Meaux

Cest La Vie Barge

C'est le Vie

Hauts-De-France and Upper Loire Itinerary

Meaux to Montargis

Marne River, Seine River and Loing Canal and Briar Canal

Highlights: Meaux to Montargis. Marne river, Seine river and Loing river, Loing canal and Braire canal.

Montargis, Chateau of La Bussiere and Canal bridge of Briare


 

Sunday:  Welcome to C’est la Vie!

You will be met in Paris by our driver at 3.00 pm, for charter groups your party will be met at one hotel of your choice.

For individual cabin bookings, pick up and drop off is at the hotel Madison 43 Boulevard St Germain 75006 Paris.

After the traditional champagne welcome from the Captain and crew, there is time to unpack and take a stroll, before enjoying the first of many gourmet dinners on board.


Monday: Sightseeing: WW1 Museum in Meaux

After a buffet breakfast we will take a drive through the city of Meaux to the WW1 museum, this is the biggest museum in Europe dedicated to the First World War and holds over 60,000 exhibits. The collection was started by Jean-Pierre Verney and in 2005 the City of Meaux bought his collection and built the museum to show it to the world. We return to the C’est La Vie for lunch and a cruise on the beautiful river Marne going towards Paris, our evening mooring is the town of Neuilly-sur-Marne.

Dinner aboard.


Tuesday:  Sightseeing: Chateaux of Vaux le Compte - Cruise to Melun

Cruising on the river Marne and joining the river Seine, you will be able to catch a glimpse of some of the magnificent homes and gardens that line the banks of these two majestic rivers. After lunch visit the Chateau of Vaux-le-Vicomte, an enormous privately-owned property with grand gardens and an intriguing history. Built by Nicholas Fouquet, finance minister to Louis XIV, the chateau became a lightning rod for the jealous king. Fouquet landed in jail for the rest of his life and the king built Versailles in retaliation!

Could Fouquet have been the man in the iron mask, some people certainly think so?

Return to the C’est la Vie moored in Melun for cocktails and dinner

Wednesday:  Sightseeing: Barbizon, Verrerie of Soisy sur Ecole - Cruise to Moret-sur-Loing

The afternoon visit takes us to Barbizon where, The Barbizon School of painters was part of an art movement towards realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic Movement of the time. The Barbizon school was active roughly from 1830 through 1870. It takes its name from the village of Barbizon, near the Forest of Fontainebleau, where many of the artists gathered. Some of the most prominent features of this school are its tonal qualities, colour, loose brushwork and softness of form.
We finish with a visit to the glass blowing factory of Soisy sur Ecole, watch this fascinating process and regard some of the pieces of art made from using this age old tradition..

Returning to the C’est La Vie in time to prepare for your dinner ashore at a local restaurant, carefully chosen by Olivier & Deborah.

Thursday:  Sightseeing: Moret-sur-Loing - Cruise to Nemours

Morning visit of this medieval town Moret sur Loing, this is where the painter Alfred Sisley spent most of his life. Sisley was an Impressionist landscape painter who was born and spent most of his life in France to English parents.

A specialty of the town of Moret-sur-Loing is the barley sugar; it is one of the oldest boiled sweets in France. Enjoyed for over 300 years, this candy is available as amber-colored round sweets or translucent sticks. It was first made in 1638 by nuns in the town, who prepared sweets with cane sugar and barley for medical purposes.

Returning to the C’est La Vie for a buffet lunch which could be served on the deck weather permitting and as we cruise to the town of Nemours. There’s plenty of time this afternoon to take a walk or a bicycle and follow the C’est La Vie as she meanders down the canal.
Cocktails and Dinner aboard.


Friday:  Sightseeing: Chateau of Fountainbleau  - Cruise to Martargis

This morning we cruise on the Loing canal and enter the Braire canal as we head towards the town of Montargis, take this opportunity to walk or cycle on the tow path before lunch. This afternoon we will drive to the famous Chateau of Fontainebleau, built in the 16th century, it is often referred to as the “House of Centuries” due to the fact that every French monarch from Francois 1 to Napoleon 3 has left his mark upon this magnificent chateau.

Return to the “C’est La Vie” for the Captain’s Dinner, which ends your cruise in style.


Saturday:  Return to Paris

Departure time is 9:30AM after breakfast. You’ll then be chauffeured back to Paris for the end of the morning.


Please note that the cruise itinerary alternates direction each week.

 


 

Ces't le Vie

Year 2025 Rates in US Dollars

ACCOMODATION
VALUE
REGULAR
Charter 8 guests wholeboat
$61,600
$66,000
Charter 7 guests wholeboat
$58,100
$62,300
Charter 6 guests wholeboat
$54,000
$59,400
Per Person - double occupancy
$7900
$8500
Single Cabin supplement
$4000
$5000

 

Year 2025 Rates in US Dollars (5 night charter)

ACCOMODATION
CHARTER
Charter 8 guests wholeboat
$60,400
Charter 7 guests wholeboat
$57,400
Charter 6 guests wholeboat
$55,200

 

DEPARTURE DATES
RATE
ROUTE
April 6, 13, 20
Value
Upper Loire
Apr 27; May 4, 11, 18, 25; June 1, 8
Regular
Upper Loire
June 15; Aug 31
Regular
Hauts de France and
Upper Loire
June 23, 29; July 6, 13, 20, 27; Aug 3, 10, 17, 24
Regular
Champagne
Sep 7, 14, 21, 28; Oct 5, 12
Regular
Upper Loire
Oct 19, 26
Value
Upper Loire

 

Cest le Vie
 Cruising the Upper Loire, Burgundy and Champagne Regions of France

The C'est La Vie is a luxury hotel barge which offers you high quality wines, food and hospitality from its experienced captain and crew. Starting life as a commercial barge in 1960 it transported goods across Holland, Belgium and France before being converted in Belgium to a very high standard in 2004.

 

So as one of the newest luxury hotel barges it is fully equipped with all modern amenities. On the upper deck the lounge and dining areas are air-conditioned and numerous windows give you a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.

 

Enjoy yourself as we cruise through the centuries-old canals and history-rich waterways of rural France, mooring at picturesque medieval villages and meandering through miles of magnificent countryside spotted with wineries and chateaux. Enjoy, also, the superb wines, bountiful regional cheeses and sumptuous foods that are synonymous with the good life in France and beyond.

Immerse yourself in the magnificent beauty of France's countryside and enjoy the relaxed but luxurious surroundings of The Cest le Vie. Sit back and unwind as we cruise into the peace and tranquility of rural France with its ever-changing vistas. Walk or jog or bike on the various paths along the way.

 

Relax on the sun deck and soak up the passing vistas. Explore by bicycle on the riverbank, or roam the picturesque villages beside your route. Stroll along the towpath and meet the boat at the next lock. After dinner, amble around the nearby village. Maybe watch a traditional regional sport.

 

 

Details & Dimensions


    Barge length; 38.77 m (128ft) 4 Staterooms
    Barge width; 5.O5 m (16ft)    King size or twin beds
    Internal headroom    2 bed side tables with reading lamps
    Upper deck 1.97m (6.6ft)    large double wardrobe with full length mirror
    Lower deck 2.05m (6.9ft)    single wardrobe with shelves
    Passengers capacity 8    chest of drawers
    Crew 6 :    writing desk/chair
       Captain    arm chair
       Tour guide    under bed storage
       Chef    safes and luggage racks in all cabins
       2 Hostesses    air conditioning unit/heater
       1 deckhand    220v & 110v sockets
    Lounge    Bluetooth sound system
       2 two seater sofas En suite bathroom
       4 arm chairs    Large corner shower with 4 jets
       3 coffee tables    marbled topped vanity unit with round sink
       shelves with books and games    toilet
       iPod docking station    large mirror
       CD player    bathrobes
       Internet facilities    hair dryer
    Dining Room    heated towel rails
       Table with 8 chairs 220v & 110v sockets.
       fully stocked bar Sun Deck
       cupboards    Teak table
       bookshelves       8 chairs
         Lounger
            side table
         sliding sun canopy
      8 bicycles with 21 gears (helmets are provided)

 

Cabin1 Cabin 2 Bathroom 1
Cabin 1 Cabin 2 Bathroom 1
     
Bathroom 2 Dining Table Dinner
Bathroom 2 Dining Table Dinner
Salmon Guinea Fowl dinner Raspberry Dessert
Salmon Dinner Guinea Fowl Dinner Raspberry Desert
Goat cheese Strawberries Wine
Goat Cheese Fresh Strawberries Wine
Deck chairs Covered outdoor table Covered Sundeck
Sundeck Covered Table on sundeck Covered Sundeck
Briar Canal Martigis Chateau Cahumont
Briar Canal Martargis Chateau Chaumont

 

 

SAMPLE MENU 1 SAMPLE MENU 2

Roasted Jerusalem Artichoke velouté, With a poached Egg and a sprinkling of Goats Cheese

Pan roasted breast of Guinea Fowl, Forest Mushrooms, Sweet Corn purée and Braised Lettuce

Cheese Platter
St Nectaire, Chabichou, Ossau Iraty


Poached fresh local Plums,
With a dark chocolate sauce & homemade vanilla ice cream


Vin blanc
Pernand-Vergelesses 1er Cru 2013
Domaine Dubreuil-Fontaine Père & Fils


Vin rouge
Savigny-les-Beaune les Vergelesses 1er cru 2015
Domaine Maratray-Dubreuil

Veal fillet, Sautéed Onions, Pine Nuts and Curly kale

Fillet of Wild Turbot, Cauliflower Florets, with a Mussels sauce


Cheese Platter
Camembert, Abondance, Valencay


Local Strawberries, Caramelized Almonds with an Almond & Polenta Cake

Vin blanc
Sancerre La Bourgeoise 2014
Domaine Henri Bourgeois

Vin rouge
Vougeot 1er Cru Les Cras 2013
Domaine Patrice Rion


Cest le Vie DP