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The traditional barge shape of a Luxemotor
Niagara: 30 metres, 6 passenger, 3 crew
A unique cruise vacation with the freedom and time to relax and discover Burgundy at your own pace. Offering total privacy and intimacy for an unforgettable vacation
A wonderful French breakfast which turns into a beautiful buffet lunch, gentle cruising through the beautiful countryside. At the end of the afternoon cruise, you can drive off to explore the surroundings. The evening dinner can be taken in the restaurant near to the day's moorings or you can discover other gourmet delights.
Luxury hotel barge M.S. Niagara is a 96-foot barge cruising on the Canal of Burgundy available for charter and cruises in the heart of France. The barge offers the highest standards in luxury accommodation and French gastronomy. You will have an unforgettable vacation cruising along one of the most beautiful European waterways.
The Niagara has very spacious cabins, a large sundeck with a heated
swimming pool which will ensure that you experience an unforgettable
cruise. The price includes gourmet French cuisines and all drinks
and wines served on board.
- Cruise program for the barge
- Reservations
The photo above shows the Niagara leaving a midday mooring and cruising
upstream through the quite village of La Bussiere in the heart of
the Cote d'Or. Behind the houses is the Abbey of la Bussiere built
in the 12th century.
Contact us for details of the exceptional Limited Special Offer.
Our conclusion:
The perfect honeymoon cruise ! Charter the barge for just the two of you !
Although the bagre can accommodate 6 passengers, you can also charter for two, just the two of you... A dream cruise.
The swimming pool adds a wonderful touch of luxury.
Cruise program
Friday:
After your arrival at Burgundy Hotel Chateau la Chassagne, nearby
Dijon, an air conditioned minibus will take you to the Hotel Barge
located in the beautiful canal port of Dijon, where the captain
and his crew will warmly welcome you aboard, with a Kir Royal cocktail.
The beginning to a unique and memorable journey in Burgundy.
The captain will also take you on a sightseeing trip through the
capital city of Dijon, where you will see the palace of the Dukes
of Burgundy, the covered market place, fountains and manor houses.
You will have time to walk down the cobbled streets and shops, full
of fine French products, from baguettes to perfumes to cheeses.
An evening dinner in a nearby restaurant and then after returning to the barge, the time draws near for your first
candle light dinner served with burgundy wine. The evening is brought
to a pleasant close in a friendly atmosphere by the barges bar where
all the drinks are of course on the house.
Saturday:
Whilst having breakfast, the barge cast off her moorings and begins
her cruise up the canal of Burgundy. Today's cruises will take
through the first dozen of the weeks 45 locks. After the captain
skilfully pilots the barge under the first obstacle, which is a
bridge by Eiffel, and since rebuilt, you will approach the famous
mustard factory and then pass the picturesque Lake Kir, to Plombieres
les Dijon with its small leisure port, then the village of Velars
sur Ouche. You are free to get on and off board at any of the locks,
the crew has bicycles ready for you, or you may prefer to wonder
off on foot to follow the canal's towpath. Take your camera with
you; some of the lock houses are very interesting. After a break
for lunch, the barge continues to through the locks to Fleurey sur
Ouche, the village's name means Flowers, which is the barge mooring
for the night. It is a very old village with many quaint traditional
houses, and narrow streets, explore them at your easy or take part
in the program if you wish. Afterwards your second evening meal
is waiting for you; the view from the dining room over the canal
will delight you.
Sunday:
The
village church bells ring, the barge Niagara slowly glides away
from Fleurey sur Ouche. The midday destination is the small village
of Saint Marie sur Ouche. After a few locks the canal passes below
the domain of Chateau la Chassagne and then makes a sudden left
turn to contour the nearby hills, the canal hugs the road which
climbs over to Nuits saint George. There is now a dramatic change
in the country side as the barge moves into the heart of Valley
Ouche, when the barge arrives in the village, don't forget to take
look at the beautifully flowered garden of lock house number 36.
Slightly upstream from here the barge will moor up for a Sunday
lunch shaded by the tress lining the canal. You will have plenty
of time to wonder off into this village, if you look hard, you'll
discover two places with memorials indicating where members of the
Resistance were executed. In the afternoon the barge continues up
the canal towards the village of Gissey sur Ouche. This very quaint
village has many interesting old buildings such as a 300 year old
wash house, with crystal clear spring water flowing through, there
are even a few of the older villagers who still use it. Try and
photograph the old hotel, and search for the railway buildings.
The adventurous traveller can wonder off into the hillsides and forest
to check out the wild boar parks.
Monday:
Today is a perfect occasion to discover the secrets of the Burgundy
wine region. You'll have plenty of time to enjoy your breakfast,
and prepare yourself for some very serious wine tasting in the Burgundy
wine capital of Beaune. The minibuses will take you along the small
roads and over the hills, down into the Cote de Beaune. The sudden
change in the landscape always impresses travellers. Suddenly all
around you, you see vineyards for miles and miles. Vines that have
been cared for, for many hundreds of years, by many generations
of families. You'll be in some of the most famous vines of the world,
such as, Aloxe Corton, Corton Charlemagne, Pommard, Mersault and
Montrachet.
Your guide will introduce you to the Burgundy vineyards
by explaining the differences between the Bordeaux and other vineyards.
He will show you why the wines taste different from one vineyard
to the other, the harvesting, and pressing and fermentation process.
In the 18th century cellars, you'll be shown how the wine is matured
in oak barrels, the transfer of the wine to the bottles and the
aging.
A wine tasting is organised to introduce you to the 1000 different
tastes of Burgundy. From the Hautes Cote de Nuits to Gevery Chambertin
to Volnay, red and white wines, how to make roses, why wines have
forest fruit or nut taste, many of the secrets will become clear
to you. You will of course have the chance to buy wine, and for
those who wish to profit from the occasion, wine can be selected
and sent to your own front door.
By lunchtime you will be ready for the short bus ride to a wonderful
restaurant, which is set in a very old wine cellar in the village
of Volnay. This village has many premiere cru wines such as Clos
des Chenes, a rich red wine, there are many choices form the menu,
but if you are unsure which choice to make let the Captain guide
you in selecting the entree and main course. As is typical in France,
your meal will last a couple of hours; afterwards you will be ready
to continue the exploration of the Burgundy wine capital of Beaune.
The visit of the 15th century Hospice is a must; just looking at
the incredible architecture and roof of this building will astound
you, the old city ramparts and the Tower of Philippe le Bon, the
wine museum. You can also visit the shops along the small pedestrian
streets, try and find the cheese shop, where you can also do some
cheese tasting!
Normally you will return to the barge in time for an aperitif, then
you'll have the time to relax and savour the flavours, which you encountered
during this special day.
Tuesday:
Cruising begins with the barge continuing up the canal heading towards
the small villages of La Bussiere sur Ouche, which hides on of the
most interesting Cistercian abbeys of the Burgundy region. On the
way, whilst the barge slowly winds it's way through the valley,
you will pass through the villages of Barberiey sur Ouche and Saint
Victor, on the hillside to the right you can see the ruined feudal
castle of Marigny, which dates from the 11th century. The barge
will normally arrive just before midday giving you plenty of time
to walk the few yards from the mooring to the abbey. Your guide
will show you some very interesting buildings dating from the 11th
century, and the huge wine press which is nearly 500 years old,
built out of very large oak trees, the lake and parkland with the
old paths walked along by the monks for hundreds of years. The atmosphere
of calm and tranquillity always impresses visitor.
The afternoon cruise is an idle time for landscape lovers to sit
on the sundeck and enjoy the countryside slip by. As many of the
locks are quite far apart in this section of the canal it is also
a great time to cycle or walk along the shaded path. Watch out for
the elegant heron fishing birds or the fast flying kingfishers.
The Ouche, which is following the canal, hides many places where
you can swim in cool spring water. For those who like trout fishing,
bring along your rods, or talk to the captain, who will gladly organise
things for you.
The barge generally arrives late in the afternoon in the small port
of Pont d'Ouche, if you have organised a balloon trip, the balloon
crew very often take you in hand from here. Otherwise there will
of course be an excursion organised. Once again your evening meal
will enchant you, whilst the sun is setting try and look out for
the deer who often come down to drink by the river.
Wednesday:
A very interesting cruise from the small village
of Pont d'Ouche, out of the valley Ouche and into the Auxois, below the imposing castle of Chateauneuf and then on to Vandenesse.
A very busy day for the barge crew, as the barge will leave
Pont d'Ouche to climb up through the last dozen locks, of your cruise.
After a couple of hours, you will see Châteauneuf perched
on a hillside, guarding the plateau of Auxois. Try and cycle off
at lock number 16 to visit the Chateau of Chaudenay, where Jean
de Chaudenay built an earlier version Châteauneuf. Your lunchtime
mooring will be at the foot of Châteauneuf, shaded by the trees,
this is a very pleasant place to take an aperitif. There is also
a charming lock selling local handcrafts and jewelry just beside
the barge.
After lunch the barge will push through the staircase of locks in
front of you, to the small canal port of Vandenesse en Auxois, almost
at the summit of the canal of Burgundy. Here the captain will and
make a 180 turn with the barge in one of the few turning places
available. The barge is then moored up with the sundeck facing the
hill of Chateauneuf in the distance. The minibuses will then take
you on a visit to Châteauneuf, apart from the very brave who can
always attempt to cycle up the step hill to the village.
If you are in luck, your weeks cruise may coincide with on of the
many festivals that are held in the village of Chateauneuf, such
as the medieval market where you can buy traditional gingerbread
and honey, watch knights in armour on horseback jousting.
The evening often ends with Cognac by the pool; Châteauneuf lit up in the night sky in front of you. You'll probably also be thinking about the memorable week you have had far away from the stress of every day life.
Thursday:
As today is disembarkation; your captain will have already arranged
everything with you. If you have a train back to Paris, or a rental
car, whatever, the minibuses will take you exactly to where you
want. After a hearty breakfast taken without any haste, enjoy a
finally walk around the village of Vandenesse. The crew will say
farewell to you from the gangplank and you'll most likely leave
the barge feeling sad but no regrets, and you may even have to hide a tear as you
wave good-bye to the Niagara.
Direct Bookings Special Limited Offer
Now is the opportunity to experience a unique cruise experience in the heart of France.
Cruise rates in US$, including wines and open bar; New Beetle; private excursion to the vine yards; transfer from the barge to and from meeting point.
| Group | (7 days/6 nights) | (4 days/3 nights) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 people | 31,700 | 15,600 |
| 5 people | 29,600 | 14,900 |
| Up to 4 people | 27,500 | 14,00 |
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