BARGE SAVOIR FAIRE: NEW SANCERRE ROUTE FOR 2015

The luxury hotel barge SAVOIR FAIRE, is offering an excellent opportunity in 2015 for travellers to enjoy the cultural and gastronomical delights of the Sancerre region of France from May 31 through August 22. This 12-passenger vessel will treat their guests to its most iconic and culturally significant attractions of the area.

 Hotel Barge Savoir Faire - Barging in France and Holland

NEW SANCERRE ITINERARY FOR 2015

Savoir Faire will provide weekly departures through the renowned Sancerre wine region of France with their new Upper Loire & Western Burgundy Sancerre itinerary along the Canal du Briare and the Canal Latéral à la Loire between Rogny-Sept-Ecluses and Marseilles-lès-Aubigny, from May 31 through August 22, 2015.

Savoir Faire’s exciting new itinerary introduces their guests to some of Burgundy’s most iconic and culturally significant attractions. They will enjoy high levels of comfort, thanks to six finely-appointed staterooms and two spacious sun decks which offer superb views of the countryside. Guests will also enjoy personalized excursions, cycling along the towpath, and a private wine tasting at a renowned winemaker in Sancerre. This will allow you to fully experience the culture, history, gastronomy, and lore of the land.

This season, Savoir Faire will be the only 12-passenger hotel barge cruising the new route through the Sancerre region, famous for its dry white wines of the same name.

CRUISE HIGHLIGHTS:

• The town of Rogny-les-Septs-Ecluses, named after its 350-year-old staircase of seven former canal locks, now considered a national monument.
• Gustav Eiffel’s amazing 2172-foot long aqueduct over the River Loire. The Pont Canal de Briare is a remarkable feat of engineering completed in 1896
• A visit to the town of Gien, world famous for its glazed ceramic pottery.
• Château de Saint Fargeau with a 1000 year history
• Sancerre with specialist wine tasting
• A visit to Chârité-sur-Loire, a medieval city that has been classified a UNESCO World Heritage Site and continues to attract pilgrims from all over the world.
• Tour of Apremont, voted one of France’s loveliest villages
• Apremont-sur-Allier Floral Park. A beautiful garden set within this picturesque riverside village
• The towpath runs along the canal for the entire length of the cruise. Enjoy walking or cycling at your leisure. Savoir Faire has very comfortable Dutch bicycles with front fork and seat suspension.

PRICES:

Savoir Faire offers both private charters where you have the entire barge for your group, as well as cabin cruise weeks where you can book an individual cabin and share the barge with other like-minded travellers.

For this itinerary, Regular season rates are in effect from May 31 through July 25, after which it is Value season from July 26 to August 22.

Private Charters:

• Up to 10 guests: $51,295 (regular) | $48,300 (value)
• 11 or 12 guests:  $58,995 (regular) | $55,600 (value)

Cabin Cruise weeks:

• Cabin for 2, double occupancy (not each person):

$10,500 (regular) | $9950 (value)

Prices include: Local transfers to and from the hotel barge, all meals on board catered for by the onboard Master Chef, an open bar 24/7 with a large range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, all wines served throughout the cruise, excursions and admittance fees as per the itinerary, the services of 6 crew and use of barge facilities, which include bicycles, wireless internet access and a piano.

HOTEL BARGE SAVOIR FAIRE:

The barge itself has a fascinating history. Originally born a Belgian barge in 1932, she transported grain through Europe and later carried Allied troops during World War II.  Decades later, and after extensive renovations, the barge found new life as a "floating luxury hotel".

The Hotel Barge Savoir Faire is fully air conditioned and heated. with accommodations for up to 12 guests in 6 well-appointed staterooms. Each stateroom can be configured with two twin beds or with one queen bed, and has ensuite private bathrooms. Each guest stateroom has a DVD player with an LCD screen and 2 sets of wireless headphones. The salon, dining area, and bar are finished in mahogany, teak and brass, decorated with antiques and paintings collected over the years.

The hotel barging experience is different from large vessel river cruising. It offers a slower paced, gentle voyage of discovery along the more intimate canals and waterways of Europe, allowing a small number of guests to become more fully immersed in the culture, history and gastronomy of the region.

Go Barging & Visit France This Summer

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book SAVOIR FAIRE 
View Savoir Faire's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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BARGE CHARTER VACATION CRUISES: 2015 SPECIAL OFFERS and DISCOUNTS

 Click link below to see current special offers / discounts for
Barging cruises / Barge charters / Barge trips / Barging vacations

> > > CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT SPECIAL OFFERS < < <

Want to go cruising on a luxury crewed hotel barge? We have some great special offers for you.

Contact Paradise Connections for both cabin bookings or private charters.

Looking forward to your inquiries

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Contact Paradise Connections to book your barging holiday
For more information on our barges and barging, visit our website : www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Enjoy cycling on your barge cruise with "Biking Plus"

Many of our barge enthusiasts enjoy taking some exercise in the form of cycling during their hotel barge cruise, so each vessel carries bicycles for everyone on board to use. On most cruises the crew can offload the bikes almost anytime for you to take a gentle pedal along the canal's towpath, or perhaps to the next village or lock.

Barging and Biking... a Perfect Combination

The "Biking Plus" Option

The more adventurous of you might be interested in "Biking Plus" which is offered by most of our barges at no extra charge.

While other members of your group are relaxing on deck or enjoying a stroll, most days you can take a bike and follow an interesting, but not too challenging route that has been carefully researched.

You will be given clearly marked maps for each round trip route and a backpack with everything you might need so you can explore the surrounding countryside and villages for an hour or two along the lanes, towpaths and byways. You can rejoin the barge where you left her or maybe catch up a little further along the canal. If you get lost or have a problem there's no need to worry as they will send a crew member to come and fetch you.

Your hotel barge's itinerary is arranged so that you won't miss any of the organized excursions or much of the cruising, but you will have seen a little more of the people and places around you. This is also a wonderful way to work off some of the calories from your fabulous meals :)

Fancy a tandem bike? Inquire and we'll see if one can be reserved.

Go Barging & Get Biking!

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Contact Paradise Connections to book your barging holiday
For more information on our barges and barging, visit our website : www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Recipe: Lemon Sole Paupiettes with Risotto from Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre

From the galley of the French hotel barge L'Art de Vivre:

JIM'S LEMON SOLE PAUPIETTES WITH RISOTO

The origin of the mis-named lemon sole probably comes from the French word "lime" meaning "file" and which may refer to the texture of the fish’s skin. Whatever its origin, this recipe by Jim, the talented chef who cooks aboard hotel barge L’Art de Vivre in Burgundy, is spectacular!

INGREDIENTS:

For the fish:

• 4 Lemon Sole Fillets
• Smoked Salmon
• Fish Stock
• Seasoning

For the risotto: 

• 1 Diced and Roasted Red Pepper
• White Wine
• Aborio Rice
• Diced Onion
• Diced Fresh Mint
• Vegetable Stock
• Peas
• Asparagus
• Grated Parmesan
• Parsley
• Mascarpone Cheese

METHOD:

1. Place a slice of smoked salmon on top of each lemon sole fillet, roll in cling-film and poach in the fish stock.
2. Lightly sauté the onions in a little butter, add the rice, a cup of white wine, then add the stock slowly a ladle at a time. Let the rice absorb the stock and cook until it is al dente.
3. Add the roasted red pepper, peas, asparagus, parmesan, mascarpone cheese and the chopped fresh mint.
4. Place the paupiettes on the risotto, top with a fish veloute and decorate perhaps with a slice of lemon and cherry tomatoes.

Thanks, Jim, for sharing one of your delicious recipes!

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VIDEO: French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre - Cruise Burgundy France on the Nivernais Canal

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Cruise beautiful Burgundy aboard the luxury crewed French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre.

Spring is the ideal time for a hotel barge cruise and we are now offering great savings aboard the 8-passenger L'Art de Vivre, which cruises the Lower Nivernais Canal and River Yonne in Burgundy.

The weather is mild and sunny and with the leaves budding on the trees, late spring is beautiful in Burgundy. L'Art de Vivre's itinerary features visits to such scenic and historic sites as the medieval town of Auxerre and the spectacular hilltop village of Vezelay. There is also a wine-tasting in Chablis.

WEEKS ON SALE : Discount Prices for Spring 2015

- CABIN CRUISES: 

Discounted price for cabin (not each person), double occupancy = 10% off

• Departures of April 12, 19, 26: $8,010/cabin 

- PRIVATE CHARTER: 

Discounted price = 10% off

• Departures of April 12, 19, 26:
• 6 guests = $27,720
• 7 guests = $28,710
• 8 guests = $29,700

Prices include: Transfers by chauffeured Mercedes minibus between Paris and the hotel barge, a luxury 6-night cruise, all meals on board catered for by the on board Master Chef, an open bar 24/7 with a large range of alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, all wines served throughout the cruise, excursions and admittance fees as per the itinerary, the services of 4 crew and use of barge facilities, which include bicycles and spa pool.

Can't arrange your schedule for a Spring barge vacation? L'Art de Vivre has openings throughout the season for both private charter and cabin weeks. We even have a few September weeks available! 

The 8-passenger L'ART DE VIVRE started life in 1917 as a Scottish munitions carrier. Many, many years later the barge was transformed by a team of skilled craftsmen into a floating celebration of the Burgundian "good life". She was renovated in 2009, and is continuously maintained to a high standard. Among upgrades for this winter, l'Art de Vivre has new carpets in the cabins, plus a new on-deck spa pool.

L'Art de Vivre is 100-feet long, has air conditioning and central heat, and accommodates up to 8 guests in four cabins that can be either configured as twins or doubles according to your preference. They have a six-person spa pool/jacuzzi/hot tub (whatever you wish to term it!), 8 touring bicycles, and also a tandem bike. The crew of four, comprised of Captain, Tour Guide, Master Chef and Hostess, all have a love for the Nivernais canal and are secure in the knowledge that their vessel represents L'Art de Vivre itself...

L'Art de Vivre cruises the Nivernais Canal between Auxerre and Chevroche. Theme cruises for private charters include:

• Cycling: Daily cycling trips with professional guide and upgrade of bicycles
• Walking: Daily walking tours with a professional walking guide
• Wine Appreciation: includes a comprehensive and customisable wine itinerary, an upgrade of all wines served on board to include more Premier and Grand Cru wines and the services of a professional wine guide
• Tennis: includes pre-booked and paid courts and transfer to and from the clubs
• Family: along with traditional cultural visits, they can arrange horse riding, water sports, theme parks and many other activities to keep the younger ones and young at heart, completely satisfied. Can be customized to your interests.

For more information on the French Hotel Barge L'Art de Vivre please click here

Go Barging in France for 2015 ! 

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Contact Paradise Connections to book L'ART DE VIVRE 
View L'Art de Vivre's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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