Wine round the Bend Burgundy Barge Bliss.

Wine round the Bend Burgundy Barge Bliss Read Jetsetters Mag at bourgogne in france To read this complete feature FREE with photographs cut'n'paste cut & paste this link : beaune vineyards Reflected daylight from the water outside dances on the chestnut ceiling of my cabin the 1st morning I awaken aboard the luxurious barge La Belle poque. A big white swan approaches expectantly, followed by many mallard ducks. Having no bread to supply, I quickly close the window. On an antique oak sideboard in the main salon hostesses Fanny and Barbara have laid out a breakfast of granolas, yogurt, and fresh fruit. Whilst I was still gazing at the ceiling of my cabin, Captain Lee had been in the hamlet of Auxerre purchasing fresh baguettes, croissants and discomfort chocolate. There are a deck, spa, sauna, fitness studio, and bicycles for guests to ride down the canal paths. This up to the minute hotel barge carries just 12 passengers, with 6 crew to look after each probable passenger need. Nick, our guide, had picked us up in Paris the day before out front of the Hotel Ampre. We enjoyed a poo welcome accompanied by freshly-baked popovers. After meeting the crew and getting settled into our cabins, we explored the cobblestone streets and trendy shops of Auxerre. At the junction of the Canal du Nivernais and the Brook Yonne, Auxerre was a crucial city on the traditional north-south road thru France.

Many folks I meet are convinced that camping vacations are still hosted in stormy fields, where food is tough to cook as conveyable stoves fail to light in the damp weather. Its a hideous image, but thankfully something that is now a thing of the past as many of Europes quality campsites boasts all sort of hotel style features from eateries to bakeries to quality shops on site. Nevertheless , if youre still left worried about the standard of the food on your trip, then why not consider one of Burgundys campsites? This area of France is known for its high living and gourmet eating, so you are certain to be in for a culinary treat. The Beef The main meat in the region is the Carollais meat cattle, and as such beef eaters are guaranteed massive rich portions. Regularly this will be mixed with fine wines, like in the eponymous boeuf bourguignon, a standard recipe of the area mixing these two fine elements with baby onions, bacon and carrots. This style is repeated with plenty of other dishes, and if your French isnt that good, watch out for the phrase "a la Bourguignonne". If you consider yourself a connoisseur, you may want to think about the black snails ( the best of which are raised on grape leaves ) which are thought to be amongst the best in France. The Cheese The cheeses are another fine part of the regions cuisine, and a very pleasant present to bring back from your vacation spent camping in Burgundy.

Barge speed is restricted to three miles per hour on the canals and ten miles per hour on the brooks. Most canals were built in the 19th century, but some are 2 centuries older. Because canal barges were originally pony drawn, poplar trees were planted along the way to guard the horses from the sun. It was built originally to move wood from the Morvan forests to meet the firewood demands of Paris. This wood trade was the main source of income for this area till the 1920s.