Recently I had the pleasure of boarding the new Avalon all suite ship the Tapestry 2 only launched in March this year. The itinerary I sampled was on the River Seine from Paris to Normandy. The cabins are the largest of all the European river ships currently on the market , an impressive 200 square feet wall to wall panoramic windows with luxury Loccitane amenities in the bathroom. The cuisine was excellent and the staff were very attentive. The journey was very relaxing and entertainment low key.Once off the ship you were given headsets to listen to the guide talk in detail about the various towns and historic sites we visited. The highlight was the beautiful Monets garden at Giverney, definitely a must if you are a keen gardener or appreciate various flora and fauna.
The Normandy beaches took you back in time to the 1st and 2nd world wars and the graveyards were very much looked after and although the average age of the deceased was approx. 20 years of age and quite emotional it was a peaceful place. Avalon also offer regional flight departures or for non -flyers they can use the Eurostar and a free home pick up within a 100 miles radius of either the train station or your chosen airport.