Battle of Normandy: French River Cruise 2025

Your fare excludes:

Day 1 - Embark Paris

Embark this afternoon in Paris, the romantic City of Light, with embarkation from 4pm. After unpacking, join your Historian and fellow Mat McLachlan Battlefield Tours’ special group travellers for a Welcome Cocktail and Welcome Dinner.

Day 2 - Conflans

Arrive early in the morning in Conflans-St.-Honorine, at the confluence of the rivers Oise and Seine. Choose to join an optional shore excursion or to relax as you please. Today our special group comes together for our first Seminar, led by your expert Historian.

Optional shore excursion:

• A guided tour of Painters Village Auvers-sur-Oise – a charming town which was an inspiration to many Impressionist masters, including Cezanne, Pissarro, Daubigny and Vincent van Gogh, whose final resting place is here.

Day 3 - Rouen

Our cruise arrives in Rouen at 8am. Choose to enjoy an optional shore excursion, or relax as you please. Today our special group comes together for a Seminar, led by your Historian.

Optional shore excursions:

• A walking tour of Rouen, uncovering the capital of the Normandy region including visiting the cathedral that inspired Claude Monet, and the modern Church of Joan of Arc with its magnificent 16th century stained-glass windows.
• Visit Le Pressoir d‘Or, a typical 17th Century farmhouse to taste cider and view the orchard cellar and museum dedicated to the old apple press, before visiting the beautiful village of Lyons-la-Forêt.

Day 4 - Le Havre and D-Day Beaches – American Sector

Today we will spend a full day exploring the D-Day battlefields, accompanied by our expert Historian. Our special group will be met at Le Havre Pier by our coach at 9am. As we drive through Normandy, we will learn stories from the landing and the troops involved, on both sides, highlighting these personal stories through visits to Le Cambe German Cemetery and Colleville-Sur-Mer American Cemetery. In Sainte-Mère-Eglise – near the church where US-paratrooper John Steele was caught, hanging from the bell tower by his parachute – we will visit the immersive Airborne Museum to learn about the paratroopers, invasion preparations in England and battles for liberation. And visiting the infamous Omaha Beach, the bloodiest landing site on D-Day, we will see where American troops came ashore under a hail of gunfire and suffered thousands of casualties – the action famously depicted in Saving Private Ryan. As we tour back towards Le Havre, we pass multiple drop sites and learn more about the battle from our Historian. We will arrive back at Le Havre Pier to the Amadeus Diamond at around 5:30pm to enjoy an evening of leisure, entertained by the music of local chanson singers.

Day 5 - Le Havre & D-Day Beaches – British Sector - Caudebec-en-Caux

Today our special group will spend a full day exploring the British Sector of the D-Day Battlefields. We will be met at Le Havre Pier by our coach at 9am to travel to Ranville War Cemetery to learn the stories of the British and Commonwealth soldiers and pay our respects to Australian Flight Lieutenants Thomas Robert Bowden Anderson and Henry Lacy Smith who are buried here.

At the Benouville Memorial Pegasus Museum, we will learn the story of the successful coup de main to capture Pegasus and Horsa bridges, before travelling to the Ver-sur-Mer British Normandy Memorial. A quick drive will then take us to Arromanches – part of the Gold Beach landing area – where the Allies established an artificial harbour to unload heavy equipment. During 100 days of operation of the port, 2.5 million men, 500,000 vehicles and 4 million tonnes of material were landed. We will then visit Longues-sur-Mer Gun Battery, before travelling to Caudebec-en-Caux Pier to reboard at around 5:30pm.

Day 6 - Les Andelys - Vernon - Mantes-le-Jolie

After two days of battlefield touring, enjoy a day to relax and explore the cultural highlights, villages and towns of France. You may choose to join an optional shore excursion, to uncover the region’s art and imperial history. Today, our special group comes together for our final Seminar, led by your Historian. After our final Seminar, we bid “Au Revoir” to our Historian as we sail towards Paris.

Optional shore excursions:

• Monet’s Muses and Château Gaillard – explore the remains of the English King’s stronghold: Château Gaillard, before continuing to Giverny, to visit the home of Impressionist Claude Monet and the beautiful gardens which were inspiration for several works of art.
• Josephine, Napolean, and Château de Malmaison – explore the former residence of Joséphine and Napoleon Bonaparte, the Imperial couple.

Day 7 - Paris

In the early morning, it’s “Bienvenue“ to the French capital. Explore the City of Light at your leisure, or choose to join an optional shore excursion. Late this afternoon, enjoy a festive Captain‘s Gala Dinner and admire the city lights of the French capital on our last night aboard Amadeus Diamond.

Optional shore excursions:

• Paris: Cafes, Cathedrals & City of Light – explore the sights of the Eiffel Tower and the bustling Champs-Élysées, one of the world’s most famous commercial streets, during a morning city tour.
• Montmartre walking tour – delve into the allure of Montmartre, an eternal muse for creativity and expression, located on the highest hill in northern Paris. From its cobbled streets and quaint cafes to its iconic Sacré-Coeur, Montmartre offers a unique experience that transports visitors back to the ”La Belle Époque“ era.

Day 8 - Paris

After breakfast, your Amadeus crew bids you “adieu”. The journey may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Note: All Optional experiences for this trip are bookable with the Travel Director when you travel. The itinerary is subject to change without prior notice

3 departures to choose from:

• 1​1 - 18 June 2025
• 2​3 - 30 July 2025
• 2​4 September - 01 October 2025

• Haydn Cabin C-4 with panoramic window $6,474 pp / $7,114 pp sole use*
• Haydn Cabin C-1 with panoramic window $7,074 pp / $7,806 pp sole use*
• Strauss Cabin B-4 with French balcony $7,807 pp / $9,487 pp sole use*
• Strauss Cabin B-1 with French balcony $8,240 pp/ $11,260 pp sole use*
• Mozart Cabin A-1 with French balcony $9,357 pp / $13,650 pp sole use*
• M​ozart Suite with French balcony $9,907 pp / $17,610 pp sole use*

Looking for pre- and post-tour arrangements in Paris? Looking to combine this river cruise with a wider variety of experiences? As a full-service travel agency, Travel at 60's friendly consultants can happily help you find a good deal on airfares, accommodation and more. Call 1300 414 198 for a friendly chat about your travel plans.

Haydn Cabin C-4 (15m²) with panoramic window

Small panoramic windows (cannot be opened), ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the bottom deck, towards the back of the vessel.

Haydn Cabin C-1 (15m²) with panoramic window

Small panoramic windows (cannot be opened), ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the bottom deck, close to the fitness room.

Strauss Cabin B-4 (15m²) with French balcony

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balcony, ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the middle deck towards the back of the vessel.

Strauss Cabin B-1 (15m²) with French balcony

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balcony, ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the middle deck.

Mozart Cabin A-1 (15m²) with French balcony

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balcony, ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the top deck.

Mozart Suite (22m²) with French balcony

Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors with French balcony, mini-bar, bathrobe, ample closet space, choice of bed configuration (double or twin bed), flat-screen television, individual climate control, en-suite bathroom with shower/WC, bathrobe, hair dryer, direct dial telephone and in-room safe. Located on the top deck.