In 1992, an engineering marvel changed the course of the European river cruise industry. A feat of earth moving proportions, the completion of the Rhine-Main-Danube Canal made it possible to navigate …
Exploring France’s Mont Saint Michel
Just a few meters from the island’s small port, a one-roomed chapel rests next to the water. Crusted by barnacles and battered by decades of weather, a small statue of a bishop stands proudly on the r…
French decadence in the Loire Valley
It is a living museum showcasing the decadence of the Renaissance. Incredible chateaux replete with artworks by the Masters, intricate tapestries and ornate furniture, gold, silver and lace; these pre…
The Scenic way to French cooking
Eating in France is a celebration, not just of the food, but of the culture. Here, cooking is a refined art form with even the most humble ingredients combining to create sumptuous dishes. And there i…
Chateau and wine touring in Bordeaux
There are few places in the world that connect you with history more profoundly than regional France. The lavish chateaux, unchanged medieval villages, renowned artworks, artisan foods and epic landma…
Celebrate the ANZAC legacy in France
A continent fraught with war for centuries, Europe is today a great monument, filled with the scars of battle, and the blood, sweat and tears of humanity itself. Even Australia, a world away geographi…
Review of Scenic Gem’s cabins
The River Seine is the original Paris landmark. Without it, Paris itself may never have existed, at least not in the way we know it today. A major artery for trade since at least the 3rd century, the …
Review of Scenic Gem on the Seine
What makes the perfect holiday? Top notch service with a touch of pampering, plenty of time for fun and relaxation and of course, the chance to visit new and exciting places. These are the hallmarks o…
Visit a spectacular French chateau
There is something about Chenonceau that is hard to describe. The “ladies castle” – as it has become known over the centuries – is a piece of living history in France’s Loire Valley that evokes equal…
Visit Monet’s Home and Garden
There’s something very humbling about quite literally stepping into history. To stand on the very spot where the great masters of art immortalised the same scene you’re looking at is an in…