A well-appointed, chic, and comfortable barge, the Meanderer is proudly owned and operated by Captain George and Tour Guide Susan Kovalick. This personable couple make it all look easy due to their pre-barge stints in the travel, restaurant, and fashion industries.
As well, their personal lives – Captain George grew up in Paris, Tour Guide Susan in London – and their passions for fitness (bicycling, hiking, boating, and tennis), cuisine, history, and the arts match them well to the cosmopolitan lifestyle of their guests. As residents of the area, the Kovalicks have developed relationships with a cadre of artisan purveyors and friendly personalities along the cruise route.
Everyone from the lock-keepers to the local Countess know George and Susan, and guests aboard the Meanderer are warmly embraced as members of this pastoral community. Susan even has the key to the church in the tiny village of Montbouy, where guests are taken to visit its delicate stained glass windows, as they have been carefully preserved throughout the centuries.
Other cultural excursions include wine tasting in the rolling vineyards of Sancerre and a visit to the extraordinary Palace of Fontainebleau, along with more intimate stops at seasonal markets and small villages. Active guests can explore the area’s idyllic charms with walks on the towpath, or request to have George guide them on rides through the region’s exquisite bicycling trails.
Back on onboard, passengers are welcomed by an elegant color palette of rich cream and caramel uniting the vessel’s public areas, while the comfortable cabins are smartly appointed with clever storage. Afternoons spent lounging on the shaded teak deck or in the hot tub are of course augmented with glasses of wine from George’s onboard collection.Dining is an equally pleasurable aspect of the Meanderer experience, with an emphasis on classic Continental cuisine freshly crafted from locally sourced ingredients.
