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Savor
France first-hand aboard the classic,
luxurious Dutch barge
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"Maria"
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Friends and prospective guests,
Our fully booked 2008 season will be our last year offering charter cruises on MARIA. Beginning in 2009 we will cruise France, Belgium and Holland only as a private barge. After six fantastic years of meandering through the magnificent French countryside with wonderful guests, many of whom have become our friends, we will be stepping away from the business side of luxury canal cruising on one of France’s most beautiful barges. To all of you who cruised with us, rest assured that as we continue to meander along these incredible canals we will revisit many places with broad smiles and fond memories.
We will maintain this web site for the foreseeable future, so feel free to follow our adventures and contact us.
Warm regards,
Patty & Don |
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Travel through the lush and picturesque provincial countryside of France on Maria, a classic Dutch Luxemotor that has been exquisitely converted to a beautiful floating home. On Maria we entertain a maximum of four guests in relaxed comfort and style. Built in Holland in 1931, Maria was professionally converted to a private cruising barge in 1992 by German shipwrights. Her unusually fine, classic lines and her luxurious amenities set her apart as an exquisite example of a French canal charter barge. |
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“We want to thank you for such a wonderful week. Our trip was just about perfect in every way,
but the time on Maria was the best.” ~ M.Y. & C.Y., California Read more |
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Come join us and let Maria be your home for six nights as we cruise through the centuries-old canals and history-rich waterways of rural France, mooring at picturesque medieval villages and meandering through miles of magnificent countryside spotted with wineries and chateaux. Enjoy, also, the superb wines, bountiful regional cheeses and sumptuous foods that are synonymous with the good life in Burgundy.
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 “It was the finest vacation my wife and I have ever taken. Patty and Don are the most gracious and affable of hosts.”
~ J.S., Virginia Read more |
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 “Being on Maria was certainly the highlight of the whole trip !!!!!”
~ B.T. & L.T., Florida Read more
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Immerse yourself in the magnificent Burgundy countryside and enjoy the relaxed informality on board Maria at your own pace. Sit back and unwind as we cruise into the peace and tranquility of rural France with its ever-changing vistas. Walk or jog the canal tow paths as you keep pace with Maria, or take one of the barge bicycles and meet us at one of the many locks or villages along the waterway. You can pitch in and lend a hand as we work our way through the locks. |
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Maria accommodates up to four guests in two beautifully
appointed and spacious double staterooms, each with its own bathroom,
shower and wardrobe. We will provide breakfast and lunch every day.
We will serve the first night's "Welcome Aboard" dinner
as you settle in and we plan and personalize the cruise itinerary
and activities for the week. We will also host two dinners ashore
at local restaurants. Breakfast will include freshly baked breakfast
breads, croissants and pastries from local boulangeries, assorted
cereals and seasonal fruits. Lunch, at a picturesque canal-side
mooring, will include fresh local fare, regional specialties, pâtés,
terrines, assorted cheeses, and fresh salads. For a very special
outing, we can substitute an exceptional wine tasting luncheon at
a winery for one of the hosted dinners ashore. For the other three
evening meals, we will accompany you ashore to restaurants or auberges
where we can all share in the cost of dinner, or you are free to
explore the village where we are moored for the evening and dine
at a restaurant of your choice. We can also suggest a Michelin-rated
restaurant, if you are so inclined. Maria will
be provisioned with an ample supply of regional wines and aperitifs
to share with our guests.
Maria is our lovely home in France for six months of the
year. We invite you to spend a week in complete comfort aboard Maria
as we meander through the spectacular French countryside. You will
find us to be very accommodating and flexible, and you can be assured
that we will do our utmost to give you an exceptional French holiday.
Come, bring your adventurous spirit, and enjoy La Bonne Vie as
is possible only on a French canal barge cruise!
"We
do not take a trip; a trip takes us."
JOHN STEINBECK
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