin with a luggage delivery almost instantly. We acquainted ourselves with the ship and the paperwork for each upcoming day. We played some cards this afternoon. Soon it was time for dinner. We sat with Peter and Sheila from Manchester it was their first river cruise they were fun and interesting to chat with. I would say ¾ of the people on this cruise are from the UK. Not sure Riveria will ever make it well in the US market. Not much change for that in the last 5 years that I have seen. This evening after dinner we had the safety drill. Following that we left port and went toward the Eiffel Tower as it did its little twinkling show at 10 o'clock. Now it is time for a U turn and heading north out of Paris.

Here is the write up about the cruise. Will it meet our expectations? We will know soon enough.

Taste your way through the heart of Normandy on a river cruise along the majestic Seine, stopping to visit historic sites that have shaped the course of history. Known for its apples and dairy, we’ll voyage through Normandy along the Seine, tasting everything this delicious region has to offer. Sample the sweetest apple products at a local farm and the perfect snacks - crêpes in Honfleur, Norman cider and cheese at Bizy Castle, and mouthwatering macarons in Paris – and the fun doesn't stop when we leave dry land! Our on-board restaurant serves a fully French menu, and you can enjoy a tarte tatin cooking demonstration and French brunch as we sail, as well as a Champagne reception looking out onto Caudebec.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival at Paris: Travel to our ship, your home away from home for the next 7 nights.

Day 2 Château Gaillard & cider farm: Discover the history of Château Gaillard and visit a traditional cider farm.

Day 3 Rouen: Explore Rouen, Normandy’s capital, and enjoy a tarte tatin cooking demonstration, plus Champagne reception with French musician.

Day 4 Normandy Beaches: Explore the D-Day landings, see Gold Beach and visit the British Normandy Memorial.

Day 5 Honfleur: Take a guided tour of Honfleur and taste another French specialty at a historic crêperie.

Day 6 Giverny & Bizy Castle: Visit Monet’s house and garden, then visit Bizy Castle, with Norman cider and cheese tasting.

Day 7 Paris: Choose your own Parisian adventure – a panoramic tour or a walking tour of the Latin Quarter, and taste macarons.

Day 8 Paris: Return home. After breakfast, disembark and begin your journey home.

Oct 1 - Bourg to Paris

10-01: Today is departure day. We wonder if we will ever come back to this area? Never say never, we shall see. The drive to Bordeaux was uneventful. We returned the car as planned and we were sitting in our assigned seat on the train in plenty of time. We arrived in Paris with no delays and made our way to our hotel by Uber. We will be here just one night before boarding our Riveria Seine River Cruise. After our long and filling lunch we weren’t very hungry so we just walked to a nearby café for what we thought would be pizza. It was really focaccia bread with a variety of toppings, so it was fine. Back to the hotel and we played cards in the lobby area and had a glass of wine. The Hotel de Sévres is a decent hotel; clean, friendly, local vibes, and a good price. Yes, the rooms are small but that is what you get in Paris.