Fall Festival: The Wild, Majestic Loire River

NANTES - NANTES - CHALONNES-SUR-LOIRE - NANTES

Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Enjoy an evening of entertainment.

We'll spend the morning cruising to Chalonnes-sur-Loire.
Onboard presentation: "The Loire: The Longest River in France."
Followed by an ONBOARD CONTEST.(1)
This afternoon, join us for an included excursion: Angers. We'll leave for Angers and a tour of its château to see one of the most important collections of medieval tapestries in the world. We’ll return on board in Chalonnes-sur-Loire.
Enjoy an evening of traditional entertainment on board.

Leave by coach for a full-day, included excursion to the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud and the Château d’Ussé. We'll tour the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, one of the largest surviving monastic cities—listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000. At the end of our tour, we'll visit a cellar to taste some of the wines from the Saumur region. We’ll have lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we’ll continue on to Rigny-Ussé to visit the Château d’Ussé. Rebuilt in the 15th and 16th centuries, this stronghold with fortified towers, turrets, and steeples looks like something out of a fairytale. It is even thought to have inspired Charles Perrault when writing Sleeping Beauty.
Enjoy an evening of dancing.

Our ship will cruise to Nantes.
ONBOARD CONTEST.(1)
Before lunch, enjoy a bite of Curé Nantais cheese and a glass of Muscadet wine.
This afternoon, join us for an included excursion: Nantes and the fascinating Machines de l’île.(2) Our excursion will begin with a panoramic tour of the city, passing famous sites such as the Le Lieu Unique (a national theater space), the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany (exterior), the Île Feydeau, and Saint Anne's Butte—where the view is unforgettable. Then, we'll visit the Machines de l’île. This totally unprecedented artistic project, sprung from the inspirations of two French designers—François Delarozière and Pierre Orefice—is a cross between the imaginations of Jules Verne and Leonardo da Vinci. Don't miss the Galerie des Machines and the Carrousel des Mondes Marins during your time here!
We’ll return on board the ship in Nantes.
This evening, we'll hold the drawing to announce the winner of our contest. Festive gala evening.

Enjoy breakfast on board this morning before disembarking.