Savoir Vivre Barge : Boutique Barge Company

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Savoir Vivre Barge : Boutique Barge Company

Experience a better way to barge with the all inclusive 8 passenger Savoir Vivre.

18/01/2025

Your Savoir Vivre cruise includes a visit to the lovely Medieval village and chateau of Chateauneuf-en-Auxois perched high on a hill overlooking the canal. Explore the cobblestoned streets, peek into private gardens, and then tour the haunting chateau.

11/01/2025

Meet Rich, Savoir Vivre’s new tour guide. Rich is a native of Burgundy having grown up in Dijon and remaining in the region throughout his life.

He joined the barging world in 2018 and held several roles aboard various barges including being the tour guide on ‘Lilas’ of the famed Belmond fleet of ultra-deluxe barges.

Rich is a calmly pleasant and likeable guy. He is also very knowledgable and comes with an authentic ‘Burgundian’ demeanor. From the moment we met, we knew he was a perfect match for the ‘Savoir Vivre Way’ and how we operate.

To quote Rich: “With the experience I have gained working on several barges, I was particularly excited to join the Savoir Vivre. Their program and style of cruising offers a wonderful insight to the region. My greatest passion is sharing all that I know about a region I’m proud to call home - I look forward to meeting you!”

04/01/2025

A big part of the experience of France is it’s food! Rather than eating aboard every evening like most barge hotels, we instead visit authentic local restaurants each evening. This gives our cruises a more varied and ever-so-slightly adventurous twist which our guests adore. Our cruises are all-inclusive including all restaurants.

28/12/2024

Welcome to the Savoir Vivre, where our luxurious and adventurous barge cruise awaits you. Our cruises offer up to eight passengers a chic, relaxed and engaging insight into rural french life, culture, gastronomy, wine making and history. If you are looking for a barge cruising experience with a difference, our cruises are just what you need!

21/12/2024

Each day of your Savoir Vivre cruise includes an excursion in our dedicated, air-conditioned minivan to explore some of the hidden gems of Burgundy. Your local expert and private guide has curated a program of tours and wine tastings for the week. Some days will be cruising in the morning and then a tour in the afternoon (wine tastings, for example, are always afternoon). Others are reversed, with a tour in the morning and afternoon cruise (Dijon market, for example, is best in the mornings).

Each evening we have a second excursion as we visit a different, carefully selected restaurant for dinner.

14/12/2024

One of the lovely things about cruising on the Savoir Vivre are the frequent opportunities to hop from the boat to the tow path alongside the canal to explore the surrounding countryside and villages by foot or by bike.

When underway there are frequent locks where you can simply step on/off the ship while the boat is stationary in the lock. You can walk or cycle along the towpath and we’ll meet you at the next lock! It is a safe and unhurried process.

When tied up, you can walk or cycle and explore local villages too. Our unique V-Shaped hull means that we moor directly next to the canal side. As such, our gangway is the shortest of any barge.

So when it comes to fresh air and exercise, there are lots of options - be lazy or go crazy!

07/12/2024

As we enter the present buying season, it’s important to include the Savoir Vivre!
Throughout the winter we are undertaking a wide range of improvements. The pretty stuff includes our new kitchen and new carpets! The less glamorous things include a new and improved exhaust silencing system for one of our generators. ALL of these investments make a cruise with us that little bit nicer.
Viva Savoir Vivre!

30/11/2024

Comfort is a priority on the Savoir Vivre. Our orthopaedic, adjustable beds are no exception. At the touch of a button you can adjust your bed to your liking. Each cabin has its own digital climate control system with a floor mounted vent so it does not ‘blow’ on guests. Blackout curtains retained by magnets and directional individual bed lights finish the details that make our bedrooms surprisingly special and comfortable.

23/11/2024

On the Savoir Vivre we serve a rich variety of burgundy wines which are served with lunch and are available at all times. Simon, our tour guide, is very experienced in the local wine industry and previously worked for winemakers both in their tour programmes and as a sommelier. He is available throughout the cruise to help passengers enjoy and explore the wines of the region. Santé!

26/10/2024

They took away the pont at Pont de Pany! One of the canal bridges has disappeared along our route hopefully to return sometime in the near future.

23/10/2024

The fall colours are spectacular this year in the Ouche Valley. What a time to cruise on the Savoir Vivre!

05/10/2024

The very last of the harvesters on the Côte de Nuits. This year has been a challenging season for our winemakers. It is never a bad year Burgundy in though, we prefer to refer to it as a winemaker's vintage. The very best will always rise to the top even when things are tough climatewise.

03/10/2024

The rain in the distance brings a rainbow over Châteauneuf-en-Auxois. We eat in this hilltop town twice a week and visit the château to discover its 900 year history.

25/09/2024

This colorful boat is keeping the w**ds in the canal to a minimum helping us cruise. There are huge clippers attached which can be regulated in depth to cut the w**d underwater.

21/09/2024

We visited the Abbaye de Citeaux last week, the birthplace of the Cistersian order of monks. Over 900 years ago Robert de Molesmes set up the monastery that gave rise the world famous Chateau de Clos de Vougeot as the monks embarked on a wine making program that only ended with their expulsion during the French Revolution.

18/09/2024

Harvest started last week in less than sunny conditions! The fruit looks great though. The plucky harvesters were seen in a deluge at the Beaune 1ère cru Les Teurons.

14/09/2024

As you drive through Burgundy and indeed throughout France you may come across a village with an upside down sign. The act is a protest by local farmers to raise visibility of the challenges they face.
The group has been unscrewing the signs and putting them back the wrong way up since last year. It says that no damage is done to the signs, they have had no complaints and some communes openly support them.

11/09/2024

As harvest approaches the chardonnay vines in the Chevalier Montrachet vineyard are ripening at their own pace under a dramatic sky. More sunshine is needed at the moment as the early part of the year has proven to be difficult to manage. Most people are starting harvest later this week but it remains a moveable feast as always!

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http://www.boutiquebargecompany.com/

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Videos

This colorful boat is keeping the weeds in the canal to a minimum helping us cruise. There are huge clippers attached which can be regulated in depth to cut the weed underwater.

Cremant de Bourgogne, our local equivalent to Champage. It is made with the same varietals; Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, and in the same way; the methode champenoise. However we cannot call it Champagne because we are in Burgundy. It tastes just as good and allows those of us in the know to live a Champagne lifestyle on a Cremant budget!

Chateauneuf-en-Auxois plays peekaboo between the trees from the Savoir Vivre's front deck.

The sun dappling on the side of the Savoir Vivre as our captain skilfully pilots around a tricky bend.

Flags of Burgundy

Pretty flags hide epic stories stories of adventure, adversity, invention, tragedy, innovation and pride… We welcome you to Burgundy.

Behind the Scenes on the Savoir Vivre

“What’s with those water jets?!” These are where our individual and digitally controlled air conditioning units expel heat from the Savoir Vivre. Why? By using this system, we are able to avoid having unsightly heat exchangers slung on the outside of the vessel. This makes the Savoir Vivre more pretty and keeps our rear deck quiet and peaceful for guests. #devilsinthedetails

Savoir Vivre's Clever Bike Store

“But where do you keep the bicycles?” “Oh we’ve thought of that…”

'Le terroir' in Burgundy

What a boring view of rocky limestone… but wait! This is the same stuff the vines have to have to grow the roots through. The result? 'Le terroir'! The reason the wine tastes so good. Boring cliffs indeed… 😉🤣

Managing the Canal du Bourgogne

This mark is really rather important! The lock keepers use it to set the flow rate from the lock to the next ‘pound’. The fish have oxygen and the pound has the water it needs. The mark is adjusted periodically, that’s why the wood is a bit thinner there. “Ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

Thursday aboard the Savoir Vivre

What do they have planned for us today? Let’s see!!

Barge Skill

It doesn’t matter how many times you see it… #bargeskill

Good Morning Savoir Vivre!

A morning walk is good for everyone - but it’s important to keep your chin up!

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Welcome aboard the Savoir Vivre

Experience a more immersive way to barge with the all inclusive 8-Passenger Savoir Vivre. Our unique format offers a more chic, relaxed, fun, authentic and ever-so-slightly adventurous gastronomic barge cruising experience.

We cruise along one of France's most beautiful canals, the Canal du Bourgogne. When not enjoying the spectacular and charming scenery, you will explore hidden gems of French life, history and culture via air conditioned van and expert guidance of Laura, your private guide.

Each evening you will enjoy 'real France' dining experiences at different authentic local restaurants. Lunch comes by way of private chef. All meals including wine and a generous open bar are included in your cruise price.

Our crew are amongst the most experienced in barging. Captain Richard Megret has been involved in Barging his whole life and knows how to turn 'vacation' into a 'life long memory!'. His understated, relaxed, hilarious yet professional style epitomises the 'Savoir Vivre Way'.