Fleur de Lys: St Léger sur Dheune to Dijon

Board the barge at St-Léger-sur-Dheune for your cruise through Burgundy. You’re welcomed aboard by your private crew and dedicated guide. Celebrate the start of the cruise with chilled champagne and settle into your beautiful cabin, where exquisite furnishings and embroidered Indian textiles offer new levels of luxury. Later, enjoy your first gourmet dining experience on board. Relax under the stars: your adventure has begun.

Unwind into the rhythm of life on the water with a leisurely cruise along the Canal du Centre. After lunch, your guide takes you to the 14th-century Château de Germolles. The best-preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy, it offers an evocative snapshot of ducal court life in the Middle Ages. The passionate owner will guide you around his home and unravel the fascinating history, secrets and anecdotes hidden within its walls. Discover exceptional murals, sculptures and a private chapel, as well as romantic, 19th-century gardens. On your way back to the barge, stop at a distinguished local vineyard and sample the smooth, luscious wines of Côte Chalonnaise. Return to the barge for a sumptuous dinner on board. 

The scenery changes today as we meander through the majestic valley of the River Saône to the town of Seurre. After lunch on board, disembark to visit Beaune, the wine capital of Burgundy. Visit the 15th-century Hôtel-Dieu and venture behind its splendid gothic façade, varnished roof tiles and flamboyant colours to discover 500 years of Burgundian history. Afterwards, enjoy a private wine tasting and time to stroll through the old town, taking in the wonderful architecture and enticing shops. Tonight's mooring is at St-Jean-de-Losne, the barging capital of France. Take the opportunity to stroll around the port and admire the many working and pleasure barges. Dinner is served on board.

Relax on board as the barge glides along the final section of the Canal du Centre, mooring in the pretty village of Fragnes. Today, you enjoy lunch at a local restaurant followed by an afternoon discovering some of the vinous wonders of the Côte de Beaune. Tour the cellars of a prestigious winery and taste some of its finest vintages before returning to the boat. Refreshing cocktails on deck whet your appetite for an enchanting dinner on board.

This morning, after the barge leaves the river and enters the Burgundy Canal, you may wish to stretch your legs and take a walk or cycle ride along the towpath. After lunch on board, visit the historic Clos de Vougeot, built in the 12th century by the monks of nearby Cîteaux. A symbol of almost 1,000 years of Burgundy history, the imposing château is now the headquarters of the Burgundian wine society, the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin. Explore the ancient winery with its four huge presses and the cellar, built to accommodate 2,000 casks. After a local degustation, rejoin the barge in the countryside near Longecourt, our overnight mooring, and enjoy dinner on board.

After breakfast, disembark with your guide to visit Dijon, the former capital of the Duchy of Burgundy. The compact centre, rich in medieval and Renaissance buildings, makes it ideal for a walking tour. Visit the monumental Ducal Palace, once home to Burgundy’s powerful dukes, browse the traditional covered market and enter the famous Maille mustard shop. Tonight, the barge moors in the port of Dijon. As your chef prepares your farewell gala dinner, why not toast the end of your adventure with a refreshing kir, made from local blackcurrant liqueur and Aligoté white wine?

As the sun rises, enjoy your final breakfast on board before the crew bids you farewell and you disembark.