See the best of France via a Seine river cruise: Fenton’s favorites

If you’re a fan of all things French, here’s a vacation package you’ll want to check out.

European river cruises continue to explode with American travelers and the high satisfaction rates keep consumers returning, albeit to different itineraries throughout Europe and beyond.

I was hooked after our first Danube sailing aboard Viking River Cruises in 2011. Since then we have returned to the Danube during the magical Christmas market season (Viking 2012) and also cruised the Moselle and the Rhine (Uniworld 2014).

Just last month my husband and I cruised roundtrip from Paris along the Seine river aboard the luxurious and all-inclusive S.S. Joie de Vivre, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises’ sumptuous ship that sails exclusively throughout France.

S.S. Joie de Vivre (which holds 120 guests) docks in the heart of Paris with up-close views of the city and the iconic Eiffel Tower. The ship is a love letter to France, from the décor and design to its outstanding French cuisine, local wines and more. Everything is custom-designed, including a French supper club with live music. Nothing is overlooked and the gracious day-to-day guest services and attention to detail will spoil you immediately.

One of the many reasons I wanted to sail the eight-day Paris itinerary was the off-the-beaten-path daily excursions, especially a full day at the Normandy beaches during the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.

Below are five of my favorite S.S. Joie de Vivre Seine River experiences:

• Walking off the ship and discovering the hilltop Chateau La Roche-Guyon with its ancient fortifications, caves, extensive vegetable and flower gardens, observatory and sleepy village overlooking the Seine.
• Spending a memorable day at the Normandy landing beaches, including Utah beach, Sainte-Mere-Eglise (first liberated French town), the Airborne museum, Point du Hoc and the American Cemetery, where almost 10,000 US soldiers are buried.
• Walking off the ship in historic Caudebec-en-Caux and exploring the town center and Notre-Dame church before riding bikes (Uniworld keeps a fleet of bicycles onboard) along the river to the charming Villequiers Village and stumbling upon Maison Vacquerie – home of the Victor Hugo Museum.
• Glorious and glamorous Paris. Standing on the upper deck of S.S. Joie de Vivre, you have a bird’s eye view of the Eiffel Tower and the neighborhoods surrounding it. I loved the private city walking tours and riding bikes along the flat Seine riverbanks.
• All-inclusive luxury on the river, which included everything from airport transfers, excursions, unlimited beverages, WiFi, entertainment wellness classes to world-class dining (every meal was fresh and locally sourced) and so much more. All at one price — no nickel and diming.
• The elegant and comfortable staterooms and suites (Uniworld is a sister company to the five-star Red Carnation Hotel Collection). The “Savoir” bed. You’ll tumble in and never want to wake up.

I can’t speak highly enough of our river cruise experience. If you’re looking for a seamless, luxurious, all-inclusive and off-the-beaten-path experience sailing France’s Seine River, ask your travel agent about all the Uniworld Boutique River Cruise sales and promotions going on now and throughout 2020.

“Let’s Talk Travel with AAA,” hosted by Sandy Fenton, is broadcast 11 a.m. to noon Saturdays on iHeartRadio’s WHP580. For more information, go to www.whp580.com and click on the link to “Let’s Talk Travel.”