Sojourn
Burgundy-Beaujolais Gourmet Cruise

Passengers: 8
Size: 128 feet long
Last Visited: 2011
Rating: Deluxe, Air Conditioning

2012 RATEs

Whole Boat Charter of up to 6 guests: $44,000
Whole Boat Charter of up to 7 guests: $45,000
Whole Boat Charter of up to 8 guests: $46,000


2012 DATES

May 6 - 12	June 17 - 23	July 29 - August 4	September 9 - 15
May 13 - 19	June 24 - 30	August 5 - 11	September 16 - 22
May 20 - 26	July 1 - 7	August 12 - 18	September 23 - 29
May 27 - June 2	July 8 - 14	August 19 - 25	September 30 - Oct 6
June 3 - 9	July 15 - 21	August 26 - Sept 1	October 7 - 13
June 10 - 16	July 22 - 28	September 2 - 8	October 14 - 21

In August 2011, Barge Lady Creative Director Kelly and her mother Terri Snyder were among the first to experience Sojourn’s Burgundy-Beaujolais route on a four day cruise with an abbreviated itinerary. Go to the Guest Book for a write up of Kelly's cruise. Check out The Barge Lady Travel Blog for Kelly's day to day blog of her trip with pictures.

French barge cruising has long been associated with gourmet food and wine…but never has there been such an outstanding experience as this one! This entirely new program has been created and will be operated by the owners of the Prosperite, known since 2003 as the premier barge in the Burgundy region. The elegant Sojourn is perfectly designed for cruising on France’s smaller and scenic rivers. Her journey on the River Saone cruises into the scenic Beaujolais wine region as well as close to some of the top Michelin 3* restaurants in France. Combined with visits to chateaux and markets, this is THE cruise for travelers wishing a deluxe – yet relaxed – gourmet experience in France!

Sojourn reflects the unique heritage of her owner, a glamorous cosmetics executive from California. The colorful interiors are welcoming, with the use of lovely art and flower arrangements as accents. Guests like to gather at the unusual bar – the social center of the barge connecting the salon and deck. You’ll feel instantly at home on Sojourn!

The route begins in Burgundy, cruises all through the Beaujolais, and ends in Lyon, France’s second largest city and a dynamic destination it its own right. The itinerary both cruises and drives through vineyard regions. Small and historic riverside towns provide gentle moorings.

Discriminating gourmet eaters will have much to enjoy on this cruise! You’ll have lunch at not one – but two – Michelin 3* restaurants; Paul Bocuse near Lyon and George Blanc in Vonnas. Your Captain makes the reservations, takes you there: all you need to do is relax and order wonderful specialties. Some of our lucky guests have been greeted by Paul Bocuse himself.

Added to these lunches are several winetastings, a private cooking lesson in the home of a chef, a visit to an open air market and olive oil factory – no to mention the gourmet cuisine served on board in Sojourn’s capacious dining room. Wines and cheeses are introduced at every meal. A dedicated and experienced crew of four will make sure that everything is taken care of – on the barge and on shore!

Sojourn Guest Book

In August 2011, Barge Lady Creative Director Kelly and her mother Terri Snyder were among the first to experience Sojourn’s Burgundy-Beaujolais route on a four day cruise with an abbreviated itinerary.

Kelly says:
"We arrived at Sojourn moored in Chalon sur Saone, a charming town on the River Saone. As I stepped inside I was stuck at how light and spacious the bar area, salon and dining room feel. The ambiance of Sojourn is French country charm meets Beverly Hills glamour. It is like being in the sophisticated and elegant home of good friends with great taste! Large picture windows line the public spaces, filling them with natural light and views of the beautiful scenery. I loved the light wood floors and paneling throughout Sojourn.

After a champagne welcome, introduction to our crew and a quick tour of the barge, we are taken to, the “orange cabin”, our room for the next week. I immediately noticed the desk and “Hollywood dressing room mirror” – this will definitely come in handy. The rooms are fun and colorful; the beds dressed in custom-made linens. There is plenty of storage space with a closet in both the bedroom and bathroom – as well as a little pull-out drawer under the bed (as a notorious over-packer I appreciated this) The bathrooms are big by barge standards with heated towel racks and Redken products in the shower.

We settled into our cabin, then headed upstairs to enjoy some aperitifs and conversation in the before dinner. Our first dinner set the tone for the gourmet week ahead - absolutely delicious! Throughout the week Chef Ollie continued to delight us with indulgent dinners and bountiful buffet lunches showcasing fresh herbs and local produce. One night she used pressed pine nut oil from the Huiliere in Beaujeu we visited earlier that day - a pleasant surprise and quickly devoured by all. (Go to the menu tab to see the meals we enjoyed along with pictures) After dinner we enjoyed chocolates and a little more wine in the salon along with a lively game of Catchphrase with our fellow bargers. This became a habit and somewhat fierce but hilarious competition by the end of the week.

Visiting the adorable town of Beaujeu, was one of many highlights. There we enjoyed a winetasting and later sampled oils at Huilerie Beaujolais,a local oil producer's boutique, famous for its freshly pressed nut oils. Foodie that I am, I somehow managed to restrain myself and bought only some pine nut oil and a small bottle of mango balsamic. The tour of Chateau Cormatin, with its moat, beautiful gardens and maze was fascinating. Another thing I really enjoyed about this route was time to walk around and explore the different towns Sojourn moored at each night, especially Lyon, where we moored right in the center of this enchanting city. We loved the shopping, the Old Town, and the many squares and public spaces. Here we are (below) at a merry-go-round, set up for families to gather around and enjoy! Our last dinner on board reflected the excitement of Lyon, with many shared memories of our all-too-brief cruise on Sojourn. We hope to return!"
- Kelly Weiss and Terri Snyder, August 2011


"My wife Allison and I have stayed at 5 star resorts throughout the world and have vacationed at some of the most exotic places on earth; however, nothing compares with the week cruise that we took through the canals of France on the first-class Sojourn. Our barge trip was relaxing and stress-free. We had 5-star elegant meals and French wines. We sailed through an environment of incredible beauty, and we constantly said nothing could be better than what we were seeing -- only to turn the corner and see something even more breathtaking. Best of all, we had a great time!"
-Tom Levin, 2008


"You'll love traveling in France on the new barge Sojourn, reputedly the most luxurious river craft in all of Europe. With its four private staterooms, all with en-suite baths, and its five-star chef, on Sojourn the idea of "the slower the better" really IS better! Dishes such as foie gras rack of lamb and fresh fish are preceded by local specialties and followed by an arr ay of exotic cheeses and desserts. Full American breakfasts, plentiful wine and village-baked breads and pastries round out the cuisine. Trips to chateau and castles are easily arranged. You can see France the traditional way by train or air but doesn't it deserve a truly special trip? France is different! And it is oh-so-beautiful by barge."
-Bill Arp, 2008
Beverly Hills Design and Life