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The Oise Valley (port-to-port cruise)
Preferred
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
Highlights
- Indulge in a first-rate cruise with fascinating ports of call and enticing treats.
- ALL EXCURSIONS INCLUDED
- THE MUSTS:
- Pontoise and the Pissarro Museum
- Auvers-sur-Oise and the Musée de l'Absinthe
- Compiègne and the Armistice Memorial
Short Description
Splurge on our exclusive offer and vacation through an incontestably captivating region of France, the Oise Valley. The Oise River meanders through the wooded countryside it has carved meticulously throughout history. This cruise includes a multitude of historic sites and guarantees an in-depth look into our colorful culture. Discover the Château de Malmaison. Enjoy the works of pre- and post-Impressionists at the Pissaro Museum in Pontoise. In Auvers-sur-Oise, follow the footsteps of Van Gogh to the Musée de l'Absinthe and learn about the café atmosphere influencing the artists at the time. Further along, the Château de Chantilly gives you a good idea of what the French consider their art de vivre. To wrap it all up, pay your respects to those who sacrificed their lives over a hundred years ago at the Armistice Memorial in Compiègne. Of course, our cruise will be filled with French cuisine delights, including a masterclass on making crème chantilly by a member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs.
Itinerary
Day 1 PARIS
Passengers are welcome to board at 6:00 p.m. We'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail before dinner on board.This evening, we’ll enjoy a cruise through Paris at night.(1)
Day 1 PARIS
Boarding.We’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail.Cruise through the city at night.(1)
Day 2 PARIS - BOUGIVAL(3)
We'll spend the morning cruising to Bougival. In the afternoon, join us for an included excursion: Guided tour of the Château de Malmaison. Built in the 17th century, Joséphine de Beauharnais acquired this castle in 1779. In 1800, it became the headquarters of the government and a conference room. The library restores the industrious atmosphere by which Bonaparte enjoyed to be surrounded. The council room is shaped like a military tent where receptions, dances and country-style games took place. The musical lounge offers Josephine's "troubadour” paintings and her well-known harp for visitors to admire. Here, many paintings from these times are on display. After her divorce in 1809, Joséphine continued to live in her house, where she died in 1814. The Napoleonic museum was inaugurated in 1906; it is furnished, decorated and adorned with the paintings that Joséphine bought and loved. The charm and authenticity that have been preserved in this castle will certainly delight you. We’ll return on board the ship, which will remain in port overnight.
Day 2 PARIS - BOUGIVAL(3)
Morning cruise to Bougival.Included excursion: Guided tour of the Château de Malmaison.Enjoy a free evening.
Day 3 BOUGIVAL(3) - PONTOISE
We'll spend the morning cruising to Pontoise. This afternoon, join us for an included excursion: Pontoise and the Pissarro Museum. Learn about Pontoise's monuments and celebrities as you stroll along its picturesque streets at your own pace. The city's superb cathedral dates as far back as the 12th century and includes a Flamboyant-style tower and central portal, as well as Renaissance additions added a few centuries later. Afterwards, we'll visit the Pissaro Museum, containing works not only by the museum's namesake, but also by his sons (Lucien, Ludovic-Rodo, Georges, and Félix) and contemporaries such as Paul Signac, Ludovic Piette, Federico Zandomeneghi, Edouard Béliard, and Louis Hayet. The collection is rounded out by canvases from pre- and post-Impressionists who worked in the Oise Valley, most notably Charles-François Daubigny, Luis Jimenez, and Octave Linet. We'll finish up our excursion with a taste of goat cheese and honey at the Tourist Information Office. We'll return on board the ship. We'll remain in port overnight. Enjoy a free evening.
Day 3 BOUGIVAL(3) - PONTOISE
Morning cruise to Pontoise.Included excursion: Pontoise and the Pissarro Museum.Enjoy a free evening.
Day 4 PONTOISE - AUVERS-SUR-OISE - SAINT-LEU-D'ESSERENT
Included excursion: Auvers-sur-Oise and the Musée de l’Absinthe. We'll head towards Auvers-sur-Oise. Stretching almost four miles (seven kilometers) of the Oise River bank, Auvers-sur-Oise was Vincent Van Gogh's last home and final resting place. We'll stroll through the picturesque village streets and along the Artists' Pathway, where works by famous Impressionists compare the current landscapes and architecture. Our next stop will be the Musée de l’Absinthe and its reproduction of the ambiance found in cafés during the Belle Époque, when the "green fairy" was the preferred drink of poets and artists. The museum collection gives us great insight into 19th-century culture in France. We'll finish up our tour with a demonstration of the absinthe ritual and a tasting, of course. We’ll return to the ship in Auvers-sur-Oise for lunch. We’ll then spend the afternoon cruising to Saint-Leu-d’Esserent.Calling all dessert lovers! If you would like to learn how to prepare France's legendary crème chantilly, a member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs will join us on board this afternoon to talk about this traditional culinary delight. Learn how to whip up delicious, authentic whipped cream by hand!After dinner, take some time on your own to explore Saint-Leu-d’Esserent. The more adventurous can head to the impressive abbatial church to catch some great views of the surrounding valley. We'll remain in port overnight.
Day 4 PONTOISE - AUVERS-SUR-OISE - SAINT-LEU-D'ESSERENT
Included excursion: Auvers-sur-Oise and the Musée de l’AbsintheCruise to Saint-Leu-d’Esserent.Onboard crème chantilly masterclass by a member of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs.Enjoy a free evening.
Day 5 SAINT-LEU-D'ESSERENT - PONT-SAINTE-MAXENCE - COMPIEGNE
Included excursion: Château de Chantilly. We'll set off for Chantilly, home to one of the most beautiful castles in France. The château is the work of an exceptional figure, Henri d'Orléans, Duke of Aumale, son of the last French king, Louis-Phillipe. The duke is considered to have owned one of the finest art collections of his time, making Chantilly a showcase for his many masterpieces and priceless manuscripts. The castle has remained at a virtual standstill since the Duke of Aumale bequeathed it to the Institut de France, so take advantage of this moment to jump back in time and relish this princely domain. We'll visit the art galleries, where paintings have hung undisturbed since the 19th century; the large, opulent suites once used as reception rooms; and the reading room, one of the most extensive libraries in the country. We'll return to Pont-Sainte-Maxence for lunch. Our ship will cruise to Compiègne in the afternoon. We'll remain in port overnight. Enjoy a free evening.
Day 5 SAINT-LEU-D'ESSERENT - PONT-SAINTE-MAXENCE - COMPIEGNE
Included excursion: Château de Chantilly.Cruise to Compiègne in the afternoon.Enjoy a free evening.
Day 6 COMPIEGNE - PONT-L'ÉVÊQUE (Oise)
Included excursion: Compiègne, the Armistice Memorial, and the Château de Compiègne. Set off on a guided tour of historic Compiègne. On the picturesque streets of this significant city, you'll see the lovely 16th-century town hall with its intricately sculptured late-Gothic facade containing several historical figures, such as Louis XII on his horse. The town hall tower holds one of the oldest municipal bells in France, dating back to 1303. Further along the route, we'll come across some lovely medieval homes. The oldest, La Vieille Cassine, was built in the 15th century. We'll enjoy a tasting of regional delicacies before we continue on to the Armistice Memorial. Part of the museum's collection includes the emblematic train car used in the signing of the 1918 Armistice, later vindictively recommissioned by Hitler for the 1940 surrender of France during World War II; a Marne Taxi requisitioned by the French government to transport troops during its namesake battle; and 800 stereoscopic images from the time of World War I. The memorial is dedicated to all soldiers who have fought since 1870, including Augustin Trébuchon, the last French soldier killed on the front during World War I. Before we return, we'll visit the Château de Compiègne. The outstanding beauty, gorgeous decor, and fine furnishings of the largest neoclassical palace in France add up to an impressive ensemble. Versailles, Fontainebleau, and Compiègne form a trifecta of the largest imperial residences in France. After our excursion, we'll return on board for lunch. Our ship will cruise to Pont-l'Évêque, arriving mid-afternoon.Included excursion: Noyon and its Cathedral. Discover Noyon and its 2,000 years of history during this exclusive tour. Two thousand years of heritage and funky street art dot this eclectic city's streets. A festival of lights and colors awaits you within the Notre Dame Cathedral, the first example of Gothic architecture in northern France during the second half of the 12th century. We'll return on board the ship. Tonight is our festive gala evening.
Day 6 COMPIEGNE - PONT-L'ÉVÊQUE (Oise)
Included excursion: Compiègne, the Armistice Memorial, and the Château de Compiègne.Cruise to Pont-l'Evêque.Included excursion: Noyon and its Cathedral.Festive gala evening.
Day 7 PONT-L'ÉVÊQUE (Oise) - Paris(2)
Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. Possibility of coach transfer between Pont-l'Évêque and Paris.(2)
Day 7 PONT-L'ÉVÊQUE (Oise) - Paris(2)
Disembarkation.Possibility of coach transfer between Pont-l'Évêque and Paris.(2)
Availability
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128 CroisiEurope Travel Reviews & Ratings
The Oise Valley (port-to-port cruise)
Company Reviews
Great tours and food! Exceptional customer service
I am non-EU national, and very much enjoyed the international clientele .
My flight arrived later than the prescribed boarding time, the crew had my cabin ready, and held dinner. Both land side New York office and the onboard crew were very welcoming, and most attention to detail. Special recognition to Charina, my reservation agent, and Daniel the ship's purser.
The vessel's decor is very discreet, comfortable, and relaxing -- no neon, casino, etc. The elegance one would expect from a French company.
The land tours were very comprehensive, in comfortable coaches, with sufficient rest stops. Lunches ashore were included, as appropriate. As advertised, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages were included. In-town shopping was available, but not forced.
In all, a delightful experience. I look forward to another voyage with CroisiEurope. The company offers so many unique intineraries, it may be difficult to select.
A memorable four nights on the Seine - Le Havre to Paris
The Seine scenery was gorgeous and the boat was extremely comfortable—we loved that we could stay in our cabin, relax on various decks, or attend onboard activities, including a lively dance performance by a Normandy folk troupe. Even though we were the only English speakers on the cruise, the bilingual staff were always on hand to help us, and the other passengers (mostly French with a few Belgians/Swiss) were friendly and tolerant of our basic French. After our final night sleeping aboard the boat on Quai de Grenelle in Paris, we were rather sad to depart the beautiful Renoir.
The food, tours and service on the Miguel Torga exceeded our expectations, and we felt very safe with the Covid precautions being taken on board.
We had such a wonderful time on our cruise and absolutely intend to travel with CroisiEurope again. I was especially pleased with the attention to detail regarding food preferences and requests. I have a shellfish allergy, and our kids didn’t always like what was on the menu. The chef and staff always made every effort to accommodate and please us.
Our guide Deborah on the excursions was so informative and made great suggestions for sightseeing and shopping. I liked the way the excursions were managed by touring in the morning with lunch and sailing in the afternoon. We were the only Americans on board with mostly French speakers, but everyone was friendly, and we had no communication issues with the crew. Entertainment was simple but fun with games or local talent coming aboard for flamenco or folk singing and dancing. There were only 62 passengers and no young children. Our kids were 12 & 17, and they were happy with the pool on board, which was small, but ideal for cooling off after a morning in port. They surprised our 17-year-old with a special dessert on her birthday.
We’ve been on several other riverboat cruises (Viking, Peter Dielmann, Vodohod), and they did not match the value and service provided by CroisiEurope.
This barge hotel cruise on and along the Marne river was absolutely fantastic!
The crew were very attentive and hospitable. One of the biggest, if not THE biggest, highlight of the trip was the food. Breakfast was a typical French style buffet with all the trimmings. Lunch and dinner were menus, in the French style, prepared by our Chef and paired with a variety of wines and cheeses from around France. Each meal was unique and full of variety culminating at the end of the week with our Gala Dinner.
One of the excursion highlights, and a major reason why we chose this particular cruise, was the falconry demonstration at Chateau Thierry. It was very well done and quite a moving presentation, which included an American Bald Eagle and, even more surprisingly, Storks.
If you are looking for a more intimate way to cruise, Passenger to Crew ratio was 17 - 6, consider barge hotel cruises. We are most definitely looking forward to our next barge hotel cruise experience.
It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting.
As seasoned cruisers, knowing well all aspects of cruising on seas and rivers, we had no experience about traveling on a barge in a canal. It was also time to overcome this lack.
A number of companies offer this kind of cruising on barge with 8 to 16 passengers, however very often at exorbitant prices. Luckily, we discovered that the company CroisiEurope offers one week cruise on various canals in Europe, at very decent price, especially considering that all is inclusive (full board, all alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and all excursions) on modern barges with a maximum of 22 passengers.
We opted for the barge Ms Deborah, which cruises on the canal de la Loire, with the Briare to Nevers’ route. We were looking forward to this itinerary because the proposed excursions particularly suited us. Unfortunately, only a few days before departure, we were informed that due of a lack of water in the Loire canal the Ms Deborah was switched over to the Haute Seine and Yonne for a new itinerary from Paris to Sens. Despites the fact that this new itinerary didn’t really meet our desires, especially the excursions, we decided to accept the change.
Our group of 6 persons from Switzerland was very warmly greeted by all members of the crew when arriving on the quai de Grenelle in Paris where we see the MS DEBORAH for the first time, our floating home for the week. With its two dominating colours blue and white, it is difficult not to fall in love with this beautiful small ship.
We were invited immediately for the welcome cocktail during which we met officially the crew and the other six individual passengers originating from New Zealand, England and the USA. With less time than it needs to tell, the relation between us was created, so that everyone felt part of a bunch of friends knowing each other for long time.
There is no need to present here the MS Deborah itself, as this is already thoroughly done on the Cruise Critic page.
The crew of 6 persons is composed of a captain, a sailor, a cruise director, a chef, a waitress and a cabin hostess who put all their efforts to satisfy the passengers and offer them the best possible service. The captain as well as the sailor are always trying to make passengers at ease, answer questions or even bring a drink. The lady cruise director is omnipresent, taking care of the passengers better than a mother hen would do. The talented young French chef aims to produce dishes which please everybody. His outstanding sauces and excellent desserts should be particularly praised. However, referring to comments we made during a cruise on the Seine Princess two years ago, we cannot understand that why today it is not possible to offer the choice of a light buffet at lunch instead a three or even four course menu! The always smiling and friendly Hungarian waitress was very caring and attentive, without forgetting the cabin hostess doing a great job in the cabins, the public spaces and even the kitchen. It wouldn’t be fair to name a single person as all members of the crew, without any exception, do all they can to make the cruise unforgettable.
Our one-week cruise on the barge Ms Deborah enables us today to make the following comments:
~ a cruise on a barge cannot be compared to any other kind of cruise
~ despite all the comfort offered on modern barge, one must be very aware that life on board happens at a restraint space, requiring therefore much flexibility and understanding in all aspects from all passengers
~ in our case, being only 12 passengers, we had the opportunity to take our meals on the terrace. We also never had the feeling that the boat was overcrowded. This can be different when the ship is full, especially by bad weather
~ the state of mind between the passengers who are mostly of foreign nationalities, who don’t know each other and don’t speak French, must function well right from the beginning
~ if the interrelation works, it is difficult to find a more relaxing and enjoyable way of travelling
~ the success on a barge is mainly due on the quality of its crew. Ms Deborah’s crew members have quickly created a family spirit on board, showing also that they genuinely like what they do
~ excursions can play a major role in choosing an itinerary. Not speaking French or English can be a handicap
Do we recommend to do a cruise on a barge? Yes, definitively! It’s affordable, the atmosphere on board is unique, the routes can be very interesting. In our case, this second try with CroisiEurope gives them a better note.
We are still waiting for a refund
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
All internal transport included (including local flights)
Group Size
Standard Group - 25 + people
Additional Information
THE CROISIEUROPE DIFFERENCE
- All meals included - DRINKS INCLUDED with meals and at the bar
- Refined French cuisine - Gala dinner and evening - Welcome cocktail
- Free Wi-Fi onboard
- Bicycles available on board
- Official welcome from the captain and crew
- Travel assistance and repatriation insurance
- All port fees included
Rules & Other Requirements
Valid national identity card or passport required. Non-EU nationals are advised to consult their embassy or consulate.
Trip ID#:
croisieurope-PEV_AIPP
What's excluded
The transfer between Pont-l'Évêque and Paris - drinks and wines from our special list or drinks ordered during excursions or transfers - cancellation and baggage insurance - personal expenses.
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