Burgundy-barge

Hi Carolyn - I apologize in advance as I’m about to answer your question with something different than you asked for (which I often find annoying). But, I thought I would share this in case it’s something you’ve not seen yet, but might consider…. If it’s totally wrong, then disregard! :). My husband and I celebrated our 20th anniversary with two weeks in France. We spent one week in Burgundy on the barge Savoir Vivre. It’s a tad different than some similar barge tours, in that you eat every dinner ashore in a different restaurant (these dinners are still included in your fare). It’s also a more reasonable price point than most other similar barges. The crew are outstanding, the scenery is unbeatable, and the cuisine/wine are fantastic. The boat itself is lovely. The route takes you through charming little villages. The distances covered between stops is small enough, that you can easily walk or bike alongside the canal if you choose to (or, you can both stay on the boat AND walk/bike by hopping on/off the boat at various locks along the route). We really had a wonderful time, and I would repeat this very barge trip any time. We split our visit between a week in Paris, and our week in Burgundy - and it was heaven. https://www.bargeladycruises.com/barge-cruises/savoir-vivre/

I know you asked specifically for a half-day/full day barge, but I thought I’d point out the Savoir Vivre in case you haven’t seen it. No matter what you do, I hope you have a fantastic time in France - and happy anniversary!

Happy upcoming anniversary! You’re a year ahead of me … our 24th will be next year. Next year will also be the 20th anniversary of our barge trip, which was along part of the Canal du Midi, well south of Burgandy. We’ve not done any since, and I don’t have recent experience to recommend any particular operator, but if this provides any info:

We did a week long, self catering rental of a small English narrowboat, part of a fleet that had been brought to France from Britain. It wasn’t nearly as fast as the huge Dutch powerboats that regularly passed us on the canal, so we casually motored along the canal, taking in the scenery, and fixing meals in the tiny galley, as well as sometimes mooring along the side wall at towns for a meal in a restaurant, or a quick visit to a settlement.

One very memorable moment was in late afternoon one day, hearing clanging bells. Suddenly, sheep appeared along the side of the canal, running at full speed, with the bells around their necks making quite a noise! There must have been hundreds of sheep - this lasted at least 5 minutes. I don’t recall whether there were any sheepdogs at the end (probably) or shepherds (probably not on foot, if there were), but it was an unexpected surprise. There was also a strike by the lock workers in effect, so if we’d ever reached a lock, to continue on another level of canal water, we’d have had to figure out how to get the water pumped in/out, and get through the gates. Taking a barge cruise with its own crew, you wouldn’t have to deal with that.

There were also bicycles attached to the roof of the boat, and we tried undoing the bungee cords holding them to the roof, and pedaling the path on the side of the canal. The bikes had rusty chains, and the tires weren’t properly inflated. We did t ride very long. If you’re interested in biking (or walking) any part of the route, in addition to sailing on the barge, check and see if the company offers that, too.

Again, it’s not something I’ve recently looked at doing, but there has to be a tour/boating company in Burgundy that offers a cruise for just a day or two, not a whole week, and piloted by a captain and staff. I even think the barging that Rick Steves has done for his TV show (and earlier this year, as a personal trip) wasn’t that long.

I’d recommend a barge that doesn’t have tons of other passengers, though. A smaller boat will make for a better, more intimate cruising experience.

This doesn’t answer your question directly… however, last year my husband and I took our first European Waterways barge cruise (La Belle Époque) on the Burgundy canal. We were hooked! It was fabulous…6 days, truly all inclusive with an excellent chef and staff, and only 9 guests. Our excursions were unique and off the beaten path. The closest towns to our cruise were Dijon and Beaune. I centered our itinerary in France last fall around that cruise. I suggest you consider this for an anniversary trip.

We have since taken another barge cruise (Spirit of Scotland) and have 2 more European Waterways barge cruises booked for next year!