Best Of

When someone has taken the time to write a review, which is pretty rare, who cares about paragraphs. Thank you 88Grand

I have recently returned from back-to-back river cruises in France – Rendezvous on the Seine and French Escapade-Paris to the Riviera.
Last summer I experienced my first Tauck Tour and first river cruise – Grand European – and was so pleased with the experience from the outset, that I booked these two trips directly FROM THE SHIP on the third day. I prefer longer trips as flying from the Southwest to Europe is an arduous journey with connections and layovers, compared to when I lived in the Northeast and flew non-stop. Also, the jet lag is greater with three additional hours of time difference at nine hours. Although it's rather warm and crowded in Europe, I choose to travel in the summer to escape the intense Arizona heat. I prefer the ease of river cruises as opposed to land tours because it reduces packing and unpacking and checking in and out of hotels. I'm a solo traveler so I appreciate the opportunity to travel without single supplement for the lowest category cabin, and I like all meals being included in the ship's dining room eliminating the need to search for restaurants or eat alone. I realize these factors wouldn't matter to many people, but for my circumstances and preferences, river cruises and longer tours are ideal.
As with last year's river cruise, I was once again delighted with these two tours. The ships for both cruises, MS Esprit on the Seine and MS Emerald on the Rhône and Saône are virtually identical. I was on the MS Esprit for three weeks last summer, so the layout was familiar. I find the staircase to the lower Emerald deck slightly precarious with its curve and small tread depth. Going down the stairs, I walk sideways, slowly and hold on tightly to the railing. I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue for many, but I only mention this as it could be a consideration for some.
The food in the Compass Rose dining room was delicious and plentiful on both cruises. Actually, the menu as well as the special events, both in the dining room and in the Panorama Lounge were nearly identical. Both the cruise director and chef on the first cruise told me that the menu would be repeated on my second cruise as it is dictated from corporate (Scylla). Apparently, the ship's chef follows the daily menus and has little latitude, which was perfectly fine from my perspective. Some of these special events and meals included: the Chef's Signature multi-course Dinner, a Chocolate Buffet Dessert, Tauck's 100th Anniversary Dance Party, a Seafood Buffet Dinner followed by Crêpes Suzette dessert in the lounge, Karaoke Party, an Ice Cream Social, and a French Social Hour with cheeses, escargot and frog legs. There were other special entertainment and presentations that differed on each cruise including a guest lecturer the evening prior to visiting the Normandy beaches discussing what led up to D-Day, a troupe of Parisian Can-Can dancers, a classical group called Spirit of France with a soprano and mezzo-soprano accompanied by a pianist and alto sax who performed familiar French arias and other pieces, and a “mentalist” who was great fun.
As with last year's cruise, on both of these cruises we had marvelous tour directors who made the trip such a pleasure. They were all warm, kind, attentive, upbeat and fun. On the Seine cruise we had 86 passengers, and our tour directors were Emilie, Ania, and Tiziana. On the Escapade-Paris to the Riviera we had 67 passengers, and our tour directors were Veronica and Amalia along with trainee Stephanie. By the second day, the tour directors (and the Scylla staff) cheerfully greeted me by name. In addition to the wonderful tour directors, we had fantastic local guides everywhere we visited. This was my 12th visit to France as I worked for a French hotel company for 24 years which offered me travel perks. Although I had previously visited many of the museums and monuments in Paris, as well as places in the South of France and Monaco, traveling with Tauck and with tour directors and local guides made everything so much more meaningful, educational, and worthwhile.
There was a two-day gap between my back-to-back tours, so the GOT for the Seine cruise was at The Lutetia Hotel on the left bank where I stayed one night. This was one of the finest hotels I've had the pleasure of being a guest. It is a five-star palace hotel - a distinction in France for a hotel worthy of more than five stars - and well-deserved. I never wanted to leave. The next day I was transferred to the InterContinental Le Grand Hotel on the right bank, directly next to the Palais Garnier. It was my GOT for the second tour and where the Escapade tour begins with a two-night stay. It's a fine five-star hotel and in a great tourist location. The buffet breakfast in the iconic Café de la Paix was truly impressive with every type of food imaginable and the stunning Belle Époque décor makes it even more special.
After two days in Paris on my own, the second tour began with a welcome dinner at Fouquet's on the Champs-Élysées. We were in a beautiful private room on the second floor, serenaded by a lovely chanteuse and two guitarists, and a delicious set menu. The next day we had a private tour on a double decker bus with our local guide followed by a group visit of Musée d'Orsay. The Seine cruise included a visit of The Louvre and Versailles, so it was nice that there were no duplications on tours in Paris. I went to Notre-Dame Cathedral on my own. The long line moved quickly, in 20-25 minutes, and the renovation is remarkable.
The hotel for the last two nights of French Escapade was changed from The Martinez in Cannes to The Fairmont in Monte Carlo. Due to this, the itinerary changed slightly and, rather than visiting Aix-en-Provence enroute to Cannes, after disembarkation in Arles the busses went to Nice for a walking tour and free time and then on to Monte Carlo. It was a nice surprise to be informed at the discovery briefing the night before, that Tauck had arranged another bus and a tour guide to take those of us who would like to visit Aix prior to going on to Nice and then Monte Carlo. It required an earlier disembarkation, a little less time in Nice, and a slightly later arrival in Monte Carlo. Twenty of us chose this bonus option and I was very impressed that it was offered; it was a perfect, albeit long day. The Fairmont Monte Carlo has been recently renovated, and our rooms and balconies were located facing the beautiful Mediterranean with its cruise ships and yachts. Buffet breakfasts as well as our farewell dinner were on the hotel's top floor roof deck restaurant which offered delicious food with views galore.

Some highlights:
Rendezvouson the Seine:
-Palace of Versailles – early arrival and separate group entry made it so nice. No long line, saw State Apartments before it became too crowded, then had private tour for our group of Private Apartments followed by some free time to see the vast gardens.
-Caen War Memorial Museum and famous Bayeux Tapestry
-D-Day and WWII places of interest - Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, and American Cemetery
-lunch at Château La Chenevière-a beautiful estate in Normandy converted to luxury hotel
-farm visit with cider and Calvados tasting
-Giverny Gardens & Claude Monet's home- private early opening before general public crowds

French Escapade-Paris to the Riviera:
-Lunch in Lyon at restaurant of Michelin Star Chef Paul Bocuse, Abbaye Collonges
-visit and lunch at a ranch in the Camargue followed by a ride in the fields to see the horses and bulls
-guided tour of the Grand Casino in Monte Carlo with its Belle Époque architecture.

Tauck lived up to its stellar reputation and I had yet another wonderful (nearly) four-week vacation. I have nothing but praise for Tauck and look forward to future travels. I'm already booked on back-to-back cruises for next summer and will hopefully book for 2027 when dates and pricing become available.