One of the best holidays you can treat yourself to is a barge trip through France. These old barges have been converted to create luxury hotels, and believe us when we say they are luxurious. We took a week to travel from Escommes to Dijon (approximately 200 kms), with several lovely stops along the way. This is not like other cruises where you travel at night and miss out on the scenery, as the distance along these canals is quite short. We meandered through the locks during the day, and then in the evening we would dock our boat and enjoy sumptuous meals prepared by the staff on board. There was nothing to be done all week except enjoy exceptional service, wonderful food and delightful tourist sights.

There is a personalised chef on board, and he discusses the menu with you, and even on special occasions he will provide food of your choice. The cabin staff are wonderful and rooms are serviced every day. The barges have bikes on board for use by guests, and it is loads of fun riding the bikes along the tow path as the boat meanders along the canals. You can hop on and off the boat at every lock if you wish.

When it came time to tour there were cars to collect us, take us on our day’s sightseeing, and then return us to the barge in the afternoon, where the staff had prepared cocktails on our arrival. There was nothing that needed to be done by us, except to enjoy each day as it unfolded.

We had never tried a barge trip before, so we took the safe option of booking through a travel agent. However, the company which we ultimately booked through was European Waterways. You will see from their website that they have plenty of options to choose from, depending on which country you wish to travel in and the level of luxury you are able to afford.

We chose a 2 week trip commencing in Paris for one night, and on the following day transferred to Bordeaux by train, where we spent the first week at Sarlat-la-Caneda touring to different destinations from our base. From Sarlat we then travelled by bus to Burgundy where we boarded our boat the ‘Impressionniste‘ for the second week of our trip. Let’s have a look at both parts of the journey and hopefully we will have enticed you to try something very different as you experience the south of France.

St Emilion

St Emilion is a medieval village located in the heart of the famous Bordeaux wine region. We enjoyed a few hours here on our way to Sarlat-la-Caneda. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and even though the village is small it offers a wonderful array of food and wine. At the high point of the village you can get some breathtaking views across the surrounding vineyards. Enjoy walking the narrow streets that criss-cross the village but make sure you visit the Monolithic Church of Saint Emilion which is truly inspiring.

Sarlat-la-Caneda

Sarlat is an exquisitely restored medieval town with cobblestone alleys and tempting shops located in the south-west region of the Dordogne department. There is plenty to do in this lovely town, and every little alley takes you to a different world of restaurants and souvenir shops. Check out the indoor food market at the Sainte-Marie Church.  On Saturday make sure you visit the local Market which sells fabulous fresh local produce, china and linen. The link we have provided will give you some in-depth information about Sarlat and hopefully entice you to visit it.

Chateau des Milandes

Chateau des Milandes, whose most famous resident was Josephine Baker, is about a 1/2 hour drive from Sarlat. Josephine Baker was born in the slums of St Louis and eventually turned her life around and became a famous Vaudeville star. She initially rented the Chateau and then bought it in 1947. It is a stunning example of Renaissance architecture and the gardens are beautiful.  The Chateau is richly decorated, with one of the most famous rooms being the black and gold bathroom. Wander around the gardens at leisure and soak up the view. In the summer season they have a bird of prey show, which is pretty spectacular, so if you are visiting around this time it is well worth considering timing your visit to see the show.

Beynac-et-Cazenac

Beynac is a beautiful town sitting on the Dordogne River. The major tourist attraction is the Chateau de Beynac, which sits above the town. It is accessed by walking through the winding streets of Beynac and takes about 20 minutes to reach the top. The scenery over the landscape from the Chateau is spectacular and there are some quaint cafes and shops to wander through to enjoy this lovely town.

Rocamadour

Rocamadour is one of those places you visit which is just ‘wow’ all over. What makes this village unique is that it is built on the edge of a cliff, and is accessed via a lift from the parking area situated at the top. It is well known for its numerous religious buildings, which are accessed via the Grand Escalier staircase. The most popular of these churches is the Chapelle Notre-Dame with its Black Madonna statue. Once you have criss-crossed your way through the various churches, you can enjoy the main street which is situated at the very bottom of the village. Here you will find plenty of restaurants and shops to wander through and perhaps enjoy lunch with a lovely view over the Alzou Valley. It really is a spectacular site and it is not surprising that over 1 million visitors go there each year.

La Roque Gageac

La Roque Gageac is a beautiful riverside village backed by a steep cliff on the Dordogne River. Its hewn stones and rocks are of exceptional beauty, and there are many narrow lanes climbing up towards the fortified church and the Tarde family manor. Take a cruise on a Gabare (a traditional Dordogne river boat) where you will get great views of the village and further along the river you will see the impressive Castelnaud Castle. This is another village which is very popular with tourists and which is well worth a visit if you have the time.

The ‘Impressionniste”

It was a decadent week on the barge, commencing with Champagne and canapes on our arrival.

There are 5 staff on board – the skipper, chef, tour guide and 2 hostesses. The trip includes all meals and alcohol, as well as all sight-seeing entries. These trips are not cheap, so the passengers are generally well-travelled and appreciate fine dining, history and French wines.

The length of the waterway is only 242 kms, but it has a total of 209 locks.

There are a couple of nice surprises during the trip, one being lunch at Abbaye de la Bussiere, and the other being a wine tasting at one of Burgundy’s finest cellars. All in all this is an exceptional trip, with a crew who worked tirelessly to ensure that every guest had a special experience aboard the barge.

We will only give an overview of the places we visited, with a link so that you can find out more information at your leisure.

  • Chateau de Commarin – rich in history the Chateau has remained in the same family from generation to generation often passing down through the female line. It is a family home first and foremost, but it is also filled with beautiful furniture, paintings and tapestries.
  • Abbaye de la Bussiere – set in 15 acres of beautiful parkland, the old buldings have been transformed into a luxurious country house hotel.  But the surprise here is the Michelin star restaurant where we were treated to a delicious 3 course lunch. This was also included in the price of the trip. A wonderful experience.
  • Chateauneuf-en-Auxois – this is listed as one of the most beautiful villages of France, with the Chateau at one end of the low rocky spur on which the village stands. The original castle dates from 1132 and it was substantially modified during the 14th and 15th centuries. There are significant parts of the castle from each period clearly visible as you wander through, with the village containing many fine merchant houses to discover as you walk around.
  • Chateau du clos de Vougeot – a wall enclosed vineyard full of rich history. Even though the Chateau no longer produces wine, the Chevaliers du Tastevin, who acquired the Chateau in 1945, maintain the festivals, customs and traditions of Burgundy folklore.
  • Beaune – within its ramparts the charming town of Beaune reveals its historical mansions, medieval half-timbered houses, flowered squares and gardens. There are some great jewellery shops in Beaune, so make sure you have time to stroll through the shopping areas. However, the highlight will be visiting the Hotel Dieu Hospice, a wonderful example of Gothic architecture. It has four festivals a year so there is always something happening in this fabulous town.
  • Dijon – the capital city of Burgundy, it is a beautiful historic town with one of the best preserved medieval centres in France. There are lots of pedestrian walking streets with plenty of museums and other cultural activities throughout the year. It is here that we end our journey.

Travel Tips

  • The cabins on the barge are quite cosy, so if you would like a slightly larger cabin then ask for the bow or stern junior suites.

Travel Alerts

  • The barge trip we took may not still be on offer, so best check the website, but we are sure the quality and service will still be excellent no matter what trip you choose.

Travel Adventures

  • Depending on which city your trip starts, why don’t you add a few days before it commences to increase your experience, or continue on to another adventure after the barge trip has ended.