Welcome to Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque
The 12-passenger La Belle Epoque is a spacious, luxurious hotel barge and sister ship to L'Impressionniste. She originally carried logs from Burgundy to Paris and Amsterdam and has been skilfully converted into a delightful hotel barge. She is now the perfect vessel for a barge cruise along the Upper Burgundy Canal with its towpaths that are ideal for walking and cycling.
She has been designed with both elegance and passenger comfort in mind with air conditioning/central heating and offers a sun deck with spa pool, wood-panelled saloon/dining room and other luxury amenities. The six spacious guest cabins offer a choice of twin or double beds, with marble en-suite bathrooms.
The Captain leads a crew of six, comprising Master Chef, Tour Guide, Housekeeper, Stewardess and Deckhand.
Barge Cruise highlights:
- All-inclusive open bar, free wines, gourmet cuisine, entry fees to excursions
- Visit the Abbaye de Fontenay, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- Private tasting of Chablis wines at the prestigious Domaine Laroche, including a visit to the 1000 year old monastery cellars
- Visit to the Château de Commarin for a unique falconry display
- Private champagne Tasting at Maison Taisne Riocour
- Dine with a Baroness at the magnificent Château de Ricey-Bas
- Excellent walking and bicycling; "Biking Plus" option available
- Optional Hot Air Ballooning
- Enjoy a luxury barge cruise
Burgundy / Bourgogne
Burgundy boasts some of the world's finest wines with almost 60,000 acres of sun-lit vines which you can experience by two canals that pass through this region: the Canal du Nivernais, and the Canal de Bourgogne which lies to its east.
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La Belle Epoque offers barge cruises on the upper Burgundy Canal in the North of Burgundy throughout the season, between the two classic French towns of Tanlay and Venarey-les-Laumes. This is a perfect cruise for exploring every aspect of the region. The waterways wind through the heart of the territory's renowned vineyards, medieval towns, elegant châteaux, magnificent cathedrals, picturesque villages and wonderful local markets. En route, barging in Burgundy guarantees a wealth of sightseeing opportunities.
This is a region with a vast variety of cheeses, in all shapes, sizes and colors, strong in character or mild and fresh, and all can be enjoyed with full-bodied red Burgundies, or perhaps with lighter white Chablis wines. The Burgundian gastronomic tradition is rich and diverse. A sedate Burgundy barge cruise along one of its delightful waterways will allow you to indulge in good food and wine: two of life's essential pleasures.
Learn about the Canal de Bourgogne
- History of the Burgundy Canal
- Canal de Bourgogne: An Overview
- Canal de Bourgogne: Towns & Villages
- Canal de Bourgone: Best Places to Visit
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