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Waterways of Burgundy

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7 days From £2,795 £2,595 per person
4.1 stars(25 reviews)
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Barge Cruise

Indulge in the scenery and produce of the famous Burgundy wine region of France on an expert river cruise

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Save £200pp on River Cruise 2025 holidays when you book by 31st October 2024.

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No Single Supplement

No Single Supplement subject to availability on selected departures. 

2025 Tour code: CDR25

About the tour

Soak up the scenery and local produce of France's famous Burgundy wine region as we sail along its picturesque waterways. Relax aboard your comfortable barge and enjoy visits to attractive riverside towns, exploring with expert guides.

Journey along the Grand Crus Wine Circuit whose vineyards produce the world's finest wines and enjoy ports of call at Saint-Jean-de-Losne and Chagny or Dole. As we sail, relax and savour the serene beauty of sloping vineyards and idyllic villages that make up the landscapes of the region.

Highlights

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What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in the historic city of Dijon

Your holiday begins by meeting your group and Tour Manager at London St Pancras ahead of our Eurostar journey to Paris. From the French capital, we continue to Dijon by high-speed rail where we board our hotel barge, MS Daniele. A three-course welcome dinner is served once we've settled into our cabins.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – Sailing the Burgundy Canal and Grand Crus wine route

Our cruise begins this morning as we depart Dijon. This tour has two departures in 2025, each with a slightly different itinerary.

On the tour departing in June:

Enjoy beautiful views of the Burgundian scenery as we sail along the canal. Soaking up this leisurely pace of life, there's also the opportunity to walk or cycle alongside our boat. This afternoon, we embark on an excursion along the Grand Crus wine route, passing through picturesque villages and beautiful vineyards where the most prestigious Burgundy wines are produced. Later, we rejoin our boat in Longecourt-en-Plaine for dinner and drinks.

On the tour departing in August:

An excursion along the Grand Crus wine route takes us past the charming villages and vineyards where Burgundy's finest wines are made. On the way, we stop off for a tasting of some of the region's produce. Returning to our boat, we cruise onwards to Petit-Ouges. On arrival, there's the chance to discover the Path of the Three Wash Houses - a 2.5-mile walk tracing the area's surprising history stretching back to the 7th century. This evening, we enjoy dinner and drinks on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – To St-Jean-de-Losne

On the tour departing in June:

Our morning is spent cruising. You can choose to cycle beside our boat as we sail or simply relax onboard. This afternoon, we enjoy a tour of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, exploring monuments that tell the story of the city's prestigious past. These include the monument commemorating the Siege of 1636 and the Hôtel-Dieu, which was a charitable hospital founded in 1658. Our time here ends with a tasting experience of local specialities from Burgundy.

On the tour departing in August:

We spend the day cruising towards Saint-Jean-de-Losne. Take the time to sit back and admire the vineyards and scenery that slowly pass by as we cruise. We arrive in Saint-Jean-de-Losne late in the afternoon.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Chalon sur Saone/Dole

On the tour departing in June:

Enjoy a relaxed morning cruising towards Chalon-sur-Saône. As we sail, admire the Saône River's hilly banks and typical local houses perched on its hillsides. Feel free to cycle alongside the boat as we travel. In the afternoon, we explore Chalon-sur-Saône, the birthplace of Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, one of the inventors of photography.

On the tour departing in August:

Today we visit Saint-Jean-de-Losne, the capital of canal barging in France. After discovering this commune which lies at the heart of the French waterways and canal system in southern Burgundy, we cruise towards Dole this afternoon.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Chagny/Ranchot

On the tour departing in June:

This morning, enjoy the hillside scenery and rolling meadows as we cruise towards Chagny. We then set out for a hike to the Cirque du Bout du Monde before discovering the imposing chalk cliffs carved out by the Cozanne River which created a blind valley. The waterfall here is over 80 feet high and adds a touch of wonder.

On the tour departing in August:

Following the 'trail of the Chat Perché', we enjoy a unique tour. This trail refers to the famous tales of a Perched Cat, written by Marcel Aymé who lived in Dole as a child. It also refers to Dole's location, which is perched on a beautiful hillside. Returning aboard, we cruise towards Ranchot.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – St Leger-sur-Dheune/Besancon

On the tour departing in June:

We set off towards Santenay, a wine village with a priceless historical and natural heritage. Arriving this morning, we walk to the centre of Santenay, a charming little wine-producing village. Back onboard this afternoon, we cruise towards Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune and enjoy our gala evening.

On the tour departing in August:

After a morning of relaxed cruising, we set out by coach in the afternoon to Arc-et-Senans. Here, we tour the Saline Royale. listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This royal factory, built between 1775 and 1779 in the shape of a semi-circle, was where salt workers traditionally lived and worked. Back onboard this evening, we enjoy our gala dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Homeward bound

Enjoy one last breakfast onboard before disembarking. Returning to Paris, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras. From here, head home with wonderful memories from our time on the lovely waterways of Burgundy.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please Note

Please note: Our sailings on 30th May and 13th June operate a different itinerary. Sailing from Dijon, excursions are included to Longecourt-en-Plaine, the Grand Crus Wine Circuit, St Jean de Losne, Chalon sur Saone, a hike to the Cirque du Bout du Monde, Santenay, and St Leger sur Dheune. Please call for more details.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Trains

Eurostar
TGV

Ship

MS Daniele

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Reviews

4.1 stars4.1 / 5 · 25 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (6)
  2. 4 stars
    (15)
  3. 3 stars
    (4)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Susan R

4 stars

Submitted 16 Oct 2023

The barge and crew were excellent, as was the food. The train travel was as expected (except for a change of station in Paris not known about by our travel guide thus incurring an unexpected walk with our luggage). Also, the travel guide did not know our boat was not moored in Dijon and transfer from the train to the boat was slightly chaotic taking over an hour longer than expected. Daily coach tours from the barge were mediocre. I reiterate that the barge and crew were brilliant

Collected by Trustpilot

G Perl

3 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2023

The trip from London to there boat and return was not too good. The barge food and service was outstanding. Improvements could be made by allowing more free time within the villages we visited. E.g. the bus could have waited then taken those interested to the next berthing point of the barge rather than spending so much time on the water. Barge downside. Too much time sailing.

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Vivien Newsome

5 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2023

A marvellously relaxing view of the Burgundian countryside. For me the crew were the making of the trip so kind and so much fun nothing too much bother - we all felt like a little family 10 out of 10

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Vivien Newsome
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Mrs Wells

4 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2023

Our recent cruise in a Croisi Europe barge through Burgundy was excellent, spoilt only by poor organisation by Great Rail Journeys

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Mrs Wells
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M Honey

4 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2023

The barge and it's crew were excellent in every way. The outward journey was flawed about which we have already emailed you. Maureen Honey and Tony Rix

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Stanley

3 stars

Submitted 11 Oct 2023

Overall 3* Barge superb 5*. Excellent in every respect. Could not be faulted. Journey to and from barge 2*. Sent to wrong London hotel. Long (avoidable) coach journeys. Poor train from Dijon (not TGV). Long wait at Colmar after 154 km coach ride. Tour manager had to pacify some irate passengers!

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