Burgundy by Barge:
There is a France that most Australians never see. Not the Paris of the Eiffel Tower, not the Provence of lavender fields, not the Côte d'Azur. There is another France: the deep, rural, agricultural heartland Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne where the food is better than anywhere in the country, the wine is among the greatest in the world, and the towns haven't changed significantly since the 15th century. A canal barge cruise is the only way to truly experience this France.
Why Burgundy?
Burgundy is arguably France's greatest culinary and wine region a case that can be made without hyperbole. The Côte d'Or ('golden slope') produces Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that command the highest prices of any wine in the world. The regional cuisine boeuf bourguignon, escargots de Bourgogne, coq au vin, Époisses cheese is robust, satisfying, and deeply rooted in the landscape. And the built environment matches: Dijon's ducal palace and mustard shops, Beaune's tiled roof Hôtel-Dieu, the medieval town of Vézelay on its hilltop.
CroisiEurope's Burgundy barge cruise runs from Besançon to Dijon on the Canal de Bourgogne a 243-kilometre waterway threading through the heart of the wine country.
What the Canal Barge Experience Is Like
CroisiEurope's canal barges carry a maximum of 22 passengers. The ship is long and narrow, purpose-built for France's inland canals, moving at approximately 8 km/h a walking pace. Bicycles are provided on board: when the barge locks through ahead of you (locks slow the ship for 20 30 minutes), you can cycle the towpath and meet it on the other side.
On board, the chef prepares meals from locally sourced produce breakfast might include Époisses cheese, local bread, and Burgundian jambon persillé (jellied ham and parsley terrine). Dinner is a proper French three-course affair with regional Burgundy wines. This is not hotel catering it's home cooking by someone who knows the region.
The Locks
The Canal de Bourgogne has 189 locks the densest concentration of any French canal. Going through them is one of the unique pleasures of canal barge travel. Standing on the sun deck as the barge enters a stone lock chamber, the gates closing behind you, water flowing in (or out), the barge rising or falling 2 3 metres in a matter of minutes it's surprisingly engrossing. Children are not the only ones who find it fascinating.
What to Visit Ashore in Burgundy
• Dijon: The Ducal Palace and Museum of Fine Arts, the market at Les Halles (Victor Hugo's favourite market), the mustard shops on Rue de la Liberté, the 13th-century Notre-Dame church with its famous 'owl of Dijon' carved on the north wall
• Beaune: The Hôtel-Dieu (15th-century hospice with its polychrome tile roof the most photographed building in Burgundy), the wine auction held each November, the Patriarche wine cellars underneath the town
• Vézelay: The hilltop basilica of Sainte-Marie-Madeleine a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture
• Châteauneuf-en-Auxois: A perfectly preserved medieval hilltop village overlooking the canal time appears to have stopped in the 14th century
Who Is Burgundy by Barge Perfect For?
• Wine and food lovers the Côte d'Or is the most hallowed wine land in France
• Cyclists the towpaths are flat, well-maintained, and extraordinarily scenic
• Couples seeking intimacy and slow travel
• Australians who have done the Danube and Rhine and want something completely different
Book Your 2027 River Cruise with CroisiEurope Australia
CroisiEurope Australia handles all bookings for Australian travellers local support, AUD pricing, no credit card surcharges on Visa or Mastercard.
Phone: 1300 739 652 | Email: contact@croisicruises.com
Website: www.croisieuroperivercruises.com.au | Office: Tweet World Travel, 544 Magill Road, Magill SA 5072
2027 Early Booking is open now. Enquire today.
