Cruise France
against a clear spring sky. I
look at Versailles’ queue of
tourists and give thanks that
at least here, the authorities
have had the sense to remain
open.Louise Roddon was a guest of
Viking, which has seven nights’
full board on the Paris & the
Heart of Normandy sailing
from £2,795pp, including
flights, excursions, tips and
drinks with meals, departing
on November 15 (viking.com)ROSSHELEN EDITORIAL, KATHRYN SULLIVAN/ALAMYThe famous lily ponds in the gardens at Monet’s Giverny home, and in the village, aboveThe setting sun has
daubed the sky with
orange and yellow streaksThe cherubs, lions and cupids
adorning the Pont Alexandre
III glint with the sheen of fresh
gold leaf. Lovers mooch along
the river walk, and children
queue to board a vintage
merry-go-round.
Our sail along the Seine
begins with a stop at Saint-
Germain-en-Laye — a town
favoured by impressionists
such as Alfred Sisley. Earlier
that morning I looked again at
his Terrace at Saint-Germain,
Spring, painted in 1875. I
imagined him painting his
view of the Seine from a
private garden — yet now I am
looking down at the very same
scene, and that terrace turns
out to be the celebrated mile-
long walkway built by the 17th-
century architect, Le Nôtre.
As in Sisley’s painting, the
trees are in blossom, and the
Seine snakes beneath a blue
feathered sky. Present too, is
the vineyard that you see in
Sisley’s rendition — a reminder
perhaps of the town’s former
wealth as the birthplace of
Louis XIV.
The rather forbidding-
looking château where the
king was born takes centre
stage, narrow streets lined
with chichi boutiques
radiating out around it. And
along with Louis is an→Continued from page 9PARISSaint-Germain-en-LayeLa Roche-GuyonGivernyVernonVersaillesRiver Seine10 mileseccentric roll call of other
famous Saint-Germain
residents including Alexandre
Dumas and Claude Debussy.
Later, back on board
Radgrid, we take in another
impressionist scene. The
setting sun has daubed the
sky with orange and yellow
streaks, the riverbanks picked
out in darkening silhouettes.
Enrichment lectures and
French-themed cookery
demonstrations punctuate our
downtime. There’s a talk onimpressionism from a guest art
historian, then a lesson on how
to make tarte au citron from
the chef. Alongside these are
enjoyable tasting sessions:
cognac one evening, and,
arguably the best of them all,
a French cheese tasting
conducted by Monsieur
Bernard, a fromage maestro.
Bernard has come straight
from an after-dinner event at
Versailles at which Emmanuel
Macron was a guest, so we
quickly appreciate hisexpertise, and indeed the
tastings of goat’s cheese, a
gooey, spoonable époisses,
and a nutty comté. Mind you,
after a three-course French-
inspired dinner of creamy
mushroom soup and boeuf
cooked à point, eating yet
more is tough going.
The next day uncovers one
of France’s most beautiful
villages: La Roche-Guyon. The
owner of the local patisserie
has turned up with samples
of pain au chocolat andcroissants which prove the
best I’ve tasted in a long while.
Licking fingers free of crumbs,
we then explore the village’s
cliff-nestled château, which
still belongs to the celebrated
La Rochefoucauld family and
admire its views onto their
Seine-facing orchard.
And we’ve another château
to enjoy for our final day:
Versailles, its salons and
Hall of Mirrors appealingly
over-the-top. Outside, the
gates’ gold trimmings glint *