Classic Burgundy Canal

Highlights: The Burgundy Canal - Dijon & its markets - The beautiful village of Chateauneuf plus options for a vineyard tour, wine tasting and fine dining in restaurants and chateaux.

The canal du Bourgogne or Burgundy canal is one of the most beautiful navigations in France. Combine this with Burgundy's reputation for fine wines and cuisine, it's no wonder that this area is a magnet to visitors worldwide. Dijon has great rail connections with Paris with superfast TGV trains taking less than two hours, even on a Sunday. This weeks cruise runs from Sunday to Saturday rather than the normal Saturday to Friday so that we can take advantage of some exciting options and be in Dijon for market day.

Take a taxi from the station in Dijon and join Nilaya in the small village of Longecourt-en-Plaine. After freshening up, you might wish to take a wander to view its magnificent privately owned Chateau. It's not possible to go inside but the exterior is beautiful. I'll be cooking you a hearty welcome aboard dinner and seeing as we are in Burgundy, I think my rich slow cooked Boeuf Bourguignon would be most appropriate.

On Monday morning we'll be up early and take breakfast on the hoof while we cruise into central Dijon. We should arrive by about midday and after a light lunch, you have a 50 Euro per person option to take an afternoon tour of the famous winemaking villages of the Cote de Nuits. The vineyard tour is followed by at least one cellar visit and a comprehensive wine tasting. The tour takes about two hours, leaving plenty of time to explore the interesting city of Dijon later in the day. I have details of a self guided walking tour if you are interested.

Dijon's centre is a tangle of small streets like as Rue Verrerie and beg further exploration, as do the 13th century Notre-Dame and St-Michel's churches. Art lovers shouldn't miss the 'Musee des Beaux Arts' located inside the imposing 'Palais des Ducs' in Dijon's Place de la Liberation. Dijon offers terrific opportunities for fine dining, so my suggestion is that you budget to do just that.

Tuesday morning is market day in Dijon and after breakfast you'll have time to explore it before we cast off for a cruise through Dijon's suburbs and on to the village of Fleury-sur-Ouche. There is a small local restaurant in the village or you can self cater aboard with produce from Dijon's market.

On Wednesday, Nilaya follows the picturesque Canal du Bourgogne through peaceful Dijonnaise countryside along the Ouche valley. In places the canal is lined by poplar trees and the fields alongside, full with grazing Charolais cattle. Our entire weeks route has the benefit of an excellent towpath for cycling or walking should you feel the urge to get a bit of exercise. 

Tonight we moor about a kilometres walk from 12th Century Cistercian Abbaye de la Bussiere. You can explore its beautiful grounds and self cater aboard later on or why not treat yourself to another fine dining opportunity in the Abbaye itself?

Thursday is a full cruising day through to the village of Vandenesse-en-Auxois. In the evening you might wish to dine out at another gorgeous location. L'Hostellerie du Chateau de Sainte Sabine is a short taxi ride away in a neighbouring village. Menus run at somewhere between 35 and 65 Euros per head excluding wine. There are also restaurants in Vandenesse.

On Friday morning  you can either walk, cycle or take a taxi the two or three kilometres up to the magnificent fortified hamlet of Chateauneuf which crowns the nearby hilltop. The village contains some magnificent 14-17th century merchants houses, a few shops and the 'Hostellerie du Chateau'. 

On Friday afternoon Nilaya climbs the final eight locks and moors in the basin at Escommes. You might choose to return to Chateauneuf for a meal in the evening. You are due to leave Nilaya after Breakfast on Saturday. Trains to Dijon to Paris take about 90 minutes and from Paris to Longecourt around two and a half hours.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Unforeseen circumstances sometimes affect our cruising schedule. These can include, but are not limited to: illness, floods, weather, canal closures, canal maintenance, lack of moorings, bureaucracy, strikes, civil disturbance, acts of god, the engine, and whims and fancies of both skipper, guests and crew. All of these things might cause last minute changes to the above and cruise routes. Although rare, we reserve the right to alter any and all routes accordingly. Flexibility is the name of the game and any such changes cannot be considered grounds for cancellation of the cruise.