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PANDEMIC TRAVEL Juanna in Ellen’s office planned a wonderful cruise on the Savoir Vivre barge. She helped steer us through two years of COVID until we were able to travel in June. We picked this barge as it was small and and stopped each night for dinner in a local restaurant. This appealed to us and we were not disappointed! The restaurant experiences were all very good. Breakfast and lunch were delivered daily by local providers. All were plentiful and delicious. Richard, our captain, was very welcoming and accommodative as was Axelle his mate. Our daily tours were led by Simon who was very knowledgeable and interesting. The barge is well appointed. We enjoyed walking the tow path ahead of the barge for exercise. Biking is available also. We thoroughly enjoyed our cruise as well as our fellow passengers. We recommend Ellen’s team, and the Savoir Vivre as an enjoyable way to see Southern Burgundy.
The captain was very engaging and the crew of one was efficient knowledgeable and attentive. The guide extraordinary in her knowledge and ability to find answers to questions. I was given the opportunity to pilot the barge and commented that it was like trying to push a rope. Riding a bicycle on the tow path was a good way to get some exercise and pictures of the barge and locks along the way. The captain had electrical shore service every night and that was really appreciated as we did not have to listen to a generator all night.
Ellen and Lori helped our group pick the ideal barge for our group- The Gran Cru. This phenomenal barge is only in its second season, has a fantastic staff that works well together and created a very convivial atmosphere- as well as lots of wonderful food and wine. A Gran Cru wine and 3 cheeses were served at every meal and Chef Joe was outstanding. In addition to cooking our meals, he held a couple of cooking classes for us. Boat manager, guide and wine expert Anna- superb! Without the input of Ellen and Lori we likely would have chosen another barge and not had the same experience.
I also appreciated the heads up from Ellen that because of no rain, we would not be on canals but rather on the Saône. In reality it mattered little as our itinerary remained the same and the scenery remained beautiful. This is our second barge trip through Ellen and I will use her again for future trips.
Our barge trip in Southern Burgundy on Magnolia exceeded our expectations. Ellen’s suggestions to go to that area was perfect. The area was beautiful with lots of interesting and fun things to see. The crew on the Magnolia were all wonderful. Captain Nicolas was warm, friendly and very competent. Magali, his wife was very knowledgeable and very wonderful to spend time with. Sarah, the chef was outstanding! We all agreed her food was the best we ate in the two weeks we were in France. Our hostess, Brigette, had a wonderful sense of humor and was always there to offer a drink or anything else we could want. Gypsy, the dog was even a great addition. Two events stand out as very special. Maggi arranged for us to have dinner at her parent’s home in a near by village. She translated since they did not speak English. Even though there was a language issue the evening could not have been more delightful. Talk about interacting with the locals. The second surprise was musical entertainment our last night. Two local fellows came on board and played instruments and sang. My face hurt from smiling. This was a trip to remember!