20 nights · France · River cruise · Departs Bordeaux (France) · Visiting Libourne, Pauillac, Blaye, Cadillac-sur-Garonne, Bourg-sur-Gironde, Paris City, Les Andelys, Rouen, Honfleur, Rives-en-Seine, Vernon, Chateau de La Roche-Guyon, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine · Aboard Scenic Cruises on the Scenic Diamond
Image courtesy of Scenic Cruises ©
This river cruise sails the Garonne and Seine, departing Bordeaux.
| Cruise line | Scenic Cruises |
|---|---|
| Ship | Scenic Diamond |
| Duration | 20 nights |
| Port calls | 14 |
| Departures | 8 sailings |
| From fare | $10,338 per person |
| Year built | 2008 |
| Guests | 167 |
| Cabins | 85 |
| Crew | 51 |
| Length | 135 m |
| Beam | 11 m |
| Cruising speed | 12.0 kn |
Bordeaux is best approached through its river: the Garonne leads into a city shaped by trade, wine and ambitious architecture. Along the UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon, eighteenth-century façades frame broad quays and the Place de la Bourse. Beyond the centre, renowned wine estates and the Médoc’s château-lined roads invite a longer excursion. Stay in town for a market, a riverside walk and a glass of local claret. Venture farther for vineyard landscapes that explain Bordeaux’s global reputation.
Libourne sits where the Isle meets the Dordogne, its quays opening onto Bordeaux’s celebrated wine country. Founded as a 13th-century bastide, the town still gathers around Place Abel-Surchamp, a lively market square. Saint-Émilion’s medieval lanes and Pomerol’s renowned estates lie close enough for an unhurried day among vineyards. Return to Libourne for riverside cafés, handsome stone façades and the easy pace of a working French town.
Step ashore at Pauillac, on the Gironde estuary, and enter the Médoc, Bordeaux’s celebrated wine country. Vineyards stretch inland, while the waterfront reflects the town’s long history of wine trading and shipping. Three renowned estates—Lafite Rothschild, Latour and Mouton Rothschild—stand within the Pauillac appellation. Book tastings ahead; many estates require reservations. You can also follow country roads along the Gironde or travel south to Bordeaux, about 50 miles away.
Blaye occupies the right bank of the Gironde, where a monumental 17th-century citadel guards the river. Designed by military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the fortress forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk its ramparts for wide views across the water, then explore lanes lined with stone houses and cafés. Surrounding vineyards produce Côtes de Blaye wines, and a short ferry crossing connects Blaye with the Médoc.
Cadillac sits on the Garonne, about 35 kilometres southeast of Bordeaux, amid the vineyards of Cadillac Côtes de Bordeaux. Its compact centre preserves the plan of a 13th-century bastide, with arcaded streets and a market square. Visit the Château de Cadillac, a former ducal residence later used as a women’s prison, now open to visitors. Nearby wine estates offer tastings of the region’s sweet Cadillac wines and red Bordeaux blends.
Bordeaux is best approached through its river: the Garonne leads into a city shaped by trade, wine and ambitious architecture. Along the UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon, eighteenth-century façades frame broad quays and the Place de la Bourse. Beyond the centre, renowned wine estates and the Médoc’s château-lined roads invite a longer excursion. Stay in town for a market, a riverside walk and a glass of local claret. Venture farther for vineyard landscapes that explain Bordeaux’s global reputation.
Bourg-sur-Gironde rises above the Dordogne, at the edge of the Gironde estuary, amid the vineyards of Côtes de Bourg. Stone lanes lead to its historic citadel, whose terraces offer views across the water and wine country. Explore the old port, then taste the appellation’s characterful reds in a village shaped by generations of river trade. Here, the history and landscape are inseparable from the estuary.
Blaye occupies the right bank of the Gironde, where a monumental 17th-century citadel guards the river. Designed by military engineer Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the fortress forms part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. Walk its ramparts for wide views across the water, then explore lanes lined with stone houses and cafés. Surrounding vineyards produce Côtes de Blaye wines, and a short ferry crossing connects Blaye with the Médoc.
Bordeaux is best approached through its river: the Garonne leads into a city shaped by trade, wine and ambitious architecture. Along the UNESCO-listed Port of the Moon, eighteenth-century façades frame broad quays and the Place de la Bourse. Beyond the centre, renowned wine estates and the Médoc’s château-lined roads invite a longer excursion. Stay in town for a market, a riverside walk and a glass of local claret. Venture farther for vineyard landscapes that explain Bordeaux’s global reputation.
Paris rewards travellers who look beyond its familiar landmarks. Follow the Seine past the Louvre and Notre-Dame; explore streets where cafés, markets and small museums reveal daily life. The Eiffel Tower still commands the skyline, but the best hours are spent walking, with time for lunch. Choose one or two neighbourhoods rather than racing across town; Paris is best experienced at street level.
Les Andelys rewards a pause on the Seine, where white chalk cliffs rise above two historic quarters. Above Le Petit-Andely, Richard the Lionheart’s Château Gaillard has watched the valley since the late 12th century. Climb to its ruins for sweeping views, then descend to the riverside lanes and the Gothic church of Notre-Dame. This is Normandy at an unhurried scale: dramatic landscape, medieval ambition and room to explore.
Rouen rewards travelers who leave the ship and walk straight into its history. Half-timbered houses line narrow streets, while the soaring cathedral once drew Claude Monet back to paint its changing façade. At the old marketplace, Joan of Arc was executed in 1431; today, a church commemorates her. Pause for Normandy’s butter-rich cuisine, then follow the Seine-side quays for a quieter view of this working port.
Honfleur’s old harbour is one of Normandy’s most distinctive waterfronts, framed by narrow, slate-fronted houses. Walk its quays, then step into Sainte-Catherine, France’s largest wooden church, built by local shipwrights. Art belongs here: painter Eugène Boudin was born in Honfleur, and its light helped inspire the Impressionists. Beside the Seine estuary, this compact port invites an unhurried visit, with excellent seafood and Normandy’s rich local produce.
Caudebec-en-Caux, now part of Rives-en-Seine, sits on a bend of the Seine in Normandy. Begin at Notre-Dame, where a finely carved Gothic façade and Renaissance stained glass reward a closer look. The Musée de la Marine de Seine traces the river’s working life and the communities shaped by its trade. Nearby, explore the evocative ruins of Jumièges Abbey, one of Normandy’s great medieval sites.
Vernon rewards a closer look before you follow the Seine toward Giverny. On the river, the half-timbered Old Mill stands dramatically on medieval bridge piers, a defining view. Nearby, the Gothic church of Notre-Dame and quiet streets preserve the town’s long history. Monet’s house and gardens lie about five kilometres away in Giverny, the setting for many of his paintings.
At La Roche-Guyon, the Seine curves beneath a chalk cliff crowned by a medieval keep. Below it, the château’s elegant residence and formal gardens tell a different story of power and taste. A stairway cut through the rock climbs to the fortress, where views sweep across the river valley and village rooftops. Discover a rare pairing of medieval stronghold and Renaissance château in one of France’s officially designated Most Beautiful Villages.
At the meeting of the Seine and Oise, Conflans-Sainte-Honorine has long been known as France’s capital of inland navigation. Barges line the riverbanks, recalling the crews and families who made these waterways their working world. Walk up to the historic center and Saint-Maclou church, then look back across the river traffic. Conflans offers a close view of France’s living river culture, far from the usual Paris landmarks.
Paris rewards travellers who look beyond its familiar landmarks. Follow the Seine past the Louvre and Notre-Dame; explore streets where cafés, markets and small museums reveal daily life. The Eiffel Tower still commands the skyline, but the best hours are spent walking, with time for lunch. Choose one or two neighbourhoods rather than racing across town; Paris is best experienced at street level.
Published August 2, 2026
Last updated October 11, 2026
Author: J. Richard
Good to know: Prices are quoted per person based on double occupancy and include all applicable taxes and fees. Availability and prices can change quickly, so please continue through the booking process to confirm the latest availability and pricing before you pay.
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