Top 15 Shore Excursions in France

1.D-Day Beaches Shore Excursion from Le Havre with Packed Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 486 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $119Our pick

Spend about 10 hours tracing the Normandy invasion from Le Havre. Visit Pointe du Hoc, Omaha Beach, the German War Cemetery, and the American Cemetery with guides such as Bertrand, Ash, Sam, or Thelma. A homemade baguette lunch, water, dessert, port pickup, and return are included.

“Four family members travelled together for the DDay experience. 2 of us had done it previously. Sam, our guide , was extremely knowledgeable and gave us so much history about the event. He was also very organized and kept us on time by giving us specific times to be back on the bus. We really enjoyed our lunch on Omaha Beach. It was a well-organized tour and we enjoyed it immensely.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Marseille Shore Excursion: City Sightseeing Tour of Marseille

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 321 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $96

Ride from Marseille’s cruise terminal with a driver-guide to Notre-Dame de la Garde, Palais Longchamp, Abbaye Saint-Victor, Four des Navettes, Porte d’Aix, and the Old Port. Guides such as Paco, Aziz, Mario, and Mariano have earned strong praise for clear local history. Expect a highlights tour, not a slow, small-group walk.

“Paco was charming. Just the right amount of talk and quiet. The winds were so strong on that day that we altered a couple of the planned stops. But Paco made it seem flawless”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Marseille Shore Excursion: Half Day Tour of Marseille by Electric Bike

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 234 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $89

Ride an electric bike through Marseille with an English-speaking guide, visiting Notre Dame de la Garde, the Old Port, Palais du Pharo, Vallon des Auffes, Panier, Joliette, and the Corniche Kennedy. Port pickup and return are included, and the group is limited to eight. You must be comfortable cycling beside traffic.

“First, I have to say Pauline was a wonderful tour guide. She was very knowledgeable of the history. And watched out for our safety the best she could. Giving us helpful hints how to navigate the traffic. Now what I will say is you should be comfortable on an E bike with lots of traffic including buses, cars, scooters and people!! Very chaotic but when we got to our destinations, very worth it.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion: Marseille and Cassis Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 110 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $179

This seven-hour tour combines Marseille’s historic sights with Cassis and the Route des Crêtes. An English-speaking driver-guide such as Emanuel, Sebastian, Morgane, or Caroline leads up to eight people in an air-conditioned van. You’ll see Notre-Dame de la Garde, stop at Cap Canaille, explore Cassis, and have the option to pay extra for a Calanques boat trip.

“Amazing tour of Marseille, France and Cassis, France. We had a tour guide for the day, Morgen who was a native of Marseille and extremely knowledgeable! Stops at churches and museums for photos and educational info along with a visit to Notre-Dame de la Garde and the Abbey of St Victor. After, we headed thru a long and winding road to Cassis and the Calanques. We took an boat ride to 3 of the Calanques, which are limestone formations and have some of the most crystal blue water so unique and enchanting! Enjoyed some local snacks along the way, and I highly recommend the homemade marshmallows and croissants!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.6-Hour Private French Riviera Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 107 reviews · 6 hours

Travel by air-conditioned van with a private driver-guide from Cannes to Nice, Eze, Monaco, and Monte Carlo. You’ll see views over Villefranche and Cap Ferrat, visit the Fragonard perfumery and Monaco Cathedral, and drive part of the Formula 1 circuit. Guides such as David, Jack, Frank, and Yves are praised for adapting the day to traffic and your interests.

“went with wife, and our 3 adult and their spouses. Jack was great! Recommended midevil towns. The places we wanted to go to would have had too much traffic. He was a safe and courteous driver. Made us feel very comfortable all day. Thank you Jack!!!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.From Le Havre Breathtaking Honfleur and Deauville Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 100 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $156

Meet at Le Havre cruise terminal for a six-hour coach excursion to Deauville and Honfleur. Expect a guided drive in Deauville, a walking tour in Honfleur, free time for cafés and shops, and return transport timed for your ship. Guides have included Lawrence, Bastien, Maureen, and Igor.

“Lawrence is an excellent guide. This was our final port adventure - a lovely drive through the quaint towns. Relaxing and enjoyable.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Paris with River Cruise Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 99 reviews · 10 - 11 hours · from $222

Travel from Le Havre to Paris by air-conditioned coach, meet a local guide near the Eiffel Tower, cruise the Seine past the Louvre and Notre Dame, then visit the Arc de Triomphe and Champs-Élysées. Guides may include Amir, Maarten, Martin, Amber, or Daniel. The tour lasts 10 to 11 hours and focuses on major sights from outside.

“We bought this trip because we could not get an excursion to Paris on the Norwegian Getaway. Overall the excursion was good. The one big problem was the bus and driver. The bus was dirty. Windows were very dirty. Large bird droppings on front window. The restroom was not working. Seats were not working correctly, torn netting on backs of seats. Bus driver did not keep the bus cooled. Very old bus. He also did not stop on the way back to the ship for a restroom break which we were told would happen. When we got to Paris we picked up Maarten, our tour guide who was excellent and…”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Deluxe Paris Shore Excursion from Le Havre with Seine Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 79 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $85Best value

Travel from Le Havre to Paris by air-conditioned coach, meet a local guide such as Amir or Maarten, cruise the Seine past the Louvre and Notre Dame, photograph the Eiffel Tower, visit the Arc de Triomphe, and enjoy about an hour of free time before returning to your ship.

“Great quick one day tour of Paris from the cruise ship. They picked us up from the cruise terminal The driver was amazing. Drove the big bus so smoothly. Great driver. Tour guide joined us when we arrived to Paris. He was very knowledgeable (Maartin) We saw everything we wanted to see touring the city from the river boat tour. Also apart of this tour. We got off the bus for photos of the Ethiel tower and walking around the arc de triumph for shopping. The tour arrived back to the ship with a hour to spare. We had a wonderful day and would highly recommend this day trip to…”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion: Marseille and Aix-en-Provence

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 76 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $179

Travel from Marseille’s cruise port in an air-conditioned vehicle with a guide such as Pepe, Lucie, Rémy, Morgane, or Sébastien. See Notre-Dame de la Garde, Saint-Victor, and the Corniche, then enjoy free time in Aix-en-Provence for fountains, markets, lunch, and shopping. Groups are capped at eight.

“We had a most memorable excursion to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille with our wonderful host, Pepe! Pepe was very knowledgeable, personable and added much color to the visit explaining the rich history of the regions and then giving us time to explore on our own. Would definitely recommend to any traveler coming through that part of the world! Cheers!”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.The best French Riviera Full-Day from Cannes Small-Group Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 65 reviews · 9 hours (approx.) · from $155

This 9-hour shore excursion uses an air-conditioned minivan for up to eight people, with port pickup in Cannes. Your guide leads you past the Festival Palace, through Antibes, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Èze, La Turbie, Monaco, and Monte Carlo, including the palace, cathedral, casino, Fragonard perfumery, and part of the Formula One circuit.

“It was a wonderful day! Amazing how much was packed into 8-9 hrs. Highly recommend this tour and guide.”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Cannes Shore Excursion: Private Day Trip to Monaco and Eze

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 59 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $487

Leave Cannes port in a private eight-seat Mercedes minivan with an English or French driver-guide. Visit medieval Eze, tour Fragonard, see Monaco-Ville and the Prince’s Palace, then follow the Monte Carlo Formula One circuit. Guides such as Laurent, Catherine, Pierre, and Giorgio are praised for flexible timing and personal service.

“We really liked doing the private tours, we liked it just being our group, and we could decide if we wanted to change anything, or stay longer somewhere. Sylvia was very pleasant and enjoyable. We got to see the changing of the guard, we had plenty of time to shop and eat, went into Monte Carlo and explored. We did not get to Eze, we had to be back on our cruise ship earlier than expected. But that was fine, we had a great day!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Cannes Shore Excursion: Private Tour of the French Riviera

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 54 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel by air-conditioned minivan from Cannes with a private driver-guide such as Jerome, Ingrid, Rene, Roman, or Margarita. Visit Eze, La Turbie, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Antibes, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, and Cannes in about eight hours. The route is ambitious, so your guide will need to balance sightseeing with your ship’s return time.

“very flexible and informative. Our guide knew so much and let us personalize it! I highly recommend it”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Marseille Shore Excursion Private Electric Bike Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $120

Ride a private electric bike through Marseille with a local guide, visiting Notre-Dame de la Garde, Le Panier, the Old Port, Corniche Kennedy, and Vallon des Auffes. Port pickup and return are included. Guides such as Emmanuel, Isabelle, Raphael, and Stephan have tailored rides with history, photo stops, café breaks, and even chocolate tastings.

“This was one of the highlights of our week. I don't know the exact name of our guide - I think Kimre - she was absolutely wonderful. We loved learning about the passion she has for Marseille. She was great explaining things to us as well as our 17 and 18 year old boys. I would absolutely do this type of a tour again in any other city. We really loved seeing this city on bike as well as stopping for a few local bites to eat. Excellent job!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Small Group Marseille Shore Excursion: Aix-en-Provence & Cassis

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 37 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $178

This 7-hour shore excursion pairs Aix-en-Provence’s fountains, markets, and Cours Mirabeau with Cassis’s fishing harbor and Cape Canaille. An English-speaking driver such as Thomas, Pepe, or Sébastien shares local history from an air-conditioned vehicle, then gives you free time to explore. The calanque boat trip costs extra.

“It was a good day with Pepe. We had comfortable van in which we travelled to Aix and Cassis. Lots of free time in each location, to explore on our own, all made easier with his explanations of the area. Pepe showed us beautiful views of the mountains and the sea!! I definitely recommend this tour.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Marseille Shore Excursion – Full Day Wine Tour in Provence

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 29 reviews · 6 to 7 hours (approx.) · from $203

Meet your English-speaking wine guide at Marseille’s cruise pier for a 6 to 7-hour small-group tour. In an air-conditioned minivan, you’ll visit two wineries, taste Provençal rosé, red, and white wines, and learn about terroir and winemaking. You’ll also have about two hours in Cassis, Lourmarin, or Aix-en-Provence.

“We really enjoyed our visit to the 2 wineries and tastings at each one. I chose this tour because due to my husband’s knee problems he is unable to walk far. It was perfect. Our guide was excellent .her knowledge of English was very good and her in depth explanation of wine making in France was very thorough. The beautiful scenery and close up views of the estates made us feel we were seeing the ‘real France. We also visited the small town of Aix-en-Provence, a pretty old town with narrow streets and a square. We were the only 2 people on the tour so we truly had a private…”

Check availability →Read our full review