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Friday, October 9, 2015

Avalon Creativity from Paris to Normandy

Avalon Waterways river cruise from Paris to Normandy on the Creativity, September 2015

Docked in Rouen
If you love to cruise but are tired of the big ship crowds, a river cruise is a great alternative. At first glance they appear to be more expensive than ocean cruises but when you factor in the included shore excursions and free flowing wine and beer at dinner, the costs come in about the same. Here's my week in review.
 
We met our friendly cruise director Nynke Hoekstra at the Pullman Paris Montparnasse and were shuttled to the creativity where we were greeted by the crew, did a quick safety briefing, and met some of the other 120 passengers at a champagne toast. 

Dinner was served at 7pm. The tables seat four, six, or eight people and you are free to sit wherever you like. The dinner menu offers your choice of four starters, two soups, three entrees,  and three desserts or a cheese plate.  Caesar salad, grilled beef tenderloin steak, grilled chicken breast, or salmon is available every night. There is a healthy option, and allergens are listed on the menu.

Piano and dance music is offered every night in the lounge. There is also a library/game room where you can help yourself to coffee, tea, hot chocolate, pastries, and fruit at anytime.

We selected a cabin on the 2nd deck and were very happy with the comfortable beds, bedding, a French balcony with a view of the passing French countryside, and serene white swans along the river Seine. Some people on the lower deck complained of being awakened by noise as we traversed the locks, but we found our cabin near the lobby to be centrally located and quiet.

Monet's Garden
Every morning we were given the option of selecting one of two tours that were included in the price of the cruise. While the perception of river cruises might be that it is for "old" people, I was quickly finding that if you take in all that it is offered, then river cruising is for the active adult who enjoys learning about the culture and history of the country they are visiting. I wandered the paths of Claude Monet's beautiful garden and walked around the lily pond made famous by his paintings. I climbed up the hill to the ruins of the Gallard castle where Richard the Lionheart once trod, and gazed at the view over the Seine valley. I snapped photos of thatched roof cottages along the Route des Chaumieres and clicked away at the half timbered houses and cafe's lining the lovely harbor of Honfleur.  History was brought to life as our guide led us through the medieval city of Rouen to the charnel house that kept bodies of the black plague. We walked down the street to where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake and marveled at the giant thirteenth century astronomical clock, the Gros Horloge.  I wandered the halls of Chateau Malmaison where Napoleon Bonaparte governed France and Josephine collected rare plants and exotic animals. I explored the French countryside while other guests on the ship paid tribute to those who gave the greatest sacrifice on the beaches of Normandy. I finished the week with an optional whirlwind trip to the Palace of Versailles, an evening tour of the lights of Paris, a walking tour of the island hosting the Notre Dame Cathedral, and a bike ride along the ever changing and romantic River Seine.

Honfleur Harbor
 
Though I had envisioned this cruise as a leisurely tour of France, it was anything but that. I signed up for several of the optional tours wanting to see as much as I could, and found myself pretty much on the go from 7am to midnight. After the morning tour, it was back to the ship for a quick lunch then out again for an afternoon tour, dinner, a game of scrabble with friends, a little exercise on the dance floor, then some free time in my cabin to catch up with family and friends using the free internet . With no "leisure days at sea" like you'd find on an ocean cruise, I was more active on this cruise than any other I've been on. Of course you can tailor this cruise to be as fast or slow paced as you like. There are lounge chairs and a hot tub on the top deck if you want to kick back and relax, and I managed to fit that in too!