France

Christmas Lights and Holiday Delights

Paris in December is a magical and enchanting experience, filled with the festive
spirit of the holiday season. Beautifully adorned with festive decorations and
sparkling lights, the Champs-Elysées, the Eiffel Tower, and the grand boulevards
are illuminated with stunning displays, as the city transforms into a winter
wonderland and a palpable sense of excitement fills the crisp, chilly air.

Alsace, in northeastern France, is celebrated for its picturesque villages
and authentic Alsatian culture. Half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets,
and historic architecture create a fairy tale-like atmosphere. The Christmas
markets in Alsace are deeply rooted in local traditions and community spirit.
Adorned with twinkling lights, garlands, and festive decorations that
transform the towns into a magical wonderland. The scent of mulled wine,
roasted chestnuts, and gingerbread fills the air; carol singers and street
performers add to the festive ambiance.
Enjoy superlative French service aboard your intimate 11-cabin canal barge,
and explore from well-located boutique hotels.
Savor Parisian flavors and Alsatian holiday traditional treats and plenty of vin
chaud — mulled wine — to keep warm as you stroll the wintry, cobblestone streets.

ITINERARY
8 nights | Paris, 2 nights; train to Strasbourg; Colmar, 3 nights; 
train to Charles de Gaulle Airport, 1 night; departures.
Pre-trip Extensions: 1, 2 or 3 additional nights in Paris

HIGHLIGHTS
• Delight in Paris, the City of Holiday Lights displays by night: the Champs
Elysees, the grand boulevards and the spectacular windows of the famed
Parisian department stores.
• Visit Vaux-le-Vicompte château, decorated for the holidays.
• Take in the effervescent Christmas markets in picturesque medieval towns
decorated in festive lights: Strasbourg, Colmar, Riquewihr, Kaysersberg,
Eguisheim, Obernai.
• Discover the stunning 12th century Château du Haut-Koenigsbourg,
situated on a high hill overlooking the Alsace plain.
• View French masterpieces from the Renaissance to Impressionism at the
Marmottan and Unterlinden Museums.
• Enjoy the unique French-German customs, gastronomy and wines of
Alsace and the Rhine Regions.