Burgundy Walking Tour Barging Cruise with Barge La Belle Epoque

There are still cabins available for this highly popular barge cruise & guided walking tour aboard the French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE in Burgundy, France.

Barging & Walking in Burgundy, France - A wonderful combination

UPDATE: The week of October 13-19 is probably closed as the last two cabins now have options on them. Still inquire because they could open up again if not booked. The week of October 20th would be very nice for a walking tour.


2013 DATES and AVAILABILITY:

• September 20 - October 5: Not available, completely booked
• October 13-19, 2013: Five cabins booked, Two cabins on option
• $9500/cabin ($4750/person, double occupancy)
• October 20-26, 2013: Three cabins booked, Four cabins open 
• 2 Junior Suites: $9780/cabin ($4890/person, double occupancy)
• 2 Staterooms: $9500/cabin ($4750/person, double occupancy)

With autumn colors transforming the countryside, this is the perfect time of year to explore Burgundy with its rolling landscape, quaint villages and ruined castles.

You can view the full itinerary for the Guided Walking Tour cruise on La Belle Epoque's brochure.

The difference with this theme cruise is that it is available for individuals or couples to book a cabin and join others on board. No need to charter the whole barge and no extra supplements to pay for the services of the professional walking guide.

If you are part of a couple and not as keen about walking as your "better half", pas de problème... There are other activities available if you wish, or you can just chill out on La Belle Epoque and watch the countryside glide by while listening to tunes on your iPod or reading a book in the jacuzzi!

The French Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque - Barging in France

La Belle Epoque has been designed with both elegance and passenger comfort in mind. This all-inclusive deluxe barge is 128 feet long, has two interior deck levels (fully air conditioned & heated), a crew of 5, and accommodates up to 13 guests in 7 cabins, each with private, ensuite bathrooms. The salon & dining room has beautiful wood panelling, with an always-open inclusive bar. The sundeck has steamer chairs, recliners, parasols, a large dining table, and a Jacuzzi spa pool. They have 12 touring bikes, plus a tandem! These, together with other luxury facilities, create a vessel perfect for a relaxing, luxurious cruise.

Burgundy is among the most popular hotel barging areas in Europe. It is renowned for its vineyards, Gothic churches, Renaissance châteaux and picturesque villages. This is a region of France in which gastronomic delights and the art of living have reigned supreme since Roman times.

Sounds good? Contact Paradise Connections and let's get started. As you can see, this is a very popular cruise and it books up quickly. Don't miss this opportunity!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book LA BELLE EPOQUE 
View La Belle Epoque's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Burgundy Walking Tour Barging Cruise with Barge La Belle Epoque

There are still cabins available for this highly popular barge cruise & guided walking tour aboard the French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE in Burgundy, France.

Barging & Walking in Burgundy, France - A wonderful combination

2013 DATES and AVAILABILITY:

• September 20 - October 5: Not available, completely booked
• October 13-19, 2013: Two cabins open
• $9500/cabin ($4750/person, double occupancy)
• October 20-26, 2013: Four cabins open 
• 2 Junior Suites: $9780/cabin ($4890/person, double occupancy)
• 2 Staterooms: $9500/cabin ($4750/person, double occupancy)

With autumn colors transforming the countryside, this is the perfect time of year to explore Burgundy with its rolling landscape, quaint villages and ruined castles.

You can view the full itinerary for the Guided Walking Tour cruise on La Belle Epoque's brochure.

The difference with this theme cruise is that it is available for individuals or couples to book a cabin and join others on board. No need to charter the whole barge and no extra supplements to pay for the services of the professional walking guide.

If you are part of a couple and not as keen about walking as your "better half", pas de problème... There are other activities available if you wish, or you can just chill out on La Belle Epoque and watch the countryside glide by while listening to tunes on your iPod or reading a book in the jacuzzi!

The French Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque - Barging in France

La Belle Epoque has been designed with both elegance and passenger comfort in mind. This all-inclusive deluxe barge is 128 feet long, has two interior deck levels (fully air conditioned & heated), a crew of 5, and accommodates up to 13 guests in 7 cabins, each with private, ensuite bathrooms. The salon & dining room has beautiful wood panelling, with an always-open inclusive bar. The sundeck has steamer chairs, recliners, parasols, a large dining table, and a Jacuzzi spa pool. They have 12 touring bikes, plus a tandem! These, together with other luxury facilities, create a vessel perfect for a relaxing, luxurious cruise.

Burgundy is among the most popular hotel barging areas in Europe. It is renowned for its vineyards, Gothic churches, Renaissance châteaux and picturesque villages. This is a region of France in which gastronomic delights and the art of living have reigned supreme since Roman times.

Sounds good? Contact Paradise Connections and let's get started. As you can see, this is a very popular cruise and it books up quickly. Don't miss this opportunity!

---

Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book LA BELLE EPOQUE 
View La Belle Epoque's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Barge Cruises: 2012 Last Minute Special Offers

We're down to the last few weeks of the 2012 barging season...

October is a wonderful month to go barging, plus we have some last minute special offers to give you added incentive... and then there is Paradise Connections' gift, too!

French Hotel Barge Enchanté

These special offers have expired. See special offers for 2013 HERE

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

 

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French Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque Announces Their 2013 Burgundy Walking Tour Barging Cruise

Today, the French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE announced the dates for their 2013 guided walking tour barge cruise taking place in Burgundy, France.

Barging & Walking in Burgundy, France - A wonderful combination

2013 DATES and AVAILABILITY:

• October 13-19, 2013: One cabin optioned
• October 20-26, 2013: One cabin optioned

With autumn colors transforming the countryside, this is the perfect time of year to explore Burgundy with its rolling landscape, quaint villages and ruined castles.

2013 RATES: 6-night cruise

• Satenay, Vougeot, Sancerre, & Chablis cabins: $4550/person, double occupancy
• Nuits St George & Meursault cabins: $4750/person, double occupancy
• Irancy single cabin: $5150

Both weeks allocated in 2012 to this highly popular cruise sold out early, so do not delay for 2013. If La Belle Epoque adds an additional walking week for 2012, we'll let you know ASAP!

You can view the full itinerary for the Guided Walking Tour cruise on La Belle Epoque's brochure.

The difference with this theme cruise is that it is available for individuals or couples to book a cabin and join others on board. No need to charter the whole barge and no extra supplements to pay for the services of the professional walking guide.

If you are part of a couple and not as keen about walking as your "better half", pas de problème... There are other activities available if you wish, or you can just chill out on La Belle Epoque and watch the countryside glide by while listening to tunes on your iPod or reading a book in the jacuzzi!

The French Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque - Barging in France

La Belle Epoque has been designed with both elegance and passenger comfort in mind. This all-inclusive deluxe barge is 128 feet long, has two interior deck levels (fully air conditioned & heated), a crew of 5, and accommodates up to 13 guests in 7 cabins, each with private, ensuite bathrooms. The salon & dining room has beautiful wood panelling, with an always-open inclusive bar. The sundeck has steamer chairs, recliners, parasols, a large dining table, and a Jacuzzi spa pool. They have 12 touring bikes, plus a tandem! These, together with other luxury facilities, create a vessel perfect for a relaxing, luxurious cruise.

Burgundy is among the most popular hotel barging area in Europe. It is renowned for its vineyards, Gothic churches, Renaissance châteaux and picturesque villages. This is a region of France in which gastronomic delights and the art of living have reigned supreme since Roman times.

Sounds good? Contact Paradise Connections and let's get started. As you can see, this is a very popular cruise and it books up quickly. Don't miss this opportunity!

---

Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book LA BELLE EPOQUE 
View La Belle Epoque's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE - 2011 season

We are very pleased to announce that the French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE has undertaken a US$200,000 refurbishment project this winter.

French Hotel Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE - Barging in France

Barge Cruises in Burgundy on the Canal de Bourgogne

Some of the projects are:

• New de-humidifier system has been installed which adds silent filtered ventilation to all below deck areas.
• Stripping the cabins right back, replacing the insulation and rebuilding the interior walls.
• All the electricity, wiring and air conditioning has been replaced.
• The baths in both suites have been replaced with showers and the bathrooms have been retiled.
• The cabins are being redecorated, re-carpeted and beautiful new bed linen.
• There will be new solid brass light fittings and curtains throughout the barge.
• The saloon is also being redecorated with new curtains, wallpaper and parquet flooring.

We hope to be receiving photos soon!

This all-inclusive deluxe barge has a crew of 5 or 6, and accommodates up to 13 guests in 7 cabins, each with private, ensuite bathrooms. La Belle Epoque is fully air conditioned and also has central heating. They have two sundecks with steamer chairs, recliners, parasols, a large dining table, plus a Jacuzzi spa pool.

Besides their standard itinerary, themed cruises are available for private charters: Guided walking tour, Family cruise, Bike touring / Cycling tours, Wine lovers tasting & appreciation cruise... If you have specific interests, let us know and we'll see about adapting a cruise to your desires.

Book your April, May, June, July, or August 2011 cruise before April 1, 2011 and benefit from LA BELLE EPOQUE's special offer. See details HERE. 

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book LA BELLE EPOQUE 
View La Belle Epoque's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges & barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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French Barge LA BELLE EPOQUE: Comments on their recent Guided Walking Tour in Burgundy France

We received a wonderful review of a client's Walking Cruise Experience (week of 10th October 2010) on board La Belle Epoque in Burgundy.

Come to Burgundy next Autumn and enjoy La Belle Epoque's

special Walking Tour with like-minded individuals

Here is the review:

Welcome
On arrival, our travel-weariness quickly dissolved thanks to the beaming smiles of the crew who welcomed us aboard, handing us a glass of champagne and a selection of delicious canapés.  After our various introductions, we had just one instruction from our Captain, Stephane: “Start enjoying yourself straight away as the week will go by very quickly.”  So we did, and he was right!

Accommodation and Décor
On first seeing La Belle Epoque, I was instantly struck by the size of the vessel. It appeared much bigger than in the photos I’d seen and very impressive with its crisp blue and white paintwork.  The interior décor is dominated by traditional wood paneling and there is space for everyone to sit comfortably in the interior lounge or outside on the sundeck. The cabins are cosy and have everything you need for a very comfortable week.  They have windows or portholes encased in that lovely old heavy brass which you just don’t see nowadays.  The house-keeping team worked very hard at their role, discreetly cleaning and tidying the cabins and providing fresh towels every day.  And the bathrobe and slippers are especially handy for keeping your modesty when walking up to the hot tub on deck!

Food and Wine
Not considering myself a food buff, I wasn’t sure if the gourmet meals would be as important to me as to others.  How wrong I was.  The delicate flavours, imaginative food combinations and beautiful presentation by our chef, Emma, were a delight. Served with seamless efficiency by Kayleigh and Lindsay, each lunch and dinner was accompanied by appropriate red and white wines for us to enjoy and compare, expertly described by our Captain.  And, in true French style, we had a different selection of cheeses at every meal, dutifully described by Lindsay.  It didn’t take long for dinner to become a highlight of our day.  And after one of our slightly longer afternoon guided walks, we laughed as we noticed that everyone had arrived especially early for dinner, perched on the edge of our seats and casting hopeful glances at the kitchen door.

Locks
The gentle chug of the engine is more comforting than intrusive.  With locks occurring every 20 minutes to one hour (40 locks in 5 days), the Captain and his effervescent First Mate, Rudy, are kept very busy.  Far from becoming repetitive, this process remained as fascinating for me at the end of the week as it did at the start.  Each lock has its own little keeper’s house, complete with name and number plaque above the front door and a friendly dog eager to greet the barge.  The gardens have their own individual style and one features a selection of bizarre follies, including a huge giraffe!  The lock offers an opportunity for guests to hop off for a tow path walk or cycle ride, or to step back on board for a coffee or to just sit and enjoy the cruise.

Walks
On most autumn mornings, the mist hangs heavily over the water. It’s beautiful.  Stepping outside, you need to be wrapped up warmly while the mist lingers but it becomes surprisingly warm if the sun burns through.  One of my fellow passengers commented as we strolled along the tow path “There is something very pleasant about having your hotel bedroom gliding along the river beside you.”  As well as the option to walk along the canal towpath, there is no doubt that having the experienced walk guide, brought an additional dimension to the trip.  He led us on a two to three hour leisurely walk into the surrounding countryside each morning or afternoon.  The walks were not fast paced or demanding.  They were designed to give us time to absorb the views and relish the quietness of our surroundings.  We also had regular pauses to hear his anecdotes, bird and wildlife observations and snippets of local history.  Under his gentle leadership, we passed through pretty pale limestone villages, saw evidence of wild boar foraging, tasted a grape or two in a fine Chablis vineyard and, on the morning we walked to Les Clefs de Rochefort, this derelict castle was appropriately enshrouded in Hammer Horror-esque mist.

Visits
Our sightseeing visits were guided by our well-informed and articulate Captain who brought to life the classic French Château de Tanlay and the stunning Abbayé de Fontenay – a ‘must-see’ if you visit this area.  He kept our attention whilst knowingly mispronouncing the occasional English word with a glint in his eye!
We were surprised to be guided around one of Chablis’ leading wineries by a bright young Australian whose extensive knowledge of French wine growing and Australian wine blending belied his youthful looks.  He explained the sometimes complex production methods with remarkable clarity.  Finally our curiosity got the better of us and we asked “What brings an Australian to live in France?”  With the panache of his adopted country, he smiled and shrugged “A girl!”

Before…
I had two personal concerns before this walk:
Firstly, as a single person accustomed to living alone, would I feel the need to ‘escape’ from the barge and my fellow passengers?  I can honestly say that this thought did not cross my mind at all during the whole week.  Far from being a challenge, the mix of cultures in our group (Canadian, American, Australian and English) added to the interest of the trip and the mix of visits, walks and fine-dining kept me occupied but not at the expense of relaxation.
Secondly, being on the most susceptible end of the motion-sickness scale, would I suffer any effects of the barge’s movement?  Not at all – I felt as stable as on dry land.  In fact, being surrounded by water had a truly therapeutic effect.

And After…
If you are considering this type of voyage but haven’t done anything like it before, I cannot recommend it highly enough.  Don’t hesitate to take the opportunity.  It’s an experience which will leave you well-rested, enriched and smiling at your memories for a long time afterwards.  Would I go again?  Absolutely!

We have two departures in 2011 for this same cruise, departing 16th October and 23th October 2011 (value priced weeks). You can view the full itinerary for the Guided Walking Tour cruise on La Belle Epoque's brochure.

The difference with this theme cruise is that it is available for individuals or couples to book a cabin and join others on board. No need to charter the whole barge and no extra supplements to pay for the services of the on board professional walking guide.

If you are part of a couple and not as keen about walking as your "better half", pas de problème... There are other activities available if you wish, or you can just chill out on La Belle Epoque and watch the countryside glide by while listening to tunes on your iPod or reading a book in the jacuzzi!

This all-inclusive deluxe barge is 128 feet long, has two levels, a crew of 5 or 6, and accommodates up to 13 guests in 7 cabins, each with private, ensuite bathrooms. La Belle Epoque is fully air conditioned and has central heating. They have two sundecks with steamer chairs, recliners, parasols, a large dining table, plus a Jacuzzi spa pool.

Sounds good? Contact Paradise Connections and let's get started. This is a very popular cruise and it books up quickly. Currently (10 months before cruise) there are already 2 cabins booked for October 16th and 4 cabins booked for October 23rd, so don't dilly-dally too long!

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Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book LA BELLE EPOQUE 
View La Belle Epoque's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges & barging: www.BargeCharters.com

 

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Still time for Fall Foliage Hotel Barge Cruise

Today is the first day of Autumn. Why not view the fall foliage from the comfort of a hotel barge cruise along the scenic waterways of Europe?  Find the time to go barging in France, Belgium, Holland, Ireland, Scotland, or England this fall.

There are some good deals that we mentioned in a previous post for last minute discounts.

It's a favorite time for many travelers to take a trip to experience Mother Nature's vibrant transition to cooler temps in the glorious countryside. What better way to welcome Fall than surrounded by beautiful foliage and sipping a glass of crisp white wine? With the summer tourists gone, you’ll have a lot more peace and quiet as you explore the various sites of interest of your chosen area.

We'd also like to mention L'Impressionniste's 6-week, 4-country, trans-Europe barging cruise that begins on November 7th in Avignon.

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

 

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