Saroche

Sunday: Paris to Escommes

Meet your chauffeur-driven minibus in Paris and relax on the transfer down to the Saroche, moored on the Burgundy canal in the quiet hamlet of Escommes
Enjoy a champagne welcome upon arrival with plenty of time to settle in before Dawn presents your first of many gourmet meals onboard.

Monday: Escommes to Chateaueuf-en-Auxois

Today's cruise takes you down the flight of locks from the summit pound to the foot of the beautiful Chateauneuf-en-Auxois.
After lunch, Jason will take you to visit a chocolatier for a delightful tasting and talk on this wonderful product.
Today is all about relaxing, with both lunch and dinner on board and canal life at it's best.

Tuesday:  Chateauneuf-en-Auxois to Pont-d'Ouche

After breakfast, Jason will drive you up the long, sinewy hill to the village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois, perched high above the canal.
This 11th-century chateau is a famous landmark in the area visible from miles away and hides a quaint hamlet behind its stone walls.
After a tour of the chateau, there is plenty of time to explore the village before returning to the barge for lunch.
In the afternoon we set sail and head downstream to Pont d'Ouche, our mooring for the night.
There is an excellent towpath all the way, ideal for walking or cycling, or perhaps you would rather slow down and simply watch the world go by from the deck?
Once moored up, Dawn will once again regale you with another gourmet feast.

Wednesday:  Pont-d'Ouche to Veuvey-sur-Ouche

Today we leave the Saroche and head over the hills to Beaune.
In the morning, Jason will present a guided tour of the world-renowned Hospice du Beaune, as famous for its wines as it is for the stunning glazed tiled roof!
No trip to Beaune is complete without some fine dining, and we will eat lunch in a gourmet restaurant.
After lunch, we venture into the Cote du Beaune, known for its soft reds and complex, delectable white wines.
You will walk in the vineyards and be given an explanation as to why Burgundy wines are so well renowned, before enjoying a comprehensive tasting in a private winery.
Return to Saroche for a wonderfully relaxing sundowner cruise before a light dinner on board.

Thursday: Veuvey-sur-Ouche to La-Bussiere

After breakfast, we set sail and cruise down to La-Bussiere, with another gentle towpath for those who wish to walk or cycle.
After lunch on board Saroche, Jason will drive you into the Cote de Nuits where you will visit the Clos du Vougeot, the 11th-century Cistercian monastic winery, now home to the Knights of the round table of wine-tasting, before heading into one of the villages for a tasting.
The Cote de Nuits is famous for its red wines, and Jason will show you why the world raves about the Pinot Noir from this area.

Friday: La Bussiere to Gissey

Friday is Market day!
Dijon is the capital of Burgundy, once home to the Dukes of Burgundy and home to Gustave Eiffel, who designed the market square.
After a walking tour of the old town, you will have plenty of time to explore the market and the classic French shops and boutiques of Dijon.
We return to Saroche for lunch before setting sail for Gissey, our final destination of the week.
This beautiful village nestled in the heart of the Ouche valley is classically French, and exploring the village is a must!
Tonight Jason will be your host for Captain's Dinner where Dawn will round off your culinary experience with another gourmet delight.

Saturday: Gissey to Paris

After a relaxing and final breakfast, your chauffeur-driven minibus will return you to Paris, with time to reflect on a magical week aboard the hotel barge Saroche.

Sunday: Strasbourg

Meet your chauffeur-driven minibus at Strasbourg train station at 5 pm and relax on the transfer to the Saroche, moored in the busy port of Strasbourg Centre. This is the second largest river port in France and on the Rhine.
Enjoy a champagne welcome upon arrival with plenty of time to settle in before Dawn presents your first of many gourmet meals onboard.

Monday: Strasbourg to Hochfelden

After a relaxed breakfast, we take a tour of the old quarters of Strasbourg, where the much-photographed half-timbered houses present the perfect picture of the traditional Alsace.
Return to Saroche for lunch on the deck, before we set off on our journey onto the canal Marne au Rhin Est, passing the European Parliament buildings.
We leave the city behind and head into the countryside to our destination of Hochfelden, where we moor for the night.
Dinner on board.

Tuesday: Hochfeldento Dettwiller

Our morning cruise takes us through pastoral landscapes. On arrival at Dettwiller, there is time for lunch on board before Captain Jason takes you wine tasting amid the Grand Cru fields at Traenheim. This charming village of just 500 inhabitants, is famous for the fine Grand Cru wines produced here. The exceptional quality is due to the particular sub-soils of the Altenberg and the micro-climate, giving many more hours of sunshine per year than the average in this area.
We return to Saroche for evening cocktails and another delicious dinner on board.

Wednesday

We continue our wine discovery with a morning drive through the vineyards to the town of Colmar, considered to be the capital of Alsatian wine. Colmar is an exceptionally well-preserved town, and we will see a variety of architectural landmarks. The town has a variety of museums and a colourful market today. Join Jason on a culinary adventure picking local produce before wandering through the old town. We will then enjoy a picnic lunch in the heart of the vineyards, before a wine-tasting in one of the most prestigious houses in the Alsace before returning to Saroche to relax before dinner on board.

Thursday: Dettwiller to Lutzelbourg

We begin today by cruising into the heart of the Zorn Valley, to the beautifully charming town of Lutzelbourg. Nestled in the junction of five valleys, this village dates back to the 12th century and is very welcoming. After lunch, Jason will drive us through the lush forest to the village of Wingen-sur-Moder to visit the world-famous Rene Lalique Glass Museum. René Jules Lalique (6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945), a French designer, created stunning glass art, perfume bottles and vases in both Nouveau and Art Deco styles.
With our heads full of beauty, we return to Saroche to freshen up as Jason hosts everyone to dinner in a traditional local Alsatian restaurant this evening.

Friday: Lutzebourg to Nidvillier

For barge and engineering enthusiasts, a real treat this morning! We set sail in the morning and after cruising through a few locks, we reach the famous incline plan lock at Arzviller. Cameras at the ready! This incredible feat of engineering moves Saroche 145 metres up the hillside, bypassing 17 locks in the process! Imagine how time-consuming it must have been for bargees before this lift was built. Saroche then cruises through peaceful countryside, passing through two tunnels, to our final mooring at Nidvillier.
After lunch on board, we will head out on our final excursion to the town of Sarrebourg, where we will again witness beautiful artwork in the form of the famous Marc Chagall windows in the Chapel of the Cordeliers.
Marc Chagall (6 July 1887 – 28 March 1985), was a French-Russian artist, best known for his astounding stained glass windows. An early modernist, his influences were wide and he produced works in many artistic styles and formats.
We return to Saroche for our Gala dinner on board and time to relax and recall the wonderful week together.

Saturday

After breakfast, it's time to say 'au revoir' before Jason drives you back to Strasbourg station for your onward journey.

NB Depending upon the starting point, the cruise may run in the opposite direction