How much does it cost?

From £3,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,456 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.

Is train travel included?

Yes. The package includes Eurostar Standard Class from London St Pancras to Paris and TGV rail from Paris to Tours, plus return Eurostar.

Is this tour escorted or independent?

It is fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager on the Loire Valley portion and a Cruise Director team onboard the ship.

What meals are included?

Breakfast daily, six lunches, eight dinners (including a gala dinner and farewell dinner), and complimentary drinks with dinner every night of the seven-night cruise.

What accommodation is provided?

Three nights in a 4-star hotel in Tours, then seven nights aboard the MS Amadeus Diamond river cruise ship.

When does the tour run?

Great Rail Journeys offers four departures in 2027: April, May, June and September.

What is not included?

Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional excursions such as the Paris or Versailles guided tour on Day 10 and the D-Day Normandy coach trip on Day 8 have separate charges. Tips and gratuities are at your discretion.

Great Rail Journeys · River cruise

Gardens of the Loire Valley & Seine Cruise

Loire Valley châteaux and Seine river cruise from London via Paris

Great Rail Journeys operates this 11-day escorted holiday combining the châteaux gardens of France's Loire Valley with a leisurely cruise down the Seine. You depart London St Pancras aboard Eurostar, change to TGV rail in Paris, and settle into a four-star hotel in Tours for three nights. Days there focus on Château de Chenonceau spanning the River Cher, Leonardo da Vinci's Clos Lucé estate in Amboise, and Château de Chaumont's 15th-century towers and ornamental gardens. On Day 4 you board the MS Amadeus Diamond for a seven-night river cruise that sails to Normandy and Paris. The cruise itinerary includes stops at Auvers-sur-Oise (home to Van Gogh and the Impressionists), Rouen Cathedral (Monet's subject), the charming port of Honfleur, and a visit to Monet's Garden in Giverny with its famous water lilies. Day 8 offers an optional full-day excursion to Normandy's D-Day beaches and Arromanches, led by military historian Piers Storie-Pugh. The trip suits couples, history enthusiasts, and photographers drawn to Impressionist sites and river scenery, with guidance and dining included throughout.

Price history

Across 5 checks, this price has fallen £700 since 4 Jul, to £3,299.

Each point is a day we checked this operator's own page, not a weekly average, and the line holds flat between checks rather than guessing at movement we did not see. 3 of 5 points are a live read of the operator's page. Hollow points are values shown when the trip was first listed here and never confirmed with the operator.

What to know before you look closer

Day 10 offers a choice of two optional guided excursions (Paris or Versailles); neither is included in the base package, so confirm the cost before booking.
Day 8 includes a full-day optional D-Day Normandy excursion; staying onboard is free, but the coach trip has a separate charge.
5 percent of the from-price.
Luggage is transported by the operator from home to ship and back for one case per cabin; additional baggage incurs fees.

Day by day

Day 1railovernight: Tours
To medieval Tours, 'gateway to the Loire Valley'
Meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras and board the Eurostar to Paris, changing for the rail service to Tours. Explore the medieval centre with its half-timbered houses and St Gatien Cathedral, then check in to the hotel for three nights before a welcome dinner.
Day 2overnight: Tours
Château de Chenonceau and Leonardo da Vinci's Clos Lucé
Excursion to Château de Chenonceau, spanning the River Cher and among France's most-visited châteaux, then travel by coach to Amboise to visit Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci's former manor house. The rest of the day is at leisure in Tours.
Day 3overnight: Tours
History and beauty at Château de Chaumont
Coach to Château de Chaumont, rebuilt in the 15th century with fairytale turrets, for a guided tour of the gardens transformed into an ornamental landscape in the late 1800s, followed by free time. Return to the hotel and dine independently.
Day 4railovernight: MS Amadeus Diamond (sailing toward Conflans St Honorine)
Boarding our ship in Paris
Check out of the Tours hotel and take the rail journey to Paris. Board the MS Amadeus Diamond in the early afternoon for a welcome drink, then relax on the sundeck as the ship sails along the Seine toward Conflans St Honorine, with a five-course dinner and complimentary drinks onboard.
Day 5overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond
Discovering van Gogh's inspiration in Auvers sur Oise
Wake in Conflans St Honorine and visit Auvers sur Oise, renowned for the artistic heritage that inspired Van Gogh, Cézanne, Pissarro and Daubigny; Van Gogh's final resting place is here. Return onboard for a gentle overnight sail, dinner and drinks.
Day 6overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond
Exploring Rouen, the jewel of Normandy
Dock in Rouen, the former capital of Normandy, for a guided tour following the Impressionists' footsteps, visiting Rouen Cathedral (subject of Monet's paintings) and the Church of Joan of Arc. Continue cruising the Seine valley in the afternoon with dinner and drinks onboard.
Day 7overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond
Honfleur's artistry and a guest talk on the Normandy landings
Sail to Le Havre accompanied by a talk on the Allied landings from military history expert Piers Storie-Pugh, then visit the port town of Honfleur with its old harbour and Impressionist-inspired streets. Return for a five-course dinner and chanson singer performances.
Day 8overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond
Normandy's legacy and beauty
Sail toward Caudebec-en-Caux with the option to join a full-day guided tour of the region, including the harbour linked to the D-Day liberation and the WWII Mulberry harbour remnants at Arromanches, or remain onboard to relax. Continue cruising overnight after dinner.
Day 9overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond
Château Gaillard and Monet's Garden
Dock at Les Andelys with the option to visit the ruins of Château Gaillard, a 12th-century fortress built by Richard the Lionheart, rejoining the ship at Vernon, or stay onboard to sail to Vernon and visit Monet's Garden. Continue sailing toward Paris in the afternoon.
Day 10overnight: MS Amadeus Diamond (Paris)
Enchanting Paris or stately Versailles
Wake in Paris and choose between a guided tour of the city's iconic landmarks (Eiffel Tower, Champs-Élysées, Montmartre, Sacré-Cœur) or a visit to the Palace of Versailles. The afternoon is at leisure before a farewell dinner onboard on the final night.
Day 11rail
Homeward bound
Disembark after a final breakfast and board the Eurostar back to London, arriving at St Pancras this afternoon.

The moments this trip is built around

Day 2Coach excursion to Château de Chenonceau spanning the River Cher, the second-most visited château in France, followed by Leonardo da Vinci's Clos Lucé manor house in Amboise.
Day 4Boarding the MS Amadeus Diamond in Paris, welcomed with a drink and five-course dinner while the ship sails toward Conflans St Honorine on the Seine.
Day 5Coach trip to Auvers-sur-Oise to discover the cottages, windmills and fields that inspired Van Gogh, Cézanne, Daubigny and Pissarro, including Van Gogh's final resting place.
Day 6Guided tour of Rouen Cathedral, depicted in over 30 of Claude Monet's oil paintings, and the Church of Joan of Arc with 16th-century stained-glass windows.
Day 9Optional excursion to Monet's Garden in Vernon/Giverny with its Japanese arched bridge, water lily ponds, and flower beds, followed by an afternoon sailing to Paris.

Included

Escorted throughout your tour by an experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team
3 nights' 4-Star hotel accommodation
7-night cruise onboard MS Amadeus Diamond
Excellent service onboard
Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
Eurostar Standard Class rail travel
All rail and coach travel throughout your tour
Breakfast each day, 6 lunches, 8 dinners including a spectacular gala dinner
Drinks package with dinner every night of your cruise
Complimentary luggage service from your home to the ship and back (one case per cabin)
Superb excursions included

Not included

Cancellation & Travel Insurance is not included in the price of the tour
Tips/gratuities (discretionary, not added to the bill)

Also sold by

The same itinerary is listed on more than one site. Prices and inclusions can differ; compare before booking.

Vacations By Railfrom $3,695

Questions travellers ask

How much does it cost?: From £3,299 per person, the operator's advertised from-price, read on its own page on 12 Sept 2026. About $4,456 at ECB reference rates. Departures, room types and dates can price differently; the operator's page is the final word.
Is train travel included?: Yes. The package includes Eurostar Standard Class from London St Pancras to Paris and TGV rail from Paris to Tours, plus return Eurostar.
Is this tour escorted or independent?: It is fully escorted. Great Rail Journeys provides an experienced Tour Manager on the Loire Valley portion and a Cruise Director team onboard the ship.
What meals are included?: Breakfast daily, six lunches, eight dinners (including a gala dinner and farewell dinner), and complimentary drinks with dinner every night of the seven-night cruise.
What accommodation is provided?: Three nights in a 4-star hotel in Tours, then seven nights aboard the MS Amadeus Diamond river cruise ship.
When does the tour run?: Great Rail Journeys offers four departures in 2027: April, May, June and September.
What is not included?: Cancellation and travel insurance are not included. Optional excursions such as the Paris or Versailles guided tour on Day 10 and the D-Day Normandy coach trip on Day 8 have separate charges. Tips and gratuities are at your discretion.