Day 8 - Saturday September 8

After sailing and then docking sometime in the night, the ship was now moored in Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. Actually a suburb of Paris, we were only 15 miles from central Paris. The Seine is very loopy, so we covered more miles sailing and we didn't sail all night.

 The view out of my cabin window in the AM, you could see the tendrils of mist rising off of the river.

 

 

 The early morning view from the sundeck and of the river from the sun deck as well.

 Four swans flying by. I saw lots and lots of swans along the river.

 

 

 The Ouise River and the small village of Auvers sur Ouise which is where Vincent van Gogh spent the last few months of his life. We had a walking tour and a special guide who in many cases lectured on his life with very little walking! Or at least little walking initially.

 

 

 Medallion along the path it is assumed that Van Gogh walked to places where he painted including the church.

 The view that was painted is being restored so not a good picture. Eventually we made our way to the cemetery where Vincent and his brother Theo are both buried. 

 

Back on board for lunch and resuming sailing down the Seine after lunch. Plus we had the chance to get a few minutes in small groups with the Captain in the wheelhouse! Ship has auto pilot, GPS and all sorts of good stuff. Captain is in his second year with the company. He and another captain alternate with 20 days on and 20 days off.

 

 

We sailed by another Notre Dame, this one in Mantes la Jolie.

 Then a bit farther down stream we came by Chateau LaRoche Guyon. We didn't stop here but had commentary from the program directors while we went by, the Captain slowed down so we had a nice long look. The chateau was used by Rommel during World War II and troops were housed in parts of the castle ruins.

 We sailed on until docking at the city of Vernon, which is just across the river from where Giverney and Monet's home is located.