Bon Appetit and Chin-Chin from the Barge Ladies!

On luxury European barge cruises, guests are treated to exclusive gourmet experiences both onboard and ashore, and the Barge Ladies predict that this season’s hungry passengers will dig right in! 

Onboard, even the most fervent of foodies are sure to be pleased with gourmet meals crafted from locally sourced ingredients and casual cooking lessons in demonstration kitchens. Culinary excursions ashore entice with authentic tastes and handmade treats; tasting cheese from local dairies, shopping with Chef at regional markets, and sampling small batch spirits with the distillery’s owners are just a handful of the appetizing activities guests can enjoy.

You’re invited to pour a glass of your favorite adult beverage and join the Barge Ladies for a tantalizing tour of three exciting culinary experiences our guests enjoy on the idyllic canals of France. Bon Appetit and Chin-chin!

PICK PRODUCE FROM A GOURMET GARDEN

What could be more fun for epicureans and Europhiles than to join Chef in selecting and preparing seasonal produce from an historic French garden? On the barge Deluxe class, 8-guest barge Renaissance sailing in the Upper Loire, passengers will discover the Château de La Bussière, privately owned by the de Chasseval family since 1814.

“Surrounded by a lake, this castle is celebrated for its expansive grounds of ornamental flowers, beautifully manicured fruit trees, and a kitchen garden devoted to growing fresh vegetables, juicy berries, and regional botanicals,” Barge Lady Ellen reveals.

After guests pick their own veggies, fruits, and and herbs, they are treated to an onsite cooking demonstration from their private Chef in the castle’s kitchen.  With French produce this fresh, tasting the culinary history and cultural heritage of the Upper Loire has never been more delicious!

Barge Lady Cruise Correspondent Kerri McConnel dishes out the details about the Renaissance’s food and wine experience here. 

FRESH FEASTS IN THE SOUTH OF FRANCE

Exclusive to the Charming class, 4-guest Saraphina’s onboard dining program, guests are now served an array of wholesome salads, savory side dishes, and delicious drinks, all crafted with ingredients that Chef Emily Campfens grows in her kitchen garden. While history did not foretell that she might become a successful horticulturist (“I’ve been known to kill mint,” she laughs), Chef Emily has proved a fast learner and natural gardener.

“I’ve always wanted to cook for my barge guests with local, organic, and fresh produce,” Chef Emily enthuses. “And now I am literally picking a tomato to be eaten there and then.” 

She now proudly harvests potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, apricots, cherries, and many more garden grown goodies, happily introducing her pampered passengers to the Canal du Midi’s rustic bounty.  Of course, Emily’s light and flavorful cuisine is paired with local wines from the Languedoc, ensuring an approachable introduction to the region’s emerging vineyards.

Want to nibble on even more of the fresh feasts served in the south of France on the Saraphina?  Then click here. 

CREATE YOUR OWN DECADENT CONFECTIONS

Chocolate and Champagne dreams come true on the Deluxe-class, 8-guest C’est La Vie, where bubbles and bonbons are always on the itinerary. In a private workshop ashore with maître chocolatier Thibaud, guests don aprons and step behind the counter to handcraft their own exquisite cocoa confections. Under expert guidance, tempering becomes an art form, ganache transforms into a gourmet canvas, and each bonbon emerges as beautiful as it is indulgent.

“Our guests on the C’est la Vie adore this kind of artisanal experience, where world-class ingredients meet masterful technique, and every bite tells the story of Champagne’s rich gastronomic heritage,” says Barge Lady Caroline. 

Between sips of bubbly and bites of still-warm chocolate, travelers gain a new appreciation for the craftsmanship that makes French sweets world-famous, and leave with a box of handmade treasures to savor back onboard — best appreciated with a flute of locally produced Champagne, bien sur. 

For more insight from Barge Lady guests about their week on the C’est la Vie in Champagne, click here.