When one of our sons and his family temporarily moved to Switzerland
for a year, we decided to combine ten days in Switzerland with them, followed by five days
in Paris, along with a long considered barge trip in France. After narrowboating without a
crew in England, we looked forward to the luxury of a crewed trip in France. (Switzerland
and Paris are other stories).
We chose, along with
another couple we had met on a Mediterranean cruise, a seven-day barge trip with French
Country Waterways through Burgundy just after the wine harvest. The trip started in Paris
where a guide met us at the Meurice Hotel and escorted us via the TVG to Dijon. We then
boarded the "Esprit" and cruised through the countryside to St.
Leger where we disembarked and were escorted back to Paris on the TVG.
We chose a barge carrying a maximum of 18 passengers. The passengers
got to know each other immediately and soon meshed as if we had been friends for many
years. Among the many memories of this trip are the presentations by our always-smiling
crew members at both lunch and dinner. Each meal was elegantly prepared and served, with
an unlimited supply of both red and white Premier or Grand Cru wines and a choice of three
different cheeses at each lunch and dinner.
 We tied up to the bank each night and many of us walked or
rode a bike into town to meet the local residents at one of the charming bistros. During
the day we were taken by the barge's own mini-bus to vineyards, wine tastings, and
Chateaus, as well as tours of both Dijon and Beaune. As we cruised from lock to lock, many
of us left the boat to walk, jog, or bicycle to the next lock, while others just lounged
on deck, enjoying the passing scenery.
 Another highlight of the trip was dinner ashore at a Michelin
three-star restaurant, Lameloise, in Chagny. We were accompanied to dinner by the barge's
own chef who was there to insure that the food and wines were of the highest quality.
Dinner at Lameloise was probably the deciding reason for our choosing this trip and French
Country Waterways over the other barge companies.
For me, our trip in a balloon, was a once in a lifetime
experience. The French scenery from the air was stunning as we constantly changed altitude
from treetop to a thousand feet. As this was my first experience, I was somewhat
apprehensive, but the beauty of the countryside was worth the initial apprehension.
 As with our canal boating trip in England, there are
fundamental choices to be made as to the region in France in which to cruise, the size of
the barge on which to book, the time of the year, and above all the company from which to
charter. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact
a Uniglobe travel specialist by e-mail. We can provide you with our research and our suggestions
on these choices.
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When one of our sons and his family temporarily moved to Switzerland
for a year, we decided to combine ten days in Switzerland with them, followed by five days
in Paris, along with a long considered barge trip in France. After narrowboating without a
crew in England, we looked forward to the luxury of a crewed trip in France. (Switzerland
and Paris are other stories).
