Great Rail Journeys
First-Class Carcassonne, Châteaux & Vineyards
First Class rail escorted tour based in Carcassonne, France
7 daysfrom $2,269
29% rail
Great Rail Journeys · Escorted River Cruise / Small Group
Waterways of Burgundy
Indulge in the scenery and produce of the famous Burgundy wine region of France on an expertly guided barge holiday
Day by day
- Day 1railovernight: MS Daniele (Dijon area)
Arrival in the historic city of Dijon
Your holiday begins at London St Pancras, where you meet the Tour Manager and board the Eurostar to Paris. In the French capital, we change stations and continue by high-speed rail to Dijon. As the former capital of the wealthy Duchy of Burgundy, Dijon is an attractive and historic city. In the grand Place de la Libération, a crescent of honey-hued restaurants and bars look out to the medieval Palace of the Dukes and Estates of Burgundy. On arrival in the French city, we are transferred to our hotel barge. After boarding the MS Daniele and settling into our cabins, a three-course welcome dinner is served onboard.
Meals: Dinner
- Day 2overnight: MS Daniele (Petit-Ouges)
Exploring the Grand Crus wine route
Our Burgundian explorations begin today with a coach excursion along the Grand Crus wine route. Passing through picturesque villages, we view the beautiful vineyards where the most prestigious Burgundy wines are produced. Enroute, we stop to enjoy a wine tasting as we begin to immerse ourselves in the region and discover its famed produce. Returning to our boat, we cruise onwards to Petit-Ouges. On arrival, there's the chance to discover the Path of the Three Wash Houses – a 2.5-mile walk tracing the area's surprising history. This little-known area near Dijon can trace its origins back to the 7th century, as we explore ancient wash houses that boast different architectural styles. This evening, we enjoy dinner and drinks on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 3overnight: MS Daniele (Saint-Jean-de-Losne)
Sailing towards Saint-Jean-de-Losne
A full day sailing towards Saint-Jean-de-Losne provides the chance to embrace the joys of this form of travel. Take the time to sit back and admire the riverbank scenes of quintessential French landscapes as we uncover parts of rural France that other forms of transport cannot reach. Enjoy verdant views, pastoral architecture and charming villages from our barge. You can even opt to cycle alongside the boat as we travel. Our destination is the historic village of Saint-Jean-de-Losne. Despite its small size, it's renowned as the capital of canal barging in France and boasts a significant history, due to its position on the banks of the Saône River. During the Thirty Years' War in the 17th century, the village was besieged by forces of the Holy Roman Empire but managed to withstand the imperial army. After we moor in Saint-Jean-de-Losne, dinner and drinks are served on our barge this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 4overnight: MS Daniele (Dole)
Serene views along the Saône
This morning, we uncover the history of Saint-Jean-de-Losne, exploring monuments that tell the story of the village's prestigious past. On our tour, we view the monument commemorating the siege of 1636, as well as the Hôtel-Dieu – a charitable hospital founded in 1658. In the afternoon, we join the Saône River and begin sailing towards Dole. Unwind aboard our barge as we glide past picturesque riverscapes of tree-lined shores, serene backwaters and small islands. Dole is a historic town in the Jura department and is renowned as the birthplace of Louis Pasteur. Arriving this evening, we enjoy dinner and drinks aboard our ship.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 5overnight: MS Daniele (Ranchot)
Dole & the Trail of the Chat Perché
After breakfast, we disembark for a unique tour around Dole. The 'Trail of the Chat Perché' refers to the famous tales of a perched cat and was written by Marcel Aymé who lived in Dole as a child. It also refers to Dole's location, which is nestled on a beautiful hillside. The tour reveals Dole's history and celebrated monuments as we stroll its quintessential French streets, lined with shuttered limestone buildings topped by grey slate roofs. The town's focal point is the 16th-century collegiate church of Notre-Dame, which reflects Dole's history as a capital of Burgundy and is topped by a 240ft bell tower. Returning to our barge, we set sail during lunch as we glide eastwards along the Rhône & Rhine Canal and Doubs River to Ranchot, where we moor ahead of dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 6overnight: MS Daniele (Besançon)
Saline Royale of Arc-et-Senans
Our final day of sailing sees us spend the morning cruising along the river towards Besançon. As we get closer to our destination, the banks become steeper and are blanketed with thick forests. In the afternoon, we transfer by coach to Arc-et-Senans, a small village famed for its remarkable UNESCO World Heritage site. Built under the reign of Louis XVI in the 1770s, the Saline Royale (Royal Saltworks) reflects the architectural ideals of the Age of the Enlightenment. These saltworks were where the workers lived and produced the valuable commodity of salt, with a semi-circle of houses gathering around the main works. Our tour relays the history of the Saline Royale and we can also explore the attractive gardens. Returning to our boat in Besançon, we gather for our gala dinner this evening to celebrate our barge experience.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Day 7rail
Homeward bound
From the Burgundy Canal to the winding rivers of the Saône and Doubs, this barge holiday has revealed the region's idyllic waterways. Enroute from Dijon to Besançon, we have savoured tastings of world-renowned wines and uncovered the timeless history of Burgundy. This morning, we enjoy our final breakfast onboard before disembarking and taking the coach from Besançon to Mulhouse. From here, we travel by train to Paris, via Strasbourg, and board the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras, where your holiday comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
Included
- Experienced Tour Manager/Cruise Director team throughout
- 6-night cruise onboard MS Daniele, operated by Croisi Europe
- Excellent service onboard
- Complimentary onboard Wi-Fi
- Eurostar Standard class travel
- Standard Class rail travel throughout
- All rail and coach travel throughout the tour
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner each day
- Drinks package with dinner every night of the cruise
- Complimentary luggage service from home to the ship and back (one case per cabin)
- A superb choice of excursions
Not included
- Cancellation & Travel Insurance
