France's Waterways from Paris to Champagne

To Paris and the Raymonde

We meet at our dedicated Departure Office at St Pancras then leave for Paris, where we transfer to board our hotel barge, the Raymonde, for a six-night cruise on the Canal Latéral à la Marne.

Paris

Today we enjoy a guided tour of the splendid French capital of Paris, one of the most iconic and instantly recognisable cities in the world. Our tour takes us past many famed sights, including the Place de la République and the Louvre. We set sail this afternoon for Lagny-sur-Marne, where we moor overnight.

Meaux and a cheese tasting

We cast off early today to begin cruising to Meaux. As we travel, perhaps make use of the bicycles on board by taking a ride alongside the Raymonde, if weather permits. After lunch on board, we arrive in Meaux for a sightseeing tour. Later on, we visit the Brie de Meaux exhibition room, where we are shown a film demonstrating how one of France's most famous and popular cheeses is made. Afterwards we taste some of this locally made, distinctive soft cheese for ourselves.

Château Thierry to Dormans

This morning is spent sailing, passing Champigny and Drachy. In the afternoon we arrive into Château Thierry and depart on foot for a tour of the Jean de la Fontaine Museum, situated in the poet's family home.

On Day 5 we continue on towards Dormans. We can then take an excursion to Reims. Reims' most famous landmark is the city's cathedral - the Notre-Dame de Reims. The ship overnights in Dormans.

The Champagne Route and Dom Pérignon

This morning we depart Dormans and sail towards Epernay. After lunch on board we take an excursion along the famous Champagne Route, including a visit to the village of Hautvilliers - the birthplace of Dom Pérignon - and a tasting of champagne.

The journey home

After breakfast, we disembark at Epernay and transfer to Paris, where we catch the Eurostar service to London St Pancras. On arrival our tour concludes.

Included in your Tour

Paris

We begin our tour with a trip to the glamorous French capital, home to some of the world's most famous monuments. We also discover the newer, more stylish side of this eclectic city.

Meaux

This excursion takes us into the heart of Meaux's historic Old City, where we see many of its ancient remnants. This is where we also enjoy another of France's proudest exports - the excellent Brie de Meaux cheese.

Château Thierry

Despite its small size, Château Thierry has a long and colourful history. It has survived two major wars and became the birthplace of one of France's most famous poets. Its rich culture is proudly on display in the museum we visit here.

Reims

The capital of the Champagne region has a history dating back thousands of years, and boasts many architectural splendours from its colourful past. During our guided tour we also enjoy a visit to its magnificent cathedral, widely regarded as one of Europe's finest Gothic structures. It was here that all of France's monarchs were crowned from the 11th century onwards.

Hautvillers

This quaint village is the true home of Champagne. Here you can still see the remains of the abbey where Dom Pérignon was once the cellar master. We also have our own Champagne tasting, trying some of the best local vintages.

Departure Times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We will write to you around 10 weeks before your departure date with the precise meeting times for your tour group.