Welcome to a divine barge trip in France with Barge Lady Cruises
What were we feeling?
Well being, peace, flow, and happiness are the words that immediately come to mind. It was our first morning having just returned home from our luxury Burgundy Barge Cruise on Le Papillon. Feeling inspired by the French produce and artisan products, we walked to our local farmers market, and it was in the midst of produce and flowers that we became aware of an overwhelming feeling. We realized we had been strolling with a smile and a sense of wellbeing. What was it? Nostalgia? So soon?
What was it? What was this delicious, sentimental, nostalgic feeling? Stephanie Sack, our angel and Marketing Maven of Barge Lady Cruises, easily responded, “Afterglow!”
We had capped our month-long wanderings in Europe with a cruise down the Nivernais canal in the breathtaking Northern Burgundy region of France. Six days (and seven nights) of bliss. Our beautiful crew, now friends, are already missed, and we are feeling inspired to prepare fabulous meals, share stories, drink Burgundy wines, and indulge in decadent cheeses and desserts. We are energized to entertain our friends as we had been entertained.
The cause:
Le Papillon, a lovingly maintained barge from 1902, and her crew “our crew.” Looking back, our adventure on Le Papillon was like a wonderful Hallmark movie with the following cast: Meggi would be played by Naomi Watts; Camille by Olivia Munn; Thibaut by Kevin Costner; and the starring role of Captain Max would be played by James Brolin.
Meggie Hofland, was our beautiful hostess from Australia. A free spirit with a background in chemistry and a pharmaceutical degree who has discovered the world of barges, canals, and France. Her boundless energy, joyful exuberance, and ready smile was contagious. The kind of contagion you want to catch, bottle, and keep. There was nothing she couldn’t do. Her afternoon speciality cocktails, which were accompanied by delicious nibbles, were available on a self-serve bar, but there was never a need to help ourselves as she knew what we desired long before we did. She was magical, as there must have been dozens of her – she was everywhere! Our cabins were constantly tended and pristine, our water canisters were always filled with ice, and she was a vision picking flowers along the canal for our beautiful meals which she served with flair. She was especially enthusiastic when serving the fromage, which accompanied every meal.
Each with a history and even a tale. Meggie can really tell a story – a fun, fabulous, and most animated story. Valencay, originally a pyramid but with its top lopped off by Napoleon on his return from Egypt, is now served in its new form. Forume d’Ambert, from Roman times, is the oldest cheese in France. And then we have Roquefort, first to start the AOC, was a most fortunate discovery by a shepherd who, we were told, distracted by a comely shepherdess, wandered away from his cave and abandoned his cheese. Alas, upon returning to his cave a now moldy, old cheese was discovered, ooh la la, Roquefort. There were so many anecdotes and tales (and so many accompanying wines) that Meggie printed us a calligraphed menu with each cheese and a bit of their history. We were told there would be eighteen cheeses. We would say more. Yes. Spoiled we were.
Camille Rheims was our beautiful chef. Lovely and quite perfect like each and every meal she prepared. Lucky us, and anyone fortunate enough to cruise with Camille now that she has found her true calling. A former lawyer working with exclusive auction houses, Camille has found her passion in cooking and cuisine. Brave girl, she made the pivot. We, the beneficiaries. Each and every meal, every course, was met with sighs, oohs, ahhs and questions. What was that extra, je ne sais quoi? Miso? Provencal hot sauce? Confit d’oignons de Calais? She shared with us her unique twists as she is fearless with her recipes. We were told there would be gourmet meals, but Camille took every dish to a new level. We dined on lovely china, and she picked wildflowers from nearby fields to display in the center of our beautifully set table. Even the art of folding napkins was clever. Origami? Every meal, every course, was ready for a foodie photo shoot. We were inspired and have returned with many of her recipes and unique sauces to pay forward the gift that is a perfect meal. Our Captain’s dinner was Moelleux Ossau Iraty, Salade de petit pois, Epaule d’agneau de 7h, ou St Jacques roties, Ecrasé de pomme de terre à l’huile d’olive, Declinaison d’Epoisses, and Ile Flottante. Between stories and wine and scrumptious bites, we did try to take some notes but they proved not needed as she also calligraphed all her recipes and sauces along with a beautiful sketch of our canal with its locks and castles. There was no end to the kindness and graciousness received.
Thibault Rousseau, was our matelot, our guide. His background was orchestrating some of France’s most prestigious and name-dropping events for names like Hermes, Chanel, Vogue, Ralph Lauren, so who better to keep everything on board humming. Our afternoon jaunts with Thibaut being whisked partout in a big new luxury SUV helped the countryside come alive. We visited quaint, little towns where we befriended locals who pleaded with us to keep their towns secret. There were chateaus and gardens. At the Château de Bazoches we, who pride ourselves on knowledge of history, castles, chateaus and especially during the reign of Louis XIV, were awakened by a need to know more. Pigeons? Pigeons and turrets? Thibaut introduced us to some very surprising architectural details. One being the status attributed to pigeon turrets and their size. The bigger the better. Apparently, we learned, size did matter. He introduced us to local wine makers whose explanations of old methods were so funny that we almost couldn’t drink our wine. On one personal tour, we popped in for a special bottle of wine found in an art gallery and we will never forget the gigantic tractor sized lobster on wheels a la Mad Max or Dune with telescope. We wanted it. Hmmm … or was it the wine?
And then we have our captain. Captain Max Renau was born on a 40 meter barge in Soissons, a former barge owner, he has 42 years of experience, and has captained for the captains of industry. He knows all there is to know about the art and the skill required for a barge cruise parfaitement. On our cruise down the Nivernais he navigated over 40 locks, some of which are still operated by lock keepers that live alongside in their petite picturesque homes. At many locks we wandered the neighboring villages or strolled along the flower lined canals. On our last day we cruised through long tunnels by lamplight and ended up in an inviting lake. Every meal was complemented with wines and more anecdotes, by our captain/sommelier. We were in Burgundy after all, and we recall at least 24 wines uncorked and discussed in depth. There were Chablis and Champagne and Bourgogne and ah yes, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Each bottle lovingly discussed, and uncorked with a flourish and a style we are going to adopt. The object? To display the length of the cork (status and size again). One memorable evening Captain Max invited us to Auberge du Centre for a tasting menu gastronomique. Nestled behind a church, with bells tolling each course it seemed, we relaxed in a lovely garden, continuing the art of a bucolic life and conversation as the courses kept arriving. Aperitif Maison, Amuse Bouche, Terrine de Foie gras de Canard Maison, Toast et Brioche, Filet de Saumon ou Tournedos filet de Boeuf, Assiette de Fromage, and Mille Feuille de Craquante de Chocolat aux mousse mascarpone parfum aux citron. Mais oui, we were impressed, which was not easy to accomplish as we had been thoroughly spoiled by our Camille. On our return to “our” Le Papillon, we stopped mid stroll to listen to silence. Ah, the sound of silence. This was, of course, followed with discussions of Simon and Garfunkel over un dernier verre.
Le Papillon was originally a Dutch cargo barge dating to 1902. It was converted to a passenger barge in the 1980s. Think of it as a floating boutique hotel; an oenophile’s dream. It offers two cabins for four people with a choice of King or twin beds, each with an ensuite bathroom with shower. A lovely salon and postcard perfect dining room are beautifully maintained. Generous bowls of fresh fruit are continually replenished. An Impressionist’s inspiration or a bike ride’s reward. Flowers surround the panoramic deck. This is where we most enjoyed sitting with a drink and a good book while watching the Charolais cattle graze and listening to the surrounding song of melodious birds.
Epicurean overload? After three course meals for lunch and dinner, le vin, le fromage, cocktails, and canapes we were fearful of the first step on our home scales. Alas, the news is excellent. Was it all the walking? Was it the freshness of cuisine? We paid no penance for such delights! We are now basking in the afterglow of a week of bliss.
Inclusions:
Six days (seven nights) in a cabin with private bath
Chauffeured transfers to and from the barge pre and post cruise from designated pick up and drop off points
A dedicated crew of four consisting of Captain, Chef, Tour Guide, and Hostess
All onboard meals from dinner the first evening to breakfast the final morning
All wines with lunches and dinners served onboard
Open bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Daily escorted excursions including admittance fees
Season April through October
Prices (during regular season):
$32,002 for four guests
$27,196 for three guests
$23,000 for two guests
Barge Lady Cruises were consummate pros in organizing our week. All information and planning were easily, effortlessly, and perfectly arranged. Their team collectively boasts over nine decades of experience. They made our planning and preparations a breeze; a walk in the park, or better yet a cruise down a Burgundy canal. “We offer all things floaty and fabulous,” we were told by Stephanie, of Barge Lady cruises. Mais oui. Bien sur. To that we will toast. Let us end by raising a glass to all things, floaty, fabulous, blissful et voila … this beautiful feeling. Afterglow. https://www.bargeladycruises.com, (800) 880-0071, hello@bargelady.com PostBlock
Welcome to a divine barge trip in France with Barge Lady Cruises
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What were we feeling?
Well being, peace, flow, and happiness are the words that immediately come to mind. It was our first morning having just returned home from our luxury Burgundy Barge Cruise on Le Papillon. Feeling inspired by the French produce and artisan products, we walked to our local farmers market, and it was in the midst of produce and flowers that we became aware of an overwhelming feeling. We realized we had been strolling with a smile and a sense of wellbeing. What was it? Nostalgia? So soon?
What was it? What was this delicious, sentimental, nostalgic feeling? Stephanie Sack, our angel and Marketing Maven of Barge Lady Cruises, easily responded, “Afterglow!”
We had capped our month-long wanderings in Europe with a cruise down the Nivernais canal in the breathtaking Northern Burgundy region of France. Six days (and seven nights) of bliss. Our beautiful crew, now friends, are already missed, and we are feeling inspired to prepare fabulous meals, share stories, drink Burgundy wines, and indulge in decadent cheeses and desserts. We are energized to entertain our friends as we had been entertained.
The cause:
Le Papillon, a lovingly maintained barge from 1902, and her crew “our crew.” Looking back, our adventure on Le Papillon was like a wonderful Hallmark movie with the following cast: Meggi would be played by Naomi Watts; Camille by Olivia Munn; Thibaut by Kevin Costner; and the starring role of Captain Max would be played by James Brolin.
Meggie Hofland, was our beautiful hostess from Australia. A free spirit with a background in chemistry and a pharmaceutical degree who has discovered the world of barges, canals, and France. Her boundless energy, joyful exuberance, and ready smile was contagious. The kind of contagion you want to catch, bottle, and keep. There was nothing she couldn’t do. Her afternoon speciality cocktails, which were accompanied by delicious nibbles, were available on a self-serve bar, but there was never a need to help ourselves as she knew what we desired long before we did. She was magical, as there must have been dozens of her – she was everywhere! Our cabins were constantly tended and pristine, our water canisters were always filled with ice, and she was a vision picking flowers along the canal for our beautiful meals which she served with flair. She was especially enthusiastic when serving the fromage, which accompanied every meal. Each with a history and even a tale. Meggie can really tell a story – a fun, fabulous, and most animated story. Valencay, originally a pyramid but with its top lopped off by Napoleon on his return from Egypt, is now served in its new form. Forume d’Ambert, from Roman times, is the oldest cheese in France. And then we have Roquefort, first to start the AOC, was a most fortunate discovery by a shepherd who, we were told, distracted by a comely shepherdess, wandered away from his cave and abandoned his cheese. Alas, upon returning to his cave a now moldy, old cheese was discovered, ooh la la, Roquefort. There were so many anecdotes and tales (and so many accompanying wines) that Meggie printed us a calligraphed menu with each cheese and a bit of their history. We were told there would be eighteen cheeses. We would say more. Yes. Spoiled we were.
Camille Rheims was our beautiful chef. Lovely and quite perfect like each and every meal she prepared. Lucky us, and anyone fortunate enough to cruise with Camille now that she has found her true calling. A former lawyer working with exclusive auction houses, Camille has found her passion in cooking and cuisine. Brave girl, she made the pivot. We, the beneficiaries. Each and every meal, every course, was met with sighs, oohs, ahhs and questions. What was that extra, je ne sais quoi? Miso? Provencal hot sauce? Confit d’oignons de Calais? She shared with us her unique twists as she is fearless with her recipes. We were told there would be gourmet meals, but Camille took every dish to a new level. We dined on lovely china, and she picked wildflowers from nearby fields to display in the center of our beautifully set table. Even the art of folding napkins was clever. Origami? Every meal, every course, was ready for a foodie photo shoot. We were inspired and have returned with many of her recipes and unique sauces to pay forward the gift that is a perfect meal. Our Captain’s dinner was Moelleux Ossau Iraty, Salade de petit pois, Epaule d’agneau de 7h, ou St Jacques roties, Ecrasé de pomme de terre à l’huile d’olive, Declinaison d’Epoisses, and Ile Flottante. Between stories and wine and scrumptious bites, we did try to take some notes but they proved not needed as she also calligraphed all her recipes and sauces along with a beautiful sketch of our canal with its locks and castles. There was no end to the kindness and graciousness received.
Thibault Rousseau, was our matelot, our guide. His background was orchestrating some of France’s most prestigious and name-dropping events for names like Hermes, Chanel, Vogue, Ralph Lauren, so who better to keep everything on board humming. Our afternoon jaunts with Thibaut being whisked partout in a big new luxury SUV helped the countryside come alive. We visited quaint, little towns where we befriended locals who pleaded with us to keep their towns secret. There were chateaus and gardens. At the Château de Bazoches we, who pride ourselves on knowledge of history, castles, chateaus and especially during the reign of Louis XIV, were awakened by a need to know more. Pigeons? Pigeons and turrets? Thibaut introduced us to some very surprising architectural details. One being the status attributed to pigeon turrets and their size. The bigger the better. Apparently, we learned, size did matter. He introduced us to local wine makers whose explanations of old methods were so funny that we almost couldn’t drink our wine. On one personal tour, we popped in for a special bottle of wine found in an art gallery and we will never forget the gigantic tractor sized lobster on wheels a la Mad Max or Dune with telescope. We wanted it. Hmmm … or was it the wine?
And then we have our captain. Captain Max Renau was born on a 40 meter barge in Soissons, a former barge owner, he has 42 years of experience, and has captained for the captains of industry. He knows all there is to know about the art and the skill required for a barge cruise parfaitement. On our cruise down the Nivernais he navigated over 40 locks, some of which are still operated by lock keepers that live alongside in their petite picturesque homes. At many locks we wandered the neighboring villages or strolled along the flower lined canals. On our last day we cruised through long tunnels by lamplight and ended up in an inviting lake. Every meal was complemented with wines and more anecdotes, by our captain/sommelier. We were in Burgundy after all, and we recall at least 24 wines uncorked and discussed in depth. There were Chablis and Champagne and Bourgogne and ah yes, Chardonnay, and Pinot Noir. Each bottle lovingly discussed, and uncorked with a flourish and a style we are going to adopt. The object? To display the length of the cork (status and size again). One memorable evening Captain Max invited us to Auberge du Centre for a tasting menu gastronomique. Nestled behind a church, with bells tolling each course it seemed, we relaxed in a lovely garden, continuing the art of a bucolic life and conversation as the courses kept arriving. Aperitif Maison, Amuse Bouche, Terrine de Foie gras de Canard Maison, Toast et Brioche, Filet de Saumon ou Tournedos filet de Boeuf, Assiette de Fromage, and Mille Feuille de Craquante de Chocolat aux mousse mascarpone parfum aux citron. Mais oui, we were impressed, which was not easy to accomplish as we had been thoroughly spoiled by our Camille. On our return to “our” Le Papillon, we stopped mid stroll to listen to silence. Ah, the sound of silence. This was, of course, followed with discussions of Simon and Garfunkel over un dernier verre.
Le Papillon was originally a Dutch cargo barge dating to 1902. It was converted to a passenger barge in the 1980s. Think of it as a floating boutique hotel; an oenophile’s dream. It offers two cabins for four people with a choice of King or twin beds, each with an ensuite bathroom with shower. A lovely salon and postcard perfect dining room are beautifully maintained. Generous bowls of fresh fruit are continually replenished. An Impressionist’s inspiration or a bike ride’s reward. Flowers surround the panoramic deck. This is where we most enjoyed sitting with a drink and a good book while watching the Charolais cattle graze and listening to the surrounding song of melodious birds.
Epicurean overload? After three course meals for lunch and dinner, le vin, le fromage, cocktails, and canapes we were fearful of the first step on our home scales. Alas, the news is excellent. Was it all the walking? Was it the freshness of cuisine? We paid no penance for such delights! We are now basking in the afterglow of a week of bliss.
Inclusions:
Six days (seven nights) in a cabin with private bath
Chauffeured transfers to and from the barge pre and post cruise from designated pick up and drop off points
A dedicated crew of four consisting of Captain, Chef, Tour Guide, and Hostess
All onboard meals from dinner the first evening to breakfast the final morning
All wines with lunches and dinners served onboard
Open bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Daily escorted excursions including admittance fees
Season April through October
Prices (during regular season):
$32,002 for four guests
$27,196 for three guests
$23,000 for two guests
Barge Lady Cruises were consummate pros in organizing our week. All information and planning were easily, effortlessly, and perfectly arranged. Their team collectively boasts over nine decades of experience. They made our planning and preparations a breeze; a walk in the park, or better yet a cruise down a Burgundy canal. “We offer all things floaty and fabulous,” we were told by Stephanie, of Barge Lady cruises. Mais oui. Bien sur. To that we will toast. Let us end by raising a glass to all things, floaty, fabulous, blissful et voila … this beautiful feeling. Afterglow. https://www.bargeladycruises.com, (800) 880-0071, hello@bargelady.com
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