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Paris & Normandy
- Wine Cruise
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Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise
A week on the Seine. A sommelier at the dinner table every night. And some of the most historically loaded coastline in Europe right outside the window. That’s the Paris & Normandy Celebration of Wine in a nutshell, and it’s a pretty good nutshell to be in.
AmaWaterways builds each sailing around a dedicated Wine Expert who’s on board for all seven nights, leading tastings, pairing dinners and talking through the Norman cider country, Calvados orchards and riverside châteaux you’re actually passing through. The D-Day beaches, Monet’s garden at Giverny and the Impressionist harbour of Honfleur are all part of the week too. Sailings run from spring through to late autumn aboard AmaLyra and AmaDante with AmaWaterways, with a different Wine Expert on each departure. We’ll sort flights, transfers and everything in between.
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179 reviews
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Cruise Line: AmaWaterways -
Ships: AmaLyra & AmaDante -
Duration: 6 Nights
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Departure: Mar - Nov
Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise Prices
Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise Gallery
Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise Itinerary
Seven nights from Paris and back, with the Norman coast, the D-Day beaches and Giverny all in between. Here’s how it plays out.
Day 1
Paris
You board in Paris and settle in for the week. The evening’s yours to get comfortable, meet your Wine Expert and get started. Want a couple of nights in Paris before you board? We can sort that.
Day 2
Les Andelys
Les Andelys is dominated by the chalk-cliff ruins of Chateau Gaillard, built by Richard the Lionheart in the late 12th century to defend the Seine valley from French forces. Take a guided tour, hike up to the ruins, or explore the town by bike, then sit back for scenic cruising with regional wines as the Norman landscape drifts past.
Day 3
Le Havre
A day with real range. Head to Honfleur, the harbour town that drew Monet, Boudin and generations of Impressionist painters to its slate-fronted quaysides, or take a city tour of Le Havre, whose post-war centre was rebuilt by architect Auguste Perret and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005. Prefer to eat and drink your way through the morning? The Le Havre Market Tasting does exactly that. There’s a bike tour too if you’d rather cover some ground.
Day 4
Le Havre
One of the more affecting days on the itinerary. You can spend the full day at either the US Landing Beaches or the British and Canadian Landing Beaches, with guides who really know the history. Or head inland to the Pays d’Auge for a Calvados tasting in the apple orchard country that produces Normandy’s famous brandy. The Seine Museum is also on offer if you’d prefer to stay closer to the ship.
Day 5
Rouen
Rouen’s medieval streets, its food culture and its connection to Joan of Arc make it one of the more characterful stops on the route. Take a guided walking tour, a bike tour, a Tastes of Normandy tasting covering local chocolate and cider, or head out to the 16th-century Chateau de Bonnemare.
Day 6
Vernon
Vernon puts you right on the doorstep of Giverny, where Monet’s house and water lily gardens are open to visit. There’s also a Chateau de Bizy tour with Calvados tasting or a bike ride through the Giverny countryside.
Day 7
Paris
A final full day back in Paris, with a farewell dinner on board in the evening. Ashore, join a city tour that includes the Musee du Vin, an underground museum in limestone cellars tracing centuries of French winemaking, or take Paris by bike along the Seine. Either way, it’s a good last day.
Day 8
Paris
Flights and transfers home are included. Fancy a couple of extra nights in Paris before you head back? We can sort the accommodation.
PARIS & NORMANDY – WINE CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS
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Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise Review
Paris & Normandy – Wine Cruise FAQs
Who are the Wine Experts, and what do they actually do on board?
Each sailing has a different Wine Expert on board for all seven nights, typically a certified sommelier, winery owner or wine educator. They host tastings, lead conversations about the regions you’re sailing through and pair their knowledge with what’s on the dinner table. The experts change by departure: the November 2026 sailing features Michelle and Richard Anderson, owners of Triple N Ranch Winery in Texas, while the July 2026 sailing has Amy Moreau, founder of a boutique Atlanta wine shop with over 300 wines on the shelves. If the specific expert matters to you, check the departure against the AmaWaterways listing, or just ask us when you enquire.
Is this cruise worth booking if I'm not particularly into wine?
Honestly, yes. The wine programme is there if you want it, but the itinerary doesn’t need it. Chateau Gaillard, Honfleur, the D-Day beaches, Monet’s Giverny and Paris would be a brilliant week on their own. Every day has walking tours, bike rides and historical excursions that have nothing to do with tasting. You’re never pushed to participate in the wine events, and the food on board is worth the trip regardless.
What is Calvados, and where does it come from?
Calvados is an apple brandy from Normandy, made by fermenting apple juice into cider, distilling it and ageing it in oak casks. The Pays d’Auge, which features as a day-four excursion option, is the most prestigious sub-appellation for Calvados production, and the tasting takes place right in the orchard country where the apples are grown. It’s a proper, local experience, and nothing like the duty-free bottles you might have come across before.
What is Chateau Gaillard, and how hard is the hike to reach it?
Chateau Gaillard is a medieval castle ruin on the chalk cliffs above Les Andelys, built by Richard the Lionheart between 1196 and 1198 to defend the Seine valley from French forces. It fell to Philip II in 1204 after a siege of several months. The ruins sit around 90 metres above the village and the hike up is about two kilometres with a steady climb. AmaWaterways offers both a guided tour and a dedicated hike as excursion options, so you can choose how much effort you want to put in.
Is Monet's garden at Giverny open year round?
The gardens are open from April to November and closed in winter, so the November sailings on this itinerary won’t have access to Giverny. Spring is the most popular time to visit, when the flowers are at their peak. The AmaWaterways excursion handles entry as part of the day, which is a lot smoother than turning up independently. If Giverny’s the priority, the late March and April departures are the ones to look at.
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