"To Paris & Back" Journey Along the Seine

By Sheryl M – Passenger, published April 2017
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As we left the romantic city of Paris behind with the lights of the Eiffel Tower twinkling in the distance, we knew that this was going to be the start of a wonderful cruising experience with Kosher River Cruises. On boarding we were greeted by friendly staff offering us a welcome drink. Indeed, the all-inclusive drinks package allowed us to have whatever we wanted at any time of day and also included the mini bar in the cabin which was replenished twice daily. Our first port of call was the beautiful area of Les Andelys We visited the charming little village of Lyons de Foret and hiked up to Richard the Lionheart’s castle, Chateau Gaillard From there we had a magnificent panoramic view of the surrounding countryside and the river.

Next stop was the captivating city of Rouen with its quaint cobbled streets and quirky old buildings. Here we also saw the courthouse under which is the 12th century yeshiva which is regarded as ‘the oldest Jewish building in Europe’ and we were made very welcome at the synagogue. The walking tour also took in the site where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake.

One of the highlights of the cruise was the full day excursion to the Somme Battlefields. A boxed lunch was provided so we had the maximum amount of time to learn about the atrocities that occurred all those years ago. For those who did not wish to join this tour there was the alternative of visiting the museum of Fine Arts in Rouen.

The next day was very relaxing as we visited the picture-postcard fishing village of Honfleur. It was so lovely just walking around and then sitting at one of the pavement cafes sipping an espresso and people watching.

Our second highlight of the cruise was visiting the D-Day landing sites. We traveled by coach to Arromanches where the false harbour was built by the British and then a beautiful cold buffet lunch was brought for us from the ship and served in a lovely country hotel that had once been a farm. Our tour concluded with a visit to Omaha Beach for the American guests and Juno Beach for the English. There we saw the war graves of both Jewish and Christian soldiers buried side by side; very moving.

The visit to Giverney and Monet’s house and garden was in total contrast to the previous day’s tour and we were able relax and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. The stunning visit to Chantilly Castle on the last day of the cruise was a fitting end to a wonderful kosher travelling experience. This castle rivalled Versailles but without the endless crowds of tourists.

Together with the excellent on-board entertainment consisting of cookery demonstrations, lectures and music, we were certainly treated to a memorable experience.