MS Loire Princesse, 7 Night Beautiful Brittany and Royal Opulence in the Loire ex Vannes, France to Nantes, France

Begin your vacation with an exclusive three-day trip through Brittany, a proud French region with a more-than-thousand-year-old heritage that has spread its influence across the area. From the prehistoric megaliths in Carnac to the wave-beaten coasts of the Quiberon Peninsula, set off on a journey through a stunning region shaped by humans and nature alike. Top off your Breton experience with breakfast in a local crêperie and a visit to Auray, a charming village on the Gulf of Morbihan. Then climb aboard for a cruise on the Loire, the royal river with legendary scenery.

Day 1
Our coach will pick you up at the Nantes train station at 3 p.m. or the Nantes Atlantique Airport at 3:30 p.m. to begin the trip through Brittany. We’ll arrive in Vannes at the end of the afternoon, where you’ll check into the four-star hotel*for dinner and the night.*

Day 2
Breakfast will be served at the hotel.Included excursion in the morning: The wild coastline of Quiberon. This panoramic tour introduces you to the Quiberon Peninsula by taking you along spectacular coastal roads dotted with quaint seaside towns and sweeping ocean views to the tip of the peninsula, known as Conguel Point. You’ll discover the city of Quiberon and pass in front of the first French thalassotherapy center created by Louison Bobet in 1964.Enjoy lunch in Quiberon.In the afternoon, join us for an included guided tour of the prehistoric ruins in Carnac. The beautiful seaside city of Carnac is home to several fields of prehistoric stone alignments containing over 3,000 megaliths. The area is one of the world’s most important standing stone concentrations, erected between 7,000 and 5,000 years ago. Your guide will explain all the theories surrounding this mystery, and you’ll be able to visit the alignments up close.Before we return to the hotel, enjoy some free time in Auray. Explore the Saint-Goustan fishing port in this charming, typically Breton village. We’ll return to Vannes for dinner and the night.

Day 3
Breakfast will be served at the hotel.This morning, the included excursion is a guided tour of Vannes. Discover the medieval city of Vannes and its fortifications during an urban stroll. Our tour guide will recount the city’s history within the confines of the old city walls. This is a great way to learn about the beautiful medieval and Renaissance-style architecture. Your tour will bring you to the Jardin des Remparts, ancient washhouses, Poterne Gate, and Connétable Tower. Step back in time while sauntering through the narrow streets lined with half-timbered homes.We’ll enjoy lunch in an authentic crêperie. Buckwheat crepes are part of the region’s deep heritage.   Take part in a genuine cultural experience with a crepe and a bowl of hard cider.After our visit, we’ll leave by coach for Nantes, where you’ll board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we’ll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Our ship will begin to cruise towards Saint-Nazaire.

Day 4
This morning, join us for the optional CLASSIC / DISCOVERY excursion: tour of Saint Nazaire, a town on the sea. We’ll visit Escal’Atlantic, a museum that explores the historic ocean liner experience, and the Saint-Nazaire shipyard, one of the largest shipyards in Europe (this excursion must be booked in advance through your travel agency. Each passenger will be asked to produce a valid passport in order to gain access to the shipyard).

Day 5
This morning, join us for the optional excursions proposed :- CLASSIC : Guided tour of Nantes and the Castle of the Dukes of Brittany.- DISCOVERY: Nantes, the Machines de l’Île(3), secret courtyards and covered passageways.This afternoon, join us for the optional excursions proposed :- CLASSIC : The Muscadet Wine Route and Clisson, a charming medieval town.- DISCOVERY: Helicopter ride(2), the Loire from above (this excursion must be booked in advance through your travel agency).

Day 6
Departure by coach towards the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau. Built on an island in the middle of the Indre River, the structure as it stands today was erected during the reign of Francis I by a wealthy financier, Gilles Berthelot, who sought to combine Italian innovations with French architectural art. Listed as a historic monument, the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau embodies all the refinement of an early French Renaissance château. Continuation to Villandry for lunch. In the afternoon, enjoy a stroll through the gardens of the Château de Villandry: spread over three levels, they combine aesthetics, diversity, and harmony. Then, visit the Château de Villandry. Through its furniture, décor, and atmosphere, it stands as a living testament to French heritage. The estate of Villandry has evolved over the centuries. Acquired by Jean Le Breton, it transitioned from a medieval fortress to a residence enriched with Renaissance elements. In the 18th century, the Marquis de Castellane transformed it into a comfortable and luminous place, reflecting the art of living of the time. In the 19th century, it was saved by Joachim Carvallo and Ann Coleman, who restored it to its Renaissance state. Today, Henri Carvallo continues this legacy by combining preservation with the enhancement of the site. (The coach transfer time is estimated at approximately 4 hours round trip.)We’ll return on board in Chalonnes-sur-Loire.

Day 7
In the morning, join us for the optional excursions proposed:- CLASSIC: Guided tour of Angers, its historic districts and the famous Apocalypse tapestry(5).- DISCOVERY: Tour of Brissac castle(4) and its cellars complete with a wine-tasting session.We’ll return on board. We’ll spend the afternoon cruising to Ancenis.Tonight is our gala evening. We’ll be cruising to Nantes.

Day 8
Enjoy one last buffet breakfast before disembarking at 10:00 a.m. End of our services.

The design of this ship is exclusive to CroisiEurope since it is the first French ship to sail on the Loire, the last "wild river" in France. Built in 2015 in Saint-Nazaire, its specificity lies in its side paddle wheels and shallow-draft. The noble burgundy and pearly colors mingle with copper elements, which give a prestigious character to the interior decoration. A “royal” atmosphere to discover the Loire châteaux from the water. A nod to the famous “inexplosibles” that once crisscrossed the Loire: a large fireplace is located in the middle of the lounge. The welcoming public spaces have large window areas and the cabins on the upper deck have terraces with outdoor furniture. All meals during the cruise are served in the restaurant on the main deck. Onboard fun, music and dancing happen in the lounge / bar on the upper deck, where a cozy patio also provides great landscape views. The sun deck has deck chairs and sun loungers ideal for relaxing. In the reception area you can admire the mechanism of the paddle wheels during navigation.

CroisiEurope has a fleet of Prestige category boats with cabins, which ply the most beautiful rivers in Europe. Spacious and light, they offer a welcoming and refined setting. Accommodation capacity varies from 100 to 180 passengers depending on the boat’s design. At the cutting edge of technology, their facilities offer comfort and safety.

Carefully maintained and partially renovated each year, the CroisiEurope fleet is largely made up of recently built vessels, less than five years old, all with Veritas certification. The leading European river tour operator, our company owes its international reputation to its seriousness, its dynamism, its sense of innovation and its recognised value for money of long standing.

Vessels are rated four-star and food is superb – as you’d expect on a French-owned cruise line, staffed by French chefs and with top French and German wines aboard. One cruise of the Rhone and Saone Rivers in France concentrates on gastronomy and traditional French cusine, visiting Collonges Abbey, renowned for its great French chef, Paul Bocuse.

CroisiEurope is a family-owned and operated firm, with brothers and sisters running different aspects of the company and keeping a close eye on all operations to ensure excellence.

River cruising offers much free fun. Wake in the morning and observe the passing riverside scenery through your cabin window – perhaps from your bed. Gaze upon village churches or a patchwork of fields sparkling in the morning sun.

CroisiEurope’s network traverses a phenomenal number of European rivers and waterways. They range from the Guadalquivir and Guadiana (flowing through Spain and Portugal respectively); the Douro in Portugal, the Po and Venice Lagoon in Italy; the Rhone in Provence, plus the Seine from Paris to the Normandy Coast. And there’s more: the Moselle, the Neckar, the Saar, the Oder, the Havel, the Baltic Sea, the Camarge, the Rhine, the Main and the mighty Danube; the Tisza and the Black Sea; the Belgian and Dutch waterways. Everything from tulip time in Holland to Christmas Markets in Germany.

Drinks included with on board meals: mineral water, house wine, beer, fruit juice, and tea or coffee.

Select the Deck to view detail.

MS Loire Princesse - Main Deck

MS Loire Princesse - Upper Deck

MS Loire Princesse - Sun Deck

Select the Cabin to view detail.

Upper Deck 1 double bed

Upper deck: 30 cabins with picture window and private balcony (25 double-occupancy cabins, 4 double cabins with king size beds, one cabin for persons with reduced mobility). Amenities: All cabins have private bathroom with shower, hair dryer, safe, desk/dresser, flat screen TV, and telephone. The bed faces the window to better admire the scenery.

Upper Deck 2 Single Bed - Reduced Mobility Cabin

Upper deck: 30 cabins with picture window and private balcony (25 double-occupancy cabins, 4 double cabins with king size beds, one cabin for persons with reduced mobility). Amenities: All cabins have private bathroom with shower, hair dryer, safe, desk/dresser, flat screen TV, and telephone. The bed faces the window to better admire the scenery.

Upper deck 2 adjustable twin beds

Upper deck: 30 cabins with picture window and private balcony (25 double-occupancy cabins, 4 double cabins with king size beds, one cabin for persons with reduced mobility). Amenities: All cabins have private bathroom with shower, hair dryer, safe, desk/dresser, flat screen TV, and telephone. The bed faces the window to better admire the scenery.

Main deck 2 adjustable twin beds

Main deck: 18 double-occupancy cabins. Amenities: All cabins have private bathroom with shower, hair dryer, safe, desk/dresser, flat screen TV, and telephone. The bed faces the window to better admire the scenery.