Everything Viking France: Normandy, Paris, Provence

[AnhaltER1960]

Sad news for Paris travellers. Cathedral Notre Dame is ablaze and that does not look good. The whole roof is on fire. Damage cannot bei estimated yet.

[Cruze4Ever]

10 minutes ago, AnhaltER1960 said:

Sad news for Paris travellers. Cathedral Notre Dame is ablaze and that does not look good. The whole roof is on fire. Damage cannot bei estimated yet.

 

It is such sad news.  We were looking forward to going there.

 

 

[CharTrav]

On 4/15/2019 at 4:37 PM, AnhaltER1960 said:

Sad news for Paris travellers. Cathedral Notre Dame is ablaze and that does not look good. The whole roof is on fire. Damage cannot bei estimated yet.

I feel truly blessed that we were able to visit it last Summer. 

[Cairn Mom]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

I feel truly blessed that we were able to visit it last Summer. 

I’m glad we visited this past March. Notre Dame is an iconic sight. They were able to save important relics and a lot of artwork. It sounds like they will be able to rebuild. It’s small comfort but, at least it wasn’t a total loss.

[Peregrina651]

Commonwealth Tour:

 

Nice little boutique near the Bayeux Tapestries Museum.  You will have time to head here after seeing the Tapestries, especially if you don't linger in the museum courtyard waiting for the group to reassemble.

 

[Peregrina651]

On 3/29/2019 at 6:07 PM, Cairn Mom said:

Sorry, no dailies. I think Peregrina has a link to CharTrav’s live. She went from Lyon to Avignon if I remember correctly. Peregrina, I can’t wait to hear about your Commonwealth tour. When do you go to the D Day Beaches?

i want to say a few words about the crowd about ship. They are mostly 70+ , in good physical condition and well informed. Since we are traveling ourselves, we always sit with at least one other couple at dinner. So far, everyone has been very nice.

 

Juno Beach

 

 

Bayeux Tapestry (no pix permitted in the Museum and this is a photo of a photo, but at least it shows the details of the work)

 

[deec]

😀We will be doing the Commonwealth Tour this fall.  After seeing the pictures of the tapestry for months on Viking Ocean Ships really felt that I wanted to see it in person!

[Peregrina651]

AVIGNON and how to get back to the ship without getting killed in the traffic.

Rule 1: Do not try to cross the roads just anywhere. We tried and ended up having to retrace out steps; we didn't know about the pedestrian underpass until we stumbled on it. 

Rule 2: It is easier to find the underpass than it is to get across without it.

 

There is an underpass that will take you under the traffic and then to the crosswalk where the cars will stop to let you across. The map below will show you how to get there. Follow the dotted red line and the underpass will be in front of you as you exit. If you somehow exit at any other gate walk along the city wall until come to the underpass.

 

 

This is what you are looking for:

 

This sign marks the alleyway that takes you to the pedestrian gate. On the map above, it is above the first "a" in Palais du Roure.

 

As you walk through the gate, the pedestrian underpass will be in front of you...

 

 

 

 

If you managed to exit through some other gate, the approach to the underpass may look like this:

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2019 by Peregrina651

[philw1776]

On 4/26/2019 at 10:22 AM, deec said:

😀We will be doing the Commonwealth Tour this fall.  After seeing the pictures of the tapestry for months on Viking Ocean Ships really felt that I wanted to see it in person!

Had a wonderful experience aboard Viking Ocean when onboard Oxford historian Jeremy Paterson gave an impromptu lecture in the stairwell covering each floor's tapestry.  Selected Commonwealth for that reason and because granddaughters with us on the upcoming cruise studied/studying the Tapestry in history class.

[Peregrina651]

I have finally managed to get pictures from our trip up on Shutterfly . Here's the link for those who are interested. It is less than 50 pictures, just enough to whet your appetite. The rest of the share site is not finished (barely begun would be a better turn of phrase) but then again, a picture is worth a thousand words.

[dottythecat]

Thanks for sharing. We depart for our Viking adventure on Monday.

[CharTrav]

You clearly are better than I at the winnowing process and why I'm still stuck organizing and posting our pix from Homelands in 2016! An effort that was stalled for quite a while and am back at. I finally finished our pix from Grand European Tour in 2014 last Spring. 🙀

[Peregrina651]

25 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

You clearly are better than I at the winnowing process and why I'm still stuck organizing and posting our pix from Homelands in 2016! An effort that was stalled for quite a while and am back at. I finally finished our pix from Grand European Tour in 2014 last Spring. 🙀

 

At least it is getting done.

[deec]

thanks for the tease...will be waiting for the other 100s photos

FYI. some of these did not have subject or location only the ID#

 

DH is trying valiantly to get through our pics from numerous trips!!!

[Peregrina651]

6 hours ago, deec said:

thanks for the tease...will be waiting for the other 100s photos

FYI. some of these did not have subject or location only the ID#

 

DH is trying valiantly to get through our pics from numerous trips!!!

 

It might be the tease but the pay off comes when you board the ship for yourself.

[Sacramento2012]

On 5/16/2019 at 9:08 AM, Peregrina651 said:

I have finally managed to get pictures from our trip up on Shutterfly . Here's the link for those who are interested. It is less than 50 pictures, just enough to whet your appetite. The rest of the share site is not finished (barely begun would be a better turn of phrase) but then again, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Beautiful pictures! Thanks for sharing.

[gers]

As our Paris to Normandy river cruise on the Viking Kadlin approaches, my wife is wondering more and more about what to pack.  Any suggestions I can pass on to her?

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, gers said:

As our Paris to Normandy river cruise on the Viking Kadlin approaches, my wife is wondering more and more about what to pack.  Any suggestions I can pass on to her?

 

First, each sailing has its own vibe--some are full of people who dress up and others are full of people who dress down--and you won't know which it is until you have been on board for a few days.

 

You can't win for trying. Therefore, I say "Take whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy."  The dress code is casual by day and country club casual for dinner (for men collared shirts, jackets not required)--just don't ask me what country club casual actually means because I have ever been to one.

 

 

 

 

[Peregrina651]

This came up on one of the roll calls. The 2020 sailings are out and, for Paris & Normandy, not only have they added another ship to the itinerary (that is 1/3 more sailings) but they have also secured berthing in central Paris for two of them. Quoting from the website, itinerary page on the Day 1 (click Learn More)--:

 

Note: The Paris port authority assigned Viking Kadlin and Viking Rinda a docking location in Le Pecq, a western suburb of Paris. To help maximize your time in the city center, we are offering complimentary shuttles for Viking guests throughout your stay. Viking Kari, Viking Radgrid and Viking Skaga will dock at Port de Grenelle in central Paris.

 

Do note that to dock in central Paris you pay the price and these sailings cost more than those berthing in Le Pecq. Also, note that while it says that the Skaga will be sailing this route, of the sail dates that I checked, I did not see Skaga listed. Rolf will not be doing the route at all in 2020; it looks like she is moving to the Amsterdam to Budapest run in 2020.

 

 

[Peregrina651]

@philw1776 and everyone else as well

 

read the comment on Trip Advisor this morning. Even if you don't read the review, the title says it all Don't miss the exhibition upstairs afterwards

[cruiser0620]

We are booked on the Skaga in September of 2020.

[Peregrina651]

1 minute ago, cruiser0620 said:

We are booked on the Skaga in September of 2020.

 

Great! Looks like things have changed since I posted on May 24, which is par for the course.

[Cruze4Ever]

We are booked on the Rinda, Sept. 24, 2020.

 

 

[Cruze4Ever]

16 minutes ago, Cruze4Ever said:

We are booked on the Rinda, Sept. 24, 2020.

 

 

Oops!  My mistake we are booked on the Rinda, Sept. 24, 2019.!

[ustreetnw]

Peregrina651,

 

I would love the Dailies for Paris & the Heart of Normandy too!  May I email you?