Champagne River Cruises Classic Cruise – Champagne

Guests are met early afternoon in Paris** and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to the hotel barge moored in Château-Thierry – an historic, strategically situated town overlooking the river, surrounded by vineyards that produce some of the region’s famous sparkling wine. The town is also the site of an iconic battle for American Marines in World War One. Enjoy a champagne welcome while your Captain introduces you to the crew. Dinner on board.

After breakfast, we embark on a guided visit to pay our respects at the 42-acre battlefield and monument at Château-Thierry and the American cemetery at Belleau Wood, where US forces fought one of the bloodiest battles of World War One. After returning to the barge and lunch on board, we set off on our first cruise of the week along the River Marne to our mooring at the pretty riverside town of Dormans. Dinner on board.

This morning, enjoy a relaxing cruise to Damery. After lunch on board, we enjoy a visit to La Maison Ayala, a renowned champagne house situated in Aÿ, one of the 17 rare villages classified as grand cru in the Champagne region. We take a tour of the historic cellars to learn about the house’s history and understand the philosophy behind Champagne Ayala, before a private tasting. Return to the barge in the late afternoon. Dinner on board.

After a leisurely breakfast, we head off for a private champagne tour and tasting at the boutique grand cru winery of Frerejean Frères, located in the Côtes des Blancs village of Avize, in the middle of the Champagne countryside. En route, we make a stop at a picturesque hillside vineyard to learn some of the key attributes of champagne grape growing. Following the tasting, we indulge in a gourmet, private lunch in the salon of the family domaine. After lunch, we rejoin the barge and set off on our afternoon cruise, leaving River Marne behind and making our way onto the peaceful Canal lateral à la Marne, to our mooring in Dizy. Dinner on board.

This morning, we visit the magnificent 800-year-old Reims cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece where the Kings of France were crowned. Here, you’ll discover the cathedral’s remarkable history and admire its intricate architecture and beautiful stained-glass windows before some free time to perhaps wander around this delightful city with its grand squares and elegant shopping arcades. After lunch on board, we cruise to our pretty mooring at Tours-sur-Marne. Dinner on board.

This morning, we visit La Maison Boizel, a prestigious champagne house situated on the iconic Avenue de Champagne. We explore the underground cellars, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which includes the “family treasure” featuring bottles dating back to 1834. We delve into the history and know-how that has been passed down through six generations to when the house was built in 1834. After, enjoy a private tasting of two exclusive Boizel champagnes. On the way back there’s an optional visit to the Musée du Champagne, dedicated to the history and art of champagne making. We return to the barge for lunch and continue our cruise to our final mooring at Châlons-en-Champagne. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Paris**.