My most vivid memory of our luxury barge through France is of arriving in the little medieval market town of Clamecy in the Burgundy Region at the end of our week-long canal and river voyage on the luxury hotel barge 'Luciole'. There were fourteen of us, looked after by a crew so friendly -- and yet so capable -- they were part of the party, too. All the way up the picturesque Nivernais valley in Western Burgundy, as the barge 'Luciole' nosed her way along, we were struck by the dazzling scenery all around. Starting from the spectacular city of Auxerre, where the medieval Cathedral towers above the waterway, we had entered the countryside quickly. Giles, our Captain, pointed out the sights as we went, and with Armelle, our talented guide, we visited the wine center of Chablis - the real Chablis, from where the finest wines originate, with a private tasting of Premier and Grand Crus in a cellar within the town. We also visited, in the barge's own bus that accompanied us for the entire week, the magnificent 12th century Basilica of Vzelay that dominates this hilltop city, where Saint Bernard preached the Second Crusade back in the 12th century, and then the bustling market town of historic Avallon, where a lively street market adjoins the ancient fortifications on the town's cliff-top site. Our final visit was to the imposing Chteau Bazoches. Set on a hillside amidst the splendid rolling countryside, this was the 17th century home of Marquis de Vauban, France's great military engineer. Many of us explored the delightful villages along the way on the bicycles that the barge provides for passengers' use. We also walked and bicycled on the tow-path that runs alongside most of the canal, catching up with the barge at a later point as it was moving along the canal at a leisurely 5 mph. Our 'Luciole' barge had the gracious ambience of a fine country inn, combining different mixes of beautiful woods, complemented by traditional and regional fabrics and the ever-present bouquets of fresh flowers. Our cabins were very comfortable in design and layout. We had the option to set it up with either twin beds or a double bed, with our own private bath. Our spacious sundeck with huge umbrellas for those who wished to be in the shade, provided a premium vantage point to view the gorgeous scenery as we cruised along the waterway, as well as providing the perfect setting for alfresco dining. Simon, our chef, fed us as if we were royalty. Though British, like the others in the crew (except for French Armelle, whose spoken English was so good, she could have been one of the family!) he knew this part of the Burgundy region so well that he made us feel a part of it, combining traditional French cuisine with a contemporary twist. We enjoyed tempting luncheon buffets with a feast of delicious salads, savory quiches and pts that had been prepared from the finest local ingredients purchased that day by our chef at the local market. The four-course evening dinners were a feast for the eyes, as well as the gastronomic highlight of each unique day. Each meal was accompanied by the fine wines of Chablis, Bordeaux and the Cte D'Or, chosen to be the perfect complement to the menu. Then, on that final evening in historic Clamecy in the basin of the canal nestling in the woods, we settled down for our final, splendid candlelit four-course dinner. I felt I had come to know the real France as never before. In the morning we were taken back to Paris, to the Hotel Regina where the original rendezvous was made. "Back to reality" someone said. But we, all of us really, thought we had seen "the real world on our cruise. |
