Burgundy's more than 600 miles of canals and rivers constitute the largest navigable network in France. Whether floating along them on houseboats, hotel barges or cruise boats, or even just pedaling alongside them on converted towpaths, you are never far from the sites that have give the region its distinct charm: country bistros, vintner-owned wine cellars right on the farm, a Roman abbey or a Renaissance castle.
Houseboats
In Burgundy there are approximately 340 houseboats available for rent in 27 boat-hire basins. Rental periods typically run from as short as a weekend to as long as a week, so with 42 marinas and 52 moorings along the 12 passable waterways, there's plenty for which to plan both in terms of where to go by water and what land-based attractions to take in all along the way.
Some houseboats are simple, but others are like real abodes with all the comforts of home, even including, in a few cases, a pool or a fireplace. Neither previous experience nor a boating license is necessary to pilot them. One training session teaches you everything you need to know.
Hotel Barges
Hotel barges, called péniches, are magical and peaceful perches from which to discover Burgundy and its canals. Like houseboats, you sleep on board a péniche, but in this case the two- to seven-day cruises are managed entirely by crews.
Many of the 30 hotel barges in Burgundy have been given new life by turning them into distinctive lodgings. Both the Magnolia and Après Tout, for example, are three-cabin full-comfort boats that even have Jacuzzis. Others are made memorable by their owners, like the Randle whose English captain and crew lead gastronomic excursion on the Nivernais Canal and the Yonne. You are encouraged to stow bikes on the Caprice to allow for periodic two-wheel spins.
These vessels can accommodate between six and 24 people, and are usually all inclusive, with full board provided by the crew, which also takes care of shore excursions, such as visits to wine cellars and monuments, and transfers to and from Paris.
Boat Promenades
If time is not in generous supply, canal tours of up to a few hours take in some of the water-based highlights of Burgundy, like the Burgundy Canal's “Voûte de Pouilly,” a two-mile boat tunnel with 12 ventilation shafts; the three successive tunnels (voûtes) of La Collancelle and the seven locks of Sardy, both along the Nivernais Canal; and unique canal aqueducts on the Canal Latéral à la Loire.
Ten 10 cruise boats, four of which have onboard meal service, are currently in operation on Burgundy's waters. The Billebaude has a solar-powered electric engine, making for especially quiet contemplation. The Delta boasts a panorama room for taking in the unforgettable views of Chalon and environs. The Hirondelle II combines gastronomy and discovery. And the Latéral can even be used for events like business meeting, marriages and birthdays.
For more information about boating in Burgundy, www.bourgogne-rivages.com is the new website dedicated to experiencing the region's waterways.