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Trip Reviews
European Barge Cruises:
Trips planned by
Ellen Sack and Caroline Sack Klein
The reviews posted here are from travelers who started their planning with Wendy’s trip questionnaire for Ellen and Caroline. That made them VIPs and earned them these five benefits. If you want similar VIP treatment and benefits, use this black CONTACT button:
Ellen and Caroline have earned a spot on Wendy’s WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts based on Wendy’s rigorous testing and vetting as a traveler and journalist, including feedback from her well-traveled readers.
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Travelers Joanne Dearth and Greg Bean gear up for a day of biking the Burgundy countryside.
What an amazing travel experience we had that was planned by Caroline and Ellen’s team. We had looked into taking a river cruise on a large boat, but the occupancy for the months we wanted was full. We contacted them to get information about what they could offer. A Zoom conference call was quickly set up, and the travel planner explained the options available for a barge tour on the Nivernais Canal in the region of Burgundy, France.
We settled on the Papillon, a “small barge” that can host four. We booked the barge for just the two of us, which gave us privacy and a chance to enjoy the experience together. The travel planner had everything arranged—from the pickup at Charles de Gaulle Airport to take us to the Papillon to the return to Paris at the conclusion of our travels. The communications with the planner were thorough and personal; our added requests were fulfilled. The Captain was even able to drive to a town to buy Gatorade and Coke Zero which were there upon our arrival.
The Papillon was perfect. I had expected to see a small boat, but the barge was 90′ long and was spacious, beautifully decorated, and comfortable. The crew was exceptional! Our captain Philippe was outgoing, attentive, and energetic; our chef Clare prepared outstanding gourmet meals for lunch and dinner, our guide Harry was personal and well-educated, and our hostess Olga quietly served us and kept the interior spotless. For those who fear getting seasick, have no worries. The cruise is smooth and relaxing.
We enjoyed all of the activities. We were able to take excursions, walks, and bike rides, or sit on the deck or in the sitting room to relax. The quiet countryside views were beautiful; how wonderful it was to be surrounded by large trees, farmland, vineyards, and small towns. We especially enjoyed touring the medieval towns and seeing the historic architecture. Highlights include the Basilica in Vézelay with the intricate, interesting carvings above the entrance; Vauban’s military estate with the coat of arms genealogy display ; the quaint and quiet medieval towns where some buildings were smaller at the bottom and were built wider as they rose higher because of the shortage of property; the cliffs made of coral that were covered by the ocean and tropical vegetation during the Jurassic Period; the expansive vineyards with the grape vines observable in all stages of growth; the medieval cathedrals, cobblestone roads, and old-fashioned fire pumps. Might I add that we are geocachers, and we had fun finding the hides along the cruise as we walked and biked while exploring the areas. Highlights not to forget were the wines and cheeses from Burgundy; Philippe presented informative facts about each wine, and Olga explained the flavors and types of the cheeses. Philippe treated us to a memorable dinner at L’Elegant in Vézelay.
Our cruise started in the quiet town of Chevroches and ended in Auxerre, a lively historical village. There are benefits of starting at either town; our departure site was perfect for us.
Without hesitation, I would recommend Caroline and Ellen’s team and this tour. We were so fortunate to explore the canals in the private accommodations of the Papillon rather than being aboard a large cruise ship. This trip was planned so expertly that we had no worries about the logistics of our tour.
Travelers Mary Gaffney, Geoff Miller, and family explored Champagne on their third barge trip.
This May was our 3rd consecutive year of a France barge trip with the Barge Ladies and it certainly won’t be our last. This year we were on the Saroche, traveling in the champagne region with Jason (the captain) and Dawn (the amazing chef). Caroline suggested the Saroche based on our previous trips with the Barge Ladies, and it was a wonderful recommendation. She makes sure she understands what experiences are of most interest to us and our specific food preferences, which is very helpful for our 4 family members.
The service, food, champagne, and wine were incredible and it makes for a wonderful family vacation where you can relax in style! From making chocolate, to visiting the Reims cathedral, and the Philipponnat Champagne house, the offboard experiences were as wonderful as the onboard experiences. We are looking forward to booking our next cruise with Caroline the Barge Ladies!
Traveler Tom Redburn and friends on the Canal de Bourgogne.
My parents, both public school teachers, rarely traveled but the vacation they talked about most fondly for years was a four-month sabbatical to Europe that included a crewed barge trip on a canal in Burgundy. They promised themselves they would take another barge trip again, but never did. So as I was approaching my 75th birthday, I kept thinking about fulfilling their dream for myself by sharing a barge trip with close friends during the early October week I turned 75. But how to choose which trip?
I had seen ads in The New Yorker and elsewhere for companies offering barge trips, but instead, as I have done for several highly successful previous escapes, I turned to Wendy’s WOW List. I discovered that an organization called Barge Lady Cruises specializes in arranging such trips. The Barge Ladies, as we called them, are essentially brokers who work with dozens of crewed barges that ply the canals and waterways of Europe in what are essentially floating boutique hotels.
The date was still more than a year in the future but after speaking to Caroline, the daughter of the BL founder, I was persuaded that I had better reserve well in advance. I knew I wanted to go to Burgundy, but at first, I was looking to save money with a more modestly priced cruise.
After a couple of conversations with Caroline (and learning that some boats were already booked for our dates!), however, I kept coming back to an ultra-deluxe barge named Prosperite that was at the top of her list. And I’m very glad I did!
It was expensive but I can’t imagine a more thoroughly enjoyable week of pure indulgence, moving extremely slowly through the French countryside, taking daily side trips to nearby towns, wineries, and monuments, and being served one terrific meal after another, with varying local wines and French cheeses to die for.
I invited three other couples, friends from various times and places in our lives, but they all knew each other, at least slightly, from past vacations. Caroline sent us detailed information about the barge and its English-speaking crew (it turns out that 95 percent of the travelers on European barges are Americans), the itinerary on the Canal de Bourgogne, and the travel arrangements to get back and forth from Paris. She handled all the payments. And I’m particularly grateful for the well-priced travel insurer, Travel Insured International, that she recommended. Caroline initially got a couple of details wrong (she mixed up the dietary restrictions of my friend Tom K. with me, and thought the birthday was for Lisa, my spouse), but we cleared all that up in plenty of time since she kept in touch throughout the months leading up to the trip.
The trip itself was a dream vacation. Our barge, converted from an old cargo boat, was luxurious. The service was impeccable. All four cabins were similar in size and amenities, downstairs from the main lounge and dining room. There was also a very inviting outside deck where we sat and had lunch twice when the weather cooperated. Every morning, after a sumptuous breakfast, we were able to walk along the canal path or bike ahead, returning an hour or two later to rejoin the barge at a lock further up-stream, feeling virtuous enough to indulge in yet another splendid lunch. For a short time (too short!), life seemed to slow to match the pace of the canal barge and the quiet of the countryside.
Vincent, our captain, had a sly sense of humor, while the other Vincent, the chef, was quiet and serious while describing each meal. He did a spectacular job creating each of the meals and presenting them on the plate. Every dish was wonderful and we were offered an array of terrific wines (a different red and white at each meal) and a total of more than 30 different cheeses over the course of the voyage.
Morgane, our guide for all our off-site visits, was incredibly warm, deeply knowledgeable about French history and culture, and simply a pleasure to be with. The other three crew members—the vice-captain Doreen and the all-around do-everything-that-needed-doing Marie and Megan—were always kind and helpful. The team displayed great camaraderie, and clearly had great respect for each other and treated each of us as if were truly special. They were all really fun, too!
For six days and nights, we simply reveled in the best that “France profonde” has to offer. There really is nothing else like it.
Traveler Robyn Boehrer and friends appreciated the wine tastings aboard the Grand Cru.
I’d heard about barge trips in France, but after reading Wendy’s account of her trip in on the Canal de Bourgogne, I thought this was the trip for a small group of friends. I contacted the recommended planner, and Caroline was quick to respond and set up a very thorough introductory meeting. Her expertise was a definite factor in making the trip the success it was.
After I spoke with Caroline, I threw out the idea to our group of 8—and I have to say I was a little surprised that everyone jumped on board. Caroline’s knowledge about the itineraries, and especially the boats and crew, were exceptional. She was spot on with the recommendation about the Grand Cru, and its 4 identical (and luxurious) cabins were exactly right for our group. No deciding who got lesser accommodations or how to prorate portions of the weekly rate. We could not have asked for a better barge or crew than the Grand Cru. Everyone in our group—even those who weren’t big wine drinkers—enjoyed the options for wine tasting and the food pairings.
The daily excursions were fun! But as a group we really enjoyed the daily walks along the canal and time in “our” living and dining rooms to reconnect with each other. I’d highly recommend barge travel (and Caroline) for anyone looking to put together a trip for a group that wants time to see new places—but also to have a wonderful setting to interact with each other. We hope to do it again.
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