Panache

Sunday, Day 1 Paris

Guests are met at our meeting point in Paris** and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Panache. Enjoy a Champagne welcome with canapés whilst your Captain introduces you to the crew. We then embark on a short evening cruise through Paris past some of its famous landmarks and under romantic, floodlit bridges. Dinner on board.

Monday, Day 2 Paris to Meaux

This morning we depart Paris and join the River Marne for some relaxed cruising to the town of Meaux. En route, we pass L’Ile de Franc with its ‘guignettes’, or small café-restaurants, immortalised in paintings by Impressionist artists such as Renoir. After lunch, we visit the Musée de la Grande Guerre in Meaux, a fascinating museum focussing on World War One, before some free time to explore the town of Meaux itself. Dinner on board.

Tuesday, Day 3 Meaux to Courtaron

After breakfast, we visit the magnificent baroque Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte with its pioneering architecture that inspired Versailles. We walk through the stunning apartments with their exquisite décor and period furniture and explore the manicured formal gardens. After lunch back on board, we enjoy an afternoon cruise further upstream to Courtaron, near the little town of La Ferté-sous-Jouarre, built on the site of a 9^th century fortress. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 4 Courtaron to Château-Thierry

We are now in the Champagne region. After a leisurely breakfast, we head off for a private champagne tour and tasting at the boutique grand cru winery of Frerejean Frères, located in the Côtes des Blancs village of Avize, in the middle of the Champagne countryside. En route, we make a stop at a picturesque hillside vineyard to learn some of the key attributes of champagne grape growing. Following the tasting, we indulge in a gourmet, private lunch in the salon of the family domaine. We return to the barge and cruise to our mooring at Château-Thierry, a historic town located on the riverbank and surrounded by vineyards that produce some of the region’s most famous sparkling wines. Dinner on board.

Thursday, Day 5 Château-Thierry to Dizy

This morning, we visit La Maison Boizel, a prestigious champagne house situated on the iconic Avenue de Champagne. We explore the underground cellars, a UNESCO World Heritage site, which includes the “family treasure” featuring bottles dating back to 1834. We delve into the history and know-how that has been passed down through six generations to when the house was built in 1834. After, enjoy a private tasting of two exclusive Boizel champagnes. On the way back there’s an optional visit to the Musée du Champagne, dedicated to the history and art of champagne making. After lunch, we rejoin the barge and set off on our afternoon cruise, leaving River Marne behind and making our way onto the peaceful Canal Lateral à la Marne, to our mooring in Dizy. Dinner on board.

Friday, Day 6 Dizy to Condé-sur-Marne

This morning, we visit the magnificent 800-year-old Reims cathedral, a Gothic masterpiece where the Kings of France were crowned, before some free time perhaps to wander around this delightful city with its grand squares and elegant shopping arcades. After lunch, we cruise along the Canal Lateral à la Marne to our final mooring in Condé-sur Marne, with good cycling opportunities along the way. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Saturday, Day 7 Condé-sur-Marne

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to our drop-off location in Paris**

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.
On alternate weeks, the cruise will be in the reverse direction.
**other locations available for private Charter bookings.