Belly up to the barge
BY BOB HOELSCHER
In fine, sunny weather last April, I experienced a delight-
ful six-night barge cruise on France’s Marne Canal from
Paris to Epernay aboard NTA-member CroisiEurope’s
Raymonde. The barge accommodates only 22 guests and is
perfect for group charters. Raymonde’s cabins are compact
but quite comfortable once you settle in and discover all
the storage spaces.
Our food (continental breakfast buffet, multi-course set
menus for lunch and dinner) was very good and service was
excellent. This is an all-inclusive program except for crew
gratuities, so there is no extra charge for shore excursions.
Pricing also includes an open bar throughout, plus numer-
ous French wines and cheeses are served with meals.
The countryside is absolutely beautiful. Picturesque
homes, villages, vineyards, farms and fields of golden rape-
seed line the canal along the way, and there are numerous
small locks and several historical tunnels to transit. The
primary difference between French canal cruises and typi-
cal European river excursions is that on the latter, the locks
and waterways are much larger, thus so are the cruise ves-
Barges such as CroisiEurope’s Raymonde are smaller vessels
sels. And there is far more commercial traffic on the rivers.
that accommodate a limited number of passengers.
After a guided tour of Paris featuring the city’s unique
covered walkways, the cruise’s itinerary
highlights included lovely Lagny-sur-
Marne, the handsome city and cathedral
of Meaux, plus an opportunity to learn
about and sample the outstanding “King
of Cheeses,” Brie de Meaux.
Next were a falconry show and
sightseeing in Château Thierry, and
from Dormans, home of a magnificent
World War I memorial, we toured the
ancient hilltop village of Châtillon-sur-
RIVERBOAT TOURS & DINING EXPERIENCE
Marne and saw countless vineyards
extending far into the distance. We also
NARRATED HARBOR
DINNER ENTERTAINMENT CRUISE
visited Hautvillers, the birthplace of
SIGHTSEEING CRUISE
Delicious dinner buffet, live
Learn, Relax and View as you cruise
Champagne, where Dom Perignon him-
entertainment and a 2 hour cruise
along Savannah’s historic Riverfront.
perfect for groups!
self is buried.
Savannah’s Only
Finally, in Epernay, we toured the
cellars of a major Champagne house,
one of hundreds of wineries we passed
on the famed Champagne Route and
on other area roads. We embarked
on an excursion to Reims for a tour
of the historical city and its storied
cathedral, where French kings were
traditionally crowned.
On the morning of our seventh day,
a return transfer was provided to Paris,
where groups should plan to include a
multi-night hotel stay to explore one of
the world’s greatest cities.
NARRATED HARBOR
LUNCHEON CRUISE
Sailing Daily April–October
Experience Savannah through our
local cuisine and tour of the famous
Savannah River!
MONDAY GOSPEL DINNER CRUISE
Enjoy local Gospel entertainment and
savory flavors of the South! A cultural
and culinary experience you don’t
want to miss!
ONLY FOR YOU — A PRIVATE CHEF’S DEMO
Exclusive to tour groups, our Chef will delight your clients with a personalized
cooking demo before setting sail for lunch!
Other cruise options available — Call for schedule
Catering to tour groups for over 25 years—we are the Savannah experts!
For more details please contact our group sales department,
912.232.6404 or at www.savannahriverboat.com
NTAonline.com
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