River cruises have experienced unstoppable growth in recent years, becoming a desirable option for seasoned cruisers who have already explored all the coasts, as well as for travelers who want to explore a region without sacrificing comfort.
We decided to try the experience on one of Croisieurope's simpler ships. Croisieurope, the leading company in Europe, is undergoing a progressive modernization process thanks to the boom in river cruises. It's a family-owned company that owns its own shipyard, where they build ships every year. Their latest vessels, the MS Gil Eanes, MS Lafayette, and MS Loire Princesse, boast a modern and refined design, undoubtedly a plus for attracting a younger audience accustomed to contemporary interiors. Another half dozen of their ships have been renovated with a chic classic décor, meaning that a third of the thirty or so ships the company has on European rivers have already been refurbished.
"The dishes are light, tasty and very good, exquisite in many cases, and the fact is that the onboard cuisine shows the chef's touch and is not, by any means, as industrial as on large ocean cruises."
A river cruise offers the opportunity to explore cities like Vienna, Budapest, Strasbourg, Berlin, Brussels, Lyon, and Paris, and it was the latter, one of the world's great tourist capitals, that we chose for our river cruise debut. There, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, awaited us the MS France, a two-deck ship capable of navigating under the small bridges of the Seine and categorized by the company as a "four-anchor" vessel, meaning its last refurbishment was in 2010 and its decor is classic.
Anyone who has sailed on large ocean-going cruise ships packed with leisure facilities might think that a riverboat, with just a lounge, reception area, and restaurant, is incredibly boring. However, it's important to remember that on any cruise, the ship is only half the experience. The other half is the destination, but on river cruises, it's the true star, occupying most of the day.
Our first few hours aboard the MS France passed quickly, captivated by the view of the Eiffel Tower so close, though we were soon called to dinner to begin enjoying Croisieurope's cuisine. The menu is fixed, with no options, and consists of a starter, a main course, and dessert, accompanied by wine or any other beverage thanks to the all-inclusive system Croisieurope has operated since last year. The dishes are light, flavorful, and perfectly executed, exquisite in many cases. The onboard kitchen clearly shows the chef's touch and is nowhere near as industrial as on large ocean-going cruise ships. During our trip along the Seine, we enjoyed two classics of French gastronomy: foie gras and duck breast, both high-priced products impossible to find on other types of cruises.
We left the Grenelle dock as night fell, heading for Les Andelys, our first stop. Enjoying the cruise from the upper deck of the boat is a pleasure both day and night. At night, the silence and darkness are broken only by the sound and lights of our boat as it glides smoothly through the tranquil stretches of the river. By day, we can revel in the views and the thrill of passing through a lock, where the boat fits like a glove with only a few centimeters of space to spare on either side.
During the journey, you can see three important structures:
the Brotonne Bridge (1977) in Caudebec-en-Caux, which holds the record for being the longest concrete bridge in the world;
the Tancarville Suspension Bridge (1959), which boasts the largest span in Europe. Built in 1959 and renovated between 1996 and 1998 due to cable breakage, it is a key element of the economic activity of Le Havre and its surrounding region; and
the Normandy Bridge (1995), nicknamed "the childhood of computers" because computer technology allowed for the calculation of data for its central span. This bridge held the world record at 856 meters, but Japan surpassed it in 1999 with a span 34 meters longer.
Thus passed our first morning, discovering the troglodyte caves in the steep cliffs of the mountains, with the Guyon Rock as the main attraction before arriving at Les Andelys, a beautiful village that we photographed from the top of the Chateau Gaillard hill, before moving on to the Museum of Norman Traditions and Arts in the Chateau de Martainville, a magnificent building with each room themed that allows you to discover many curiosities of the medieval lifestyle and the famous Norman cupboards.
We returned to the ship, which had continued sailing throughout our excursion, in Rouen, with time for a drink before dinner. However, one of the most incredible moments of the trip came at 11 p.m., when Rouen Cathedral became the blank canvas for an audiovisual show of a quality and spectacle unlike anything we had ever seen before. The cathedral was flooded with colors, dragons, and characters; it burned and froze in a sequence that recounted its history and left us with the feeling of having witnessed Rouen's best-kept secret.
We returned to the ship, which sailed all night to arrive early the next morning in Honfleur, where a walking tour guided us through the most important sites and provided the context for what we were seeing. But Honfleur doesn't need much explanation to appreciate its beauty, which is centered around its marina, perhaps the most "modern" area but with a fascinating local character, and a must-stop for enjoying vermouth or lunch on a terrace. The narrow streets lined with half-timbered houses whisper tales of centuries of history, where art is present in every corner. A visit to the Galeries Bartoux branch on Rue du Dauphin is a must; it boasts so many modern artworks that you'd want to take them home if you could. Small pastry shops, boutiques, and gourmet stores, stocked with the ubiquitous cider brandy, Calvados, make it difficult to return to the ship without buying something. Honfleur has undoubtedly charmed us and deserves to be visited again and again.
In the afternoon, we don't miss the opportunity to take the Alabaster Coast excursion, which will take us to Étretat, a small coastal town with a pebble beach nestled between two large rock formations, one of which is known as "The Elephant" for its resemblance to the animal's trunk. A beautiful view and a lovely walk along the seafront before returning to the ship, passing under the Normandy Bridge, beneath which we will later sail.
“Croisieurope boasts of being the only river cruise company authorized to sail at night on the urban stretch of the Seine, and it is certainly an experience worth having.”
By now, we've realized that on river cruises, you spend most of your time discovering the destination, without the stress and crowds, savoring every little corner you'd never have considered visiting otherwise. That's why the ship and its facilities don't play such a significant role in the overall experience.
The following morning, we would wake up in Duclair, where we would begin our abbey tour, stopping at the impressive ruins of Jumièges Abbey and the still-active Saint Wandrille Abbey. After a refreshing lunch on the ship, a guided walking tour of Rouen, in the midst of a heatwave, revealed the hidden gems we hadn't been able to visit the first night. The square where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, with the modern and beautiful church dedicated to her memory, the clock tower, the cathedral (this time inside), and the impressive Palace of Justice were just some of the architectural treasures we admired.
We then set sail for Paris, and the next morning we enjoyed watching the landscape change as we entered the city. From the industrial and outlying neighborhoods, we arrived at the modern financial district of La Défense, crossing bridge by bridge to enter the City of Lights. A coach tour showed us the most important sights of Paris, although I would recommend a more in-depth exploration on your own. After dinner comes another unforgettable moment of the cruise: the nighttime sailing through Paris.
Croisieurope boasts of being the only river cruise company authorized to sail at night on the urban stretch of the Seine, and it's certainly an experience worth having, not only for the incredible views of the illuminated city—you get that on any Parisian tour boat—but for the thrills that await. Let me explain.
The MS France travels during dinner from the Quai de Grenelle, in the west of the city, to the Quai d'Austerlitz, in the east. After dinner, all passengers are invited to go up to the deck to enjoy the nighttime cruise from the sun loungers, whose backrests you can't raise too high because some of the bridges you'll pass under are very low. It's worth mentioning that the captain's cabin and the awning of the MS France are lowered completely to allow passage under many of the bridges, something we had already seen throughout our cruise. We set sail and the journey was spectacular, just as we had hoped. The bridges passed close to our heads and the ship skimmed past the piers, but our hearts really started racing and we practically threw ourselves to the ground as two bridges passed within 30 cm of our heads, adding a thrilling and fun finale to a cruise that allowed us to discover beautiful spots and dispelled any preconceived notions we might have had about this type of trip, which is just as, if not more, satisfying than ocean cruises. We'll have to do it again.
