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Spend seven days and seven nights — A week of French Spirit
— staying with French people, exploring Burgundy’s wine
regions and canals, and enjoying excellent cooking and wines. On
Friday morning your host will meet you in Paris and drive you by
private, air-conditioned car to Domain
Brunot for your three-night stay with Didier and
Françoise. On Monday Didier will drive you to the barge
L’Etoile,
where Mathias and Cobie will welcome you. The next morning it is
time for your first barge cruise. On Friday morning, at the end
of cruising, Mathias will transfer you to Chalon sur Saone.
This tour offers you the best of French living for up to six guests.
Enjoy authentic French cuisine, delightful excursions, charming
accommodations, and warm camaraderie. No matter what your interests
are — food and wine, history, architecture, or just simple
relaxation — there is something here for everybody.
| Friday |
Didier picks you up in Paris at the airport or your hotel
and gives you an overview of Paris (where he served as a military
chauffeur). Then a stop at one or both of the spectacular
chateaux: Fontainebleau and Vaux-le-Vicomte. In the afternoon
you arrive at Domaine Brunot and meet Françoise.
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Saturday
and
Sunday
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- Excursions
to (your choice): Auxerre and the surrounding wine country;
the Chablis region; and/or the Vezelay area.
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| Monday |
After breakfast Didier will drive you through the Morvan
forest area to the Canal du Centre and the barge L’Etoile.
On the way you will see the 12th-13th century city of Semur
en Auxious.
Aboard L’Etoile, Cobie and Mathias welcome you with
a late lunch. Then settle into your cabins, and the rest of
the afternoon is free to relax, walk, or ride a bike. This
evening we serve a Captain’s Welcome dinner.
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- A morning cruise past several locks and beautiful vineyards.
This part of the Canal is excellent to follow the barge
by biking along the towpath and visit villages along the
way. Lunch is served during the cruise and in the afternoon
we visit the 13th-century chateau “La Rochepot.“
Then wine tasting in one of the small villages. Dinner is
served on board.
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Today is open-air market in Beaune, a Medieval town and wine
capital of Burgundy. Spend the morning exploring this fascinating
town and visiting the famous Hospice, built in 1443. In the
afternoon we continue the cruise past several locks. After
lunch we continue our cruise and moor in Rully. Dinner is
served on board.
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Thursday
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In the morning we continue our cruise to arrive at the last
lock on the canal and the wide River Saone, which we follow
to the town of Chalone sur Saone. We moor in the town center
and after lunch we visit the historic town by foot. Chalon
has picturesque shopping streets, a 14th-century cathedral,
a museum where the first photographs of the world are displayed,
and an archeological museum. Tonight we prepare a festive
farewell dinner.
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| Friday |
After breakfast Mathias brings you to the Chalon sur Saone
rail station.
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