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Hotel
Barge L'Art De Vivre
Cruise the Upper Nivernais in Burgundy
Seven Days / Six Nights
 The
Upper Nivernais remains an undiscovered
region well off the beaten track on the
edge of the Morvan hills. The sleepy hamlets,
white grazing Charolais cattle and woods
and forests are typical of the scenery we
cruise through. During the summer months
we visit the Valley of Sardy, a canal section
with smaller locks, where time seems to
have stood still for over two hundred years.
The hand swung bridges are a delight and
we pass old logging sites which are now
an almost forgotten memory for the local
people. This is the original home of hotel
barging and yet today, a barge is a rarity
welcomed by all and every journey is a great
event.
The 8 passenger L'Art de Vivre started
life as a Scottish munitions carrier and
survived long enough to be transformed by
a team of skilled craftsmen into a floating
celebration of the Burgundian 'good life'.
 Your
crew of four comprise Captain, Tour Guide,
Master Chef and Hostess, all with a love
for the Nivernais canal and all secure in
the knowledge that their vessel represents
L'Art de Vivre itself.
| Cruise
Highlights |
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Medieval town
of Clamecy and 13th century cathedral |
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16 lock flight
at valley of Sardy |
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Visit the 16th
century home of Marechal Vauban |
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Tour the hill-top
basilica of Vezelay |
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Wine tasting at Tannay |
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Optional Hot Air
Ballooning |
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Culinary Notes |
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Regional Dishes
Terrine de Pecheur façon
maison
Tourte Chaude d'Escargots
a la Ciboulette
Filet de Rouget au Safran
Regional Wines
Sancerre
Chablis
Pouilly Fumé
Cote de Nuits
Hautes Cotes de Beaune
Regional Cheeses
Brie
Maroilles
Pont L'Eveque
St Marcellin
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Meeting
Point |
| Sunday, 1.30pm,
Hotel Ampere, 102 Avenue de
Villiers, 75017 Paris |
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Alternative Itineraries |
We also offer alternative itineraries, including a cycling cruise, family cruise, and walking cruise.
Please contact us for details.
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Check
availability of this cruise
France Hotel
Barge Programme
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Check
availability of this cruise
France Hotel
Barge Programme
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DAY 1
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Sunday
PARIS TO CLAMECY
You will be met at Hotel Ampere in Paris
at 1.30pm. After coach transfer from
Paris arrive on the Art de Vivre. Champagne
Welcome onboard. Time to wander the
nearby streets of Clamecy, the logging
capital of the Nivernais canal before
dinner aboard. |
DAY 2
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Monday
CLAMECY TO VILLIERS-SUR-YONNE
There is time this morning before the
barge departs to stroll around the narrow
streets of Clamecy and maybe visit the
Logging & Barging Museum or climb
the hill to view the 13th century Collegiale
de St Martin. Cruise from Clamecy in
the late morning, passing the quaint
village of Chevroches perched on the
hillside. During lunch we moor at Villiers-sur-Yonne
in its picturesque setting under willow
trees. Our excursion this afternoon
is to the impressive half built fortification
at Guedelon. This is a 25 year project,
set up to demonstrate the traditional
building methods from the 12th to 14th
centuries. Meet the stone masons, blacksmiths
and other craftsmen. Enjoy a game of
boules before dinner aboard. |
| DAY 3 |
Tuesday
VILLIERS-SUR-YONNE TO MONCEAUX LE COMPTE
Today we start our cruise in the morning,
after a brief stop to visit "Le
Bouc qui Fume" or the "Smoking
Billy Goat" an Antique/Curiosity
shop in an old chapel, we continue our
way up the canal. Before stopping at
Tannay for lunch we pass through an
impressive double chambered lock. After
lunch a brief drive to visit the local
wineries of Tannay,famous for its rather
special Melon grape variety. We then
continue our cruise and moor in the
old logging port of Monceaux le Comte.
Dinner ashore at the Auberge du Centre
serving traditional local cuisine. |
| DAY 4 |
Wednesday
MONCEAUX LE COMPTE TO LA GRANGES
This morning we visit one of Burgundy's
most picturesque hill-top settings,
Vezelay. Discover the treasured Romanesque
Basilica of St Mary Magdalene, lace
and craft shops and superb views over
the surrounding countryside. Return
to the barge for lunch and cruise to
La Granges. On the way, we have an opportunity
to stroll around Chitry-les-Mines with
its 16th century Chateau, used during
World War 11 as an H.Q. by the local
Resistance Group "Les Loups"
(The Wolves). Dinner aboard. |
| DAY 5 |
Thursday
LA GRANGES TO SARDY
As we cruise through the remote coutryside
and meadows of "France Profonde"
on our way to Sardy, you will notice
that the locks are much older with their
huge beam-levered lock gates and ivy
covered lock houses. After lunch we
visit the Chateau of Bazoches, whose
illustrious visitors included Richard
the Lionheart. It later became the home
of Marechal Vauban, the famous defence
engineer in whose family it has remained
until this day. Dinner aboard. |
| DAY 6 |
Friday
SARDY TO BAYE
Today we do not leave the barge to visit,
as the cruise is a visit in itself.
We begin our day by making our way through
the last 16 locks leading to the summit
of the Nivernais canal. These locks
are sometimes less than 200 yards from
each other! And along side each lock
is a waterfall maintaining the level
of the canal, many consider this stretch
of canal to be one of the most beautiful
in France. Some of the locks have crafts
shops to visit. Moor for lunch at the
last lock before our final cruise through
the three tunnels set in the deep cut
to Baye. Final mooring at Baye separated
from the lake of Baye by a dyke. Captain’s
Farewell Dinner aboard. |
| DAY 7 |
Saturday
BAYE TO PARIS
After breakfast return to Paris to the
meeting point, Hotel Ampère,
at approximately 1.00pm |
| NOTE: |
On alternate weeks, cruise will
be in reverse direction. This is
a sample itinerary and is subject to
change. |
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Boat Features |
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100 feet long |
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8 passengers |
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4 crew |
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3 Twin Staterooms |
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1 Double Stateroom |
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Air-conditioned |
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Centrally heated |
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Spa-pool |
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8 touring bikes |
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Air-conditioned
minibus |
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