France Fall 2009

Cruising through Burgundy on a rental canal barge was Stage 2 of our 2-stop tour of Western Europe. See stage one in Italy.

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After a train, bus, plane, subway, train (again) and taxi, we made it from Italy to north-western Burgundy at the confluence of the Yonne river and Canal du Bourgogne. There we began a 2.5 week cruise down the entire length of the Canal du Nivernais from Migennes to Decize. Along the way we visited Auxerre (the seat of the western Roman Empire circa the 3rd century), the Grand Cru and Premier Cru vineyards of Chablis (tasting included!), incredibly old churches (some from the 11th and 12th centuries), and some of the most beautiful and unmolested sections of rural France we've ever seen.


For leg one, we had our friends Suzanne and Karen with us on a 45 foot boat, "Magnifique", for a week. They immediately fell into their assigned roles as sommelier and bread-and-pastry supply officer, respectively. I discovered a (previously unknown) knack for choosing the right stinky cheese from the huge cheese aisles at the market, and Heather held everything together with multiple delicious dinners. Leg two began about halfway down the Nivernais where we traded the big boat for a smaller boat for just the two of us, the "Sheba", and continued southbound for ten more days. We met several folks who live full-time aboard their barges, and now we are back at home with severe, and possibly terminal, "lifestyle envy".

Disclaimer: There are a LOT of photos on the Canal pages.

France Pictures - Home | Nivernais Canal Leg 1 | Wine Day | Nivernais Canal Leg 2 | Panoramas
Our late afternoon view from deck
Our late afternoon view from deck
The Premier and Grand Cru tastings
The Premier and Grand Cru tastings
Moonrise over old Decize
Moonrise over old Decize
Auxerre au lever du soleil
Auxerre au lever du soleil
Suki in charge
Suki in charge
Hostellerie La Fontaine
Hostellerie La Fontaine
Fromage et vin!
Fromage et vin!
Below the Rochers du Saussois
Below the Rochers du Saussois
L'église de Châtel-Censoir, de la 11éme siecle
L'église de Châtel-Censoir, de la 11éme siecle

France Pictures - Home | Nivernais Canal Leg 1 | Wine Day | Nivernais Canal Leg 2 | Panoramas

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All photos © 2009 by Kent Christian and Heather Thomas