Hauts-de-France & Upper Loire Barge Cruise 2024

Welcome to C’est la Vie!

Paris to the “C’est la Vie” moored in Chateau Thierry.

You will be met in Paris by our driver at 3.00 pm, for charter groups your party will be met at one hotel of your choice. For individual cabin bookings, pick up and drop off is at the hotel Madison, 143 Boulevard St Germain 75006 Paris,

A traditional champagne welcome and introduction to the crew awaits you, before your first gourmet dinner aboard.

Sightseeing: WW1 museum in Meaux

Cruise to Langy

Leaving Chateau Thierry, we cruise on the beautiful river Marne and head towards Langy and after a buffet lunch we will visit the WW1 Museum, this is the biggest museum in Europe dedicated to the First World War and holds over 60,000 exhibits. The collection was started by Jean-Pierre Verney and in 2005 the City of Meaux bought his collection and built the museum to show it to the world. Then enjoy a walk around this wonderful city.

Before heading back to the C’est La Vie.

Dinner Aboard.

Sightseeing: Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte

Cruise to Melun

Cruising on the river Marne and joining the river Seine, you will be able to catch a glimpse of some of the magnificent homes and gardens that line the banks of these two majestic rivers.

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 moored in Melun for cocktails and dinner

Sightseeing: Chateau of Fontainebleau

Cruise to Moret sur Loing (River Seine)

Leaving the river Seine, we join the Canal du Loing and cruise to Moret sur Loing.

Afternoon visit of this medieval 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 is the barley sugar; it is one of the oldest boiled sweets in France. Enjoyed for over 300 years, this candy is available as amber-colored 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

Returning to the C’est La Vie for dinner.

Sightseeing: Chateau of Fontainebleau

Cruise to Nemours

Morning cruise to the town of Nemours. There’s plenty of time to take a walk or a bicycle and follow the C’est La Vie as she meanders down the canal. Before your afternoon visit to the chateau of Fontainebleau, built in the 16th century, it is often referred to as the “House of Centuries” due to the fact that every French monarch from Francois 1 to Napoleon 3 has left his mark upon this magnificent chateau.

Cocktails and Dinner aboard.

Sightseeing: Montargis

Cruise to Montargis

This morning we cruise on the Loing canal and enter the Briare canal as we head towards the town of Montargis, take this opportunity to walk or cycle on the tow path. Your visit today is to Montargis for a tour of this fine town, with its 131 bridges, you can see why its nick name is “little Venice”.

With many buildings from 15th & 16th centuries, you will never be short of interesting architecture which will catch your eye. Discover the feudal castle, church and half-timbered buildings, shops and cafes. Perhaps buying some Pralines for which Montargis is famous.

Return to the “C’est La Vie” for the captains dinner which ends your cruise in style.

Return to Paris

After breakfast, you will be chauffeured back to Paris for the end of the morning.

We hope to see you again on the “C’est la Vie”!