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Waterways of Burgundy

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20242025
7 days From £2,795 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, where history and flavours intertwine.

2024 Tour code: CDR24

About the tour

Soak up the scenery and local produce of France's famous Burgundy wine region as we sail along its picturesque waterways. Follow the established Grands Crus Wine Circuit, relaxing aboard your comfortable barge, and enjoy visits to attractive riverside towns, including Gray, Savoyeux and Port-sur-Saône.

Explore Dijon with a local guide, journey along the Grand Crus Wine Circuit whose vineyards produce the world's finest wines and discover Champlitte's medieval castle. As we sail, relax and savour the serene beauty of sloping vineyards and idyllic villages that make up the landscapes of the region.

Unforgettable Experiences

Grand Crus Wine Circuit
Grand Crus Wine Circuit
picture-perfect corner of the world that’s responsible for some of the most exclusive Burgundian wines, we cruise through riverside villages famed for their aged vintages.
Tour of Dijon
Tour of Dijon
First established as a settlement under the Romans, over the years, Dijon has accumulated a fascinating history and a lot of money, in part thanks to its popular mustard. We step back in time with our guide to learn what life was like here over the centuries.
Champlitte
Champlitte
With Flemish influences and pastoral styling, this national monument has been both a defensive castle and a family home. There’s also a museum to enjoy, where a wealth of exhibits transports us to the turn of the 20th century.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – Attractive Dijon

Our holiday begins as we meet at London St Pancras ahead of our Eurostar journey to Paris. From here, we continue to Dijon by high-speed rail where we board our hotel barge, MS Daniele. A 3-course welcome dinner is served once we've settled into our cabins.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – Discovering Dijon

We set out on a guided tour of Dijon, a city sat on a former spice route that rose to fame thanks to its popular gingerbread, mustard and wines. Exploring with a local guide, we delve into Dijon's history with visits to the Palace of the Dukes and the Church of Notre Dame. Back on board, we set sail for Longecourt-en-Plaine.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – A taste of the Grand Crus Wine Circuit

Boarding a coach, we pick up the Grand Crus Wine Circuit, driving through villages that produce the finest Burgundy wines. The 'road of the great wines' runs from Dijon to Santenay, and is punctuated by a collection of quaint vineyards and attractive towns. Many wine producers here make only a small quantity of very high-quality wine. Some of the best vintages require between 10 and 20 years to mature, further restricting the volume.

Our journey continues to a wine estate for a tasting of these esteemed Burgundy wines. We're shown the traditional vineyard, visit the cellars that hold barrels and bottles, and then take part in a tasting of the famous wines from the region with an expert.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Sail along the Petite Saône to Gray

Relax on board today as we slowly sail along the Petite Saône to Gray. You could head up to the boat's terrace area to soak up charming vistas of sloping vineyards and secluded villages. Alternatively, you could socialise with new friends at the bar as we float through the beautiful river landscapes.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Quaint Gray and picturesque Savoyeux

Today, we enjoy a guided tour of Gray, which reveals a jumble of period buildings, as 18th-century townhouses sit comfortably beside medieval fortifications and Baroque-style chapels. Exploring the cobbled streets, we admire the historic architecture and learn about the town's rich history. The rest of our day is spent making the leisurely journey to Savoyeux, where we arrive in the early evening.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Historic Port-sur-Saône

Our day begins with a guided excursion to Champlitte's medieval castle. Occupying an important defensive position between the Duchy and County of Burgundy, the fortress has been both a strategic stronghold and a family home. The impressive external structure contrasts with a rustic décor that's almost provincial in style.

We also visit the Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions, an ethnological museum located in the castle, where the wealth of exhibits gives a glimpse into life at the turn of the 20th century. Back onboard, a special gala dinner is served, as we celebrate a memorable cruise.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Home

It's time to disembark after breakfast today for the return journey to Paris. In the French capital, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras where we say goodbye and 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

Enhance your holiday

Upgrades

Upgrade to Standard Premier Class on Eurostar
London Hotels
UK rail connections

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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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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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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