Burgundy canal, river Yonne, river Seine & river Marne
River Marne and Marne Canal.
2022: 7 days, 6 nights. Highlights: Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte, Sens 1st Gothic Cathedral, Barbizon, Caves of Bailly Lapierre. Restaurant: La Cote St Jacques in Joigny (2 stars Michelin).
You’ll be met at 3:00pm in the lobby of your Paris hotel and chauffeured to the C’est La Vie.
For charter groups in the lobby of one hotel, mutually agreed upon by the group. Guests on individual cabin sailings will be picked up and returned to the Hotel Madison, 43 Boulevard St Germain,75006 Paris,Tel; +33 (0)1 40 51 60 00.
After the traditional champagne welcome from the Captain and crew, there is time to unpack and take a stroll, before enjoying the first of many gourmet dinners on board.
Cruise to Joigny
Leaving St Florentin we cruise along the Canal du Bourgogne, with opportunities to walk or cycle before lunch. This afternoon’s visit is to the town of Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, where we enter into the Caves of Bailly Lapierre, the birthplace of the AOC Crémant de Bourgogne, created in 1972. After a private tour and tasting we rejoin the C’est la Vie and continue our cruise to Joigny, leaving the canal to join the river Yonne.
Time to relax or take a stroll through the streets of Joigny, before cocktails and dinner.
Cruise to Sens
Sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the banks of the Yonne river. The C’est la Vie will arrive in Sens early afternoon. Then it’s time to marvel at one the first great Gothic Cathedrals of France named after Saint-Etienne, the building of which began in 1140. Walk through this charming city or sit and relax with a coffee in the cities market square.
Tonight your dinner is ashore at the 2 star Michelin restaurant La Cote Saint Jacques in Joigny.
Cruise to Melun
As we meander down the river we leave the Yonne and join the river Seine, The visit this afternoon is a walking tour of the town Moret sur Loing, this is where the painter Alfred Sisley spent most of his life. Sisley was an Impressionist landscape painter who was born and spent most of his life in France to English parents.
A specialty of the town of Moret-sur-Loing, are their barley sugars, one of the oldest boiled sweets in France. Enjoyed for over 300 years, this candy is available as amber-coloured round sweets or translucent sticks. It was first made in 1638 by nuns in the town, who prepared sweets with cane sugar and barley for medical purposes.
Rejoining the C’est La Vie we finish our cruise in the town of Melun on the river Seine.
C’est la Vie welcomes you for cocktails and dinner.
Cruise to Neuilly Sur Marne.
The Barbizon school of painters were part of an art movement towards Realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic Movement of the time. The Barbizon school was active roughly from 1830 through 1870. It takes its name from the village of Barbizon, France, near the Forest of Fontainebleau, where many of the artists gathered. Some of the most prominent features of this school are its tonal qualities, colour, loose brushwork and softness of form.
Back to the C’est La Vie for lunch and a cruise changing rivers to join the Marne.
Cruise to Meaux
This morning we cruise on the river Marne going north east of Paris and arriving in Meaux early afternoon. After lunch visit the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte, an enormous privately-owned property with grand gardens and an intriguing history. Built by Nicholas Fouquet, finance minister to Louis XIV, the chateau became a lightning rod for the jealous king. Fouquet landed in jail for the rest of his life and the king built Versailles in retaliation! Could Fouquet have been the man in the iron mask, some people certainly think so?
Return to the “C’est La Vie” for the Captains dinner which ends your cruise in style.
Departure time is 9:30AM after breakfast. You’ll then be chauffeured back to Paris for the end of the morning.
We look forward to your company again on the “C’est la Vie”!
The Burgundy & Ile-de-France Hotel Barge Cruise is run in reverse on alternate weeks and can be different due to locale conditions.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
We had a wonderful, relaxing time on the barge. The whole crew were top notch, friendly and professional. The food, wine & cheese were outstanding; we also enjoyed the company of our fellow travellers. This was the 2nd barge trip for us, in totally different parts of France, C’est La Vie and the Marne itinerary […]
In my North Carolina French – C’est La Vie est extraordinaire. The food, wine, accommodations, service, excursions and ambience were all superb and easily exceeded our lofty expectations. Olivier, Deb, Tom, Adam, Alix & Heloise seemed to anticipate our every need or desire, for drinks, food, this & that – and all with such warmth […]