Accommodations & Amenities View Deck Plan

Accommodations
  • 131 ft long, with 6’5” to 7’ ceiling height throughout
  • 3 cabins, 1 and 2 with 6’95” ceiling height, 3 with 7’21” ceiling height
  • Cabin 1 and 2, 130 sq ft, choice of one queen or two twin beds
  • Cabin 3, 160 sq ft, choice of one queen or two twin beds
  • Ensuite bathrooms with shower
  • Limited storage space in cabins
Deck
  • Salon and dining room
  • Deck with canopy
  • Outdoor dining space and seating
  • “La Plancha” Barbecue on main deck
  • Outdoor dining space and seating
Amenities
Chauffeured Guided Sightseeing
Chauffeured Guided Sightseeing
Daily Housekeeping
Daily Housekeeping
WiFi (service fluctuates)
WiFi (service fluctuates)
Private Chef
Private Chef
Open Bar
Open Bar
Bicycles
Bicycles
Air Conditioning/Heating
Air Conditioning/Heating
Hair Dryer and Toiletries
Hair Dryer and Toiletries
Bathrobe
Bathrobe
Safe
Safe
Hot Tub on Deck
Hot Tub on Deck
Iron and Ironing Board (on request)
Iron and Ironing Board (on request)
Sound System
Sound System
220 volt outlets
220 volt outlets

Itineraries

Travel from Chalon-sur-Saone to St. Leger-sur-Dheune on the River Saone and Canal du Centre

Bicycling Opportunities:
Excellent 
 (Bicycling is completely optional.)
Saturday
Welcome Aboardsaturday image
Welcome Aboard
Travel: Arrival to Chalon-sur-Saone
Meals: Dinner onboard

In the afternoon you will be met by a private chauffeured transfer at your designated meeting point in Paris, Geneva or Lyon. From here, relax as you are chauffeured to the barge moored in Chalon-sur-Saone. A traditional champagne welcome and introduction to owners Nicolas and Magali and crew awaits you. Then enjoy your first of many gourmet dinners onboard, perhaps followed by a digestif while stargazing on deck.

Sunday
Truffle Hunting + Truffle Lunch = Truffle Passion!sunday image
Truffle Hunting + Truffle Lunch = Truffle Passion!
Travel: Chalon-sur-Saone to Fragnes
Meals: Breakfast & dinner onboard, lunch ashore

This morning, your Tour Guide escorts you to “La Maison des Mille Truffles,” a local truffle farm. Meet the hunters and their adorable canine companions for whom truffle hunting is their passion. Discover the secrets to finding this “black gold,” and then enjoy a gourmet luncheon featuring delectable recipes made with truffles. Return to Magnolia for an afternoon cruise on the Saone and then enter the Canal du Centre through a 30 foot lock! Relive this exciting day over dinner onboard.

Monday
Bicycling and Barrel Makingmonday image
Bicycling and Barrel Making
Travel: Fragnes to Rully
Meals: Breakfast & lunch onboard, dinner onshore

The journey continues with a morning cruise. Relax in the hot tub, join Chef for a casual cooking demonstration, or explore the countryside by bicycle. Then it’s off to one of barging’s most popular excursions: meet the craftsmen who create the wooden barrels in which wine is aged. Known as “coopers,” there are 100 such locations in France, where it can take as long as three years to create the finest barrels. Return to Magnolia in time to freshen up for a home hosted dinner ashore with a local family in Rully.

Tuesday
Secrets of French Winemaking at Chateau de Meursaulttuesday image
Secrets of French Winemaking at Chateau de Meursault
Travel: Rully to Chagny
Meals: Breakfast & lunch onboard, dinner ashore

This morning your Tour Guide introduces Chateau de Meursault, known for its magnificent estate, gardens, and grounds. Tour the cellar, appreciating the hundreds of barrels holding vintages from many eras; then enjoy a tasting from their selection of Grand and Premier Crus. Return to Magnolia for a scenic afternoon cruise. Now is the time to disembark at the locks and explore on foot or by bicycle. Arrive in Chagny, a charming town, and enjoy your mooring on the tree-shaded canal. Dinner on shore tonight at a local auberge ends this delightful day in rural France.

Wednesday
The Best of Burgundy in Beaunewednesday image
The Best of Burgundy in Beaune
Travel: Chagny to Santenay
Meals: Breakfast & dinner onboard, lunch ashore

Bon matin! A leisurely morning cruise begins the day. Relax on deck as sublime scenery floats by. Then, your Tour Guide introduces Beaune, one of the region’s premier towns (and a Barge Lady favorite). Known as the “wine capital” of Burgundy, Beaune is criss-crossed with miles of underground cellars, while above ground the specialty shops and wine boutiques beckon. After lunch at a local auberge, experience the pristinely preserved Medieval Hospice, then window shop in the pedestrian zone. Return to the barge where cocktails and canapes precede tonight's delicious dinner onboard.

Thursday
Private Tour of a Preserved Chateauthursday image
Private Tour of a Preserved Chateau
Travel: Santenay to Saint-Leger-sur-Dheune
Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner onboard

This morning, your Tour Guide will chauffeur you to Chateau de Germolles , the best preserved residence of the Dukes of Burgundy from the late Middle Ages. Now privately owned, one of the family might welcome you and present the origins of the estate in the 15th century; occupation by the Nazis in WW II; and the status of the current and ongoing restorations. Return to Magnolia for your final cruise through flowering fields and past quaint villages. Meanwhile, your Chef is in the kitchen preparing an epicurean Farewell Feast, which ends your cruise in style. A toast to the Magnolia and your adventure in Burgundy!

Friday
A Sad Farewellfriday image
A Sad Farewell
Travel: Departure from Saint-Leger-sur-Dheune
Meals: Breakfast onboard

After breakfast, you will be chauffeured to the designated drop off point.

Please note, this is a sample itinerary and is subject to change depending on local conditions. On alternate weeks, the cruise is in the reverse direction.

Gourmet Dining

Lunch
  • Couscous Salad with Plancha-Roasted Market Vegetables
  • Quiche Lorraine
  • Cheeses: Valençay and Comte
  • A Selection of Coffees, Teas, and Biscuits
  • 3 Lunches Ashore Inclusive of the Cruise Rate
Dinner
  • Quail Eggs and Asparagus with Sundried Tomato Vinaigrette
  • Filet of Charolais with Gratin Dauphinois
  • Cheeses: Morbier, Délice de Bourgogne, Bleu des Causses
  • White Chocolate Mousse Cake with Strawberry and Basil
  • A Selection of After Dinner Drinks
  • 2 Dinners Ashore Inclusive of the Cruise Rate
Wine
  • Montagny Blanc 1er cru, 2019
  • St Veran Blanc, 2019
  • Gevrey Chambertin Rouge, 2018
  • Savigny les Beaune
  • Haute Côtes de Nuits
  • Saint-Romain

Rates & Dates

Accommodation
Value Season
Regular Season
Private Cruise for 6 guests-$42,000
Private Cruise for 5 guests-$37,500
Private Cruise for up to 4 guests-$32,000

2026 Dates

Gray Bold Dates = Regular Season

Month
Days
April4-10, 11-17, 18-24, 25-1
May2-8, 9-15, 16-22, 23-29, 30-5
June6-12, 13-19, 20-26, 27-3
July4-10
August1-7, 8-14, 15-21, 22-28, 29-4
September5-11, 12-18, 19-25, 26-2
October3-9, 10-16, 17-23

Additional Details

Included in the rate
  • 6 nights/7 days in a cabin with a private bath
  • Round trip chauffeured transfers to and from Paris
  • A dedicated onboard crew consisting of a Captain, Chef, Tour Guide, and Hostess
  • All onboard and onshore meals from dinner the first evening to breakfast the last morning
  • All wines with lunches and dinners served onboard
  • Open bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
  • Daily escorted excursions including admittance fees
  • Unlimited use of onboard amenities such as bicycles and a hot tub
Not included in the rate
  • International airfare
  • Cancellation insurance – A Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) policy is recommended
  • Suggested crew gratuity of 5-10% of the cruise price

*All rates are quoted in U.S. Dollars unless otherwise noted

Magnolia 2026 Route

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in Southern Burgundy?

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