Last Updated on 07/20/24 by Rose Palmer
To have unique experiences is at the heart of why I travel. Recently I was privileged to have one of the most extraordinary luxury travel experiences that I have ever had. I was invited on a France canal cruise on the barge La Belle Epoque with European Waterways. For six days on my Burgundy, France Canal cruise, I had the ultimate slow travel cruising experience that included gourmet meals, amazing wines, impeccably attentive service and uniquely curated excursions.
While traveling, I posted my daily experiences on my Facebook page. I am sharing those daily diary posts plus lots of extra information in this detailed European Waterways La Belle Epoque Burgundy Canal cruise review to inspire your next unique luxury canal boat holidays in France.
My Burgundy, France Canal Cruise Experience
Sunday – Day 1 on the La Belle Epoque – at Venarey-les-Laumes
As I walked across the gangplank onto the La Belle Epoque, I felt as if all of my real world cares were slipping away and staying behind me on the banks of the Canal de Bourgogne. I had just stepped into a self contained world of quiet luxury where I was greeted with a glass of (real) French champagne and oysters on the half shell.
The La Belle Epoque is one of European Waterways’ fleet of historic barges that have been refurbished into floating boutique cruise hotels which specialize in slow travel throughout the smaller canals of Europe. As one of the largest barges in their fleet, the La Belle Epoque has only six cabins that can accommodate up to 12 passengers, and is micro-cruising at its luxurious best.
On this trip, our group is a total of only five guests, which means the staff outnumbers us by one. Taking care of our every need for the next six days is a captain, a pilot, a chef, two stewards and a tour guide. Joining me for this week are two Australian couples who do not know each other but just happened to pick the same barge cruise this week.
Our day started with an early afternoon pick up at the Westminster Hotel in Paris, followed by a 3.5 hour drive south east to the small town of Venarey Les Laumes where the barge was waiting for us.
As we left the city and drove through the bucolic French countryside, I began to feel more at ease without even realizing that I had felt tense. Don’t get me wrong – I love visiting Paris. I love all the history and art and architecture and food that is so unique to this amazing city. But like any great diva, Paris can be overwhelming at times, especially, if like me, you don’t speak the language very well.
For the next six days though, I will be experiencing a side of France that will be totally new to me. The La Belle Epoque will be slow cruising north around 50 miles over six days down the Canal de Bourgogne or Burgundy Canal. This canal was built in the 1780’s and connects the river Yonne to the river Soane. Like the other canals built throughout France in the late 1700’s, its original function was to transport timber and other goods. Today though, this extensive canal system is used primarily for recreation, like the luxury barge cruise that I am experiencing this week.
After our warm greeting and introductions, I was shown to my cabin below deck, which was bright and amazingly spacious. I would say that both the bedroom and bathroom are the size of a larger ocean cruise ship cabin, though with all the gleaming wood trim, it felt more luxuriously appointed. I certainly had plenty of closet and drawer space, especially since the cabin can accommodate two, and I was traveling alone.
I especially appreciated all the small touches that took the cabin from comfortable to special. There was a personalized note on the bed welcoming me on board. A reusable water bottle, a small bottle of Perrier, and a dish of chocolates decorated the nightstand. In the bathroom I had a fresh rose, L’Occitane toiletries and a bathrobe with slippers for my use.
On this first evening, we were staying put at our mooring. Since I had some free time before dinner, I took a little stroll into the nearby town of Venarey Les Laumes where I admired the flowers and the ease with which the roses and lavender bloomed.
We relaxed with predinner drinks and then experienced our first gourmet four course dinner as the sun set. Jamie, our chef, is Scottish, but the food he prepared for us this evening was decidedly French influenced and utterly delicious.
Dinner menu:
First course: Duo of smoked asparagus with citron hollandaise
Second course: Sea bass with moules beurre blanc and dijon pomme puree
Cheese course: Abondance, Fourme d’Ambert, St, Maure de Touraine
Desert: Pistachio and Raspberry St. Moret Cheesecake
White wine – Mercurey 2016, Albert Bichot
Red wine – Moulin A Vin 2011, Chateau des Jaques
Monday – Day 2 on the La Belle Epoque – Venarey-les-Laumes to Montbard
The slow movement and gentle rumble of the engines woke me up on my first full day on the Belle. My second day of barge cruising on the Burgundy Canal was a perfect mix of R&R and interesting activity. The morning started out with a made to order breakfast – but I am a late riser and am not a big breakfast eater.
Regardless, when I came up on deck, the table was still set with all sorts of goodies for me: a basket of fresh pastries and bread, a large fresh fruit bowl, a charcuterie plate, fresh squeezed orange juice and of course a variety of coffees, espresso, cappuccino and teas. I was quite content with fresh fruit, flaky almond croissants and a cup of mint tea. Does anyone make better croissants than the French?
During the morning we got our first taste of slow cruising as we meandered down the canal through 5 or 6 locks. It was amazing to see how tight the fit is for the barge in each lock-like a hand being fitted into a glove. There were only a few inches leeway on either side and our pilot did an amazing job each time “threading-the-needle” as he guided the boat into the locks with minimal bumps and scrapes.
I took some time this morning to get to know my environment better, as well as the other guests. The lower level of the barge is where the cabins are, and I was surprised to see how low we rode in the water – the portholes to my room were barely a few inches above the level of the canal.
The upper deck is the living space-the heart and soul of the barge where I spent most of my time. The space is comfortable and cozy and has everything we needed for the week. There is a large table in the dining area that could seat up to twelve guests, and two large, cozy semi-circular couches. A fully stocked bar had top shelf liquor for all tastes while another cabinet holds a permanent coffee/tea station.
Outside on the deck, there are two more tables where we could sit and hang out or eat al fresco, as well as lounge chairs, the bicycles that we could use to ride along on the towpath, and the ultimate luxury, a hot tub.
I especially liked all the small decorative touches that gave the spaces character: the old crank style antique telephone; the fruit bowl and flowers that looked like they were models for a Dutch still life painting; and the planters on the outside railings filled with annuals, herbs and strawberry plants.
As we slowly cruised along the canal, we passed pastoral countryside and quaint little villages. The sun was shining, the temperature wasn’t too hot and I embraced the day laying on one of the deck chairs.
The morning passed quickly, and before I knew it, it was lunch time and another delicious three course meal, also paired with wines.
Lunch menu:
First course: Cucumber, lime and mint gazpacho
Second course: Blanquette de Veau Bouchées
Desert: Crépe Suzette
White wine: Ladoix La Clou d’Orge, 2016, Louis Jadot
Red wine: Monthelie 2013, Charles Noëllat
Excursion to Chateau de Commarin
I was excited for our first excursion after lunch as we were driven to the nearby Chateau de Commarin. The chateau is listed as a French Historic Monument and has the unique history of being continuously owned by the same family for 26 generations since the 13th century.
Our tour started with a private falconry display which explained the intricacies of breeding, raising and training the birds. We learned that only birds bred and raised in captivity are used for falconry at the chateau. I especially enjoyed the barn owl and the stately eagle owl with its six foot wingspan.
The castle is open for tours to the public from April to November, but our group was treated to a private tour of the grounds by the current count, Comte Bertrand de Vogüé. As Count Bertrand walked with us around the perimeter of his large estate, he shared the history and stories of how his family was able to maintain the chateau for over 900 years.
Through connections with the ruling Dukes of Burgundy, good marriages, and good fortune during the revolution and other wars, the chateau has remained largely intact. As with many such historic sites, the architecture is a mosaic representing the various styles over time. The two fortified towers and the encircling moat that greet guests are from the original fortified castle in 1346, while other parts of the building are from later 18th century reconstructions.
We were also treated to visits of some of the historic rooms in the Chateau which the family actually still use. Much of the existing decor is due to ancestress Marie-Judith de Vienne’s redecorating efforts in the early 1700’s.
My favorite space though was the tapestries room where the walls were covered with original family tapestries woven in the early 1500’s. We were told that sadly, some of the tapestries were cut down so that they would fit the space. I was especially interested in the achemical designs woven in with the heraldic patterns.
The tour finished with visits to the kitchen, the chapel which was also from the 15th century, and the grand stables.
Back on the Belle, we were greeted with strawberry gin and tonics and snacks, followed by another amazing four course dinner with more delicious wine pairings.
Dinner menu:
First course: Tonnerre Arancini with Red Pesto
Second course: Bresse Chicken Ballentine with Sauce Veronique
Cheese course: Brillat Savarin, Tomme de Savoie, Langres
Desert: Pineapple Tart Tatin with Creme Anglaise
White wine – Beaune du Chateau 2015, Bouchard Pére & Fils
Red Wine – Beaune du Chateau 2015, Bouchard Pére & Fils
Canal Holidays in France – Bike and Barge
Tuesday – Day 3 on the La Belle Epoque – Montbard to Ravieres
Today was another wonderful day on my slow travel barge cruise on the La Belle Epoque. While the boat continued to meander down the canal, I spent the morning biking the towpath along side. Since the boat moves quite slowly, I had no trouble keeping up, and even getting ahead when she was stopped at one of the many locks.
I biked past cute houses, quaint villages and grazing white Charolais cattle as I pedaled on the level towpath. Occasionally I was greeted with a friendly “Bonjour” by a local as they biked or walked past me.
Mostly though, I had the shady, tree lined lane and canal to myself and I reveled in the long periods of peaceful solitude. I made sure to build up an appetite for what I knew would be another delicious lunch, even though I was sure I wasn’t working off the expected calories.
Lunch menu:
First course: Poached pear salad
Second Course: Turkey paupiettes, wild rice, Mango dressing
Cheese course: Reblochon, Crottin de Chauvignol
White wine: Saint Martin Chablis, 2018, Domaine Larochel
Red wine: Corbiéres Récolte 2013 La Reserve, Domaine Sainte-Eugénie
Excursion to the UNESCO Abbey de Fontenay
After lunch, we had an excursion to one of the Burgundy region’s UNESCO sites, the Abbey de Fontenay, which was established by the Cistercian order in the 11th century. We had a private guided tour of the Abbey that provided an understanding of the Cistercian order and their lifestyle, as well as the history of the Abbey during the centuries.
The Abbey de Fontenay was built in 1118 and is one of the oldest and most complete Cistercian abbeys in Europe. I learned that the Cistercian Order was founded in response to the excesses that the Benedictine Order had evolved into. From its foundation in the Burgundy Region of France, the Cistercian Order eventually spread throughout Europe and at its maximum reached over 750 abbeys and monasteries at its height in the 15th century.
The Abbey at Fontenay is a prime example of a typical Cistercian monastery architecture. The church is solid, simple, utilitarian and without any decoration so as not to distract from the main task of prayer.
Connected to the church are the cloisters and the long second story dormitory for the monks. In keeping with their simple lifestyle, the monks would all have slept together in this one big room on simple pallets laid out on the floor. On the other side of the cloisters is the ribbed and vaulted monk’s room which may have been used by the copyists to make illustrated manuscripts.
The Cistercians believed in being self sufficient and lived an austere life devoted to manual labor and prayer. They practiced and improved upon agriculture, architecture and metallurgy and were responsible for most of the technical advances in the Middle Ages. At Fontenay, the forge has been preserved and restored and demonstrates the hydraulic forge hammer that would have been used at the time.
I really appreciated this visit to the Abbey de Fontenay and the understanding it gave me into Cistercian life and history, something I did not know about beforehand.
Back on board the moored boat, we were greeted with snacks and delicious cocktails. We were also surprised with a concert by a local four man jazz band that call themselves the Riverboat. For an hour we were serenaded with Dixyland style versions of classics like Hello Dolly, Mack the Knife and La Vie en Rose. It was hard not to dance along to the rollicking beat. A little bit of New Orleans in the Burgundy Canal – maybe not so unusual after all.
Dinner was another amazing culinary experience. Each meal just seems to surpass the previous one, in both flavor and presentation. It was a beautiful evening, so we ate al fresco, watching the sun set on the horizon. This evening’s desert was by far the best so far – the creamiest chocolate tart I have ever had. I am SO loving this trip.
Dinner menu:
First course: Goat cheese bonbon
Second course: Braised beef cheeks Burgundy with watercress and celeriac remoulade
Cheese course: Camembert, Chabichou, , Bleu d’Auvergne
Desert: Chocolate truffle tart with strawberry compote
White wine – Hermitage 2011, Cave de Tain
Red Wine – Hermitage 2013, Cave de Tain
Wednesday – Day 4 on the La Belle Epoque – Raviéres to Ancy-le-Franc
Excursion to Les Riceys
Today was filled with all manner of unique experiences, a day of many firsts for me. We started the day with a stop at one of the vineyards that grows grapes for champagne production, even though it is part of the Burgundy Region in France. As far as the eye could see, the rolling hills were covered in a patchwork of neat grapevine rows. Here I learned all about the conditions needed to produce champagne grapes.
It’s all about the soil – or in this case, the limestone that was millions of years in the making. The soil here is referred to as kimmeridgian and is made up of a unique mix of clay and fossilized sea shells from the Jurassic period. Along with the climate, it is this special combination of environment that makes French champagne unique.
We then had a special behind the scenes tour of the Alexandre Bonnet Champagne House in the town of Les Riceys where we saw how champagne is made from start to finish on an industrial scale. Interestingly, the final step which removes the frozen spent yeast plug is still done one bottle at a time by a person.
Of course we ended the tour with a tasting of four of their wonderful vintages of bubbly (I could certainly get used to the taste of real French champagne).
From the winery, we went to have lunch with the Count and Countess de Taisne in their family castle, Chateau de Taisne. I found Segolene and Charles de Taisne to be extremely charming and down to earth. It turned out that Count Charles has a doctorate in microbiology and has worked at a pharmaceutical company in the US so he and I had a lovely technical conversation during lunch. Today, the count puts his technical expertise to the production of their own champagne, which we tasted along with hors d’oeuvres before lunch.
Lunch was four courses in the chateau’s dining room, all of which were absolutely delicious and beautifully presented. Countess Segolene was extremely gracious and welcoming and told us much about the family history, the history of the Chateau and about the current challenges they face maintaining and restoring a large historic property.
We were graciously given a tour of some of the private areas of the house, parts of which were built in the 16th century. Unlike visiting a restored museum, the rooms and antiques here are lived in and displayed personal mementos and many family photos and paintings. This was such a unique view into the real life in a French Chateau, an experience l that I would never have been able to have any other way.
When we met up with our barge, now moored at the town of Ancy-le-Franc, I was quite ready for a nap after all that great food and wine. Instead though, we all learned how to play petanque, a ball game similar to bocce. The goal is to throw a heavy 3 inch ball and get it as close as possible to a smaller ball that was about 15-20 feet away – much harder than it sounds on gravelly, uneven ground. I succeeded in once again demonstrating my lack of hand-eye coordination – but I still had fun.
Then it was another wonderful dinner, more wine and after dinner liquors, and finally, my comfy bed. A truly memorable day.
Dinner menu:
First course: Pork with almond and Dijon mustard crust, ratatouille and port start anise jus
Cheese course: Morbier, St. Agur
Desert: Tonka bean parfait with honeycomb
White wine – Meursault 2015, Bouchard Pére & Fils
Red Wine – Margaux 2011, Gassies
Thursday – Day 5 on the La Belle Epoque – Ancy-le-Franc to Lezinnes
After the busy day yesterday, it was nice to have a relatively quiet day today, which for me, started with breakfast on the deck.
Excursion to Ancy-le Franc
Our barge was moored at the village of Ancy-le-Franc, so after breakfast we took a quick walk into town. It was market day, so I explored the fresh produce stalls and drooled over the cheese truck.
The highlight of the town is the Ancy-le-Frank Chateau where we were treated to a private guided tour of this castle masterpiece.
This is the best preserved 16th century renaissance chateau in France, and the décor was absolutely spectacular. Ii is Italian architecture with a French twist. Each room has different wall, floor and ceiling decorations, all of which has been painstakingly restored.
Back on the barge, we were treated to yet another amazing lunch while the boat started cruising down the Burgundy Canal.
Lunch menu:
First course: Cappucino of Cepe Muhrooms
Second Course: Chicken Cordon Bleu
Desert: Blueberry Galette
White wine: Riesling Grand Cru Kanzierberg 2015, Gustave Lorentz
Red wine: Pino Noir Alsace Classic 2015 , Famille Hugel
We had only one rain during the week, and it was this afternoon which gave me a chance to just chill out in the lounge for a few hours and catch up on photos and emails.
By late afternoon, the sun was back out so I chose to bike the towpath along the canal again to our mooring point for the night at Lezinnes. Biking here was so easy and enjoyable – it’s flat and peaceful and very green.
I had to get some exercise in before another four course dinner which was once more paired with wonderful French wines. We ate outside on the deck again, enjoying the cool evening breeze. The desert was particularly memorable this evening – a raspberry tiramisu that was just too beautiful to eat- but I did.
Dinner menu:
First course: Vichyssoise
Second course: Lamb cutlets with blonde lentils, red cabbage and crushed peas
Cheese course: Chistera, Valancay, Brie de Meaux
Desert: Raspberry Tiramisu
White wine – Sancerre 2017, Domaine de la Perriere
Red Wine – Sancerre 2016, Domaine de Terres Blanches
Friday – Day 6 on the La Belle Epoque – Lezinnes to Tanlay
I am not a morning person, so while I like to see a sunrise, I don’t often get the chance. This morning though, I was treated to a beautiful one over the Burgundy Canal.
This early morning wake up call was for a good reason. I chose to do the optional hot air balloon ride over the rural Burgundy countryside. I am normally quite afraid of heights, but for some reason, it does not bother me when I am in a hot air balloon – no, it does not make sense.
Our pilot skillfully flew us over a patchwork of farmed fields, forests and quaint French villages. This was my second time in a hot air balloon, and once again, I loved the experience of quietly floating above the landscape, getting a bird’s eye view of the scenery below me.
Back on board, we had a second breakfast with made to order eggs and all the fixings. Then it was on to explore the Chablis region of Burgundy.
We learned that true Chablis wine is made from Chardonnay grapes that are grown only in this very specific region of Burgundy. We were treated to a very special tour of the historic Domaine Laroche cellars where wine has been stored for over 900 years. One of the most interesting aspects of this tour was seeing the huge ancient wooden grape press from the 13th century, which is still occasionally used today.
Of course we also had a wine tasting of four of the Domaine Laroche vintages in their tasting room in the cute town of Chablis.
We had some time to walk around the town of Chablis as well and explore it a bit. Not surprisingly, the main street had many tasting rooms, along with eateries. I could easily have spent the whole day discovering the nooks and crannies of this cute town. An artful display of fresh strawberries caught my eye at the produce shop and I could not resist buying a quart. They made a wonderful addition to the buffet lunch of quiches, salads, cheeses, meats, and yes, more great wine as our barge started cruising down the canal one last time.
Lunch menu:
Buffet of quiches, charcuterie and salads
Cheese: Ossau-Iraty, Vezelay
Rose wine: Cote de Provence 2018, Chateau Lauzade
The weather was pleasant and sunny and there was one more activity on board that I had to indulge in. The barge has a hot tub on the bow of the deck which I enjoyed for a few hours as I watched the scenery slowly go by, while listening to an audiobook. And of course, the crew made sure I had a drink to enjoy as well. (I may have napped for a bit during the soak as well).
The evening ended with a very festive and special Captain’s dinner which was another outstanding four course meal, this time paired with four different wines. Our dinner table was always beautifully set, with a different napkin folds each night. This evening, it was especially festive as our hostess decorated it with flowers as well. First though, we celebrated the end of a wonderful week with a toast to the staff, who by now, had also become our friends.
Dinner menu:
First course: Foie Gras with Pain d’Episces and fig
Second course: Charolais fillet steak with fondant potatoes, roasted vine tomatoes, green beans and sauce bordelaise
Cheese course: Epoisses, Roquefort, Comté
Desert: Black Forest Gateaux
White wine – Chablis Grand Cru 2016, Albert Bichot
Red Wine – Charmes Chambertin Brand Cru, 2007, Camus Père and Fils
Saturday – Good bye to the La Belle Epoque
Sadly, I had to say goodbye today to the beautiful La Belle Epoque. These last six days have been so incredibly regenerative for me, both for the body and the soul. This has truly been a one of a kind experience that I will not forget and that will be very difficult to top. In this case it really was all about the journey-a quiet, and peaceful glide through the bucolic scenery of the Burgundy canal. I was pampered by the most attentive service and utterly spoiled with such gourmet food and wine that it will be extremely difficult to go back to my own boring cooking.
A huge and heartfelt thank you to James, Luke, Fred, Jamie, Claire and Marie Jean for taking such good care of us this week and all the best to you all in all your future endeavors.
What I really liked About My luxury France canal cruise
- The uniquely curated excursions – each excursion provided an element that was special just to our very small group. A number of the activities, like the lunch with the Count and Countess de Taissne would never have been possible traveling on my own.
- The ease of doing the excursions – we were driven in a large and comfortable van directly from the barge to the activity, and then back again. While I could have seen some of these sights on my own, I certainly could not have done it so effortlessly
- Biking on the towpath – again, this was such an easy activity to do, and such a relaxing way to enjoy the countryside. The crew offloaded the bike for me, I pedaled as far and as long as I wanted to, and then they loaded the bike back on the barge. It doesn’t get any easier.
- The wine – yes, we had first rate wine to drink each night, but drinking wine that is perfectly paired with the food is a totally different experience – it makes both the wine and the meal complete. Beyond that, I learned an awful lot about wine production in this region of France and gained a whole different level of appreciation for the intricacies that go into producing French wine.
- It goes without saying that I loved all the food – what was there not to like about expertly crafted French cuisine prepared with fresh local ingredients that was artfully presented.
- The service – I felt like I was being taken care of by a friend in their home. It did not take long for the hostesses to note my preferences, and I was offered my favorite tea or a drink without even asking.
- Soaking in the hot tub as I watched the scenery go by with a chocolate cocktail and listening to my audiobook was the ultimate luxury relaxation experience.
What I struggled with
- Actually, nothing. I like to be really active when I travel, and I was concerned that I might get bored. But that was not the case. For me, there was a perfect balance of activity and free time to relax and take in the scenery and the whole slow cruising experience.
My week on the La Belle Epoque with European Waterways was is up there in my top three most memorable luxury experiences. My other top experience was on the Orient Express from Venice to London with my husband for our 30th wedding anniversary. And number three? – well, I don’t have one yet.
Hopefully, this luxury France canal barge cruise review, with all its details, has inspired you to give a European Waterways barge cruise a try. For the most up to date information for a European Waterways barge cruise visit https://www.europeanwaterways.com/
Please note that my trip was hosted by European Waterways. All Content is my own.
You can also read my award winning story Boomer Adventure on a Burgundy Canal Barge Cruise which was recognized with a Silver Award in the Luxury Travel and Resort category in the 2020 North American Travel Journalists Association excellence in travel journalism competition.
Also be sure to check out my guest blog post for European Waterways: My “Belle of the Ball” Experience on the La Belle Epoque in Burgundy
I also shared my foodie experiences in this article which was also syndicated to MSN and 25 McClatchy newspapers across the USA:
For the Best French Food and Wine I Took A Luxury Barge Cruise With European Waterways
Links to all my cruising content, including all my other European Waterways cruises, can be found on my Experience – Cruising page.
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Barge cruising in Italy with European Waterways: European Waterways La Bella Vita Cruise Review – Discovering Italy on a Luxury Barge Cruise
Thanks for visiting.
Rose
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