Viking Paris to Normady with mobility llimits?

We're a couple in our 60's, never did a river cruise but we've been enthralled with the thought. Paris to the Heart of Normandy has sounded great for 2018. My wife is recovering from a leg injury and should be in good shape by then-but you never know. Just wondering if anyone who has been on this trip could give us some idea of how much, and how difficult the walking is on this tour.

Thanks for any thoughts.

We just returned from a Viking river cruise and all city tours offered both an active and a slow and easy pace choice. Our 95 yr old friend had no problem with the slow paced tours

Sent from my iPad using Forums

What could be a problem is getting on and off the ship and rafting where your ship is tied to others and you have to traverse them.

Roz

Sent from my SM-S820L using Forums mobile app

There were no problems on or off nor rafting. The ramps were all level as the longboats are designed for equal heights and they match up well.

There were no problems on or off nor rafting. The ramps were all level as the longboats are designed for equal heights and they match up well.

Viking probably manages to raft with other Viking ships most of the time ... but not always.

I recently returned from that VRC (April 2017) and had knee replacement surgery a few months prior. We never rafted next to a Viking ship.

When rafting you will have to walk up and down stairs and the ramps are often very steep.

The most challenging times were during rain showers and a freak sleet storm we had that make the ramps slippery.

I brought my walking stick and my DH to help me.

For Viking you need to know that they do not dock in Paris but at LePecq. The new Uniworld ship at 125m and the 110m ships dock in Paris. The coordinates on google maps are for Quai de Grenelles 48.852177, 2.284673 and for LePecq 48.896906, 2.107309 (roughly, not sure where the harbour for the cruise ships is).

By the way, on street view at Quai de Grenelles there is the Viking Neptune. Sadly, she does not sail the Seine anymore.

Edit: found the site in LePecq: 48.895517, 2.107091 there is a Viking ship docked there as it is a more recent streetview shot, a little further on the Viking ship vanishes (really odd but probably means there is a gap in the street view timing right there). My goodness doesn't the area look, err, "functional"!

notamermaid

We're a couple in our 60's, never did a river cruise but we've been enthralled with the thought. Paris to the Heart of Normandy has sounded great for 2018. My wife is recovering from a leg injury and should be in good shape by then-but you never know. Just wondering if anyone who has been on this trip could give us some idea of how much, and how difficult the walking is on this tour.

 

Thanks for any thoughts.

The walking on river cruises can be very extensive - often 5-10 or more miles per day and often over uneven cobblestones, lots of stairs, uneven curbs and more. IMO, you might wait a bit before booking this particular cruise since it is non-refundable. It takes 1 year to completely recover from a serious orthopedic injury (even if you are out of the boot or brace, you are still recovering during this time) and you don't want to risk your wife re-injuring herself and having a setback before that time has elapsed. If the cruise is after that time, then, she should be good to go providing she has done her rehab exercises diligently, regained her motion and not had any unexpected setbacks. With an orthopedic injury, unexpected setbacks can occur even months after the original injury - but always within the first year. You will know for certain by the end of 1 year. Most patients are scared to fall or have whatever happened to them happen again when walking around towards the end of their recovery and when fully recovered for the first year or so. In the meantime, I would choose something less physically challenging for a vacation this year such as an ocean cruise or an all-inclusive resort or a road trip that doesn't include a lot of physical challenges. The river cruise can be a much anticipated reward for completing rehab next year! Wishing your wife all the best in her recovery.

Well of all the traditional European river cruises I think the one you have selected requires the least walking. We did this Viking cruise this past fall. There is beautiful cruising on the Seine. The long and memorable day to Normandy did not require any long walking stretches. Giverny was beautiful, flat and again did not require extensive walking and there were lovely places to sit and rest if needed. Rouen walking tour again was not excessively long and if needed there is the "gentle walker" option. The included Paris tour was just short stretches of walking interspersed with bus touring. We opted to go to Versaille instead of Malmaison and there was a fair amount of walking required there but except for stairs inside the palace it was flat. I would highly recommend the Paris at night option. Beautiful and easy way to see the "City of Lights".

We actually loved being docked at LePeq. It is a very affluent and green suburb with a very not touristy feel. We would never have seen it otherwise. The welcome walk of St Germaine en Laye on embarkation day was amazing.

And for what it's worth we never rafted with any other ships while on the Seine. We did go in the fall so perhaps there was less river traffic but I think on the Seine the lines tend to dock in different places (Only Viking uses LePeq, and Les Andyles, most use Rouen but there are 2 or 3 different sites there, Viking uses Vernon for Giverny, some other lines use other sites, etc.) so there may be less rafting.

mhb1757,

it is nice that you had a welcome walk at St. Germaine-en-Laye, looks an interesting place. At the end of 2016 situation in LePecq was that the next 135m boats would have to dock there as well as the ruling within the Paris boundaries will not change (authorities still restrict that area of Paris to 125m boats). Arosa announced that they would sail the Seine from the 2017 season onwards meaning "joining" Viking at LePecq. Such has traffic increased that Le Pecq is seizing the day and investing money in new harbour facilities (French newspaper report). Viking will not be alone...but might not necessarily raft with other ships of course.

Other European companies sail the Seine, for example Riviera Travel, who are allowed to dock in Paris, as the ship meets the requirements.

Also the river Seine is getting busier not just the Rhine and the Danube.

From what you say it sounds as if the area (Normandy) is quite flat and much sightseeing is done by bus where not close to the river. Sounds a good option for the OP.

notamermaid

For Viking you need to know that they do not dock in Paris but at LePecq. The new Uniworld ship at 125m and the 110m ships dock in Paris. The coordinates on google maps are for Quai de Grenelles 48.852177, 2.284673 and for LePecq 48.896906, 2.107309 (roughly, not sure where the harbour for the cruise ships is).

 

By the way, on street view at Quai de Grenelles there is the Viking Neptune. Sadly, she does not sail the Seine anymore.

 

 

Edit: found the site in LePecq: 48.895517, 2.107091 there is a Viking ship docked there as it is a more recent streetview shot, a little further on the Viking ship vanishes (really odd but probably means there is a gap in the street view timing right there). My goodness doesn't the area look, err, "functional"!

 

notamermaid

notamermaid & others taking Paris - Normandy on Viking.

Here is link to Google Map with Viking Docks, based on vessel tracking, and other points of interest. Zoom and Pan for details.

Hope this helps.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=173rTmth7rsSg0SUP1dZIlgQ7Zdw&usp=sharing