Saturday - St. Jean to Seurre
For those passengers taking our optional train transfer we meet in the lobby of Hotel Regina, 192 Rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris. You will be escorted to the Gare de Lyon station for your 1st class high speed TGV train to Dijon. Passengers not taking this transfer will meet us outside the Quick Restaurant at the Dijon railroad station. All passengers will then be transferred by motorcoach to Libellule, moored in St. Jean de Losne. Welcome champagne reception and presentation of the crew, then time to settle into your cabin. Later in the afternoon, a short cruise to Seurre with time to stroll around this small pleasant town of 3,000 inhabitants. Dinner will be served at 7:30pm this evening.

Sunday - Seurre to Chalon sur Saone
After breakfast we ride north to Dijon. The ride takes about 30 minutes and crosses the plain of the river Saone. We pass by the abbey of Citeaux, a monastery founded in 1098 which lead to the creation of the Cistercian order, the most powerful of all monastic orders during the 12th and 13th centuries. We have a guided walking tour of Dijon, seat of government of the present region of Burgundy and former capital of the four great Valois Dukes. The tour will take in the Ducal Palace and the heart of the medieval district. Afterwards there will be free time to stroll and discover some of the many fine mansions and The Fine Arts Museum. We return to Libellule and cast off during lunch, cruising through delightful pastoral scenery, mooring late afternoon in Chalon sur Saone, birthplace of photography and the second largest city of Burgundy after Dijon with 80,000 inhabitants. This city has been, because of its location, a very important trading center since Roman times. Our mooring is in the heart of the city center, close to St Vincent Cathedral and the surrounding medieval quarter of half-timbered houses and narrow streets reserved for pedestrians.

Monday - Chalon to Tournus
After breakfast, we visit Beaune, center of the Burgundy wine trade. Our drive follows the Cote de Beaune, the wine slopes of Beaune with villages whose names read like a wine list; Puligny Montrachet, Meursault, Auxey Duresses, Volnay and Pommard. On arrival in the walled town of Beaune, a guided visit to the Hospices de Beaune, a world famous charity hospital founded by the chancellor to the Duke of Burgundy in 1443. This is a masterpiece of late medieval architecture and it houses numerous priceless pieces of art as well as having the most remarkable colorful glazed tiled roof. Afterwards enjoy free time to explore and shop. We return to Libellule for lunch and a three hour cruise brings us to Tournus, once the seat of a large monastery and important river port. The 11th century collegiate church of St. Philibert is considered a landmark of Romanesque architecture and we will have time for a stroll in town.

Tuesday - Tournus to Macon
We begin our day after breakfast with a short drive to visit the castle of Cormatin. Back to Libellule and lunch while on the ship in Tournus. There will still be some time for a walk in town and a visit to the Abbey. Our cruise this afternoon takes us through pastures with the white Charollais cattle, native to this area, and onto our mooring in Macon.

Wednesday - Macon to Trevoux
After breakfast, enjoy an excursion to the Beaujolais hills, an area of outstanding natural beauty which stretches from Macon to Lyon. The most sought after wines are grown in the northern part of these hills where limestone deposits cover the granite bedrock giving the wines high quality and body which is not typically associated with the Gamay grape. We have a private wine tasting before returning to Macon for lunch. The cruise this afternoon takes us past several villages and ends at a picturesque mooring in Trevoux, an attractive partially fortified town that during the 16th and 17th centuries was the capital of a small principality. There will be time to stroll into this charming town.

Thursday - Trevoux to Lyon
Cruising downstream in the morning into the chic northern suburb of Lyon, the second largest city of France. Entering the city by river affords views not available to those traveling by road. See a number of very elegant properties along the river and the ancient part of the city is on the right bank around St. John's cathedral. The heart of the city is on the peninsula between the the rivers Rhone and Saone. Once we have moored in the early afternoon there will be a guided walking tour of the ancient quarter followed by free time to explore. Farewell Gala Dinner on board this evening.

Friday - Lyon
After breakfast, transfer to the Lyon Perrache railroad station, for those who have taken the optional TGV train transfer to Paris Gare de Lyon station.

Note: This is a sample itinerary and it is subject to modification in the case of unforeseen circumstances and canal closures. Alternate cruise weeks are in the reverse direction.