The Tauck ms Andorinha cruising the Douro.
Tauck

What if the best way to experience France’s most iconic sights wasn’t to time your trip perfectly—but to arrive before everyone else?

That was the question we set out to answer on the debut episode of Step Inside, our new YouTube series. Travel + Leisure boarded the MS Serene, Tauck’s newest river ship, for a 10-day journey along the Seine River—part of a longer nine-day itinerary between Paris and Normandy—to see whether luxury river cruising really delivers the kind of exclusive access travelers dream about.

The answer came almost immediately.

Before the gates even opened to the public, we were strolling through Claude Monet’s famous gardens in Giverny. We crossed the Japanese bridge, admired the water lilies, and wandered the flower-lined paths without another visitor in sight. Standing there in complete silence, it felt less like visiting one of France’s most popular attractions and more like stepping into one of Monet’s paintings.

That sense of exclusivity continued throughout the journey. One evening, we were invited into a privately owned French château, where owner Nicolas Navarro welcomed us into the home he has spent years restoring. Surrounded by antique furnishings and centuries of history, we sat down to a traditional five-course dinner that felt more like an evening with friends than a typical shore excursion.

Back onboard, the MS Serene proved just as memorable. The ship carries a fraction of the passengers found on a typical ocean cruise, creating a quieter, more intimate atmosphere. Our suite featured floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to transform the living room into an open-air balcony, along with a spacious bathroom and walk-in closet. And perhaps the greatest luxury of all? We unpacked once and let the scenery come to us.

Dining was another highlight. Menus changed daily based on seasonal ingredients, with chefs frequently shopping local markets for fresh produce, seafood, and regional specialties before returning to the ship to prepare dinner. “There are days when the chef goes to the local market, gets fresh fruits, vegetables, and local fish, and then uses those ingredients for that evening’s menu,” Tauck Tour Director Darrow Carson told T+L.

Between excursions, guests could relax on the expansive sun deck, cool off in the swimming pool, book a massage, or even work out with panoramic river views from the treadmill.

Suffice to say the allure of the sailing isn’t just the luxury—it was the access.

Tauck’s 10-day Rendezvous on the Seine combines two nights in Paris with a seven-night Seine River cruise through Normandy, pairing France’s most iconic sights with behind-the-scenes experiences. Travelers enjoy early access to Monet’s gardens in Giverny, explore Versailles, Rouen, and Honfleur, visit the D-Day beaches, sample Normandy’s cider country, and cap off the journey with a private château dinner before returning to Paris. To learn more visit tauck.com.

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This 9-day River Cruise Is One of the Best Ways to Explore the Seine River—and It Has Exclusive Access to Some of France’s Most Iconic Experiences