Barge Cruise Blog Newsletter

New Lower Rates for Hotel Barge Aurora

Hotel Barge Aurora has lowered their rates for both Dutch and French barge cruises. Aurora specializes in bespoke barge cruises where you will discover a world of enchantment, relaxation and true happiness. This extraordinary trip will focus on your well-being, as well as the country's gems such as art, history, music, and food.

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Rave Review for Hotel Barge La Nouvelle Etoile

We received wonderful comments from clients just returning (April 2024) from their barge cruise in Holland with La Nouvelle Etoile. The charter was a family group of eight: three couples, plus Ford, a man in his 30s with cerebral palsy, and his mother Joan. We have permission to share their charter review with you.

Read La Nouvelle Etoile's recent charter review

Domain Laroche

Enjoy a tour through the world-renowned wine village of Chablis to the celebrated Domaine Laroche aboard either the 12-passenger La Belle Epoque, or the 8-passenger L'Art de Vivre on a Burgundy barge cruise. Guests will delight in a private tasting and cellar tour, and those aboard L'Art de Vivre will also enjoy a gastronomic lunch served by a private chef in the domaine's dining hall.

Read more: Domain Laroche

Visit Auxerre

We have added a new page to the Regions / Destinations section of our website about Auxerre.

Auxerre is a picturesque city that lies on the river Yonne and the Canal du Nivernais, about 150 km southeast of Paris and 120 km northwest of Dijon. Auxerre is a beautiful city and a pleasant port, with elegant buildings gracing its waterfront. France enjoys an abundance of quaint villages peppered with medieval half-timbered buildings, but it's in Auxerre that they particularly stand out – flaunting dormer-windows and gabled roofs, with clusters of dwellings opening out onto cobbled squares with fountains.

Read more: Visit Auxerre

Learn About the Canal de Bourgogne

We have just added three pages to our Regions & Destinations section of our website.

The Burgundy Canal is 150 miles long with 189 locks and connects the River Yonne at Migennes with the River Saône at St-Jean-de-Losne. It has the highest summit of any canal in France, reaching 378m (980 ft) above sea level, which is the 2-mile long Pouilly tunnel.

• Canal de Bourgogne: An Overview
• Canal de Bourgogne: Towns & Villages
• Canal de Bourgogne: Best Places to Visit

Besides the undulating countryside and the historical significance of several towns on its route, the region is, of course, famous for its superb wines.

All About French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre

We have put together a new web page for the French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre that gives an overview of this 8-passenger, double-decker, luxury hotel barge. L'Art de Vivre offers barge cruises along the Canal du Nivernais in northern Burgundy between Auxerre and Chevroches.

Embark on a journey through time as we feature the French hotel barge L'Art de Vivre. From its historic beginnings as a cargo barge in the early 1900s to its transformation into a hotel barge, L'Art de Vivre has a rich history that spans over a century. Join us as we explore the elegant interiors, exquisite cuisine, and breath-taking landscapes that await its passengers.

Learn more: All About French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre

Vézelay

Vézelay has been described as one of the most beautiful villages in France. Located fifty kilometres south of Auxerre, it is situated in the region of Burgundy. The town of Vézelay is centered around the Church of St Mary Magdalene and inhabits a hill that offers stunning vistas of French countryside.

Bordering Morvan Regional Park, Vézelay offers a romantic, untainted experience of France and preserves a wealth of culture, tradition, and history.

Learn more: Vézelay

Château de Bazoches

This grand Burgundian château dates back to the 12th century, when it was first built on the site of an old Roman outpost looking over the Morvan hills. Largely preserved from the 17th century, its elegant interiors reflect the tastes of King Louis XIV's refined courtiers. Its most famous owner, however, was far from an aestheticist.

This owner was Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban. He was a field marshal and military strategist of France in the late 17th century. Vauban's contribution to the advancement of weaponry during the 17th-century was significant.

Read more: Visit Château de Bazoches

French Hotel Barge Finesse Reinstating Paris Pickups

We're pleased to inform you that the Ultra Deluxe Hotel Barge Finesse is reinstating Paris pick ups for 2025, and also for selected 2024 weeks. Finesse is an 8-passenger, double-decker, luxury hotel barge, offering barge cruises along the Canal du Centre and the River Saône in southern Burgundy between St-Julien-sur-Dheune and Chalon-sur-Saône.

For Paris pickups: guests will be met at the Westminster Hotel at 1:30pm and, at the end of your barging trip, guests will be dropped off at the Westminster Hotel at 1:30pm. Private charters may choose other pickup/dropoff locations in Paris.

Read more: About Paris Pickups for French Hotel Barge Finesse

Special Offers & Discounts

We have just updated our Special Offers & Discounts page. Many private charters and cabin cruises are priced at 20% off their standard rates with a few at 10% off. Some barges have select weeks with "No Single Supplement" for Solo Travelers. Plus there is a new type of special offer... 20% discount and, depending on the barge, either 2 or 3 children travel FREE.

Read more: Special Offers & Discounts on Barge Cruises