Burgundy Barge River Cruise

At the end of the afternoon, we’ll arrive in Petit-Ouges where you can take the time to visit this tiny village at your own pace. Discover the surprising mini-museum dedicated to locks and its collection of photos, post cards and objects related to the Burgundy Canal. Have fun taking in the local curiosities.

You can also enjoy a four-kilometer hike on the “Path of the Three Wash Houses”, exposing three historic wash houses in very different styles. This little known area of Dijon that traces its roots back to the 7th century will surprise you. We’ll return on board for dinner.

Saint-Jean-de-Losne is a small town with many monuments bearing testimony to a rich and prestigious past. Today it is the capital of barging in France, lying at the heart of the French waterways and canal system in southern Burgundy. With the help of a guided visit of the town, in the company of a registered guide, you’ll discover the exterior of the Monument Commemorating the Siege of 1636 and the Hôtel-Dieu which was a hospital founded in 1658 enclosed by a wrought iron fence dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. You will also visit the Gare d’Eau (or Water Station), the Church of St John the Baptist, built during the 16th century in a mix of Gothic and Renaissance styles, and the Batellerie Museum (also known as the Sailors’ House), one of the oldest houses in town, dating back to the 15th century which recounts the history of navigation. Your visit of the town ends at the Hotel de Ville, a former town hall built in the early 17th century, where you’ll get the chance to taste some local specialties.

Discover Dole, the birthplace of Louis Pasteur, in the company of your guide as you follow the “trail of the Perched Cat”. This is a reference to the author Marcel Aymé, creator of the famous Contes du Chat Perché, who spent his childhood years in Dole. Perched on a limestone hillside alongside the canal, Dole was the capital of the County of Burgundy before it became part of the French kingdom in 1678. Along your tour, you will discover the many historic monuments which have granted Dole the City of Arts and History Label. You’ll also get to see Louis Pasteur’s birthplace which today houses a museum tracing the history of the scientist’s life, the Cours Saint-Mauris, a garden where the fluid design of the lower section contrasts with the straight paths of its upper section. Enjoy the wonderful views over the Chaux forest from the garden’s terrace. You will also be able to see the former Hôtel-Dieu, which was a hospital for the poor built in the 17th century. Since 2000 it has housed the town’s media centre, municipal archives and Dole’s Town of Arts and History heritage initiative. You will end your visit of Dole with the famous Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, built between 1509 and 1580, whose bell tower dominates the historic town center. There are many other monuments that you will be able to admire during the tour as you discover this town which is steeped in history. Afterwards, enjoy some free time before returning on board at your own pace.

We’ll return onboard and cruise towards Ranchot. You can use the bicycles (available on board) to ride on the bike path that follows our route on the canal.

Transfer by coach to Arc-et-Senans. With an audioguide you will discover La Saline-Royale (or Royal Saltworks) which was built between 1775 and 1779 by Claude-Nicolas Ledoux at the wishes of King Louis XV. Today listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this masterpiece consists of a complex of 11 buildings constructed in the shape of a semi-circle, and was where the salt workers lived and worked. There is time for a stroll in the gardens spread out behind the different buildings. Return on board.

Tonight is our gala dinner.