Nevers (France)

Nevers is a Loire River cruise port and town in France's Bourgogne-Franche-Comte region (Nievre department) with a municipal population of around 35,000 and an urban population of around 100,000. Nevers is located approx 260 km (160 mi) southeast of Paris City.

SNCF trains connect to Paris, as well as to Dijon and Lyon. Nevers and Paris are also directly linked via motorway A77 at ~2 hours drive distance.

The settlement was founded by the Romans (as Noviodunum) in 52 BC as an important port on Loire River. In the following centuries, the town was named Nevirnum (aka Nebirnum) and in the late-5th-century became a bishopric seat. Among tourists, Nevers is best known for its narrow cobbled streets leading from the quay through the old town lined up with 14th to 17th century-built houses. The most popular buildings include the Ducal Palace (15th-16th-centuries residence castle), Nevers Cathedral (dedicated to St Quiricus and St Julietta), Saint Etienne Church. Town's current-day economy is based on educational institutions (lyceums, colleges, ecclesiastical seminaries, art school), manufacturing (porcelain, steel, wood, agricultural machinery, fertilizers, iron goods, shoemaking, garments), distilleries, tanneries, winegrowing, grain, livestock.

As cruise port, Nevers is included in the regular schedule of the CroisiEurope-owned hotel barge Deborah. The new ship (2016-built) is owned by one of Europe's largest river cruise companies and operates the following 6-day itinerary between homeports Nevers and Briare.

The cruisetour is priced from ~USD 1600 per prson with double-occupancy.