Douce France Cabins

During its 2017 rebuild, Douce France focused on reducing passenger count, bringing the number of passengers down from 160 to 107. The cabins were reduced by a third, making the current configuration larger; the bathrooms were also made larger. Because Douce France is a two-deck ship as opposed to three, none of the cabins sit below the water line so even the less expensive rooms on Deck 1 have large picture windows that open. All cabins, with the exception of suites and solo rooms, are the same size.

All cabins also have stark white walls, with a piece of artwork on the walls. Blue carpet, curtains and a blanket, as well as chartreuse pillows and a chartreuse and purple chair, add color. The main difference between rooms on the Main Deck and those on the Upper Deck is that the latter have floor-to-ceiling windows, one of them a French balcony, while the lower cabins have two large picture windows, one of which can open for fresh air. Furniture is limited to the two twin beds that can turn into a queen, a vanity stool and the aforementioned chair. Beds in most cabins face the river, which is a nice way to wake up (or enjoy the scenery before an afternoon nap).

Storage is plentiful, with two wardrobe closets, a closet of shelves, drawers under the vanity and a bedside table. A flat-screen TV comes down from the ceiling, although none of the channels are English-language. Suitcases can fit under the bed. Lighting is appropriate, but we wonder why the ship didn't add more electrical outlets or USBs to charge devices; there are only two on the vanity (and none near the bed). There's a phone with daily wake-up calls available and a safe.

The stark white bathrooms in all rooms except the suite are compact. Nonetheless, the shower manages to be reasonably sized, with a folding door and adjustable showerhead. The sink is small but there's a ledge above the toilet for belongings. There's also a makeup mirror and a powerful hair dryer under the sink.

Riverview (Main Deck): The cabins on the Main Deck are 157 square feet. We found the size plenty adequate for two unrelated people, and really appreciated the windows, particularly the one that opened for fresh air.

French Balcony (Upper Deck): The cabins on the Upper Deck are also 157 square feet and have floor-to-ceiling windows. One set of windows opens as a French balcony, the other does not. Otherwise, the layout of the room and bathroom are exactly the same as those on the Main Deck.

One cabin on the Upper Deck is outfitted for limited mobility, with a walk-in shower, and is also 157 square feet; it's conveniently located close to reception and the main entrance/exit of the ship.

Solo Cabins (Main Deck and Upper Deck): Douce France has four solo cabins, two on each deck, that are 105 square feet. The main difference is whether the room has a picture window (Main Deck) or French balcony (Upper Deck). In these rooms, the bed faces the wall, not the river. The bathroom also has a curtain instead of a folding door, as well as less storage space.

Suites (Main Deck and Upper Deck): Douce France has two suites, one on each deck. The suite on the lower Main Deck is the smaller of the two at 177 square feet but has a bigger-than-average queen-size bed. The Upper Deck suite is the largest accommodation on the ship at 250 square feet and has an additional twin bed for a third passenger. The vanity is in its own alcove and the bathroom is much larger than those in the other cabins.