A Portrait of Majestic France
15 Days | Bordeaux to Paris
2024 | The quintessential voyage for gourmets, oenophiles, and lovers of all things French.
Learn More
Grand France
15 Days | Arles to Paris
Choose when you want to travel
Paris Pre-Cruise Extension
No visit to France would be complete without seeing the city that is widely regarded as the most beautiful in the world—Paris. Nothing compares to the charm of its neighborhoods, the grandeur of its awe-inspiring architecture and monuments, or the cosmopolitan elegance of its boulevards. Delve into the delights this magnificent city has to offer, from the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées to the quaint neighborhood cafés beloved by locals.
Included in your 3-day stay:
- 2 nights at the Hôtel du Louvre (or similar)
- Breakfast daily and all service charges, taxes, and porterage
- Opera Garnier Discovery Walk
- English-speaking expert
- All transfers
Day to Day:
2024 Paris Pre-Cruise Day to Day Overview (click here for details)
Day 1: Paris
Once you’ve cleared customs at the Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, you will be greeted by a Uniworld representative and transferred to the hotel. There you will check in, drop off your bags and, if you wish, go out and explore the city on your own. Your Uniworld local host can offer suggestions for your leisure time.
During the evening, you’ll gather with your fellow guests for an informative briefing at the hotel. Please ask your local host for dinner recommendations.
Day 2: Paris
FEATURED EXCURSION: Opera Garnier discovery walk
Put on comfortable walking shoes and plan to spend a couple of hours strolling through the geographical heart of Paris. Begin in the 9th arrondissement and the Opéra de Paris Garnier, also known as Palais Garnier. Work on this extravagant opera house began in 1865 and continued for 15 trouble-filled years, which included the discovery of an underground lake beneath the construction site. It’s still there, incidentally—confined to an enormous cistern where carp swim and rescue divers train. Your guide will take you inside to explore this glorious tribute to Second Empire opulence, complete with dazzling chandeliers, red-velvet wall coverings and draperies, gold-leafed cherubs, marble friezes, and a spectacular 20th-century ceiling by Marc Chagall.
Then head out through the 8th arrondissement, exploring the wide avenues and arcades designed by Baron Haussmann when he modernized Paris between 1852 and 1870. As you walk toward the river and the 1st arrondissement, you’ll come to the Palais-Royal, built by Cardinal Richelieu in 1629 (Louis XIV lived here as a child). The palace itself now houses government offices, but the garden offers a lovely breath of fresh air and greenery.
Your next destination, just a block or two away, is La Comédie-Française, the only state theater to have its own troupe—it specializes in the work of Molière— before you loop back toward your hotel, passing the National Library and the Paris Bourse.
Note: Occasionally, the Opera Garnier will not be available for this extension. On such occasions, an alternative experience will be arranged, such as a visit to the Musee d’Orsay or a walking tour of Paris’ popular Le Marais district.
Day 3: Paris
Today you transfer to your ship via either TGV train or motorcoach and begin your cruise.
Pricing:
$1,219 per person (for 2 guests)
For solo travelers, there is a single supplement of $559.
