France - La Belle Epoque - Northern Burgundy Cruise

Highlights

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Abbaye de Fontenay

Private tasting of Chablis wines

Visit to the Château de Commarin for a unique falconry display

Private Champagne Tasting at the Maison Taisne Riocour

Dine with the Baron & Baroness Segolene de Taisne at the magnificent Château de Ricey-Bas

Excellent towpath for walking & biking

7 days

From

AUD 10,152

per person, twin share

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All services are subject to availability.

Overview

Cruising the scenic Burgundy Canal, La Belle Epoque offers a relaxing journey through rolling countryside, with a towpath ideal for walking or cycling. Built in the Netherlands in 1930 to transport timber from Burgundy to Paris, she was converted into a luxury hotel barge in 1995. Accommodating up to 12 guests, La Belle Epoque features two Junior Suites and four en-suite staterooms, a spacious salon and dining area and a sun deck with a spa pool. A dedicated crew of six, including a master chef, ensures an unforgettable experience.

Inclusions

6 nights onboard the Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom

Crew of 6 (Captain, tour guide, chef and hostesses)

Transfers by an air-conditioned minivan

Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily prepared by your chef

Captains farewell dinner on your last night

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages

Excursions as per itinerary

Use of barge facilities

Itinerary

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Deck Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque

Deluxe | 12 Passengers | 6 Crew

126 Feet Long
2 Twin/Double Junior Suites (150-165sq ft incl. en suite)
4 Twin/Double Staterooms (125-130sq ft incl. en suite)
Spa Pool
Air-Conditioned / Centrally Heated

Day 1 Paris Venarey-les-Laumes

You are met at your meeting point in central Paris** and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to La Belle Epoque. A full crew Welcome Aboard with champagne and canapés. After time to settle into your cabin you will enjoy your first dinner on board and an introduction to Burgundy’s excellent cuisine.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Dinner

Welcome onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque

Day 2 Venarey-les-Laumes Montbard

Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then cruise through woodlands and rolling fields with great towpath biking and walking opportunities past the tiny canalside villages of Nogent, Courcelles and Les Granges.

After an early lunch, visit the moat-encircled Château de Commarin to be treated to a private demonstration of the medieval sport of falconry***. The close-up encounter with these majestic birds against the backdrop of the castle grounds is an amazing experience and afterwards, meet Count Bertrand de Vogüé, the current resident and 26^th generation of the de Vogüé family to maintain continuous residence since the 13^th century. This is followed by a private tour of the building. Dinner on board.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Château de Commarin

Day 3 Montbard Ravières

Morning cruise with excellent towpath walking or cycling, passing the 18^th century Forges de Buffon. Then after lunch you will be escorted to the exquisite UNESCO World Heritage Site of Abbaye de Fontenay founded by St Bernard in 1118. Representing a distinctive example of early Cistercian architecture and virtually intact, Fontenay allows an exceptional glimpse of Cistercian life and industry with its peaceful gardens, ponds and fascinating cloisters, dormitories and scriptorium. Return to the barge and cruise to Ravières. Dinner on board.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Abbaye de Fontenay

Day 4 Ravières Ancy-le-Franc

A truly unique day lies ahead. Following breakfast aboard, head to Les Riceys, the only wine growing area of the Champagne region to have 3 Appellation d’Origine Contrôlées. Here you will visit Maison Taisne Riocour, viewing the vineyards and winery with the Baron, before tasting some of their champagnes.
You then head to Château de Ricey-Bas; with its 12^th century vaulted cellars and thousand’s year history it’s the ideal location to appreciate the rolling vineyards and enjoy a glimpse of family life in a rural château. Here you will be greeted for a champagne aperitif and a gourmet lunch with the Baron and Baroness herself, which you will take in either the private salon or the atmospheric 15^th century kitchen.
You will spend the remainder of the afternoon strolling the beautiful gardens or exploring the regal chateau interiors. Return to the barge and begin your cruise to Ancy-le-Franc, with plenty of opportunity to walk or cycle along the towpath… or sit on deck with another glass of bubbly. Dinner on board. Dinner on board.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Maison Alexandre Bonnet

Day 5 Ancy-le-Franc Lezinnes

This morning you will visit Château d’Ancy-le-Franc. This beautifully symmetrical, 16th century masterpiece contains France’s biggest collection of Renaissance murals and is set in magnificent gardens and parkland.
In the afternoon, a gentle cruise as your hotel barge continues along the Burgundy Canal and descends through the picturesque locks to moor at Lézinnes. Dinner on board.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Château d’Ancy-le-Franc

Day 6 Lezinnes Tanlay

After breakfast you will have the tour the vineyards and town of Chablis dating back to Roman times, to enjoy a private wine tasting at the prestigious Domaine Laroche. Here, you also visit the 1000-year-old Obediencerie, originally part of the monastery of St Martin – the founders of Chablis, where for centuries, the Domaine’s wines have been aged.
Following lunch, enjoy a leisurely cruise to your final mooring at Tanlay, with the opportunity to cycle or walk into the picturesque village of Saint Vinnemer. Later, return to the barge for the Captain’s Farewell Dinner.

Overnight stay onboard Hotel Barge La Belle Epoque in a Stateroom.

Selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages included.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Chateau de Tanlay

Day 7 Tanlay Paris

After breakfast, you are transferred to Paris.

Breakfast

Additional information

Departure Dates and Pricing:

2025 Cruise Rates
Rates are for 6 nights either: per person based on double occupancy per cabin or on a whole barge charter basis. Prices below are in Euros.
Accommodation	Value	Regular
Stateroom	€5,990	€6,990
Junior Suite	€6,450	€7,490
Single Supplement	€2,200	€2,500
Charter (Whole Barge)
Charter 8 passengers	€60,900	€70,500
Charter 9 passengers	€62,900	€72,800
Charter 10 passengers	€64,600	€74,700
Charter 11 passengers	€66,300	€76,600
Charter 12 passengers	€68,000	€78,500
Departure Dates (Sunday)	Rates	Cruise Region
Mar 23, 30; Apr 6, 13, 20	Value	France - Burgundy
Apr 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25; Jun 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; Jul 6, 13	Regular	France - Burgundy
Jul 20, 27; Aug 3, 10, 17	Value	France - Burgundy
Aug 24, 31; Sep 7, 14, 21, 28; Oct 5, 12	Regular	France - Burgundy
Oct 19 & 26	Value	France - Burgundy

2026 Cruise Rates
Rates are for 6 nights either: per person based on double occupancy per cabin or on a whole barge charter basis. Prices below are in Euros.
Accommodation	Value	Regular
Stateroom	€5,990	€6,990
Junior Suite	€6,450	€7,490
Single Supplement	€2,200	€2,500
Charter (Whole Barge)
Charter 8 passengers	€60,900	€70,500
Charter 9 passengers	€62,900	€72,800
Charter 10 passengers	€64,600	€74,700
Charter 11 passengers	€66,300	€76,600
Charter 12 passengers	€68,000	€78,500
Departure Dates (Sunday)	Rates	Cruise Region
Mar 22, 29; Apr 5, 12, 19	Value	France - Burgundy
Apr 26; May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31; Jun 7, 14, 21, 28; Jul 5, 12	Regular	France - Burgundy
Jul 19, 26; Aug 2, 9, 16	Value	France - Burgundy
Aug 23, 30; Sep 6, 13, 20, 27; Oct 4, 11	Regular	France - Burgundy
Oct 18 & 25	Value	France - Burgundy

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. On alternate weeks, the cruise will be in the reverse direction.
Approximate transfer duration between Paris & La Belle Epoque is 2.5 hours.
Burgundy & Champagne departing 28 July, 4 & 11 August (during the Paris Olympics) special pick up/drop off arrangements will apply as our drivers will not be able to access the Hotel Westminster during that time – please ask us for details.
This barge is available for charter bookings and theme cruises. Contact us for more details.

Pick-up Point

Cabin bookings - The Hotel Westminster, Paris at 2:00 pm
Charter bookings - One location of the groups choice in Paris at 2:00 pm OR a TGV train station close to the barge after 4:00 pm

Drop-off Point

Cabin bookings - The Hotel Westminster by 12:00 noon
Charter bookings - One location of the group's choice in Paris by 12:00 noon OR at a local TGV train station by 10:00 am

Booking / Payment Process

On our website the Barge Cruise prices are show in Euros
All payments will be made to us in Australian Dollars
The current exchange rate will be used at the time of deposit and balance
Our invoice will make this clear and our team is here to assist you

Supplier Booking Conditions Apply

Due to the boutique nature and limited capacity of this travel experience, under our Bookings Conditions this package classifies as “Booking Type 2 – Travel Experience where we act as agent only”. Your contract for the delivery of travel arrangements will be with the principal supplier and will be subject to their Booking Conditions. We will advise you prior to confirming your booking the full details and Booking Conditions of the principal supplier. Our responsibility to you where we sell travel arrangements as agent for the supplier is specified in the ‘Responsibility’ section of our Booking Conditions.

Blackout dates may apply during festive season.

Excluded

International airfares and taxes
Domestic airfares and taxes, unless otherwise specified in our holiday package
Visa expenses, processing and issuance fees
Meals other than as specified in our holiday package
Travel Insurance or expenses of a personal nature (mini-bar, phone call, laundry, etc.),
Tips or gratuities to guides, drivers, porters, hotel, restaurant or boat staff, etc.
Or any other travel expense that has not been included in our holiday package

FAQs

Who are Entire Travel Group?

Welcome to Entire Travel Group. We offer exceptional travel experiences across our extensive range of Entire Holiday Packages, Entire Group Journeys, Entire Rail Journeys, and Entire Cruise Journeys. With our industry-leading Peace of Mind Booking Plan, you can Book Now with flexibility and confidence.

Entire Travel Group is celebrating over 50 years of passionately delivering unique and memorable travel experiences. We are an Australian, family-owned, award-winning business with a friendly team ready to match your expectations to the perfect holiday experience.

Entire Travel Group used to be known by the individual brands shown in the footer of the website. The company has not changed, but we have amalgamated under one brand - Entire Travel Group.

For more details please visit - About Us | Entire Travel Group

Is Entire Travel Group Australian owned and operated?

Entire Travel Group is proudly Australian family owned and operated and as it stands today represents 50 years of experience, progress, and evolution. We proudly support the community with our long-term commitment to many important charity organisations. We were awarded the best operator in our class at the most recent National Travel Industry Awards.

Is Entire Travel Group industry accredited?

Entire Travel Group is both ATAS and CATO Accredited. ATAS is actively administered by the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA). The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) is the trade association representing the land supply sector of the Australian Travel Industry.

Does Entire Travel Group have industry awards?

Entire Travel Group was honoured at the 2023 National Travel Industry Awards with Most Oustanding Wholesaler - Product / Service.

As our team works tirelessly to deliver exceptional holiday experiences, it was exciting to have this acknowledged with the highest recognition. The award is also a testament to the quality of our partners around the globe, and we take this opportunity to thank them for their tremendous support of our customers.

Are the Entire Travel Group holiday packages exclusive?

In some cases, we are the sole representative in Australia for the overseas travel operator. In other circumstances the product developed has been exclusively built for Entire Travel Group and can’t be found elsewhere.

What’s unique about Entire Travel Group Holiday Packages?

They are not group tours with set departures - they are pre-designed, purpose built, independent holiday packages full of unique and memorable experiences.
Our holiday packages have been exclusively built for us in collaboration with our handpicked suppliers, who also offer full on-ground support for the clients.
We are offering unique travel experiences which cannot be found elsewhere.
Many packages include our “Freedom of Choice” options which allow you to tailor the holiday experience. Like a sommelier matching wine to a meal, we have used our experience to carefully select and offer the right experiences in each location.
They include our Peace of Mind Booking Plan.
A wide selection of our packages are compliant with the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Covid Safe Travels.

Our motto for Independent Holiday Packages is start your holiday when and with who you want!

Our Independent Holiday Packages are NOT group tours with set departure dates. Group Tours have specific set departure dates, and of course, you are travelling with unknown passengers in a coach. These tours are great for certain travellers and there are many reputable tour operators providing a wide range of options around the world.

At Entire Travel Group, our focus is Independent Holiday Packages. Available daily, they are pre-designed, purpose built, packaged itineraries full of memorable experiences delivered by our hand-picked local partners.

Our holidays suit every demographic, from couples to singles, to retirees to families and everyone else in between.

Why travel with Entire Travel Group?

Of Entire Travel Group's attributes, we have settled on "When Experience Matters" as the quality we believe adds the most value to our customers. We have the experience to ensure your itinerary makes the dream holiday possible. Our continually enhanced technology allows our team to provide a quality customer service experience, and our partnerships with outstanding operators ensure we are confident of the on-ground experience for our customers.

For more details please visit - About Us | Entire Travel Group

How does the Peace of Mind Booking Plan work?

Our Peace of Mind Booking Plan allows you to book with confidence in the new international travel environment. With low deposits, a cooling off period and a flexibility period where you can cancel and rebook later, we really do have you covered.

For more details please visit - Peace of Mind Booking Plan | Entire Travel Group

Is there a cooling-off period?

Look for packages with our Peace of Mind Booking Plan logo on the website.

We understand that occasionally plans may change, so we give you the confidence to proceed with a cooling off period.
You may cancel for any reason within 7 days, where you will receive a 100% refund of your $100 per person deposit.

For more details please visit - Peace of Mind Booking Plan | Entire Travel Group

What is Freedom of Choice?

At Entire Travel Group we understand that our customers have their own personal tastes and interests - so throughout our packages look for “Freedom of Choice” which gives you the ability to tailor your holiday from the various experiences offered on selected days. Like a sommelier matching wine to a meal, we have used our experience to carefully select and offer the right experiences in each location.

The Freedom of Choice options are included in the package price, and the price remains the same regardless of the choice you make on each day.

Our Freedom of Choice program offers flexibility, by allowing you to choose from different options on pre-selected days in the itinerary.

Our per person price includes one tour on each Freedom of Choice day in the itinerary.
The price of the package remains the same regardless of the choice you make on each day.

For more details please visit - Freedom of Choice | Entire Travel Group

What is Book Now?

Book Now offers you the ability to make a reservation on our website for Holiday Packages that include our Peace of Mind Booking Plan. But it’s not just a static offer – you have complete flexibility from travel dates, passenger numbers, single supplements, room upgrades, optional extras, flexible booking terms and more.

Our team will contact our overseas suppliers and confirm all arrangements.
A Confirmation from our reservation system will be sent in the coming days.
The Booking Number on this confirmation supersedes the website reference.

What forms of payment can be used at Entire Travel Group?

To confirm a booking using our on-line Book Now process, a credit card must be used to pay the refundable deposit.
For additional payments on the booking, Entire Travel Group supports bank transfer, credit card, TravelPay B2B, PaymentGate.
For further details please visit our Payments page.

How secure is the Entire Travel Group's on-line payment portal?

Entire Travel Group have partnered with TravelPay to ensure secure on-line credit card payments.
TravelPay is a level 1 PCI DSS compliant, which gives you peace of mind that your payment card data is in safe hands.
Entire Travel Group does not store any credit card information.

For more details please visit - Security and Compliance - TravelPay

Can you book my international airfares?

On some Islands Holiday Packages (e.g. Fiji), it is practical to include flights, so where we have done this it is indicated by the plane icon.

However, on the majority of our Holiday Packages, we do not include international flights.

We found that many customers may prefer to:

Travel on a specific airline of their choice
Have the flexibility to book flights with Frequent Flyer points
Select flight dates that may be different to our Holiday Package start/end dates
Use a Travel Credit already held with the airline
Use their travel agent for this service

We are able to assist with flights on any Holiday Package, so please just notify us during the Book Now process or contact our team.

Should I take travel insurance?

Travel insurance is strongly recommended. During the Book Now process please confirm you require assistance, and our team will be in contact with you.

What should I do before travelling?

Before you travel it is your responsibility to ensure you have the appropriate documentation including visas. If you are travelling on a passport other than Australian or New Zealand, you will require a permit to re-enter Australia. It is your responsibility as the traveller and/or travel booker to meet all government entry requirements.

For more information please visit - Before you travel | Entire Travel Group

How does a Travel Agent make a booking?

Please visit the Entire Travel Group's Agent Portal. We are here to support our industry partners with a range of informative updates, marketing collateral for campaigns and a reward & recognition program.

How do I start a Booking?

On any page that has Book Now simply follow the booking process.
You must select the Travel Agent tick box and provide correct details.
To confirm a booking only the refundable deposit is required.
An agency credit card must be used for this initial payment.

How do I contact Entire Travel Group?

For more information please visit - Contact us | Entire Travel Group

La Belle Epoque - Northern Burgundy Cruise

Paris

From AUD 10,152

Enquire