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Waterways of Burgundy

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You are viewing the 2025 itinerary. Select your departure year
20252026
7 days From £2,499 £2,199 per person
4.2 stars(31 reviews)
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Barge Cruise

Indulge in the scenery and produce of the famous Burgundy wine region of France on an expert river cruise

Double Discount

Double Discount! Save £300pp on all River Cruise 2025 holidays, when you book by 30th April 2025.

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Mobility Rating 2

2025 Tour code: CDR25

About the tour

Soak up the scenery and local produce of France's famous Burgundy wine region as we sail along its picturesque waterways. Relax aboard your comfortable barge and enjoy visits to attractive riverside towns, exploring with expert guides.

Journey along the Grand Crus Wine Circuit whose vineyards produce the world's finest wines and enjoy ports of call at Saint-Jean-de-Losne and Chagny or Dole. As we sail, relax and savour the serene beauty of sloping vineyards and idyllic villages that make up the landscapes of the region.

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Unforgettable Experiences

Experiencing the Grand Crus Wine Circuit
Experiencing the Grand Crus Wine Circuit
Sail through riverside villages famed for their aged vintages in this corner of the world, responsible for some of the most exclusive Burgundian wines.
Discovering Saint-Jean-de-Losne
Discovering Saint-Jean-de-Losne
Explore on a guided tour of the town to see the scenic canals, visit historic landmarks, and enjoy the local culture.
Cruising the Burgundy Canal
Cruising the Burgundy Canal
Enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax on board as we cruise leisurely, with opportunities to walk or cycle alongside the boat.
Visiting riverside towns
Visiting riverside towns
Discover Chalon-sur-Saône, the birthplace of photography, or explore Dole’s significance in the French waterways and canal system.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrival in the historic city of Dijon

Your holiday begins by meeting your group and Tour Manager at London St Pancras ahead of our Eurostar journey to Paris. From the French capital, we continue to Dijon by high-speed rail where we board our hotel barge, MS Daniele. A three-course welcome dinner is served once we've settled into our cabins.

Includes
  • Dinner
Day 2 – Sailing the Burgundy Canal and Grand Crus wine route

Our cruise begins this morning as we depart Dijon. This tour has two departures in 2025, each with a slightly different itinerary.

On the tour departing in June:

Enjoy beautiful views of the Burgundian scenery as we sail along the canal. Soaking up this leisurely pace of life, there's also the opportunity to walk or cycle alongside our boat. This afternoon, we embark on an excursion along the Grand Crus wine route, passing through picturesque villages and beautiful vineyards where the most prestigious Burgundy wines are produced. Later, we rejoin our boat in Longecourt-en-Plaine for dinner and drinks.

On the tour departing in August:

An excursion along the Grand Crus wine route takes us past the charming villages and vineyards where Burgundy's finest wines are made. On the way, we stop off for a tasting of some of the region's produce. Returning to our boat, we cruise onwards to Petit-Ouges. On arrival, there's the chance to discover the Path of the Three Wash Houses - a 2.5-mile walk tracing the area's surprising history stretching back to the 7th century. This evening, we enjoy dinner and drinks on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3 – To St-Jean-de-Losne

On the tour departing in June:

Our morning is spent cruising. You can choose to cycle beside our boat as we sail or simply relax onboard. This afternoon, we enjoy a tour of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, exploring monuments that tell the story of the city's prestigious past. These include the monument commemorating the Siege of 1636 and the Hôtel-Dieu, which was a charitable hospital founded in 1658. Our time here ends with a tasting experience of local specialities from Burgundy.

On the tour departing in August:

We spend the day cruising towards Saint-Jean-de-Losne. Take the time to sit back and admire the vineyards and scenery that slowly pass by as we cruise. We arrive in Saint-Jean-de-Losne late in the afternoon.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 – Chalon sur Saone/Dole

On the tour departing in June:

Enjoy a relaxed morning cruising towards Chalon-sur-Saône. As we sail, admire the Saône River's hilly banks and typical local houses perched on its hillsides. Feel free to cycle alongside the boat as we travel. In the afternoon, we explore Chalon-sur-Saône, the birthplace of Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, one of the inventors of photography.

On the tour departing in August:

Today we visit Saint-Jean-de-Losne, the capital of canal barging in France. After discovering this commune which lies at the heart of the French waterways and canal system in southern Burgundy, we cruise towards Dole this afternoon.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Chagny/Ranchot

On the tour departing in June:

This morning, enjoy the hillside scenery and rolling meadows as we cruise towards Chagny. We then set out for a hike to the Cirque du Bout du Monde before discovering the imposing chalk cliffs carved out by the Cozanne River which created a blind valley. The waterfall here is over 80 feet high and adds a touch of wonder.

On the tour departing in August:

Following the 'trail of the Chat Perché', we enjoy a unique tour. This trail refers to the famous tales of a Perched Cat, written by Marcel Aymé who lived in Dole as a child. It also refers to Dole's location, which is perched on a beautiful hillside. Returning aboard, we cruise towards Ranchot.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – St Leger-sur-Dheune/Besancon

On the tour departing in June:

We set off towards Santenay, a wine village with a priceless historical and natural heritage. Arriving this morning, we walk to the centre of Santenay, a charming little wine-producing village. Back onboard this afternoon, we cruise towards Saint-Léger-sur-Dheune and enjoy our gala evening.

On the tour departing in August:

After a morning of relaxed cruising, we set out by coach in the afternoon to Arc-et-Senans. Here, we tour the Saline Royale. listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This royal factory, built between 1775 and 1779 in the shape of a semi-circle, was where salt workers traditionally lived and worked. Back onboard this evening, we enjoy our gala dinner.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Homeward bound

Enjoy one last breakfast onboard before disembarking. Returning to Paris, we join the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras. From here, 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

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Reviews

4.2 stars4.2 / 5 · 31 reviews

  1. 5 stars
    (10)
  2. 4 stars
    (16)
  3. 3 stars
    (5)
  4. 2 stars
    (0)
  5. 1 star
    (0)

Mr richard garrard

5 stars

Submitted 02 Oct 2024

Actual Barge trip was brilliant - good food, excellent service & staff. Gelled well as a group of passengers & had a really good time. Originally the outward Eurostar was for 9.31 so we booked an overnight stay in a hotel on a non-refundable basis. Train time was changed to 11.31 so hotel stay was not needed. Journey back to St Pancras took almost 12 hours (against just over 6 hours going to Dijon) with passenger being woken at 4.00am!!. This was news to passengers & did not go down well. It took the edge of a great holiday, especially as quicker options to Paris were available.

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Mr Barry Keward

5 stars

Submitted 28 Sep 2024

Journey to ship in Dijon went without a problem. Arrival at the barge was greeted by the crew who made us feel welcomed throughout the trip. Accommodation small but comfortable, food was excellent and plentiful. Return journey however was a major disappointment with a 4.00am early morning call,5.00am breakfast followed by a 6.00am departure to catch a 9.50 train from Mullhouse via Strasbourg to Paris. Whoever thought that was a good idea!!!

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Peter Oxley

5 stars

Submitted 27 Sep 2024

As previously on another barge trip the crew were excellent and the facilities and food were first class. Relaxing and enjoyable

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John from York

5 stars

Submitted 18 Sep 2024

A relaxing trip with an attentive crew who have a keen eye for detail.

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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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Vivien Newsome
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Wendy Cary

5 stars

Submitted 04 Aug 2022

The accommodation was excellent, the food was superb, the service could not have been better, and the company could not have been more compatible. One of the best holidays I have had for several years..

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