Following the Impressionists Along the Seine

Aboard VIVA BEYOND Inside VIVA Cruises’ first boutique ship, where contemporary design, personalised service, fine dining and the landscapes of Normandy come together in a new interpretation of luxury river cruising. 

What if a river cruise felt less like boarding a traditional ship and more like checking into an intimate boutique hotel...one that happened to awaken each morning in a different corner of France?
That was the promise of my journey aboard VIVA BEYOND, the first ship in the new VIVA Boutique collection by VIVA Cruises. Over eight days and seven nights, we travelled from Paris through the Île-de-France region and Normandy, following the Seine towards the Atlantic coast before returning to the French capital.
The itinerary, aptly named “In the Footsteps of Impressionism,” connected destinations associated with Claude Monet, Vincent van Gogh, Eugène Boudin and the artistic movement that transformed the way the world perceived colour, atmosphere and light. From Auvers-sur-Oise and Rouen to Honfleur and Giverny, this was not simply a voyage between ports. It felt like travelling through the landscapes of a painting. Yet the cultural itinerary was only one part of the experience. VIVA BEYOND introduced a more intimate and carefully curated vision of river cruising: fewer guests, spacious suites, three distinct restaurants, personalised service and moments designed to feel genuinely special.
VIVA BEYOND measures 110 metres and accommodates a maximum of 112 guests across 56 cabins, half of which are suites measuring up to 30 square metres. The ship also features a Panorama Lounge and bar, a wellness and fitness area, a jacuzzi on the sun deck and three restaurant concepts, what is percievedas an unusually broad gastronomic offering for a vessel of this scale.
VIVA Boutique: a new interpretation of river cruising VIVA Boutique was conceived as an experience that extends beyond the conventional idea of a cruise. Its philosophy combines the polished intimacy of a modern boutique hotel with the freedom of waking up in a new destination without repeatedly packing, unpacking or changing rooms. VIVA BEYOND brings that concept to France through what might be described as savoir vivre in motion. In 2027, the collection will continue into Italy with VIVA UNIQUE, translating the same philosophy into the world of la dolce vita along the Po River and Venetian Lagoon.
After only a few days, routines begin to form naturally. Morning coffee arrives as the riverbank slowly changes outside. Breakfast is followed by an excursion, an afternoon on deck or a quiet moment in the suite. Evenings alternate between elegant dinners, live entertainment and conversations in the Panorama Lounge, thus travelling at a gentle pace. That, perhaps, is the real appeal of slow luxury travel: having enough to discover without feeling obliged to race through every second.

Inside the Beyond Suite

For this journey, my partner and I stayed in a Beyond Suite on the Diamond Deck, which became far more than just somewhere to sleep between excursions.

At approximately 30 square metres, the suite offered the proportions and comfort of a refined hotel room, with a proper living area, generous storage ( walk-in closet), a beautifully appointed bathroom and floor-to-ceiling views that allowed the Seine to become part of the interior.

There is something profoundly calming about waking up, opening the curtains and seeing the French countryside move quietly past the windows. One morning, the view might be framed by green riverbanks and small villages; the next, by the architecture of Rouen or the maritime atmosphere of Le Havre.

The design felt contemporary without being impersonal. Soft tones, tactile fabrics and elegant decorative details created warmth, while the overall layout allowed the room to remain comfortable throughout a seven-night stay. It did not feel as though we were living around our luggage; a seemingly simple detail that makes a considerable difference on a longer journey.

Beyond Suite guests also receive a collection of additional privileges. These include the possibility of enjoying breakfast in the suite, local seasonal treats delivered during the journey, preferred table reservations at MOMENTS and VIVA’s Bistro, an aperitif with the captain and hotel manager, earlier access to the suite on embarkation day and an exclusive excursion. Rather than functioning as ornamental benefits added to a brochure, several of these touches genuinely shaped the experience. Breakfast in the suite made slower mornings more enjoyable, while preferred dining arrangements and the exclusive evening ashore created a greater sense of personalisation.

The VIVA All-Inclusive concept also simplifies life on board. Full-board dining, a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, a daily replenished minibar, Wi-Fi and gratuities are included, alongside a special afternoon tea-style experience featuring sweet and savoury treats during the voyage.

Life aboard VIVA BEYOND

Life on board developed its own rhythm.

Mornings often began quietly, either with breakfast at the Riverside Restaurant or with coffee while watching the changing scenery. During sailing periods, the sun deck became one of the ship’s most beautiful spaces: somewhere to read, work, photograph the landscape or simply do very little - an underrated holiday activity that perhaps deserves better public relations.

The Panorama Lounge acted as the social heart of the ship. During the day, it was a relaxed setting for drinks and river views. In the evenings, it transformed through live performances and special entertainment, including a cabaret show on our final night.

There were also more formal moments, such as the gala evening, which brought everyone together for a celebratory dinner. Yet the atmosphere throughout the cruise remained elegant without becoming stiff. Guests could dress for dinner and enjoy a polished evening, but the experience never felt governed by outdated formality, although I do like overdressing, I admit.

That balance is important. VIVA BEYOND is sophisticated, but it does not require guests to perform sophistication.

The service played a significant role in creating this atmosphere. With a comparatively intimate number of guests, interactions quickly became more personal. Preferences were remembered, conversations continued from one day to the next and the ship began to feel less anonymous than a larger hospitality environment.

I also had the opportunity to meet and speak with members of the VIVA Cruises leadership team, including CEO and Co-Founder Andrea Kruse, Vice President Global Commercial and Marketing Patrick Ell and Irene Künzler from Product Development and Operations. Their involvement revealed how intentionally the boutique concept had been developed - from the ship’s design and restaurant structure to the experience surrounding each destination.

Three restaurants, three different moods

Gastronomy is central to VIVA Boutique, and VIVA BEYOND offers three restaurant concepts rather than relying upon one main dining room for every meal.

The Riverside Restaurant serves as the principal restaurant, offering international cuisine and multi-course menus in a bright, refined setting.

VIVA’s Brasserie provides a more relaxed alternative, with familiar favourites and views of the river. On our final evening there, I naturally gravitated towards the oysters, always my favourite, followed by an excellent steak. It was generous, comforting and exactly the type of dinner one wants after a full day of exploring Paris.

The third and most distinctive concept is MOMENTS, located at the stern of the Diamond Deck. With its intimate proportions and panoramic river views, the restaurant is designed as a one time per cruise fine-dining experience rather than simply another venue in which to have dinner.

The menus at MOMENTS were created by chef David Görne, whose restaurant G.a. is located at the Manoir de Rétival in Caudebec-en-Caux, overlooking the Seine.

Originally from Hamburg, Görne established his restaurant in France and became the first German chef working in the country to receive a Michelin star. His work later received a Michelin Green Star in recognition of its approach to sustainability. His cuisine connects French foundations with contemporary ideas, regional products and a distinctly personal sense of creativity.

At MOMENTS, that philosophy is translated onto the river through a tasting-menu format inspired by Normandy.

The menu moves between delicately prepared fish, vegetables treated with as much importance as the central proteins, refined meat courses and carefully constructed desserts. Rather than relying on unnecessary spectacle, the dishes are driven by contrasts in texture, temperature and flavour. There is a lightness to the experience that feels particularly appropriate aboard a ship. The food is intricate, but not exhausting. Each course is presented as part of a progression, accompanied by attentive explanations and considered wine pairings. The restaurant’s setting contributes considerably to the experience. Because MOMENTS is positioned at the stern, the landscape remains visible throughout dinner. Villages, trees and stretches of open water pass behind the plates, creating a moving backdrop no land-based restaurant could reproduce.

Each guest is offered the opportunity to dine at MOMENTS during the cruise. For me, it was one of the elements that most clearly differentiated VIVA Boutique from a standard river-cruise experience. It demonstrated that gastronomy had not been treated as an amenity added after the ship was designed; it was part of the identity from the beginning.

Beyond the ship: an evening at Manoir de Rétival

The connection between MOMENTS and David Görne’s own restaurant became even more tangible during one of the journey’s most exclusive experiences: an evening at the Manoir de Rétival, included specifically for Beyond Suite guests.

From the ship’s stop in Caudebec-en-Caux, we were welcomed into an entirely different world - an intimate manor overlooking the Seine, where the chef’s culinary philosophy could be experienced in its original setting.

The evening began with an introduction to the Manoir and Restaurant G.a., followed by a five-course tasting menu accompanied by curated wine pairings. The official experience lasts approximately three and a half hours and is designed exclusively for Beyond Suite guests.

What made the dinner particularly memorable was the sense of place. The menu did not feel isolated from the journey; it belonged to the landscape through which we had been travelling. The river visible from the Manoir was the same river carrying VIVA BEYOND through Normandy. The chef responsible for the restaurant on board was now welcoming us into his own creative universe ashore. The relationship between destination, gastronomy and cruise became complete.

It was an experience that deepened our understanding of MOMENTS and gave the collaboration a human dimension.

In the footsteps of Van Gogh and Monet

The itinerary itself was one of the principal reasons I selected this particular sailing.

Beginning in Paris, VIVA BEYOND travelled towards Conflans, Rouen and Le Havre before returning through Caudebec-en-Caux and Vernon. Our chosen excursions expanded the official route to include Auvers-sur-Oise, Honfleur, Giverny and Montmartre.

Auvers-sur-Oise and the final chapter of Van Gogh

Our first major artistic encounter took us to Auvers-sur-Oise, where Vincent van Gogh spent the final months of his life.

The village retains a quiet, almost suspended atmosphere. Several locations painted by Van Gogh remain recognisable, allowing visitors to compare the real landscape with the artist’s interpretation of it. At the hilltop cemetery, the graves of Vincent and his brother Theo rest side by side beneath a simple covering of ivy.

The excursion also introduced us to the cultural history surrounding absinthe at the Musée de l’Absinthe, an intimate museum exploring the drink’s mythology and its influence on the creative world of the 19th century. The official VIVA excursion combines these artistic and historical threads into approximately five hours of exploration.

Rouen on Bastille Day

We arrived in Rouen on 14 July, giving the visit an additional sense of occasion.

Rouen is inseparable from Monet’s celebrated series depicting its Gothic cathedral in changing light. Yet beyond its artistic associations, the city offers medieval streets, half-timbered façades, historical monuments and a strong regional identity.

Visiting on Bastille Day brought together history and contemporary French life. The city felt animated and festive, while the cathedral and old town remained visually magnificent.

Honfleur and the light of Normandy

From Le Havre, we travelled to Honfleur, one of Normandy’s most picturesque harbour towns.

Its narrow houses, cobbled streets, galleries and historic Vieux Bassin explain why the destination attracted generations of artists. Eugène Boudin, born in Honfleur and often regarded as an important precursor to Impressionism, painted the changing skies and coastal light that would later influence Monet.

The excursion also provided time to discover the wooden Church of Sainte-Catherine and wander independently through the town’s boutiques and waterfront streets.

Giverny: entering Monet’s living masterpiece

For anyone interested in Impressionism, Monet’s house and gardens in Giverny are the emotional centre of this itinerary. It was my personal favourite from the proposed excursions.

The gardens are not merely decorative surroundings to the painter’s former home. Monet actively designed and developed them as an extension of his artistic practice.

The famous water garden, with its Japanese bridge, willows, bamboo and water lilies,feels uncannily familiar, even on a first visit. One has seen it before through Monet’s eyes.

Inside the house, colour becomes equally important: the yellow dining room, blue kitchen, personal collection and domestic details reveal another side of the artist’s world.

Our excursion continued to the Musée des Impressionnismes Giverny, which develops temporary exhibitions exploring Impressionism, its origins and its wider influence. Together, the house, gardens and museum offer a more complete understanding of Monet; not simply as a painter of nature, but as someone who deliberately constructed the landscape he wished to paint.

Rediscovering Montmartre in a vintage Citroën

The final excursion returned us to Paris for a private journey through Montmartre in a vintage Citroën 2CV.

Although I visit Paris regularly, I realised that I had never properly explored the neighbourhood’s higher streets and artistic landmarks. As a automoive enthusiast, travelling through its narrow roads in a classic French car gave the familiar city an unexpectedly cinematic quality. The route included the Sacré-Cœur, Place du Tertre, the surviving windmill associated with the Moulin de la Galette and some of Montmartre’s oldest streets and churches. It was a charming conclusion to the voyage: after following the landscapes that inspired the Impressionists outside Paris, we returned to the capital and one of its most enduring artistic districts.

The beauty of river cruising: no hotel transfers, no repeated check-ins and no need to reorganise our belongings every morning. The logistics disappeared quietly into the background, leaving more space for the destinations themselves.

At the same time, VIVA Boutique did not use convenience as a substitute for experience. The cultural programme, restaurant concepts, suite privileges and special events were sufficiently distinctive to make the ship part of the story.

From French savoir vivre to Italian dolce vita: VIVA UNIQUE arrives in 2027

VIVA BEYOND is only the beginning of the VIVA Boutique story.

From May 2027, the second boutique ship, VIVA UNIQUE, is scheduled to begin sailing in Italy along the Po River and Venetian Lagoon.

The new ship will accommodate 104 guests in 52 cabins, with more than half of the accommodation comprising suites measuring up to 30 square metres. Its itineraries will connect Venice and its lagoon with destinations along the Po, opening a region rarely explored through premium river cruising. VIVA UNIQUE will retain the three-restaurant philosophy introduced aboard VIVA BEYOND. Riverside will remain the principal restaurant, while MOMENTS will reinterpret Italian regional and seasonal ingredients through a contemporary fine-dining perspective.

A new VIVA’s Trattoria will replace the French-inspired Brasserie concept, serving Italian and Mediterranean specialities in a more informal atmosphere. The ship will also include a wellness and fitness area and a pool on the sun deck.

Unique Suite guests will receive benefits comparable to those offered in the Beyond Suites, including breakfast in the suite, seasonal culinary treats, preferred restaurant reservations, an aperitif with the captain and hotel manager and a choice of special excursions.

After experiencing VIVA Boutique in France, the idea of seeing the concept translated into Italy feels especially exciting.

France gave VIVA BEYOND its artistic narrative, Norman gastronomy and understated elegance. Italy will inevitably bring a different energy: Venice, the Po Delta, regional cuisine, Italian design and the warm theatricality of la dolce vita.

I am already extremely excited to join VIVA UNIQUE and experience the next chapter of this story. Because after following the Impressionists along the Seine, the possibility of discovering Italy’s artistic and culinary heritage from the water feels like the most natural (and irresistible) continuation.

Ready to experience the Seine from a different perspective?
Discover the upcoming VIVA BEYOND itineraries and book your own boutique river journey with VIVA Cruises !