It's National Cake Day

Madeleines

A Traditional Teatime Treat

Celebrate National Cake Day with this recipe for spongey, golden Madeleines – a traditionally French afternoon treat that’s impossible to resist!

I love Madeleines - even the store-bought ones!

Did you know, Madeleine or petit Madeleine cakes originate from the Lorraine region in northeastern France? Traditionally shell-shaped, these buttery and spongey cakes enjoy a delightfully crispy batter.

The name "Madeleine" according to some, was given to the cakes around 1755 by French King Louis XV to honor Madeleine Paulmier, his father-in-law's cook.

Try making them today with this easy to make recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 12 cakes

• 2 large eggs
• 130g sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (I like orange as well)
• Pinch of salt
• 120g flour
• 300g unsalted melted butter
• A sprinkling caster/powdered sugar

Ingredients

• Preheat oven to 180°C or 350°F. Line your Madeleine molds with butter and dust with flour.
• Using an electric whisk, beat your eggs and eggs sugar in a mixing bowl.
• Mix in your vanilla extract, lemon zest and salt, before adding the flour until a batter is formed. Slowly add the melted butter.
• Spoon a tablespoon of your batter into each of the Madeleine molds and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the batter appears golden brown.
• Cool before removing from the molds.
• For the next batch, repeat the process – buttering and flouring the molds each time you use them.
• Dust lightly with caster sugar before serving.

You can find madeleine pans on Amazon.

Speaking of Lorraine . . .

French Hotel Barge Panache

The 12-passenger Hotel Barge Panache cruises in Holland & Belgium during the springtime, then through Paris to Champagne, and finishes their season in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France.

• Route: Between Niderville and Kraftt, France - Click for Alsace-Lorraine itinerary
• Dates: July 12-October 31, 2020
• Accommodations: up to 12 passengers in 6 ensuite staterooms
• Charters and Cabin cruises 
• Itineraries: See all itineraries
• Learn more: Online brochure

Panache

The 128-foot Panache is a 12-passenger luxury hotel barge of classic Dutch design, fully air conditioned with spacious public areas and six en-suite stateroms, with your choice of twin or double bed configuration. En-suite bathrooms have twin sinks and oversize showers with massage jets. Panache is traditionally furnished in an old ship style with brass and mahogany, creating a comfortable and charming ambience. The salon and dining room have large panoramic windows for viewing the passing countryside, as well as comfortable sofas, books and music, and an always open inclusive bar. The sun deck is spacious and has a heated spa pool; a perfect place to watch the sun set after dinner.

Panache has a highly professional crew of six, comprised of Master Chef, Deck Hand, Tour guide, two Housekeepers, and led by a knowledgeable and experienced Captain, who will ensure your cruise is memorable and more.

Inquire / Book Now

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

 

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Tasting the Wines of Alsace

Tasting the Wines of Alsace with Panache

One of the enjoyable experiences you’ll be offered on a French hotel barge cruise in Alsace will be the opportunity to enjoy private wine tastings when cruising through the Route des Grand Vins.


The Route des Grands Vins

Officially established in 1953, the Route des Grands Vins winds through the valleys in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains for some 170 kilometres. Stretching from Marlenheim in the north to Thann in the south, a journey along the Route takes in over 1,000 wine producers.

Many vineyards and wineries along the Route des Grands Vins welcome visitors for tasting sessions. When you're travelling through Alsace aboard the Barge Panache, you’ll have the chance to attend wine tastings during the onshore day trips.

To reassure the novice and to refresh the more experienced wine connoisseurs, here are some tips for tasting etiquette so that you get the most from your visits to these vineyards.


Tasting Protocol

Wine tasting may seem a little intimidating to the average, casual drinker, but with a few pointers it is easy to learn the basics. You don’t need loads of expert knowledge to get started – all you need are your senses!


Sight

The very first thing you’ll need to do is give your wine a thorough visual once-over. Swirl and tilt the glass to catch the full range of a wine’s color.

Alsace is a mainly white wine-producing region, so expect to find a lot of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc, and Pinot Gris (with the occasional Pinot Noir for the red-loving crowd). With the white wines you’ll be looking for color tones that are tawny, golden or yellowy-green. You should make sure it is clear and sparkling, not murky and dull.


Next, the smell test

A few quick sniffs should tell you everything you need to know about a wine’s bouquet. Experienced connoisseurs might talk of grapefruit and musk, but focus on specific bouquet groups to get started. Is it fruity? Herbal? Flowery? From dry to sweet, fruity to herbal, you’ll find a spectrum of bouquets in Alsace.


Taste

Finally, the tasting. Take a small sip (not a gulp) and let it circulate through your mouth. You may want to spit the wine out if you’re planning to taste many, but swallowing the wine is perfectly all right. In tasting, you should be able to pick up the same characteristics you identified in smelling the wine, but you will also be able to get a sense of the wine’s balance and complexity.

The Ultimate Test

Remember that the best measurement of a wine is whether you actually like it. Though your preferences may evolve with more tasting experience, the best wines are the ones you would actually want to taste again.

Along the Route des Grands Vins, you will have plenty of opportunities to sharpen your tasting skills. On a Panache hotel barging cruise, the vast and varied world of Alsatian wine is open to you in this stunning corner of the world.

Book Now

About The French Hotel Barge Panache

French Hotel Barge Panache

The 12-passenger Hotel Barge Panache cruises in Holland & Belgium during the springtime, then through Paris to Champagne, and finishes their season in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France.

• Route: Between Niderville and Kraftt, France - Click for Alsace itinerary
• Dates: July 12-October 31, 2020
• Accommodations: up to 12 passengers in 6 ensuite staterooms
• Charters and Cabin cruises 
• Itineraries: See all itineraries
• Learn more: Online brochure

Panache

The 128-foot Panache is a 12-passenger luxury hotel barge of classic Dutch design, fully air conditioned with spacious public areas and six en-suite stateroms, with your choice of twin or double bed configuration. En-suite bathrooms have twin sinks and oversize showers with massage jets. Panache is traditionally furnished in an old ship style with brass and mahogany, creating a comfortable and charming ambience. The salon and dining room have large panoramic windows for viewing the passing countryside, as well as comfortable sofas, books and music, and an always open inclusive bar. The sun deck is spacious and has a heated spa pool; a perfect place to watch the sun set after dinner.

Panache has a highly professional crew of six, comprised of Master Chef, Deck Hand, Tour guide, two Housekeepers, and led by a knowledgeable and experienced Captain, who will ensure your cruise is memorable and more.

Book now! Contact Paradise Connections
CLICK HERE

---

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

 

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Discover Strasbourg with Panache

Discover Strasbourg With Panache On A French Canal Barging Cruise

The Alsatian city of Strasbourg – whose name literally means ‘town at the crossing of roads’ – lies at a fascinating juncture between old and new, German and French. It is of course famous for its colossal Gothic cathedral, but also as the seat of the European Parliament, while its half-timbered German merchant dwellings sit next to elegant French townhouses.

During your escorted tour of this wonderful city on your cruise aboard Panache along the Canal de la Marne au Rhin in Alsace, highlights will include:

Cathédrale de Notre-Dame

Photo by DAVID ILIFF. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

No trip to Strasbourg would be complete without a visit to the awe-inspiring Cathédrale de Notre-Dame. It is hard not to be impressed by this huge, pink-sandstone masterpiece of Gothic architecture. Its 142-metre spire made it the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 250 years, and if you’re feeling fit, you can climb the 332 steps to the platform below its towers and admire the stunning views of the city from this lofty vantage point.

Make sure to admire the exquisite stained-glass windows when you walk around the cathedral, including the rose window in the western portal. In the south transept you’ll find an impressive astrological clock and at different hours of the day a host of mechanical figures, including angels, Death and the Apostles, are sent out on parade.

La Petite France

Just a short walk from the cathedral is La Petite France, the home of artisanal trade in medieval Strasbourg. This maze of narrow streets and canals is full of picturesque half-timbered houses blooming with flowers in the summer months. It’s a lovely place to do some boutique shopping, have a cup of coffee or just relax in one of the waterside parks.

Place Gutenberg

 Photo by Claude TRUONG-NGOC. License: CC BY-SA 3.0

It was in the city of Strasbourg in the 15th century that Johannes Gutenberg, inventor of the printing press, first experimented with moveable type. His revolutionary ideas, which hugely cut down the time it took to reproduce a text compared with labour-intensive scribal reproduction, made a real contribution to the rise in literacy at the end of the medieval period in Europe.

You can see a bronze statue of Johannes Gutenberg in the appropriately named Place Gutenberg and perhaps as you read your guidebook, you can send a silent thank you to the father of printing!

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Alsace-Lorraine

Alsace-Lorraine is a unique corner of France. Discover a land of storybook castles, rolling vineyards of Alsatian wines as well as Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque architecture. For centuries, the great empires of Europe confronted one another at this strategic and military crossroads. The area's unique blend of French and German influences are strongly evident in its customs, cuisine, wines, architecture and language.

Revel in the beauty of Strasbourg, from its pink sandstone cathedral to the storybook looks of La Petite France, and partake in a scenic drive along the Route des Grand Vins, culminating in a private tasting of some of the most fragrant wines that France has on offer.

Feast on a delectable Duck a l’Alsacienne as you cruise by candlelight through the Arzviller tunnels, before a 450 foot ascent or descent on the mountainside Arzviller Boat Elevator.
 
Where French and German culture collide, this is a region for the adventurer in you. There can be no better view than from Panache’s hot tub as the leaves of the forested hillsides turn from green to gold to red to yellow.  

Book Now

About The French Hotel Barge Panache

The Hotel Barge Panache is a 12-passenger barge offering 6-night cruises in Alsace-Lorraine from July through October.

Route: Between Niderviller and Krafft - Click for itinerary
Accommodations: up to 12 passengers
Charters and Cabin cruises 
Itineraries: All itineraries, Alsace Standard Classic, Alsace Family Cruise
Learn more: Online brochure

Panache

The 128-foot Panache is a 12-passenger luxury hotel barge of classic Dutch design, fully air conditioned with spacious public areas and six en-suite cabins, with your choice of twin or double bed configuration. En-suite bathrooms have twin sinks and oversize showers with massage jets. Panache is traditionally furnished in an old ship style with brass and mahogany, creating a comfortable and charming ambience. The salon and dining room have large panoramic windows for viewing the passing countryside, as well as comfortable sofas, books and music, and an always open inclusive bar. The sun deck is spacious and has a heated spa pool; a perfect place to watch the sun set after dinner.

Panache has a highly professional crew of six, comprised of Master Chef, Deck Hand, Tour guide, two Housekeepers, and led by a knowledgeable and experienced Captain, who will ensure your cruise is memorable and more. Their knowledge of the region, combined with fascinating chauffeur-driven private excursions and the 12 bikes provided, will allow you to explore the areas you cruise through in as much detail as you desire.

Book now! Contact Paradise Connections
CLICK HERE

---

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

 

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Visit Alsace-Lorraine (France) with Panache

French Hotel Barge Panache: Visit Alsace & Lorraine

Where French and German culture collide, this is a region for the adventurer in you. There can be no better view than from Panache’s on deck spa pool (hot tub) as the leaves of the forested hillsides turn from green to gold to red to yellow.

French Hotel Barge Panache - Alsace-Lorraine charter route

Feast on a delectable Duck a l’Alsacienne as you cruise by candlelight through the Arzviller tunnels, before a 450 foot ascent or descent on the mountainside Arzviller Boat Elevator.

Revel in the beauty of Strasbourg, from its pink sandstone cathedral to the storybook looks of La Petite France, and partake in a scenic drive along the Route des Grand Vins, culminating in a private tasting of some of the most fragrant wines that France has on offer.

Explore highlights of Panache's Alsace-Lorraine charter in this short 2-minute video

Alsace-Lorraine is a unique corner of France. Discover a land of storybook castles, rolling vineyards of Alsatian wines as well as Baroque, Gothic and Romanesque architecture. For centuries, the great empires of Europe confronted one another at this strategic and military crossroads. The area's unique blend of French and German influences are strongly evident in its customs, cuisine, wines, architecture and language.

Book Now

About The French Hotel Barge Panache

The Hotel Barge Panache is a 12-passenger barge offers 6-night cruises in Alsace-Lorraine from July through October.

Route: Between Niderviller and Krafft - Click for itinerary
Accommodations: up to 12 passengers
Charters and Cabin cruises 
Itineraries: All itineraries, Alsace Standard Classic, Alsace Family Cruise
Learn more: Online brochure

Panache

The 128-foot Panache is a 12-passenger luxury hotel barge of classic Dutch design, fully air conditioned with spacious public areas and six en-suite cabins, with your choice of twin or double bed configuration. En-suite bathrooms have twin sinks and oversize showers with massage jets. Panache is traditionally furnished in an old ship style with brass and mahogany, creating a comfortable and charming ambience. The salon and dining room have large panoramic windows for viewing the passing countryside, as well as comfortable sofas, books and music, and an always open inclusive bar. The sun deck is spacious and has a heated spa pool; a perfect place to watch the sun set after dinner.

Panache has a highly professional crew of six, comprised of Master Chef, Deck Hand, Tour guide, two Housekeepers, and led by a knowledgeable and experienced Captain, who will ensure your cruise is memorable and more. Their knowledge of the region, combined with fascinating chauffeur-driven private excursions and the 12 bikes provided, will allow you to explore the areas you cruise through in as much detail as you desire.

Book now! Contact Paradise Connections
CLICK HERE

---

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

 

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La Nouvelle Etoile 2018: Only one week open for Luxembourg-Germany cruise

The Hotel Barge LA NOUVELLE ETOILE has 2 cabins available for their Luxembourg-Germany (Remich to Koblenz) cruise 14-20 October 2018. All other weeks for this region are booked.

This open week is a "value" week and has a reduced price of $7700/person, double occupancy.

 Enjoy an all-inclusive barging cruise aboard La Nouvelle Etoile

The picturesque Moselle region of Germany is a wine lover's paradise and is most famous for its wines made from the Riesling grape. The area is known for the steep slopes of the region's vineyards overlooking the River Moselle. The river runs through one of Europe's most beautiful valleys and is perfect for anyone wishing to experience the romantic Germany of castles, vineyards, and half-timbered villages. Unlike the more heavily visited Rhine, the Moselle allows the visitors to meander at a more leisurely pace among colourful towns, markets and forests.

Click map to enlarge

 Highlights of the cruise include Trier, Germany's oldest city with roots going back to the Roman empire, Koblenz with its wonderful Old Town, and the 12th century Burg Eltz, "Queen of German Castles".

La Nouvelle Etoile is a very popular barge and they book up well in advance. We do have a few other open weeks in their 2018 calendar...

The following weeks are available for private charter for up to 8 guests or as a cabin week where the barge is shared with others. Click links for itineraries.

• April 1, 8, 15, 22:  HOLLAND
• June 10: BURGUNDY, Auxerre to Moret sur Loing
• June 17: UPPER LOIRE & BURGUNDY, Moret sur Loing to Briare
• July 8: UPPER LOIRE & BURGUNDY, Briare to Moret sur Loing
• July 22: CHAMPAGNE, Paris to Epernay
• August 19, 26 and September 2, 9: ALSACE-LORRAINE, Strasbourg to Nancy
• October 14: LUXEMBOURG-GERMANY, Remich to Koblenz (2 cabins open)

Looking forward to your inquiries...

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Contact Paradise Connections to book LA NOUVELLE ETOILE
View La Nouvelle Etoile's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Hotel Barges - September 2016 Availability on the French Canals

September, the most popular month for barging the French canals, is always a wonderful time of the year to take a hotel barge cruise through one of the stunning regions in France. The vineyards of Burgundy and Bordeaux are at their glorious best, the Canal du Midi beckons with a gentle pace of life and fascinating history, and Alsace-Lorraine offers a unique blend of cultures. Also, there are less holidaymakers and the weather is ideal.

We still have some availability for the month with some great special offers on both cabin and charter bookings. See below for the departure dates and contact us for more details.

LA BELLE EPOQUE Burgundy Available: August 28; September 4, 11 & 18 View Brochure	ANJODI Canal du Midi Available: August 28; September 4 & 25  View Brochure
RENAISSANCE Loire & Western Burgundy Available: September 4 & 11 View Brochure	PANACHE Alsace - Lorraine Available: August 28 View Brochure
L' ART DE VIVRE Burgundy Available: August 28; September 11 & 18 View Brochure	ROSA Bordeaux Available: August 28; September 4, 11, 18 & 25 View Brochure

SEE OUR CURRENT SPECIAL OFFERS: CLICK HERE

BOOK NOW TO RESERVE YOUR SEPTEMBER BARGE CRUISE

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Special Family French Barge Cabin Cruises

We would like to announce that there are three family-themed charter cruises scheduled for summer 2016. These cruises are available by the cabin... no need to book a private barge trip (unless you want to, of course!).

L'Art de Vivre

Anjodi

Panache

Participating French hotel barges are:

• l'Art de Vivre, Burgundy: 
• August 7-13, 2016 - 4 cabins available

• Anjodi, Canal du Midi: 
• August 14-20, 2016 - 4 cabins available

• Panache, Alsace-Lorraine: 
• August 21-27, 2016 - 6 cabins available

We know that it can be quite challenging for many families to plan vacation time together. A hotel barge cruise can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a family with a chance to enjoy quality time together. A family as small as three people, booking a minimum of two cabins, can be confident that on the date they booked, their hotel barge (which can accommodate up to 8 or 12 guests) will be waiting for them. They will enjoy all the usual amenities from an attentive crew whether all the other cabins are booked or not.

L'ART DE VIVRE
The eight-passenger L’Art de Vivre’s family-themed cruise departs August 7th. Cruising through the scenic Burgundy countryside, the vessel’s itinerary includes a visit to Cardoland prehistoric World of Dinosaurs, canoe trips, and a tour of the Caves of Ancy sur Cure, a major site for Palaeolithic cave paintings.

ANJODI
The August 14th departure of the 8-passenger Anjodi, based on the Canal du Midi, includes a visit to Aqualand Cap D’Agde, a popular family water park. The itinerary also includes a tour of the Oppidum d’Enserune Roman settlement and the prehistoric Grotte de Limousis prehistoric caves.

PANACHE
The August 21st departure on the 12-passenger Panache, which cruises the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, includes a visit to the Centre Aquatique Sarrebourg water park as well as the Alpine Luge at Lutzelbourg – a 1,640-foot high-speed rail ride down a mountainside. There is also a visit to the Saint Croix Animal Park and the Chocolate Museum in Strasbourg.

Prices for these 6-night family-themed cruises start at $4,450 per person, based on double occupancy, and are all-inclusive, including admission to all the family attractions on the itineraries.

Also, guests under the age of 18-years old receive $300 off. Wouldn't this be perfect for someone studying French?

Allons-y . . .
Let's Go Barging This Summer !

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

It's not how far nor how fast, it's the pleasure of the journey that keeps people coming back for more.

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Hotel Barge Panache - Special cruises, special offers, spring availability

SPECIAL CRUISE: The 12-passenger Hotel Barge Panache will be cruising from Courtrai, Belgium (30km north of Lille, France) through Picardy to Paris, from May 22 through June 4 this year.

 Hotel Barge Panache - Cruising Holland, Belgium, and France

The first cruise (May 22-28, 2016) has a World War One theme, with an itinerary that includes excursions to Ypres and the Menin Gate, Somme battlefields, and memorials.

For the second cruise May 29-June 4, Panache offers a choice of excursions, with or without a WWI theme. These can include:

• The Armistice Clearing in the forest of Compiegne where the Armistice was signed on November 11, 1918
• The Thiepval Memorial, a monument to 75,000 "missing" from the Battle of the Somme
• Château de Chantilly, a superb example of 16th-century Renaissance architecture with wonderful art treasures and gardens
• Auvers-sur-Oise, Van Gogh’s resting spot and a place of pilgrimage for art lovers
• Monet’s home and gardens at Giverny, when the gardens should be looking at their best
• Château de Malmaison, a delightful country house and home to Napoleon’s Empress Josephine

Menin Gate Memorial

Thiepval Memorial

Vimy Ridge Memorial

There is still plenty of availability on both cruises along with special offers of a discounted rate if booked before March 29, 2016:

Availability and pricing as of February 17, 2016:

• May 22-28: Courtrai to Bethencourt-sur-Somme - 5 cabins open, 1 booked

Discounted rate: $2500 off/cabin

•  May 29-June 4: Bethencourt-sur-Somme to Paris - 6 cabins open, 0 booked. Open for either a private charter or individual cabin bookings.

Discounted rates: $12,000 off 12-person private charter rate, i.e. $45,000 for up to 12 guests.

Panache would love to welcome you aboard for one of these fascinating voyages through the landscapes of Belgium and Northern France that witnessed events a century ago that changed the course of history.

=== Here's Another Option For This Spring ===

There is also some space available for a few dates in Holland this spring. Discounts are valid for new bookings confirmed by March 29, 2016:

• April 3-9 (Holland): 3 cabins open, 3 booked - $2500 off/cabin
• April 24-30 (Holland): 1 cabin open, 5 booked - $2500 off/cabin
• May 15-21 (Holland-Belgium): 3 cabins open, 3 booked - $2500 off/cabin

Panache cruises the French region of Alsace-Lorraine in the summer and autumn. Contact Paradise Connections to book your barging trip.

Let's Go Barging with Panache in 2016 !

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Contact Paradise Connections to book PANACHE
View Panache's online brochure

Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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