Upper Loire & Champagne Barge Cruise 2027

Welcome to C’est la Vie!

Your party will be met in Paris at your hotel at 3 pm by our driver and chauffeured to the “C’est la Vie,” which is moored in the town of Pont sur Yonne.

After the traditional champagne welcome and introduction to the crew, there is time to settle in before your first gourmet dinner aboard.

Sightseeing: Chateau of Fontainebleau.

Cruise to Moret sur Loing.

This morning, we cruise on the Loing canal and head to the town of Moret sur Loing, take this opportunity to walk or cycle on the tow path before lunch, which with weather permitting can be served on the front deck.

After lunch we will drive to the famous 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 château.

Dinner aboard

Sightseeing: Moret sur Loing.

Cruise to Melun/Evry

Morning visit to the medieval town of Moret-sur-Loing, where the painter Alfred Sisley spent the last 10 years of his life. Sisley and his wife are both buried in the local cemetery. He painted many of his best paintings in and around Moret, Fontainebleau and the river Seine. Sisley was one of the first Impressionist landscape painters and some now even consider him as maybe the best. He was born and spent most of his life in France to English parents.

With a visit around the town, you will be guided through many centuries of history, Moret is also famous for its barley sugars, first made in the Moret Priory by the nuns.

Returning to the C’est La Vie for lunch and an afternoon cruise, now we leave the canal behind and join the river Loing and the river Seine to Melun where we will stop for a chance to walk around this city and then back to the boat to continue on our way to moor up in the town of Evry.

Cocktails and dinner aboard

Sightseeing: Chateau of Vaux le Vicomte.

Cruise to Lagny.

Early morning cruise leaving the river Seine and joining the river Marne finishing the days cruise in the town of Lagny. Relax as we meander on these 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 château 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?

Dinner aboard

Sightseeing: WWI Museum

Cruise to St Jean les Deux Jumeaux.

After a morning cruise and a buffet lunch we will visit the WW1 Museum in the city of Meaux, this is the biggest museum in Europe dedicated to the First World War and holds over 70,000 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.

Returning to the C’est la Vie with time for a stroll before dinner aboard

Sightseeing: Belleau-Wood, American monument

Cruise to Château Thierry.

We cruise on the river Marne this morning and follow its course to the town of Château Thierry you will start to see vineyards in the distant hills as we are now getting into the Champagne region.

Afternoon visit to the WW1 Battlefield, the cemetery of Belleau-wood and the American monument.

Returning to the “C’est La Vie” for cocktails and the captain’s dinner which ends your cruise in style.

Return to Paris

After breakfast, our driver will take you back to your hotel in Paris by midday.