French canal cruises in Burgundy aboard the classic Dutch canal barge Maria, cruising the canals of France. Cruise the canals of France aboard the luxurious, classic Dutch canal barge Maria

Cruise Routes and Destinations

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

In 2008 we will cruise the canals and waterways of the Loire in the Rhône-Alpes region; the Saône-et-Loire and Côte-D’Or in Burgundy; the Haute-Saône in Franche-Comté; and the Vosges in the Alsace – Lorraine region.


			We operate Maria on the most desirable canals and waterways at a leisurely pace. We are adventurous and flexible, free to stop on an impulse and to deviate from a planned itinerary on a whim. Unlike the larger hotel barges, we will not ply single routes, back and forth, on a predetermined schedule. Click here to view or print our color brochure (1.2 mb PDF).

	Cruises for 2008 could include the following routes and combination of destinations: Canal Latèral á la Loire and the Canal du Centre - we will meander through an endless quilt of farmland, dense forests, and a landscape filled with medieval châteaux, the famous vineyards of the Côte de Beaune and the Côte Chalonnaise, and renowned Romanesque abbeys and churches. Our itineraries could take us to Briare, Charité-sur-Loire, Nevers, Digoin, Paray le Monial, Montchanin, Santenay, Chagny and Chalon-sur-Saône. Canal des Vosges and Canal de la Marne au Rhin - we will cruise through the tree-lined valleys of the Vosges Mountains with their quaint Alsatian villages, medieval fortified mountaintop castles and Romanesque châteaux. Our itineraries could take us to Epinal, Nancy, Lutzelbourg, Saverne and Strasbourg. On our cruises we stop the barge at small, picturesque towns, villages and natural settings. Using our Citroen, we will drive to châteaux, museums, sites of artistic or historical interest, or other points of interest noted for their particular charm or attraction. We will arrange to pick you up at the nearest train station to where Maria is moored at the start of a cruise. There is frequent high speed TGV train service and there are local connections from Paris to cities close to and convenient to the barge, such as Dijon, Montchanin, Chagny, Chalon-sur-Saône, Nancy and Strasbourg. We will do everything possible to customize a cruise that best suits your interests. Do you want to walk, jog and/or bike along the canal tow paths and into the villages? Do you want to shop for antiques, visit vineyards and wineries, châteaux and sites of historical interest; meander through local markets and picturesque, unspoiled villages; and or dine at country auberges or Michelin-rated restaurants?