Enjoy a two week grand tour on the river Yonne and Nivernais Canal from its summit at the glorious lake Etang-de-Baye, to the historic town of Joigny on the banks of the Yonne. Explore chateaus, vineyards & markets and relax aboard your private charter péniche.
Includes three dinners aboard, however dining at delightful restaurants ashore is additional to cost. Offers true flexibility, dine Michelin style or cosy Bistro, as you like, and experience the best of French restaurant dining at your own pace.
At 2pm we rendezvous at your preferred Paris hotel or airport arrivals lounge for a private transfer to the Randle moored at the picturesque lake setting of Etang-de-Baye. Enjoy a Champagne welcome aboard and meet the crew and settle in.
The lake is the summit of the Canal du Nivernais and located on the border of the Morvan national park, a region of outstanding natural beauty. Enjoy an evening stroll around the lake popular with fishermen and sailors.
located just a short walk from our mooring and named in keeping with canal's tradition, La Marine offers traditional Burgundian fare in cosy surroundings.
We also offer transfers from Dijon and Beaune and tailor our itineraries to your preferences,
Chef Gael arrives with fresh croissants and prepares a delicious continental breakfast as we commence our cruise by passing through three tunnels set deep in a stone walled ravine like the entrance to an ancient lost city,
We then descend the engineering marvel of sixteen consecutive locks, stopping for lunch along the way, to arrive to our tranquil evening mooring at Sardy.
Continuing our lost city theme, we take a tour to Gallo-Roman Compierre, the ruins of a town that disappeared at the end of the 4th century. View the ruins of the theatre, butcher's house, octagonal temple, artisanal stalls and forum. Located on a lost Roman road that linked Autun to Auxerre.
Chef Gael prepares a gourmet dinner from fresh seasonal & local produce. Layered Roasted Vegetable Terrine with a Caper Dressing, Seared Duck Breast with a Cherry & Port Sauce Chocolate Moelleux. Paired with a fine pinot noir Santenay premier-cru from the Côte d'Or.
Today our morning cruise takes us to Chitry-les-Mines, which gets its name from silver mines worked here during the renaissance, a quite village with a 14c chateau close to the canal.
Take an afternoon tour to the fortified chateau with its splendid interior. Built on an ancient Gallo-Roman estate, it dates from the 17th and 19th centuries. Since the 14th century, the vagaries of inheritance and sale have seen it pass through many families who have made their mark on the history of the province. Since the end of the 19th century, it has been the property of the Nadaillac family. Its fascinating history includes serving as a German command post in WWII whilst simultaneously hiding British airmen smuggled by the French Resistance.
Set in an old coaching inn in Corbigny town centre le Cépage offers traditional Burgundy cuisine in relaxed surroundings.
This morning’s cruise along the meandering canal and under three quaint lift bridges brings us to the small farming community of Dirol.
Take an afternoon tour to Chateau-de-Bazoches, built on Roman foundations dating from 12c it was home to the military engineer Marquis de Vauban. Considered one the of the greatest military engineers of all time he was responsible for the fortification of over 160 places, towns and ports in France during the reign of King Louis XIV. 12 of the forts are now world heritage sites and his influence remained for many decades after his death.
Set in the centre of the pretty village of Monceaux-le-Comte, Ron and Katrina prepare classic french dishes in a restaurant with such retro style ambiance that could be the setting of a Film Noir thriller.
This morning we take a trip to the nearby Town of Lormes for the market of products of the region, retuning to the Randle for lunch before setting of on an afternoon cruise past bucolic meadows with herds of white charolais cattle to arrive to the small canal side village of Asnois, with nearby watermill.
Chef Gael prepares a gourmet dinner from fresh local & seasonal produce.
Gambas Flambées au Cognac
Tournedos of Beef with Parsley & walnut pesto
Profiteroles au Chocolat
Paired with another delicious Pinot Noir of the region, Savigny-les-Beaune from the captain's cellar.
Today the meandering canal-du-Nivernais takes us to Clamecy.
Our guided afternoon tour takes us to Vézelay, an UNESCO listed world heritage site and fortified town with Romanesque Basilica housing the relic of Mary Magdalene. Stroll the picturesque village with many boutiques, art galleries and cafés.
Before dinner enjoy an evening stroll through the cobbled streets historic Clamecy, with ornate timbered houses to the magnificent 16c church St Martin. Clamecy was also the seat of the bishop of Bethlehem for six hundred years before the revolution.
Chef Denis Guenot prepares revisited regional cuisine, young and inventive adapted to the rhythm of the seasons, which you can enjoy accompanied with excellent Burgundy wines.
We depart again at 9am and descend the town lock onto the river Yonne, the morning cruise takes us past the limestone cliffs of Basville and a 15c fortified farm. After stopping for lunch we continue to our destination of the day Lucy-sur-Yonne with 11c church, river, and mill pond nearby.
We take an afternoon guided tour to the 12c chateau castle Druyes once home Peter II of Courtenay, Emperor of Constantinople, and his wife Matilda, Countess of Nevers, Auxerre and Tonnerre.
Chef Gael prepares a gourmet dinner from fresh seasonal & local produce
Layered Roasted Vegetable Terrine with a Caper Dressing
Seared Duck Breast with a Cherry & Port Sauce
Chocolate Moelleux
Paired with a fine pinot noir Santenay premier-cru from the Côte d'Or
9am and we set off along the meandering canal past villages and the magnificent white coral cliffs of Rochers-du-Saussois. After lunch we arrive at the riverside village of Mailly-le-Ville.
The picturesque village of Noyers-sur-Serein is a medieval fortified village with ornate 15c timber framed buildings, it is also listed as one of the 159 prettiest villages in France, "Les Plus Beaux Villages de France".
I traditional village bar and restaurant for a true taste of authentic village life and bistro style cuisine
Dine at the grand Michelin starred Chateau, 20 minutes from our mooring, private chauffeur service included.
After breakfast we make our way along the canal and river Yonne to the pretty canal side Village of Accolay, Once renowned for its unique pottery.
An afternoon guided tour to the limestone caves of the Grottes-de-Arcy, a fascinating cave system which runs for over 500m under the hillside. With fascinating crystal formations & stalactites and over two hundred 28,000 year old Palaeolithic cave paintings representing Bears, Rhino and Mammoth.
A short walk from our mooring with elegant 17th century vaulted stone restaurant or al fresco dining on balmy evenings. The refined gastronomy with local accents is punctuated with lightness by creative notes and fresh seasonal products, with a large wine list or a selection of wines by the glass.
A morning cruise takes us along the Yonne valley with vineyards coming into view on the hills above. After a gourmet lunch we stop at Vincelles on a pretty river mooring. Enjoy a private tour to the wine villages of Irancy, Chitry, and Chablis.
Tour the famous grand-cru vineyards of Chablis or take a private tasting at one of the family vineyards in the surrounding villages.
Set at the foot of the vineyards and on the bank of the river Yonne Alain Renaudin prepares you according to the seasons and the inspirations, a traditional bucolic and gastronomic cuisine.
Member of the Maîtres Cuisiniers de France.
After breakfast Randle departs, today we are cruising on the river Yonne, with open vistas as we cruise past the pretty riverside villages of Bailly and Vaux to arrive to Auxerre.
A town of Art and History Auxerre is dominated by the 11-16c cathedral St Étienne overlooking the river. Bustling and modern it maintains its charming 15c timber framed buildings and cobbled streets, take our private tour to the cathedral and historic centre or self guide as you wish.
Camille and Dimitri offer you exceptional cuisine, where fresh and local products are enhanced by their unique know-how. Each plate is a work of culinary art, harmoniously combining flavors and textures to tantalize your taste buds.
This morning we take a tour to Guédelon in an abandoned quarry, a team of master-builders is building a 13th-century castle from scratch. Quarrymen, stonemasons, carpenter-joiners, woodcutters, blacksmiths, tilers, carters and rope makers…are working together to revive heritage craft skills and to shed light on the world of medieval construction.
After Lunch we continue along the broadening Yonne to Gurgy, a peaceful village on the banks of the river Yonne.
A family run restaurant restaurant overlooking the river Yonne, chef Jacky and son Kilian offer you traditional homemade cuisine in a cosy setting.
Continuing along the Yonne takes us to our destination, the historic town of Joigny.
English Romanticist J M W Turner sketched here in 1820 and the town still remains much the same today. Joigny was fortified in the 10th Century and still retains its eastern ramparts and gate towers, cobbled streets, and ancient buildings.
visit the vineyards famous for its pinot gris, a favorite wine of the King Louis XIV.
Situated on the banks of the Yonne where Chef Jérôme Joubert prepares dishes skilfully by combining local cuisine with inventiveness, and subtly masters the complex science of harmonising flavours, aromas and textures.
splendid river views.
After breakfast aboard we bid you á bientót for your
chauffeured transfer to your Paris hotel,
station, or airport.
Suggested menus and restaurants only, other options available, please enquire about our vegetarian and vegan cruises. All food allergies and preferences are catered for, it is our chef's pleasure to cook to your exact requirements.
Unwind aboard your private charter péniche with fine wine and gourmet cuisine.
The suggested itinerary above can be tailored to your exact requirements and focused on your subjects of interest.
Evening dining options are as your choosing.
please CONTACT US with any queries you may have.
#luxury, #wellness #tranquillity.
Included : 13 breakfasts, 12 lunches, and 3 dinners aboard, tours, entrance fees, evening chauffeur service and Paris transfers.
Not included : 10 Dinners ashore at local restaurants along our route. Add addition dinners aboard with our Cruise Builder.
Value Season : 6th to 26th April and 19th October to 1st November
Regular Season : 27th April to 18th October
| ACCOMODATION | VALUE SEASON | REGULAR SEASON |
| Private Cruise for 4 guests | $34,000.00 | $38,800.00 |
| Private Cruise for 3 guests | $32,700.00 | $37,200.00 |
| Private Cruise for 2 guests | $31,200.00 | $35,600.00 |
Pay Securely by Visa, MasterCard or American Express. For options and other currencies see our Cruise Builder or please enquire.
Barge cruise along the beautiful Nivernais.
Early morning anglers on the lake
Cruising though the Collancelle cutting
At charming local restaurants.
Dine at a Michelin Château.
With Your Private Gourmet Chef
UNESCO listed Vézelay Abbey.
Enjoy a traditional French market.
Nivernais Canal Cruising near Combres
Try our cruise builder to plan your perfect barge cruise adventure
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