Enjoy a 40-minute panoramic transfer from your ship to St. Martin-de-Ré on Ré Island, the historical capital of the island, where you will meet your bicycle guides at the bicycle rental next to the harbor. You will listen to a quick presentation and then bicycles, helmets, baskets and lockers will be distributed. You will then depart for the 10-mile guided bicycle tour starting from the harbor and finishing in Ars-en-Ré village. You will tour St Martin-de-Ré, a bustling town with houses steeped in history, outside terrace cafés, and a vast urban surrounding wall of huge dimensions and semicircle shape declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2008.  You will get on one of the most beautiful cycle paths of the island towards La Couarde. Passing by oyster huts, just next to the Atlantic Ocean, you can have a break with a lovely ocean view or just enjoy the beautiful scenery.  After La Couarde, you now cross a salt marsh area where annually about 2,500 tons of salt and 250 tons of Fleur de Sel are mined, Fleur de Sel is considered one of the world's finest salts. Finally you will arrive in Ars-en-Ré with its picturesque harbor, the most important  one of the island, and its white and black church tower. The village is as well classified as one of the “most beautiful villages of France” and is well known for its hollyhock lined streets and the surrounding salt pans, which have been in use for the last 800 years.

Please note: Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes and sportswear. Bring bottled water from ship.

Discover the town of La Rochelle with its picturesque harbor, surrounded by medieval fortifications and a wide skyline which opens to you along this half-day motor coach tour departing from the pier. Take a scenic drive along the picturesque sea front of La Rochelle: La Corniche, the elegant gardens of Le Mail, the Harbor and its two towers. One of the towers is called the Chain Tower which for centuries safely chained off the harbor each night. The Great Clock will welcome you to the Old District where your walking tour will start.  La Rochelle Old Town ancient arcades once sheltered the 16th century craftsmen’s workshops on cobblestone streets. You will discover architectural treasures from many different periods: 15th  and 16th  century half-timbered houses, splendid 18th century Hotel de la Bourse, the Law Court with its Corinthian façade and the Renaissance-style house of Henry II. The imposing Town Hall features a Renaissance lodge in the courtyard and a monumental staircase. Continue your guided tour to the stomach of the city : the bustling food market where you can discover the local gems and produce!  Continue your gourmet time with an oyster tasting paired with wine! You will then have some free time to explore this interesting town and its food market on your own. The return journey will take you through the very fine gardens established on the site of the ancient ramparts. Before re-boarding your ship you will pass by the commercial harbor of La Pallice, once used as a submarine base during World War Two.

Please note: Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes. The order of sites visited may vary. Total walking time will be about 3 hours (including exploration on your own). This tour is not recommended for those with mobility issues. 

Near La Rochelle, there is a famous area of unique charm: The Poitevin Marshland, described as “The Green Venice,” a patchwork of marshes offering unique scenery and a glimpse of fascinating wildlife. Driving through the countryside, located along the quiet canals, you will stop nearby the village of Coulon. Local boatmen will take you for a ride in their flat-bottomed punts to discover a picturesque universe in a labyrinth of shaded canals, concealed in a forest of trees: these wet marshes offer unique and original scenery. The Green Venice's exceptional ecosystem and location on the Atlantic coast has earned it a spot on the list of Regional Natural Parks. As your boat slips across the water's placid surface, marvel at the astonishing quiet of the marsh, completely silent except for the occasional sounds of the resident wildlife and the ones coming from the scattered small white-washed houses, homes of the happy inhabitants of this land. You may see plovers, swans, snipes, and ashen and crimson herons. Depending on the season, you may even observe hundreds of wild geese making their migration to Spain. Your skilled captain will guide your boat through the tunnels created by the arched limbs of poplars and ash, along the shores of property owned by prosperous farmers and past small, picturesque villages. But be warned: the "red hand," which according to legend lurks below the thick carpet of duckweed, may reach out and catch you. Having spied the many intriguing creatures of the marsh, disembark your boat and, after a short transfer, enjoy some free time to venture through the streets and traditional houses of this little village of Coulon settled in the heart of the marshland

Please note: Total walking time is about 30 minutes. Wear comfortable walking shoes.

At a distance of about 9 miles  from La Rochelle, Ré is one of the jewels of the Charentaise coast. A bridge nearly two miles long has linked it to the continent since the beginning of 1988. As soon as you reach the Island, you will be won over by the atmosphere and brightness (the Island inspired many painters) and charmed by its quiet but lively fishing ports surrounded with ramparts. First, you will stop in the village of St Martin-de-Ré, the Island capital which is known for its penitentiary. After a guided walking tour of the village to explore the port, you will have time at leisure to enjoy the narrow streets or simply enjoy a refreshment at one of the numerous café terraces with a view of the Atlantic Ocean. 

 

Please note: Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes. Order of sights visited may vary.

 

 

 

Your tour will begin driving by the outside of the submarine base built by the German navy during World War II which became the setting for the movie Das Boot. A German stronghold, La Rochelle was the last French city to be freed at the end of the war. En route to La Rochelle pass the sea front, Port-Neuf district, and the elegant gardens of Le Mail. Enter the city center from the Verdun Square and La Rochelle Cathedral.  You will disembark  the tour bus close by the Saint Sauveur Church and continue the guided tour on foot: discover the Old Harbor with the two towers at the entrance of the harbor, the larger of these is Tour Saint-Nicolas (15th century, 138 feet high), the other, Tour de la Chaîne (14th century), was built to house the great chain now lying at its base, which used to be strung across to St Nicolas each night to safely close off the harbor from attack. Continue towards the archway of the Great Clock giving access to the mostly pedestrian Old District. See the many arcaded streets and elegant architectural buildings from different periods: The Hôtel de la Bourse (18th century, with its two wings joined by a columned gallery), the Law Court (rebuilt in the 18th century with a Corinthian style façade), the House of Henry II (Renaissance), the Town Hall (Renaissance building, Henri IV period) in the heart of old town, protected by a surrounding Gothic wall. During the walking tour, visit the WWII Museum located in a former German underground bunker in the heart of the city. This bunker was used as refuge by the German Kriegsmarine officers and the museum represents the life of La Rochelle during the Second World War.  Enjoy some free time to discover the city on your own before re-boarding your coach and driving back to ship

Please note: Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.

Explore at your leisure with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. This exclusive tour will allow you to customize your time ashore and explore the most interesting sites in the comfort and privacy of your own car. With your private vehicle, and the personalized attention of your driver and English-speaking guide, you will have the flexibility and independence to design your itinerary ashore. See the iconic sites of the city, or create your own personal stops to make the experience your own.

Please note:  Capacity: 1-2 guests. Private cars are ordered per vehicle (not per person). This tour includes transport in a private car, driver and English Speaking Guide. Itinerary can be adjusted with tour guide as long as it’s in the area and does not exceed the duration of 4 hours.  Recommended for physically challenged guests.

Explore at your leisure with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. This exclusive tour will allow you to customize your time ashore and explore the most interesting sites in the comfort and privacy of your own van. With your private vehicle, and the personalized attention of your driver and English-speaking guide, you will have the flexibility and independence to design your itinerary ashore. See the iconic sites of the city, or create your own personal stops to make the experience your own.

Please note:  Capacity: 3 - 6 guests. Private vans are ordered per vehicle (not per person). This tour includes transport in a private van, driver and English Speaking Guide. Itinerary can be adjusted with tour guide as long as it’s in the area and does not exceed the duration of 4 hours. Recommended for physically challenged guests.

Explore at your leisure with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. This exclusive tour will allow you to customize your time ashore and explore the most interesting sites in the comfort and privacy of your own car. With your private vehicle, and the personalized attention of your driver and English-speaking guide, you will have the flexibility and independence to design your itinerary ashore. See the iconic sites of the city, or create your own personal stops to make the experience your own.

Please note:  Capacity: 1-2 guests. Private cars are ordered per vehicle (not per person). This tour includes transport in a private car, driver and English Speaking Guide. Itinerary can be adjusted with tour guide as long as it’s in the area and does not exceed the duration of 8 hours.  Recommended for physically challenged guests.

Explore at your leisure with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. This exclusive tour will allow you to customize your time ashore and explore the most interesting sites in the comfort and privacy of your own van. With your private vehicle, and the personalized attention of your driver and English-speaking guide, you will have the flexibility and independence to design your itinerary ashore. See the iconic sites of the city, or create your own personal stops to make the experience your own.

Please note:  Capacity: 3 - 6 guests. Private vans are ordered per vehicle (not per person). This tour includes transport in a private van, driver and English Speaking Guide. Itinerary can be adjusted with tour guide as long as it’s in the area and does not exceed the duration of 8 hours. Recommended for physically challenged guests.

Departing from Saint Malo, drive to Dinan via Barrage de la Rance, a unique power station that works with the tides.  About 45 minutes along the winding road through lovely countryside will bring you to Dinan, located at the head of the Rance estuary on which its little port is built. On arrival you will start a walking tour of this charming medieval town.  See the houses of the Old Town clustered together behind the long circuit of walls built by the Dukes of Brittany in the 14th century as protection against the Normans.  You will see St. Sauveur’s Basilica; Place des Merciers, with its triangular gables and porches, and Rue du Jerzual, which links the main part of the town with the port. After this tour you will enjoy a refreshment and local pancake together with some time at leisure before returning back to St.-Malo.

Please note: You will be walking on cobblestones at Dinan. It is recommended that you dress in warm, layered clothing and wear flat, comfortable shoes. You should also bring raingear in case of inclement weather. 

You will depart from pier for the 75-minute drive to Fort Lalatte. This spectacular headland, set on 229-foot-high pink sandstone cliffs, offers breathtaking sceneries, among the most beautiful ones in Brittany. Heathland, covered with a wide variety of heather and gorse species, creates a landscape of colors changing with the seasons. Follow your guide on about  a 2-hour walk along the coastal guard’s path. Listen to the stories of the two lighthouses standing there, admire seabirds nesting in the neighboring small island. End your hike at the Cap Fréhel where you will enjoy a time at leisure for a personal discovery before you drive back to St. Malo.

Please note: Wear casual comfortable clothes and flat walking shoes. Bring rain protection.

Mont St. Michel is considered one of the great religious sites in all of Europe and is often compared to St. Peter’s, Chartres, and Durham. First built following the appearance of Archangel Michael to the Bishop of Avranches, the abbey is constructed at the summit of an immense granite precipice 250 feet above the sea – a monument to the heyday of Norman power and influence in the world. Mont St. Michel makes its strongest impression when seen from a distance, on the approach from a 5-mile long causeway at Pontorson where Mont St. Michel joins the mainland.  Once at the abbey, your guided tour on foot will involve numerous stairs and steep paths – yet you are rewarded with magnificent views at every juncture. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. You’ll have free time to stroll the labyrinth of streets, browse the shops, and take in this magnificent architectural achievement. Following your exploration, return to the yacht along the coastal road, passing small towns and traditional fishing harbors along the way. 

 

Please note: Inside the abbey, proper attire is required (no shorts or bare shoulders) and flash photography is not permitted. Due to its great popularity large crowds of visitors must be expected at the site. This tour requires heavy walking; up and downhill and on cobblestones. To reach the very top takes climbing between 197-350 steps.  Due to new regulations motor coaches are no longer allowed to enter Mont St. Michel.  There is a 20-30 minute from the parking lot to the shuttle bus that will take you to Mont St. Michel. 

 

 

 

Known as the oyster capital of Brittany, Cancale is an ideal destination for anyone interested in an authentic taste of French culture.  Situated on the bay of Mont St. Michel, Cancale garners most of its resources from the sea. In particular, oysters have been a famed harvest since the days of Julius Caesar, when these sea delicacies were savored by his soldiers.  King Louis XIV also enjoyed oysters and received daily deliveries of these delicious mollusks.  You will discover why Cancale is renowned for its oysters as you independently experience the town. Stroll the pier where you can see the expansive oyster beds and stop in one of numerous restaurants to sample the oversized oysters for which the region is so well known. With a guided visit to an oyster farm, you will taste 9 oysters. Return to the ship with your appetite for local food and culture having been satisfied.

Please note: This excursion involves walking over uneven surfaces, and is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties or limited mobility.  It is recommended that you dress in warm, layered clothing, wear flat, comfortable shoes, and bring raingear in case of inclement weather. 

St.-Malo was named after the 6th century monk who converted the locals to Christianity. Once a haven for pirates, it was also an important port in the voyages of discovery. Cartier sailed from here to Canada in 1534. Soon after, St.-Malo began to flourish as a trading port, not only through the furs sent back from the New World, but also due to the plentiful cod fishing. Meet your guide pierside to begin your walking discovery of the charms of the Old City of St. Malo.  Your knowledgeable guide points out the sites of historical interest as you stroll the narrow streets.  View the castle, part of the ramparts protecting the town, the town's typical streets, the house of Duchess Ann, and the cathedral.  Also get acquainted with the more famous personalities of St. Malo, such as Jacques Cartier, Duguay-Trouin, Surcouf and the well known romantic writer Chateaubriand.  Enjoy a stop at a creperie for  a refreshment before returning to the ship.

 

Please note: This excursion involves walking over uneven surfaces, and is not recommended for guests with walking difficulties.  It is recommended that you dress in warm, layered clothing, wear flat, comfortable shoes, and bring raingear in case of inclement weather. 

 

 

 

The Isles of Scilly are an archipelago of five inhabited islands and other small rocky islets situated 28 miles from Lands End, the most southwesterly point of the British Isles. With a total population of just over 2,000, an exceptionally mild climate, beautiful flowers and countless white sandy beaches, they are also known for their friendliness, birds, clear turquoise sea, and ancient sites and monuments. Your local guide will meet you at St Mary’s quay and give a short introductory talk about the history of the Isles. Then venture off on foot to enjoy a scenic tour of the Garrison on the isle of St Mary’s and look across to Bryher and Tresco, marveling that even though you can walk between them, they are so utterly different. Enjoy the beautiful views before ending up in Star Castle to enjoy a tea or coffee in the 16th Century Castle Dungeon Bar. Star Castle is now a hotel, but it was built as an impregnable fortress back in 1593 and gets its name from the shape of its eight-sided central keep, curtain wall and dry moat. Just to the right of the castle you'll see a campsite and just right of this a footpath branches right and takes you down to Steval Point Battery, which marks the island's most westerly point. On a clear day you'll enjoy fabulous views over to St Agnes and distant, lonely Bishop's Rock Lighthouse. Following refreshments return to the pier with your guide.

Please note: Wear comfortable walking shoes.  subject to the ship's tender schedule, after the tour, it may be possible for you to explore Hugh Town at your leisure which is the main and largest settlement on the Island, before returning to your ship.

Tender ashore to the island of Tresco for your self-guided exploration of the famed Abbey Gardens. Tresco is best known for its Abbey Gardens, laid out by the remarkable Augustus Smith – a wealthy merchant banker who purchased the islands from the Duchy of Cornwall in the mid-1830s. Work on the gardens commenced in 1834 on the site of the old Benedictine Abbey. By building tall wind-breaks, Smith channeled the weather up and over the network of walled enclosures he built around the Priory ruins. He also carved the three terraces from the rocky, south-facing slope looking towards St. Mary’s.  Tresco, shrugging off salt spray and Atlantic gales is host to 20,000 exotic plants, many of which would stand no chance on the Cornish mainland, less than 30 miles away. Yet even at the winter equinox more than 300 plants will be in flower. All in all, the garden is home to glorious species from 80 countries, ranging from Brazil to New Zealand and Burma to South Africa. Subsequent generations have continued the development of the Garden, which is today a major attraction of the islands.

 

Please note:  Access is not a problem, the gardens are terraced but most have slopes that can be negotiated by  a wheelchair although there are some steps. Wheelchair guests must be accompanied as the guide cannot undertake responsibility for them during the tour.  Dress for the weather and comfortable sturdy footwear is recommended. If guests struggle to walk a distance there is a complimentary small shuttle bus from the pier to the gardens.

 

 

 

Explore at your leisure with a private vehicle, driver, and English-speaking guide. This exclusive tour will allow you to customize your time ashore and explore the most interesting sites in the comfort and privacy of your own car. With your private vehicle, and the personalized attention of your driver and English-speaking guide, you will have the flexibility and independence to design your itinerary ashore. See the iconic sites of the city, or create your own personal stops to make the experience your own. Sites to see include  the Giants Causeway, Titanic Belfast, Crumlin Road Gaol, Bushmills Distillery and Georges Market.

Please note:  Capacity: 1-2 guests. Private cars are ordered per vehicle (not per person). This tour includes transport in a private car, driver and English Speaking Guide. Itinerary can be adjusted with tour guide as long as it’s in the area and does not exceed the duration of 4 hours.  Recommended for physically challenged guests.

Depart the port of Belfast and drive 75 minutes inland through the Northern Counties of Down and Antrim. Stop to photograph Dunluce Castle, a dramatic and picturesque ruin on a rocky headland. Next,you will arrive at the UNESCO World Heritage Giant’s Causeway Site. The Interpretative Centre  there will allow you to decide for yourself which explanation of how the causeway’s 40,000 basalt stones were formed is most likely (or simply most interesting!). To stroll the Giants Causeway is to voyage back in time. Your imagination will travel along stepping-stones that lead to either the creative turbulence of a bygone volcanic age or into the myths and legends of the past. You can board the “Causeway Coaster” minibus to bring you to the causeway itself.  Enjoy lunch at a nearby hotel.  Your return journey will take you along Northern Ireland’s Antrim Coast  Some of the worlds most spectacular and unspoiled scenery is to be found in the county of Antrim. A stop will be made for you to view Carrick A Rede Rope Bridge. Spanning a chasm some 80 feet deep, its construction once consisted of a single rope handrail and widely spaced slats. The single handrail was subsequently replaced by a two-hand railed bridge, the current cage bridge was installed during Easter 2000.  Travel via the Coast Road to reveal an unrivaled seascape, towering cliffs, white sandy beaches, tranquil glens and lush forest parks. From the magnificent vantage point at Fair Head and Murlough Bay, on a clear day you can enjoy uninterrupted views of Scotland’s Mull of Kintyre, as well as the wild and mysterious island of Rathlin just seven miles off the coast. 

Please note:  Wear flat, comfortable shoes preferably with non-slip soles. Order of sights visited may vary. Bring your camera, local currency and a  waterproof jacket.

 

 

 

 

Please note: It is recommended that guests dress in warm, layered clothing and wear flat, comfortable shoes.

This panoramic tour of Belfast will introduce you to the many varied features of Northern Ireland’s largest city. Built with 19th century industrial money, many fine buildings from this era grace the city still and are reminders of its prosperous past.  Your guide will provide insights as you see the Grand Opera House and the Albert Memorial before passing Queen’s University, home to the Botanic Gardens.  Located in these gardens is the Palm House – a superb structure of cast iron and curved glass panels. You will drive past Belfast City Hall – an impressive building with a 300-ft.-long façade of Portland stone. A stop here will allow you to photograph what is perhaps the most noteworthy of the statues here - the marble figure of "Thane,” commemorating the sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic. Visit the Titanic Belfast, the signature building telling the story of Titanic  that contains nine galleries with a variety of interpretative materials and media. Take a ride though the visual gantries where the Titanic was under construction. The adventure begins the moment you walk through the door and into the building's giant atrium surrounded by the four high impact ‘hull’ shaped sections which house the experience.  You will experience a thrilling ride through the re-construction of the shipyards and the Titanic under construction. The stories of passengers, crew and the heroes of the day will be told in an exciting and modern way. At the conclusion, you can visit the wreck at her resting place on the floor of the North Atlantic. Rejoin your motor coach and guide for your return drive to the port and your awaiting ship.

Please note:  Wear flat, comfortable shoes preferably with non-slip soles. Order of sights visited may vary. Bring your camera, local currency and a  waterproof jacket.