The 14th Century Château de Germolles | European Waterways
Visit to the 14th Century Château de Germolles, the best preserved of the residences of the Dukes of Burgundy, with its ducal chapel, medieval wall paintings and romantic gardens.
Hotel Barge Finesse
Finesse is a luxurious, double-decker hotel barge cruising the scenic River Saône and Canal du Centre in Southern Burgundy. Built to exacting standards with luxury in mind, Finesse offers accommodation for up to 8 passengers in four spacious twin or double-bedded suites (approx. 265sq ft including en suite), each air-conditioned and with beautifully appointed shower-rooms. She boasts a large saloon with panoramic windows and a demonstration galley where guests can watch their chef preparing delicious gourmet meals.
She has a very modern and well-designed interior, offering plenty of natural light. Outside, guests can relax on the large sun deck with its alfresco dining area, comfortable seating and spa pool.
With her doting crew of five to look after you, Finesse is the perfect vessel on which to meander through the vineyards and undulating countryside of Southern Burgundy.
Burgundy and the Canals of the Centre
The Loing, Briare, Latéral à la Loire, and Centre Canals connect the River Seine to the River Saône and combine to make what is known as the Canals of the Centre. The canals were built to enable the wine, wood, garden produce, pottery and ceramics of Burgundy and the Loire to be brought to Paris.
The first section of the waterway to be built was the Canal de Briare, the oldest canal in France. Construction started in 1604 in the reign of Henry IV and was completed in 1634 during the reign of Louis XIII. Opened in 1723, the Canal du Loing was constructed to bypass the Loing, a river that was subject to flooding and whose ascent was often difficult and time-consuming.
The next section of the waterway to be built was the Canal du Centre connecting the Saône River and the Loire River. Built between 1783 and 1802, it constituted the final link in the first inland-waterway route between the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea.
Historically, the Loire had been used for commercial barges, but navigation was dangerous. This led to the building of the Canal Latéral à la Loire in 1873, over 200 years after the building of the Briare Canal.
The Canals of the Centre flow through the upper and middle Loire region, a peaceful and gentle countryside surrounding the River Loire. The Loire region is as rich in legend as it is in beauty. Little has changed over the centuries. This is a cruise of riverside villages and stately manors alike.
Not far to the east is the famous wine center of Burgundy. A short excursion along the Canal Latéral à la Loire leads to another wine region, Sancerre. This location offers the perfect opportunity to compare the fruity Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes with the crisp, flavorful Sauvignon.
What is hotel barging?
Despite the growing popularity of cruising, especiallly on large river vessels, hotel barging is still a little known niche concept. Most hotel barges started life as cargo vessels but have since been painstakingly converted to offer luxury boutique accommodation for small groups of up to 20 passengers.
This is cruising, but in a very different style to ships plying the big rivers or oceans. The pace is slow, with a 6 day cruise covering maybe just 50 miles along a rural canal. Passengers can walk or bike the towpaths as their floating hotel glides gently along. Guests enjoy an intimate atmosphere, high levels of personal service and immersion into the culture, history and gastronomy of regions of Europe such as Burgundy, the Midi, or the Italian Veneto.
Every day there is an excursion, perhaps to a chateau, a vineyard for a wine tasting, or some other ‘off the beaten track’ location. About half of European Waterways’ bookings are for whole boat charters, ideal for families. Otherwise, clients book a cabin to join other like-minded people. A ‘slow boat’ European Waterways barge cruise offers the ultimate in experiential travel. A truly unique experience!
European Waterways offer luxury hotel barge cruises on the beautiful canals and rivers of Europe, such as through Burgundy, the Midi, Alsace, the Po Valley, Holland and the Scottish Highlands.
The exclusive collection of hotel barges accommodate up to 20 passengers who may charter a whole barge with family or friends, or join a small group of like-minded travellers on an individual cabin basis.
Each barge is fully crewed with a Captain, chef, hostesses, deck-hand and tour guide. The 6-night cruises include gourmet meals, fine wines, open bar, excursions and the use of facilities such as bicycles and spa pools.