b'YOUR ITINERARY 7 DAY HOLIDAYFROM RIVER CRUISEDay 1London to Dijon winds through gentle countryside2,595 PPWe meet at London St Pancras aheadof tree-lined river banks, serene of our Eurostar journey to Paris. FromFrench views and charming chteaux. here, we continue to Dijon by high- Perhaps visit the boats terrace area2024 Departures in: speed rail where we board our hotelto soak in delightful vistas of slopingAUG, SEPbarge, MS Daniele. A three-coursevineyards and secluded villages or welcome dinner is served once wevechat to new friends at the bar.settled into our cabins. Afterwards,1 2 3 4Comfortable Explorer ratedyou could make the most of theDay 5Gray and Savoyeuxinclusive bar and enjoy a nightcap. Today, we enjoy a tour of Gray, which reveals a jumble of period buildings,YOUR HOLIDAY INCLUDES:Day 2Discovering Dijon as 18th-century townhouses sit besideEscorted throughout your cruise We set out on a guided tour of Dijon,medieval fortifications and Baroque-a city sat on a former spice route thatstyle chapels. Gray was an importantby our experienced Tour/Cruise rose to fame thanks to its populartrading centre from the 13th to theManager teamgingerbread, mustard and wines. First19th centuries when river tradeUK Tour Manager until embarkation established as a settlement under theboomed and rivalled Strasbourg forand from disembarkation ofRomans, Dijon has since accumulatedimportance. The towns grand heritageMS Daniele a fascinating history. Exploring with abuildings reflect its historical value local guide, we delve into this historyand wandering its narrow streets thatStandard Class railwith visits to the Palace of the Dukesopen out on to picturesque squaresAll rail and coach travel and the Church of Notre-Dame. Theprovides glimpses of an affluent past.throughout your tour colossal palace of the immenselyAfter our tour, we continue on the wealthy Dukes of Burgundy sits on theleisurely journey to Savoyeux, where6-night cruise on board thewe arrive in the early evening. MS DanieleTOUR MANAGERS HIGHLIGHT:Breakfast each day plus 5 lunches Stepping back in time to explore theDay 6Champlitte chteauand 6 dinners, with an all-inclusive former Roman settlement of Dijon Our day begins with a guided excursion to Champlittes historicselection of complimentary beers, grand Place de la Libration and waschteau. Occupying an importantwines and soft drinksa seat of regional power before thedefensive position between the DuchyAll tour excursionsFrench Revolution. A masterpiece ofand County of Burgundy, the fortress 13th-century Gothic architecture, thehas been both a strategic stronghold Church of Notre-Dame has an unusualand a family home. Originally a western faade decorated with 51medieval castle that was repeatedly a gargoyles. Inside can be found thevictim of attacks, the now neoclassical statue of Notre-Dame de Bon-Espoir,18th-century structure retains a formerly called the Black Madonna.Renaissance faade. The impressive Back on board, we set sail for theexternal structure contrasts with a rustic village of Longecourt-en-Plaine. rustic dcor thats almost provincial in style, while Flemish influences areTO/FROMDay 3The Grand Crus Wine Circuit also visible. The chteau also containsLONDONBoarding a coach, we pick up thea museum of arts and traditions,DIJON PETIT-OUGES BESANCONGrand Crus Wine Circuit, drivingoffering a fascinating insight into RANCHOT through picturesque villages thatrural society at the turn of the 19thSAINT-JEANproduce the finest Burgundy wines.century. Back on the Daniele, a special-DE-LOSNEDOLEThe road of the great wines runs fromgala dinner is served, helping usARC-ET-SENANS Dijon through Beaune to Santenaycelebrate a memorable cruise. 6and is punctuated by a collection of quaint vineyards and attractiveTOUR MANAGERS HIGHLIGHT: towns bearing the name of well- Exploring the Flemish and pastoralTour Code: CDR |per person based on 2 known wines, including Nuits-Saint- influences of Champlitte chteau sharing. Deposit from 500 per person. Georges, Aloxe-Corton, MeursaultSupplement for solo travellers from 1,995 and Chassagne-Montrachet. Many ofDay 7Homeward boundthe wine producers here make onlyAfter breakfast today, we bid farewell a small quantity of very high-qualityto our crew as we disembark ourTo book and for wine. Some of the best vintagesbarge, ready for the return journey toinformation go torequire between 10 and 20 years toParis by train. In the French capital, mature, further restricting the volume. we join the Eurostar service backgreatrail.com/CDR24 to London St Pancras where we sayor call 01904 527168Day 4Sail along the Petite Sane goodbye to our fellow travelling We enjoy a relaxing day on board ourcompanions with whom we have& speak to ourbarge today as we slowly sail along shared many wonderful experiences the Petite Sane to Gray. Our bargeon our Burgundy barge-cruise holiday. expert team.93'