SEVEN DAYS / SIX NIGHTS
The 6-passenger Elisabeth is a 30-meter Dutch Luxemotor barge built in Rotterdam Holland in 1930. The barge is very comfortably appointed as a small private hotel just for you. There are three identical roomy cabins with twin or queen beds and ensuite bathroom plus a salon/dining area with a comfortable sofa, bar and dining table. The large wheelhouse is the perfect place to watch the world go by while chatting with the captain-owners aboard. The sundeck is ideal for lounging, 'al fresco' lunches and sundowners. The bow deck is great for quiet reading or peaceful sunbathing. Restful and relaxed -- the perfect words to describe your canal cruise aboard the Elisabeth. Leisure barge travel on your own crewed chartered canal boat. What better way to be cruising the tranquil and picturesque canals of France?
With a crew of 4, including your hosts Peter and Sheena Jenner, to look after you there is always someone on hand to make drinks, organise bikes or just to tell you the local stories and history. Elisabeth loves to welcome groups of friends or families, even if your children are young. (No minimum or maximum age limit) There is something for everyone on Elisabeth. For family charters, she can be prepared with toddlers in mind. Cots, high chairs, paddling pools, kayaks, bicycles for children - No problem, we have them. Boating for the whole family! ... and the ultimate vacation! Naturally, when we have young guests aboard, our itineraries can be adjusted to suit all members of the party.
Cruise between Tanlay and Veneray les Laumes on the Canal de Bourgogne in the heart of Burgundy, for a fabulous "Chocolate and Wine Cruise". Elisabeth cruises past bucolic farms, patient fishermen, and quaint old villages. Catch up on the daily news from the lockkeepers as we help to work the locks on this beautiful 18th Century canal. If you are feeling energetic you can cycle along the tow path and through the villages. With the benefit of our local knowledge and minivan, each day you will visit some of our favorite places.
One day it might be a medieval village, with cobblestone streets or perhaps the Abbey de Fontenay a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We have also found a delightful renaissance chateau, and provide a private tour of the Grottes D’Arcy sur Cure one of the oldest caves with paintings in the world. We also visit Alesia, site of the last great battle between the Romans and the Gauls, before driving across the valley to visit Flavigny where the film Chocolate was made. Of course, no visit to Burgundy would be complete without sampling the superb wines of this world-famous wine region.
Join the Elisabeth for a week of Wines and Chocolate!
A sample dinner with the Captain
For our last night dinner on board we make the evening rather special.
Fresh foie gras on a tartelette with sautéed red cabbage and onion jam.
Scallops and Langoustine served with filo pastry and a light saffron sauce.
Champagne and melon sorbet.
Rack of lamb, dauphine potatoes, broccoli and carrots with a wine sauce.
Selection of cheeses e.g. camembert, bleu de Causse, St. Maure and a Comte.
A melted chocolate cake (the inside is just a divine melted chocolate with a soft sponge interior) served with a crème Anglais and chocolate sauce and fresh fruits.
Digestives, coffee and chocolates if you can manage them.
An example of our wines:
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Whites |
Reds |
The wines listed are only a selection of the types that are served on board. The final selection is chosen by age and by Peter and Sheena tasting for quality. We do serve as many regional wines as we can but also enjoy giving you a taste of France with a tour of all the wine and cheese regions. Our wines vary in age from the early 1980’s up to 2004. Even the youngest of our wines are chosen for their flavor and quality. |
I have always wanted to take a barge trip in France since the first time I visited France in 1960. Last year, 2008, on our 9th anniversary I told my husband that I would like to take a nice hotel barge to celebrate our tenth. (We were so old when we got married I feel we will never make it to our 25th so that we needed to do something special for our tenth.) Friends of ours had taken the Elisabeth some years ago and I remembered how much they enjoyed her. So, we decided to look into it -- best decision we ever made.
-- A.F. & L.F., South Africa
We would just like to thank you once again for the stunning few days that we had the privilege to spend with you all on your wonderfully comfortable and well appointed barge, and for the way you made us feel part of the family! You absolutely went out of your way to make sure that the modified itinerary we had requested on short notice suited us and our three boys (despite it being different from your normal schedule!), and yet you made sure that we got to experience almost everything during our slightly condensed trip!! We have had an experience that we will cherish for the rest of our lives!!! From the tranquil canal cruising, the customised menus and wonderful meals (so thoughtfully catering for the boys' tastes, as well!), the adventure visits to the Caves D'Arcy, the river kayaking on the Yonne, the tree climbing, the visit to the amazing Guedelon building site, the relaxed cycling into the surrounding villages and along the beautiful unspoilt French countryside, digging for fossils (and finding them!), taking care of the children while the men were out kayaking, to gracing us with your company at the sumptuous Captain's dinner on Thursday evening, you made sure that we had the adventure of a lifetime!
-- P.G., South Afica
The best one-week vacation, ever. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys history, good food and wines, and exposure to a new mode of travel. Peter and Sheena were outstanding and personable hosts and made everyone feel at home. Peter never gave any indication of being over extended due to the extra trip to Paris and the readjustment of schedules. They are both fluid, flexible, and lots of fun. When can we go again?
-- K.W., IL, USA
The trip was just wonderful. The only complaint we have is that it ended too soon. The Elisabeth was very beautiful, and had all the amenities we needed. Sheena and Peter were marvelous they were so friendly and knowledgeable. We enjoyed talking about many subjects, including flowers and gardening, history and dogs and cats. Luke was a wonderful chef, and prepared so many good things for us to enjoy. Josephine was so lovely, she prepared a little surprise for our 40th anniversary. There was a lot of interaction and socialization between guests and crew. There was a very warm, personal feeling, like we were sharing their very home. The fact that we had morning coffee in the wheelhouse and discussed the plans for the day was a definite plus. It was also a definite plus on a few rainy mornings. It's a shame that Peter did not get a patent for his canopy design! We also liked going on wine tastings and then having the wines we preferred for dinner that night. The trips were all informative and enjoyable. It is an experience like no other!
-- B.D., PA, USA
Our trip could not have been better. The three days in Paris were just right. Sheena and Robert met us right on time and took us to the Elisabeth. She is a beautiful ship. We all had a terrific time. Probably we would all say that it was a "life experience." Thanks for your help. Things could not have worked out better. Service was excellent in every way. Sheena did a terrific job in making us feel at home. Both Richard and Maxine were very efficient and friendly. Peter, though quiet, complemented Sheena very well. I think that you should focus on the fact that the Elisabeth allows the guests to mingle and to become friendly with the crew. We found this to be a positive experience. We understand that this is not true on other barges. Foods and drinks were excellent. Richard is a superb chef. Three new salads each afternoon for lunch, excellent dinners and home made desserts. Sheena’s wine cellar was superb. As much as you want and as often as you wanted it. She is very knowledgeable about wines and cheeses. Excursions were probably the biggest surprise for me. It turned out to be a first class way of seeing the French countryside. We explored small towns that we would never have come near to on a road trip. We went to hidden wine cellars and marvelous cathedrals. I cannot believe that we would have seen as much or learned as much on any other type of trip. We took a balloon ride, which was unbelievable.
-- D.B., MA, USA
It's been 3 weeks since we left the barge and I didn't get a chance to thank you for the fabulous choice of the Elizabeth. Sheena and Peter and crew were fantastic hosts. I was impressed with Sheena's knowledge of the history especially of the caves and everything related to the cave paintings we were able to see because of her unique credentials to be a guide.
The food and service were outstanding and I don't know if there are enough superlatives in the dictionary to describe our trip.
-- R.F.
The Elisabeth La Chocolat Cruise for Wine lovers and Chocoholics. The theme for our Burgundy itinerary this year is wines and chocolate. From our visits to our tastings and demonstrations we hope to surprise you ... all this with gorgeous cruising, adorable villages, and a romantic chateau!
Saturday
Pick up in Paris at 2pm. Drive to the Elisabeth moored in the delightful chateau village of Tanlay. Settle in after a champagne reception and maybe take a stroll around the village. We start our chocolate week with tonight's dessert.
Sunday
This morning we will cruise to Lezzines and from here we will go to Ancy le Franc chateau. This beautiful renaissance chateau is well furnished and has incredible frescoes and artwork. A truly lovely visit. Then back to the barge for a tasting of the local tonnerroise wines. For those that are interested we can arrange a cooking demonstration today.
Monday
Today's cruise is to Ancy le Franc and here we will depart for a pleasant drive through the villages to Chablis for our wine tasting and a visit to the chocolaterie to hear the history of and taste the chocolate Pillars of Chablis. Back to the barge for more chocolate and perhaps to watch the film "Chocolat" before we visit the village.
Tuesday
Today starts with a leisurely cruise to Ravierres. After lunch we depart Elisabeth to visit the Grottes d'Arcy sur Cure to visit the caves and see some of the oldest cave paintings in the world. Formed 150000 years ago the Stalagmite and Stalactite formations are fantastic. Cromagnon man painted in these caves 30000 years ago. Back to Elisabeth for dinner and our next chocolate dessert.
Wednesday
This morning we will cruise to Montbard. The cruising just gets prettier as we go. Our visit this afternoon is to the Abbay de Fontenay, a UNESCO world heritage site. This wonderful abbey is the last complete Cistercian monastery left in France. Tranquility and beauty describe it perfectly. Back at Elisabeth our chef will give a demonstration on the making of tiny chocolate petit fours.
Thursday
Our last cruise takes us to Veneray les Laumes, a climb up and fabulous views over the countryside. We finish our week with a lunch in the village of Flavigny (where the movie "Chocolat" was made) and a walking tour of the village. If we have time we can visit the winery of Flavigny Alesia for a tasting before we drive the short distance to Alesia to see the site of the last great battle between the Romans and the Gaules. The Roman ruins and amphitheatre date back to 345BC. Return to Elisabeth in time for a rest before the Captain's dinner and our last chocolate fest.
Friday
This morning we drive you back to Paris after breakfast. We hope you have enjoyed your cruise aboard the Elisabeth.
Note: On alternate weeks, this cruise is offered in reverse. This itinerary is a suggested itinerary which can be adapted to special requests and needs and may change.
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*Note: Cruise directions and sample itineraries may be in reverse and are subject to change and may depend on bookings and local navigation conditions. Alternate excursions of equal appeal are substituted when needed. For charter cruises special itineraries can be arranged.
| ELISABETH 2010 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS | |
|---|---|
| ACCOMMODATION | REGULAR Apr 3 thru Oct 29 |
| Cabin (per person, double occupancy) |
$4,300 |
| Single Occupancy Supplement |
$500 |
| Charter for 4 |
$17,200 |
| Charter for 5 |
$19,500 |
| Charter for 6 |
$21,800 |
| Honeymoon Charter for 2 |
$10,500 |
| ELISABETH 2011 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS | |
|---|---|
| ACCOMMODATION | REGULAR Mar 26 thru Oct 28 |
| Cabin (per person, double occupancy) |
$4,500 |
| Single Occupancy Cabin |
$1,000 |
| Charter for 4 |
$18,300 |
| Charter for 5 |
$20,500 |
| Charter for 6 |
$23,800 |
| Honeymoon Charter for 2 |
$12,500 |
What's Not Included
- Suggested minimum 5% gratuity for the crew, to be given to the captain in equivalent Euros
- Overseas air transportation to Paris and return.
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Special Places Travel, LLC "Barges in France (and the rest of Europe) ... for the experience of a lifetime!" ™
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