Péniche Champagne

Day 1 Travel from London to Paris on the Eurostar, and transfer to embark on the barge, moored close to the Eiffel Tower, for your six-night cruise, which begins with a welcome Champagne reception and an introduction to the crew. (D)

Day 2 A morning tour of the capital shows you its elegant boulevards, the Place de la Republique’s convivial space and commanding statue, the lavishly ornate Paris Opera, grandiose façades of the Place Vendôme, and iconic glass pyramid of the Louvre; and takes you back in time on a walk along some of the city’s prettiest covered arcades. The afternoon cruise lets you see central Paris from the water as you sail toward historic Lagny-sur-Marne. Enjoy a pre-dinner glass of Champagne. (B, L D)

Day 3 This morning’s cruise takes us to Isles-les-Meldeuses. Afternoon tour of Meaux, passes its Gallo-Roman ramparts and views the flamboyant architecture of the Saint Étienne Cathedral, the medieval Palace of Bishops (now the Bossuet Museum), and its gorgeous 15th-century Bossuet Gardens. Relish a tasting of Brie de Meaux, before re-joining the barge at its new mooring in Saint-Jean-les-Deux-Jumeaux, and a Champagne aperitif before dinner aboard. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Cruise through the heart of the Seine-et-Marne countryside, en route to our overnight mooring at the riverside town of Château-Thierry, its hilltop crowned by castle ruins and the 16th-century Château Fontaine. We visit the town’s Hôtel-Dieu and enjoy a Champagne tasting. (B, L, D)

Day 5 Sail to Dormans this morning, whose heritage is highlighted in its 14th-century castle and church-like ‘Memorial to the Battle of the Marne’. An afternoon excursion follows the famous Champagne route from here to Hautvillers, in the Montagne de Reims Regional National Park. This picturesque village is the birthplace of the bubbly, where Dom Perignon perfected his method to produce ‘the best wine in the world’, which we will taste, in a local Champagne house, before returning to the barge. (B, L, D)

Day 6 Relax aboard on the morning journey to Épernay, where the town’s most famous landmark is the Avenue de Champagne, lined with leading Champagne producers. An afternoon excursion takes us to Reims, the ‘City of Coronations’, with a guided visit of its historic centre and its UNESCO listed Notre Dame Cathedral, where, for more than a millennium, the kings of France were crowned. Return to the barge for a final Champagne toast to your cruise and a special farewell dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Disembark in Épernay and transfer to Paris for your return train journey to London. (B)

• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner