Luxury Barge Tour in Upper Loire & W Burgundy

Montargis.

Guests are met at the designated meeting spot in Paris and transferred to the spacious barge moored in Montargis where a Champagne welcome with canapés awaits you. Time enough to explore the pretty town of Montargis on foot or by bicycle before dinner on board.

Montargis to Montbouy.

Morning cruise through the Loire countryside, with great towpath walking and cycling opportunities, to Montbouy. After lunch, we visit Chateau de Fontainebleau. To walk through this palace is to walk through the history of France. It is the only royal and imperial chateau to have been continuously inhabited for seven centuries and every French royal family added its own architectural style and features when in residence. Dinner on board.

Montbuoy to Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses.

This morning we visit Chateau de Sully-sur-Loire. The castle originally belonged to Georges de la Tremaille, who infuriated Joan of Arc by encouraging the Dauphin to devote himself to idle hunting in the forests around Sully. After Joan's failure to liberate Paris in 1430, de la Tremaille imprisoned her in the castle. In the 18th century Voltaire, exiled from Paris, also spent time in the chateau. Afternoon cruise to historic Rogny and its 350-year-old lock flight. Dinner on board.

Rogny-les-Sept-Ecluses to La Gazonne.

After a leisurely breakfast of fresh croissants, baguettes and assorted pastries we visit Gien, home of the Faience pottery and also explore the town's bustling markets. After lunch we enjoy an afternoon cruise to La Gazonne, a beautiful mooring surrounded by lakes and ponds that provide water for the workings of the Canal de Briare. Dinner ashore at the Michelin-starred Auberge des Templiers in Les Bezards.

La Gazonne to Briare.

Morning cruise to Briare and Gustave Eiffel's magical aqueduct across the River Loire with walking and cycling opportunities. We preview Friday's crossing of this amazing 10,000 ton 662 metre Pont Canal which was completed in September 1896. This afternoon we visit the delightful, privately-owned Chateau de La Bussiere, known as the 'fisherman's castle' with its wonderful ornamental and vegetable gardens. Dinner on board.

Briare to Chatillon-sur-Loire.

This morning we wander around fruit and vegetables, seafood, cheeses and French fashion stalls in the market in Briare before returning to the barge for a short cruise across the aqueduct and lunch on board. Afternoon visit to a renowned winery in Sancerre for a tour and private tasting. This medieval hilltop village overlooks a vibrant region which has known viticulture since Roman times. Captain's farewell dinner on board.

Chatillon-sur-Loire.

After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the designated drop off point in Paris.

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. On alternative weeks the cruise is in the reverse direction.