Papillon

Barging in Burgundy Itinerary

Fleurey-sur-Ouche to Pont Royal

On the Canal de Bourgogne

Sunday: Paris to Fleurey-sur-Ouche

Extra Excursion to Chateau-Vaux-le-Vicomte

You will be met by a Papillon crew member at your hotel in Paris at 1pm and driven to the Papillon moored near Dijon in the village of Fleurey-sur-Ouche. On the way we can visit the fabulous château of Vaux-le-Vicomte, pictured below – a mini rival to Versailles. Alternatively you can take the fast TGV train from Paris and a Papillon crew member will meet you at the railway station in Dijon. Upon arrival, you will be welcomed aboard Le Papillon with a Champagne reception and introduced to the crew of four – time to settle in before dinner.

Monday: Fleurey-sur-Ouche to Gissey-sur-Ouche

Drive through glorious vineyard country

Onboard Le Papillon After breakfast, we will start cruising along the Canal de Bourgogne. There will be ample opportunities to take a bike or walk along the canal towing path. By mid afternoon we shall be moored in the delightful village of Gissey-sur-Ouche. A short drive in the minibus will take us to the medieval quarter of Dijon for a walking tour followed by a visit to the Musée des Beaux Arts in the ducal palace. Our drive back to Papillon will include the Route des Grands Crus through the vineyards of the Côte de Nuits, passing by Clos Vougeot.

Tuesday: Gissey-sur-Ouche to Veuvey-sur-Ouche

Accompany our Chef to the Dijon food market

Food lovers can make an early start and accompany our chef to the busy morning food market in Dijon. This is an opportunity to meet our cheese, fish, and produce suppliers face to face. Maybe take a coffee with the chef and discuss some of your favorite dishes. There will be some free time for any shopping – the Rue Verrerie with its famous antique shops is nearby. Lunch back aboard and then cruise to the village of Veuvey-sur-Ouche.

Wednesday: Veuvey-sur-Ouche to Pont d'Ouche

Beaune: Ancient hospice and winetasting

This morning’s cruise will take us to Pont d’Ouche where we cruise over the Ouche river. After lunch we will drive through the nearby hills and descend into the Cote d’Or vineyards and visit Beaune – a thriving little town and proud capital of the wine trade. By far the most famous sight is the hospice with its multicoloured roof tiles which was built in 1443 by Nicolas Rolin, chancellor to the dukes of Burgundy. Next door in the spectacular cellars of the Marché aux Vins we can taste some of Burgundy’s finest wines or alternatively stop at one of the vineyards on our way back to Papillon.

Thursday: Pont d'Ouche to Pouilly-en-Auxois

Fine tapestries at the Chateau of Comarin

A 5 minute drive from Papillon will take us up to the hilltop village of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois. Highly restored and very picturesque, the village also offers a fine aerial view of the canal. Back onboard, we will climb the remaining locks before reaching the summit level of the canal – the highest point on this water route from the Mediterranean to the English Channel. After lunch we can visit the little chateau of Commarin, pictured below, with its fine tapestries. And then on through one of the wonders of the canal system – a two mile tunnel leading to the town of Pouilly-en-Auxois. Nearby the chateau of Chailly has a fine golf course.


Friday: Pouilly-en-Auxois to Pont Royal

Choice of Excursions! What about the village where "Chocolat" was filmed?

Today’s cruise will take us through lovely rolling countryside to Pont Royal. From there, a pleasant circular trip in the minibus could include visits to the hilltop village of Flavigny, where the movie ‘Chocolat’ was filmed, the Cistercian abbey of Fontenay (UNESCO world heritage sight) and the virtually undiscovered walled Medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, pictured at left. Here is the place to purchase jams, spices and other gourmet gifts to take home!

Saturday: Return to Paris

A Sad Farewell

After breakfast, depart at 9:00am for your chauffeured transfer to the Dijon Train Station or Paris, either a hotel in central Paris or Charles de Gaulle Airport. Estimated arrival time in the Paris area is noon.

The above description of a week on Le Papillon, cruising from Fleurey to Pont Royal contains similar points of interest as a cruise in the opposite direction from Pont Royal to Fleurey, although times for excursions will clearly differ between the two routes. No two cruises on Le Papillon are ever exactly the same however, since we always mould each voyage to fit the interests of our passengers. Whatever your passion is – golf, tennis, biking, walking, side trips in the minibus, just relaxing on deck, or a little of everything – we’ll make sure you do it.

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Planning a Petite Getaway in Burgundy:

The Papillon 4-night Gourmet Cruise

Pont D'Panay to Escommes on the Canal de Bourgogne

Your cruises begins with superior dining aboard the barge. Papillon is different to most other barges - we are on a mission to bring you the very best and that is only possible by starting with the correct ingredients. We minimize our use of supermarkets and buy direct from butchers, fishmongers, green grocers, and cheese mongers. We go to as many markets as possible and always try to buy organic produce. In addition all of our wines are bought directly from the vineyards. You are always welcome to pop your head in the galley and see what Chef Ollie is preparing, partake in a cooking demonstration or glean a recipe! And when you leave weʼll give you your own copy of ʻAt Home in Burgundy - The Papillon Recipesʼ written by one of our previous chefs.

Sunday: Paris to Pont d'Panay

Welcome Aboard!

Weʼll be on the platform of Dijon train station to meet you at 4:00 pm as you step off your fast TGV from Paris. (The cost of train or other transfers to and from the cruise route is not covered by the cruise price and must be booked separately. Let us arrange and ticket your train from Paris!) 30 minutes later youʼll be enjoying a Champagne welcome on the Papillon, moored at the canal side village of Pont d'Panay. After time to settle in, your chef Ollie will serve a delicious dinner on board.

Monday: Pont de Panay to La Busserie

Lunch at Celebrated 'Ma Cuisine' in Beaune

Who wouldnʼt skip their croissant so as to get to the Gaugry fromagerie by 9:30am? This is when the building is at its busiest as the daily arrival of 9000 litres of raw milk starts the journey towards perfection in the form of one of Franceʼs greatest cheeses, namelyʻEpoissesʼ. For breakfast weʼll taste five Burgundy cheeses with a glass of red wine in the oak panelled bar inside this former headquarters of ʻRicardʼ; the building, an icon of sixties architecture houses an irresistible cheese shop!

Back on the road, weʼll follow the ʻroute des grands crusʼ passing through world famous vineyards and villages such as Clos de Vougeot, Nuits-St-Georges and Aloxe-Corton before arriving in Beaune. First stop will be for a private tour of the family owned Fallot mustard mill, undoubtedly the finest mustard in France. After the tour, a 10 minute walk will find us inside ʻMa Cuisineʼ in the heart of Beaune for a delicious lunch - the style herein Pierre and Fabienne Escoffierʼs bistro is light yet with intense flavours; many regional dishes are featured along with a wine list for the most discerning palette. After lunch, enjoy a stroll through the cobbled streets of Beaune and admire the gables and tiled roofs so typical of the Flemish influence from the era of the great Dukes of Burgundy back in the 15th century.

Cruise in the afternoon with dinner onboard moored in the charming canalside village of La Bussière.

Tuesday: La Busserie to Fleurey-sur-Ouche

Shop for Fresh produce with Our Chef

Eiffelʼs fabulous iron market building, pictured below, will be bustling in central Dijon this morning. We will wander around with Ollie choosing the freshest ingredients. The array of fresh produce is extraordinary. Naturally this is your chance to help shape the meals that will come out of Papillonʼs galley.....plus there will be time for that croissant and coffee with the locals! The streets around the market square contain a wealth of antique shops and a short walking circuit allows you to admire Rue Liberté, the facade of the Ducal Palace and touch the famous ʻchouetteʼ for good luck.

Lunch on Papillon whilst we continue our cruise along the Ouche valley. During the afternoon maybe take a walk or bike ride along the towing path or just nap on the sun deck as rural France gently glides by. Once moored, enjoy an informal wine tasting with Cédric your captain. You will be able to sample several of our favorite bottles from Papillonʼs cellar before heading off for a wonderful picnic. As one of the nearby chateaux closes its doors to the public, we will be allowed in for a private tour of the stunning grounds - quite a privilege! A sumptuous culinary spread awaits you in the orangerie.

Wednesday: Fleurey-sur-Ouche to Escommes

Grab Fresh Loaves Right from the Baker's Oven

Cruise this morning and tie up with a magnificent view of the castle of Chateauneuf, parts of which date back to the early 12th century. Being only 5 minutes from Papillon we will have time to explore the village (ranked as one of the most beautiful in the whole of France) and the chateau before heading into the small town of Pouilly-en-Auxois. Our destination here is a secret bakery which supplies a handful of organic shops - we will be able to squeeze in, chat for 5 minutes with the baker before she has her siesta and grab a few red hot loaves straight from the oven.

Back on Papillon for lunch and a cruise to the summit of the canal - the final pretty locks will bring us to an altitude of 1,232 feet above sea level, the highest point by water between the Mediterranean and the English Channel.In this part of Burgundy, the Auxois, a small but vivid revival of wine making is underway. There are currently only 3 vineyards in the Auxois and the smallest and best one is only a15 minute drive away. Weʼll walk amongst the vines, help with the picking if itʼs harvest time and then enjoy a sample back in the village amongst the barrels. Two villages away we can make a stop at a foie gras farm and pick up the makings of an extra course for tonightʼs festive farewell dinner.

Thursday: Escommes to Dijon

A Sad Farewell

After breakfast aboard Papillon, at 10am you will be driven to Dijon train station, car rental or hotel.

Please note: this is a sample itinerary which may be subject to change depending on local conditions. The route will run in reverse on alternate weeks. Contact The Barge Lady for reservations and more information about Barging in Burgundy on the canals and waterways of France Or call us toll free at (800) 880-0071.

Papillon Guest Book

"We boarded Papillon in the afternoon taking a minute to admire the beautifully flowered deck before heading inside. As we stepped into the salon we were enveloped by the French country charm that oozes throughout Papillon. The attention to detail in the décor is apparent and second only to the attention to detail provided by Papillon’s wonderful crew. Captain Cedric, Host Emma and Chef Sarah truly went out of their way to pamper us! It is no wonder they are regarded as some of the top crew in barging.

We headed back to our cabins which were cozy, light and adorned with beautiful fabrics and wallpaper. The bathrooms are spacious and boast gorgeous tiling. I especially liked the convenience of having sink separate from the bathroom.

After getting settled, we sauntered up to the deck for an afternoon cruise to find afternoon tea and cookies awaiting us! I don’t think there is anything quite as relaxing as enjoying a cup of tea watching the beautiful Burgundy countryside float by. After tea we jumped off at a lock for a bicycle ride and a little exploring.

Chef Sarah wowed us at every meal. The duck breast with balsamic sauce she served as our main the first night melted in my mouth - it was impeccable! Our second night Sarah prepared an amazing pumpkin soup using pumpkins she had purchased on our trip to the Montbard market that morning. I don't think there was ever a spot of food left on either of our plates.

After we visited the Montbard market, Emma took us to the medieval town of Semur-en-Auxois, where she gave us a walking tour and an opportunity to shop in some of the cute stores. (I picked up some black truffle seasoning salt and a fantastic almond apricot jam which is sadly already gone) When we returned Sarah had a delicious lunch of fresh salads, charcuterie, terrines and pates ready for us. After lunch Cedric took us to the Cistercian Abbey of Fontaney, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the adorable village of Flavigny where the movie Chocolat was filmed. Even though we were only had two nights on Papillon, Sarah, Emma and Cedric made sure that we got the most out of those days. We felt like personal friends that had come to visit. We were very sad to leave come Saturday morning, but happy to have made new friends and wonderful memories aboard Papillon! "
- Barge Lady Creative Director Kelly Weiss and her mother Terri Snyder, August, 2011

"We had a wonderful time! The food, wine and cheese were all superb. The excursions hit all the high spots while being flexible on schedule. The crew went out of their way to take care of our every need. We felt like we had made four new friends by the end of the trip!"
- Nelson and Jane Schwab, cruised June, 2011

"The crew was terrific! The chef Sarah was outstanding. Our group had a great time and we would absolutely do it again"
- Dudley and Tina Taft, cruised June, 2011

"Thank you for booking such a great and unique trip for us. We truly had the best time. I would not have changed a thing. The crew was absolutely fantastic."
- Amerigo and Melissa Falciani, cruised May, 2011

"Unforgettable!!! I loved being up close and personable with the BEAUTIFUL countryside. I have raved to everyone about the crew, and all the beauty of my trip. It is just beyond words. I must add that the staff was delightful."
- Darla Ferronato, 2010

"We rate our cruise A+++! The crew was exceptional. Our guide Michael's knowledge brought life and perspective to the region's history. Chef Sarah's food was beautiful and delicious. Captain Cedric was delightful. This was an exceptional experience, never to be duplicated!"
-Susan Simper, 2010

Papillon Floor Plan

100 Feet long
One Double-bedded cabin - 107 sq ft
-107 sq feet
-Gorgeous spacious tiled bath
Two Twin-bedded cabins
-180 sq feet and 93 sq ft
-Gorgeous spacious tiled baths
In the Public Areas
-Salon/bar and
-Lovely separate dining room.
-French country ambiance.
-Re-decorated for the 2012 season
6 Bicycles
Gitane hybrids with 21 speed Shimano gears and Rim brakes; 3 men’s bikes, 3 lady’s bikes.