Cruise Burgundy aboard a 13-passenger barge-hotel (7 days - 6 nights). This barge began life as a cargo vessel in Holland before undergoing a complete transformation into the powerful canal and river cruiser it is today. Its light and airy interior features picture windows and a selection of prints, fabrics and wall colorings reminiscent of turn-of-the-century style and atmosphere. On this leisurely cruise, you'll visit chateaus and wineries, enjoy lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and still have time to relax!
Highlights:
- Clos de Vougeot visit and wine tasting
- Dijon market and Ducal Palace
- Chateau de Commarin
- Abbaye de la Bussière
- Hospice de Beaune
Barge Features:
- Cabins: 2 twin, 1 double, 3 twin or double, 1 single (13 passengers)
- 5 crew members
- Size: 128 ft. long
- Spa/Jacuzzi, chart room
- Air conditioning and central heating
- Air-conditioned coaches for excursions
Departures: Every Sunday subject to availability (except winter).
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1, Sunday: Dijon. You are picked up at a specified hotel in Dijon at 4:30 pm and transferred to the barge moored in the Port of Dijon. A champagne reception welcomes you on board and provides you with a chance to meet the crew. Enjoy a stroll into Dijon before dinner.
Day 2, Monday: Dijon to Fleurey-sur-Ouche. This morning experience your first day’s cruise along this enchanting canal. If you like, you can walk along the towpath as the barge ascends gradually to the canal summit, past sleepy villages and pretty lock houses. Leaving Dijon, we pass Lake Kir and cruise by the limestone escarpments that feed the nearby vineyards.
After lunch we visit Clos de Vougeot, headquarters of the esteemed Chevaliers du Tastevin, who award every year a prized special label to the finest Côte d‘Or vintages. Next, we stop at the family-run Domaine Jafflin in the heart of Nuits-St-Georges on the Route des Grands Crus. There, you will have a private tasting of local wines.
Day 3, Tuesday: Fleurey-sur-Ouche to Gissey-sur-Ouche. After breakfast, enjoy a walking tour of old Dijon, including a visit to the vivid flower and produce market, mustard shops and the flamboyant 14th century Ducal Palace (or enjoy some excellent shopping time). Return to the boat for lunch and a leisurely afternoon cruise to Gissey-sur-Ouche.
Day 4, Wednesday: Gissey-sur-Ouche to La Bussière. This morning we visit the moat-encircled 13th-century Chateau de Commarin, where the de Vogue family ownership goes back 26 generations. You will gain an insight into the glamorous lives of the French aristocracy as you visit the chateaus, the stables and the landscaped gardens. After lunch, cruise to La Bussière, passing grazing white Charolais cattle, rolling hills and picturesque villages.
Day 5, Thursday: La Bussière to Crugey. Early morning cruise and exclusive tour of the magnificent 12th-century Abbaye de la Bussière. The ornamental gardens and lake, wine press, crypt and cellars are interwoven with ancient colonnades, stone staircases and huge stained glass windows. After a Kir Royale aperitif in the private music room, the former chapel, we enjoy the gastronomic delights of Master Chef Olivier Elzer in the vaulted Michelin-starred restaurant while enjoying the sommelier’s choice of local Burgundy wines. This afternoon we continue to the medieval village, craft shops and castle of Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, once an outpost of the Dukes of Burgundy, that offers a fine overview of the canal and surrounding countryside.
Day 6, Friday: Crugey to Escommes. Our last day’s leisurely cruise takes us to the canal summit, 1250 feet above sea level, just before the Pouilly tunnel. In the afternoon we cross the Premier Cru vineyards into Beaune, capital of Burgundy wine country, with a history going back over 2000 years. We tour the fascinating 15th-century Hotel Dieu Hospice and visit Maison Champy, Beaune’s oldest winery. Captain’s Farewell Dinner.
Day 7, Saturday: Dijon. After breakfast, transfer to Dijon train station by 9 am.
Notes: On alternate weeks, cruise will be in the reverse direction. This itinerary is subject to change without notice. This boat can be chartered for groups. Various themes and dates can be arranged to fit the specific interests of each group.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Accommodations with private bath or shower and all meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7
- Wine with lunch and dinner and selected alcoholic beverages consumed aboard the barge
- Sightseeing tours and entrance fees as specified
- Round-trip transfers from specified meeting points
Price Excludes:
- Transportation to and from beginning and end points
- Health and travel insurance
- Crew gratuities (suggested 5% of cruise price)
- Superior vintage wines
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities when available
- Other items not specifically listed under "Price Includes" above
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Barging
Food & Wine
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