Cruise Description

Inspired by the past and reimagined for the future, Seven Seas Grandeur™ personifies our heritage of perfection.

Saint-Malo, France
Explore this fascinating fortified town or discover the lovely medieval town of Dinan and its impressive clock tower and picturesque half-timbered houses. Drive along the rugged Brittany coast and savor the stunning view of mystical Mont St. Michel before wandering through its steep winding streets and the mazelike abbey passages.

Pont-Aven (Concarneau), France
The picturesque landscape of Pont-Aven inspired post-Impressionist painter Paul Gauguin to paint some of his most famed canvases. This attractive little village also has some lovely riverside walks, a mouth-watering food specialty and a colorful summer festival. No visit to Pont-Aven would be complete without buying some galettes from Biscuiterie Traou Mad, where these butter biscuits were invented. Be sure to stroll down the Promenade Xavier Grall, named after a famous writer who lived in the village, which runs alongside the river and is lined with beautiful plants and shrubs throughout the year.

La Rochelle, France
Known for its white limestone cliffs, La Rochelle enchants. Wander along its bustling harbor, Quai Duperré, savoring the iconic view of the Tour Saint-Nicolas and Tour de la Chaîne, painted by countless artists including Corot, Signac and Vernet. Then take a seat under the awnings of one of the many oceanfront restaurants and have a delicious seafood lunch while watching the sailboats. Look up to see the three medieval towers that once protected the port and are now symbols of the waterfront. The imposing Four Sergeants Tower was formerly a prison, and you can see where the corsairs scrawled graffiti on the walls. Be sure to visit the city aquarium, which holds thousands of species living in re-creations of their natural habitats. You will also appreciate La Rochelle's pedestrian-friendly streets, especially in the city center, which is graced by 17th and 18th century architecture.

Bordeaux, France
Bordeaux is located near the European Atlantic coast, in the north of the Aquitaine region in France. The city is built on a bend of the river Garonne, with the city literally divided into two parts. The world's wine capital, Bordeaux has about 60 appellations, 9,000 wine-producing châteaux, and 13,000 grape growers. With an annual production of over 700 million bottles, Bordeaux produces large quantities of everyday wine as well as the most expensive ones.

Biarritz (Saint-Jean-de-Luz), France
Tucked in France’s Côte Basque, Biarritz first came to prominence in the mid-19th century when Napoleon III built a summer palace here for his wife, Empress Eugenie. The oceanside palace is now the esteemed Hotel du Palais, a landmark for the dynamic, beach-rimmed Biarritz. Surfing in France originated here in the late 1950s, and the sport has become synonymous with the city. You might watch surfers riding the waves that funnel into the Bay of Biscay, or simply comb the lovely beaches. Biarritz also has an urbane personality and museums dedicated to everything from Asian art to chocolate. Don’t miss the blue-domed Russian Orthodox Church, built for visiting Russian aristocrats in the 19th century. Pedestrian-friendly Biarritz is lined with fashion boutiques and shops selling French cheeses, wine, porcelain dolls, and Basque tablecloths. Enjoy Basque-influenced cuisine such as veal stew, cured ham dishes, tapas and foie gras.

Bilbao, Spain
Bilbao straddles the Bilbao or Nervión River some 15 miles from the Cantabrian Seacoast. An industrial city, the metropolitan area ranks among Spain's most important commercial and financial centers. Proximity to the sea and early discovery of vast mineral deposits led to the development of the port. The modern city center is El Ensanche (literally "the expansion"). Possibly the newest source of great local pride is the remarkable Guggenheim Museum-Bilbao.

La Coruña, Spain
La Coruna is a busy port on the Atlantic Ocean that provides a distribution point for agricultural goods from the region. It was the arrival of democracy in Spain after the death of Francisco Franco that caused a major growth in the city. The city is the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, a lighthouse that has been in continuous operation for nearly 2,000 years. The city is also well-known for its characteristic glazed window balconies, called galerías.