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Paris - Champagne: Champagne Vineyards, Brie Cheese, and Paris by Night
offered by supplier M15697 (view this supplier profile)
Key Information:
Tour Duration: 7
day(s)
Group Size: 2
- 12
people
Destination(s):
France
Specialty Categories:
Barging
Archeology/History
Season: August - September
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 2900 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 4600 US Dollar (USD)
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Visit the Champagne region aboard a luxury 12-passenger barge-hotel (7 days - 6 nights). On this cruise, you will tour the birthplace of "bubbly" and the cellars of Moet et Chandon. You will also be able to taste the production of small, family-owned vineyards and learn how Brie cheese is made. The countryside offers World War I battle sites, sleepy villages, and a 17-century chateaus. The grand finale is an evening cruise through Paris.
The barge was substantially refurbished for the beginning of the 2005 season. Her six staterooms offer luxurious accommodation for 12 passengers. The salon, dining area, and bar are finished in mahogany, teak and brass, decorated with antiques and paintings. Two spacious decks offer magnificent views of the countryside.
Highlights:
- Abbey of Hautvilliers
- Cellars of Moet et Chandon
- World War I sites
- Cheese-making in Brie
- Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte
- Evening cruise through Paris
Barge Features:
- Cabins: 6 staterooms that can be set up with two twin beds or one queen bed (12 passengers)
- Stateroom 1 has a large bathroom with shower. Staterooms 2 through 6 each have a separate toilet and shower.
- 6 crew members
- Size: 128 ft. long
- Air conditioning and central heating
- Air-conditioned coach for excursions
Departures: Every Sunday from mid-August to mid-September, subject to availability.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1, Sunday: Cumières. You will be picked up at Hotel Ampere in Paris at 2 pm and taken to the barge moored at Cumières, about a mile from the heart of Epernay in Champagne. After an introduction to your ship and its staff, you are given time to settle in to your cabin before joining your captain and crew for a welcoming champagne reception. There will be time to stroll through the village before coming back on board, where the chef will delight you with the first of many delicious meals.
Day 2, Monday: Cumières to Damery. This morning, visit Reims and its magnificent Gothic cathedral. Back at the barge for lunch and a short cruise to the delightful little town of Damery with its 13th-century church, which was part of a former Benedictine priory. Later this afternoon, tour the Abbey of Hautvilliers where the world-famous monk, Dom Perignon, first made Champagne.
Day 3, Tuesday: Damery to Chateau Thierry. You are now entering the true Champagne region. Enjoy a pre-lunch tour of the world-famous cellars of Moet et Chandon, including a wine-tasting. Continue the cruise to Chateau Thierry, where you moor for the night. This pretty town offers a promenade along the original walls of the town with views over the Marne River valley. This whole area was the scene of American battles in World War I. Nearby is the American Monument, which keeps alive the memory of the American troops who fought in WWI. Optional visit to Belleau Wood battlefield and the American cemetery.
Day 4, Wednesday: Chateau Thierry to La Ferté . Your cruise today will take you through some of the most picturesque scenery in France. You will also visit some small family-run vineyards to sample their fine champagnes. Mooring for the night is at La Ferté-sur-Marne, which offers beautiful promenades along the river.
Day 5, Thursday: La Ferté to Meaux. On to Meaux, in the very heart of the Brie region, famous for its wonderful cheeses of the same name. Nearby, on the route to Soissons, stands a monument that commemorates September 5, 1914, the most advanced point of the German troops and the date of the French counter-attack. Visit to Coulomniers, one of the centers of Brie cheese. Your personalized visit to a master cheese-maker will enable you to see the cheese-making process first hand and to sample a variety of the world famous Brie cheese, along with wines from his excellent cellar.
Day 6, Friday: Meaux to Paris. This morning, leave Meaux and head towards the mighty Seine River, which will take us into the very heart of Paris. Our cruise will take us past Coupvray, the birthplace of Louis Braille, the inventor of the alphabet for the blind. At Saint-Maur-des-Fossés we go through a tunnel that enables us to bypass the shallow waters of the Marne River in this area. Today we visit the magnificent Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte. The wonderfully-proportioned "classical French" chateaus and its exquisite gardens are the highlight of this visit. The chateaus, built between 1656 and 1661 for finance minister Nicolas Fouquet, was designed by the architect Le Notre, who later designed the palace of Versailles.
The journey ends with an exclusive evening cruise through Paris, past Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the floodlit Eiffel Tower and illuminated bridges. You will be joined by your captain and his wife for cocktails followed by the farewell "Captain's Dinner." The final berth for the cruise is in the Arsenal, a stone's throw from the lively district of La Bastille in the 12th district.
Day 7, Saturday: Paris. After breakfast, transfer back to Hotel Ampere in Paris.
Notes: On alternate weeks, cruise will be in the reverse direction.
This itinerary is subject to change without notice. This boat can be chartered for groups. Various themes and dates can be arranged to fit the specific interests of each group.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Accommodations with private bath or shower and all meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on day 7
- Wine with lunch and dinner and selected alcoholic beverages consumed aboard the barge
- Sightseeing tours and entrance fees as specified
- Round-trip transfers from specified meeting point
Price Excludes:
- Transportation to and from beginning and end points
- Health and travel insurance
- Crew gratuities (suggested 5% of cruise price)
- Superior vintage wines
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities when available
- Other items not specifically listed under "Price Includes" above
Also see tour packages in:
Europe
France
Barging
Archeology/History
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