In the Press
Don’t just take our word for it – read what our guest, Rose Palmer, had to say about her stay on Renaissance!
Rose enjoyed her recreational barge cruise on the Canal de Briare. Boarding Renaissance, she commented on how “beautifully appointed and modern” the barge was. She wrote that “as the flagship for European Waterways, she and her crew certainly set a high bar in all aspects”.
Rose was impressed with the layout of the saloon and commented on the details that made the barge feel homely, like a “coffee table with plenty of reading material and vases of fresh flowers”. She wrote that the bar was well-stocked with plenty of options, whether you prefer alcoholic or soft drinks. If you’re wondering what really grabbed her attention though, it was the colourful planters on the top deck “filled with fragrant herbs and blooming annuals”.
Impressed by the guest cabins, Rose wrote about how spacious each room was, with a dresser and large wardrobe providing “more than enough storage space for a week’s worth of clothes for two people.” Her comment on the adjoining en suite shower room was that it was larger than many she’d experienced in European hotels! “It was outfitted with L’Occitane toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, and my favorite, a heated towel rack.”
Other special features of the cabin included USB charging ports on sockets, air-conditioning and bottled water that was replenished daily. Rose’s husband, who is 6”7 had no problem standing up inside the cabin “without hitting his head”, which was something neither of them expected!
On the first afternoon of the cruise, they enjoyed a scenic drift down the canal through Montargis, known as the ‘Venice of Gâtinais’. As they pressed past the settlement and into the countryside, Rose said “I could feel my heart rate and my breathing slow down to the pace of the boat and a sense of calm and peace quickly prevailed. I knew that for the next week, I had no more worries and all my needs and wants would be expertly taken care of.”
The first excursion of the trip was to Château de La Bussiére, where Rose and her fellow guests were delighted to experience a cooking demonstration by their onboard chef, in the conservatory of the château. After learning how to make a simple ‘sauce Diane’, the group explored the rooms and gardens with a guide.
My favorite part of the castle visit…was the beautiful French style kitchen garden. These gardens were first designed by the same landscape designer that developed the Versailles gardens. The 4-acre garden was put in place to feed about 50 people and has the typical French formality.
Day two brought a visit to the town of Montargis. It’s known as the ‘Venice of the Gâtinais’ due to its 131 bridges that cross the Canal de Briare and River Loing. Rose enjoyed an exclusive tour of medieval Montargis Castle, the fifteenth century Town Hall, and the Church of Sainte Madelaine.
A final stop for a tasting at the chocolatier, Mazet, filled Rose with joy. She wrote that “The experience finished with a delicate choux pastry filled with a Praline-infused filling and topped with crushed pralines – the combination was the most delicious flavor explosion I have ever tasted.”
Rose’s detailed account of a visit to the home of artist, Rosa Bonheur, showed how enamoured she was by the history on offer on Renaissance’s itinerary. Standing in the light-filled studio of Rosa Bonheur’s château, she said that though the artist died over 100 years ago, “A larger than life painting of her dominated one corner and added to the feeling that she never left her beloved studio”. After enjoying a delightful lunch that was “art on a plate for all the senses”, the guests retired to the barge for an afternoon cruise past the Sept-Écluses national monument.
The Canal de Briare meanders through the valley to meet the Loire River, where it passes over the top of its riverbanks on a splendid piece of architectural excellence. Rose was enamoured by the magnificent Briare Aqueduct that was designed by Gustav Eiffel and stretches for a mile long. She wrote also of the “whimsical dragons” that decorated the bridge and how the railing and lamp posts were Art Nouveau in style.
The final day aboard Renaissance was bittersweet for Rose. In the morning, there was a visit to a French market, where the guests perused the produce on offer with the Chef, purchasing ingredients for the day’s meals. After a charcuterie lunch, the guests headed to Château de Ratilly for a historical tour of all its best features, including the towers, drawbridge and moat.
Now a sanctuary for the arts, the 13th century château hosts pottery classes and film screenings. Renaissance’s guests enjoyed a pottery demonstration by one of the resident artists, before heading back to the barge. There, the crew awaited them with a surprise “musical performance by the B’Yo Jazz Trio”.
Throughout the week, Rose enjoyed many sunset dinners, with exceptional wine pairings and cheese courses with every meal. Of the food, she wrote that “The onion and goat cheese tart was one of my favorite dishes of the week and the coq au vin was divine.” Breakfasts were as large or small as guests wished, and included a cook to order dish, croissants and freshly squeezed orange juice.
If you’d like to read more of Rose Palmer’s in-depth account of her trip aboard Renaissance, including a detailed list of all the meals she ate, then you can find the full article here.
When it was time to leave, Rose’s concluding thought was:
Even though this was my second European Waterways cruise and I knew what to expect, I was still blown away by the level of quality and the attention to detail that I experienced. The food, the wine, the excursions, the barge environment, the attentive service – it was all perfect.
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