SIX OF THE BEST WATERWAYS OF FRANCE

SIX OF THE BEST WATERWAYS OF FRANCE
F O R D I S C E R N I N G T R AV E L L E RS
For those seeking a relaxing holiday that combines fine wine, delicious cuisine and picturesque rural scenery, there are few better
destinations than the canals and waterways of rural France. We are delighted to be working together with European Waterways to
offer a range of tailor-made holidays which include a stay on board one of their excellent hotel barges, combined with travel by air
or rail from the UK, private transfers, and a stay at one of our carefully-selected hotels.
We have selected six of the best journeys – in destinations including the famous Canal du Midi, the wine regions of Burgundy
and Bordeaux, and historic Alsace, as well as one journey through northern Italy from Venice to Mantua. Each of the individual
‘hotel barges’ offers comfortable en-suite accommodation for between 6 and 20 guests, exceptional food and wine prepared by
on-board chefs, and a programme of excursions to vineyards, chateaux and historic
towns along the route – all included in the price.
Our selected holidays also include travel by air or rail, private transfers
and an additional couple of nights in a Kirker hotel either before or
after the cruise, creating an effortless eight night holiday. However,
please do speak to one of our experts to create an itinerary tailored to
your own personal requirements, or for information on alternative
routes.
We look forward to hearing from you soon – 020 7593 2283.
Ted Wake - Joint MD and Director of Sales & Marketing
PS. If you are celebrating a special occasion, we can arrange exclusive charters which allow you to enjoy the atmosphere of a private
house party with your own chef and bespoke excursions designed to entertain the whole family. Please speak to one of our experts to
discuss your requirements – it is important to plan ahead for exclusive charters and now is the perfect time to book for 2017.
South of France
Canal du Midi & Carcassonne
An eight night holiday, including six nights on board ‘Anjodi’
One of the most picturesque waterways in the world, the Canal du Midi traverses the south west corner of
France, linking the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Dating back to the 17th century and featuring the oldest
canal tunnel in the world, the Canal du Midi now enjoys the protection of UNESCO World Heritage status.
This part of the country is dotted with mediaeval castles and ancient Roman relics, and the delicious cuisine
combines the best produce of the French countryside with the flavours of Provence.
Flying to Montpellier, you will be transferred to the stylish Anjodi – co-star of Rick Stein’s ‘French Odyssey’
– for a voyage through the vineyards and villages of the Languedoc, before finishing at one of France’s most
famous hotels – the Hotel de la Cité within the walls of the mediaeval fortress of Carcassonne.
If you would like to extend your stay with a couple of nights before embarking on the cruise, ask about our
recommended hotel in Montpellier, a vibrant city of markets, museums and neo-classical boulevards, just 20
minutes from the sea.
Price from £4,098 per person for an eight night holiday
What’s included:
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Return flights from London to Montpellier
Private transfer from Montpellier to ‘Anjodi’
A six night cruise on the Canal du Midi between Marseillan and Le Somail
including all meals, drinks and excursions
Private transfer from ‘Anjodi’
Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast at the Hotel de la Cité
(5* deluxe), Carcassonne
Private transfer from Carcassonne to Montpellier airport
Speak to an expert:
020 7593 2283
www.kirkerholidays.com
Published January 2016. Terms and conditions apply. Prices are per person based on 2 sharing. Subject to availability.
Please note that all barge itineraries may travel in either direction and the exact route cannot be guaranteed.
Burgundy
The gastronomic heart of rural France, Burgundy is the perfect destination for lovers of fine French food and wine and the home
of Boeuf Bourguignon, Époisses, Chablis and Côte de Beaune. To showcase the rich diversity of the region we have selected two
holidays in Burgundy – one on the Nivernais Canal south of Paris, and one further south on the Burgundy Canal.
Paris & Northern Burgundy
An eight night holiday, including six nights on board ‘L’Art de Vivre’
The highlights of the northern part of the region include the splendid cathedral of Auxerre and the
vineyards of Chablis. This holiday combines a weekend in Paris, where you will enjoy the magnificent
museums and excellent restaurants, with a gentle cruise along the Nivernais Canal from mediaeval
Auxerre to the pretty village of Chevroches.
Built as a First World War supply vessel in England, L’Art de Vivre has been lovingly converted into
an elegant hotel barge with a sun deck and spa pool – the perfect base from which to enjoy the
beautiful countryside, historic towns and villages and, of course, exceptional cuisine. Not only will a
selection of fine Burgundian wines be served on board, but there will also be a visit to a cellar in Chablis
including a tasting of the famous Petit Chablis and Chablis white wines.
If you would like to extend your holiday to the cities of Dijon or Beaune, please speak to one of our experts for a tailor-made quotation.
Price from £3,598 per person for an eight night holiday
What’s included:
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Return Eurostar (or flights) to Paris
Transfer to your hotel
Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast at the 4* deluxe Hotel Westminster
in Paris
A two day Museum Pass including access to the Louvre, Musée d’Orsay and all
of the major galleries and museums in the city
Seine sightseeing cruise and carnet of tickets for the Paris Metro
Kirker’s unique Paris Guide Notes to restaurants and sightseeing
Transfer to ‘L’Art de Vivre’
A six night cruise on the Nivernais Canal between Auxerre and Chevroches
including all meals, drinks and excursions
Departure transfer from L’Art de Vivre
Southern Burgundy & Lyon
An eight night holiday, including six nights on board ‘L’Impressionniste’
Combining wine-tasting in some of the region’s most renowned vineyards, exceptional
Burgundian cuisine, and visits to Dijon and Beaune, this holiday is the perfect introduction
to the best of Burgundy. Follow this with a night in France’s self-proclaimed gastronomic
heart, Lyon, and you have perhaps the ultimate holiday for connoisseurs of French
cuisine. For those who feel the need to work up an appetite, a towpath follows almost
the entire route of the canal as it passes through the scenic Ouche valley, providing ample
opportunities for walking or taking a spin on one of the bicycles transported on board.
In addition to visits to tastings in the wine cellars of several important domaines, and a visit
to Clos de Vougeot, excursions will be made to historic Dijon, famed for its eponymous
mustard, and to Beaune, including the 15th century Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune.
Ask about extending your holiday by a couple of days, perhaps to include a stay in the
Beaujolais countryside outside Lyon.
Price from £4,497 per person for an eight night holiday
What’s included:
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Eurostar (or flight)from London to Paris
Transfer to your hotel
One night’s accommodation with breakfast at the 4* deluxe
Hotel Westminster in Paris
Museum Pass including access to the Louvre, Musee d’Orsay and
all of the major galleries and museums in the city
Seine sightseeing cruise and carnet of tickets for the Paris Metro
Kirker’s unique Paris Guide Notes to restaurants and sightseeing
Transfer to ‘L’Impressioniste’
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A six night cruise on the Burgundy Canal between Fleurey-surOuche and Escommes including all meals, drinks and excursions
Transfer from ‘L’Impressionniste’
Rail from Dijon to Lyon
One night’s accommodation with breakfast, staying at the
4* superior Cour de Loges in Lyon
Private transfer from hotel to station (or airport)
Eurostar (or flight) from Lyon to London
Bordeaux
An eight night holiday, with two nights in the city of Bordeaux plus six nights on board ‘Rosa’
The vineyards of Bordeaux are amongst the most highly-prized in the
world, and the countryside is dotted with elegant chateaux whose names are
synonymous with fine wines. This holiday combines a short stay in the city
itself, with its recently revitalised waterfront and elegant architecture, and a
cruise on the Canal de Garonne including a crossing of the Pont Canal d’Agen
– one of France’s longest aqueducts – aboard the converted clipper ‘Rosa’.
Highlights include visits to Saint-Emilion, Marmande and the historic towns of
Vianne and Barbaste, as well as tastings at a local cheese makers’, an Armagnac
producer and a viticulture lesson at a premier grand cru chateau.
If you would like to extend your holiday further, we would be delighted to arrange
a longer stay in Bordeaux, one of the chateaux in the surrounding countryside – or
perhaps a train from Bordeaux to the beaches of Biarritz or St-Jean-de-Luz.
PS. During the first part of the year, ‘Rosa’ follows a slightly different route
through the countryside of Gascony further south – speak to a Kirker expert for
a tailor-made quotation including flights to Toulouse.
Price from £3,498 per person for an eight night holiday
What’s included:
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‘Rosa’ double cabin & saloon
Flights from the UK to Bordeaux
Private transfer to hotel
Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast, staying at the
5* Grand Hotel in Bordeaux
Transfer to ‘Rosa’
A six night cruise on the Canal de Garonne between Castet-enDorthe and Boé on board Rosa including all meals, drinks and
excursions
Return transfer to Bordeaux airport
Alsace
An eight night holiday, with two nights in Paris plus six nights on board ‘Panache’
For a taste of a different side of France, a holiday in Alsace and neighbouring Lorraine fuses French style and flair with architecture and cuisine
influenced by Germanic traditions. Stay for a weekend in Paris before continuing by rail to Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace. The 12 passenger
‘Panache’ will then transport you along the Canal de la Marne au Rhin including the unique Arzvillier boat elevator, and a candlelit passage through
the Arzvillier tunnels.
Highlights include the Notre Dame cathedral
in Strasbourg with its pink sandstone gothic
façade, the Marc Chagall chapel in Sarrebourg,
the unique collection of Art Nouveau
glassware in the René Lalique Museum,
and the wineries of the Route des Grands
Vins which produce the region’s renowned
Gewürztraminer, Riesling and Pinot Gris
wines.
Price from £4,398 per person for an eight
night holiday
What’s included:
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Return Eurostar (or flights) to Paris
Transfer to your hotel
Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast at the 4* deluxe
Hotel Westminster in Paris
A two day Museum Pass including access to the Louvre, Musée
d’Orsay and all of the major galleries and museums in the city
Seine sightseeing cruise and carnet of tickets for the Paris Metro
Kirker’s unique Paris Guide Notes to restaurants and sightseeing
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Private transfer to the Gare de l’Est
Rail from Paris to Strasbourg
Transfer to ‘Panache’
A six night cruise on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin between
Krafft and Nidervillier including all meals, drinks and excursions
Departure transfer from ‘Panache’
Rail from Strasbourg to London (via Paris or Lille)
Alsace
Canal de la Marne au Rhin
Paris and a six night cruise between Krafft & Niderviller
Paris
Northern Burgundy
Strasbourg
Canal du Nivernais
Paris and a six night cruise between Auxerre & Chevroches
Dijon
Southern Burgundy
Canal de Bourgogne
Paris, Lyon and a six night cruise between Fleurey-surOuche & Escommes
Lyon
Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Canal de Garonne
Bordeaux and a six night cruise between Castet-en-Dorthe & Boé
Montpellier
Carcassonne
South of France
Canal du Midi
Carcassonne and a six night cruise between Marseillan &
Le Somail
Italy
For an alternative to rural France, the slightly larger vessel ‘La Bella Vita’ travels between Venice and Mantua on canals, rivers
and the Venetian lagoon. The same high standards of cuisine and local wines are served on board, and we would be delighted to
create a longer tailor-made holiday which includes a stay in Venice or encompasses the other art cities of northern Italy.
Venice to Mantua
An eight night holiday, including six nights on board ‘La Bella Vita’
Traverse the historic waterways of northern Italy from the splendour of Venice to the Renaissance city
of Mantua, including tranquil countryside, historic towns and exceptional art. There is no better way
to explore Venice than from the water, and the 20 passenger La Bella Vita will spend a couple of
days in the city itself, before gliding past the smaller islands of the lagoon to the Roman city of
Chioggia, which resembles a smaller, unspoilt Venice. From here she travels through the delta of
the River Po, home to flamingos and wild birds, and up the Canal Bianco, visiting the Etruscan
town of Adria, Renaissance Ferrara and local vineyards. Arriving in lakeside Mantua, there
will be time to explore the magnificent Palazzo Ducale with its vast collection of art including
works by local residents Mantegna and Donatello. From Mantua you will return to Venice for
your flight home. However, if you would like to extend your stay to include one of the other
historic towns of northern Italy; Padua,Vicenza or Verona, speak to one of our experts. If you
travel between June and August don’t forget to ask about tickets to an opera performance in
Verona’s famous Arena.
Price from £3,549 per person for an eight night holiday
What’s included:
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Speak to an expert:
020 7593 2283
www.kirkerholidays.com
Return flights to Venice
Private water taxi transfer from the airport to your hotel
Two nights’ accommodation with breakfast at the 4* deluxe Londra Palace in Venice
Entrance tickets to the Doge’s Palace
Private water taxi transfer to Piazzale Roma
A six night cruise between Venice and Mantua including all meals, drinks and excursions
Optional tickets for an opera performance at the Verona Arena available on request
(prices from £50 per person, subject to availability)
Private transfer to Venice airport