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Sunday, Day 1 Bruges

  You are met at the designated meeting place for the transfer to the barge, moored in the very picturesque town of Bruges. Lovingly referred to as the "Venice of the North", Bruges is laced with small canals and magnificent squares. Deserving of the UNESCO World Heritage Site award it has received, our guests are continually delighted by this gem. After a 'Champagne Welcome' and some delicious canapes, your tour guide will arrange a canal boat ride, so you can see the architecture from a different perspective. Upon your return, you will have time to relax and enjoy the ambience of the bar on board, before the first of many gourmet meals.

Monday, Day 2 Bruges to Ghent

After a hearty breakfast, your tour guide will escort you on a walking tour of Bruges to explore the many architectural wonders of this town. We then return to the barge for lunch, after which you will have time to explore and shop on your own - lace is a speciality of Bruges. Later we begin our afternoon cruise to Ghent. Dinner on board.

Tuesday, Day 3 Ghent to Oudenaarde

This morning your guide will escort you into Ghent. Our visit includes the magnificent cathedral with its fabulous painting 'The Mystic Lamb', painted by the Van Eck brothers. There's also an assortment of fantastic boutiques nearby. Upon returning to the barge for lunch, we begin our cruise up the River Schelde to the town of Oudenaarde, where we will moor for the night. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 4 Oudenaarde to Tournai

A gentle morning cruise further up the River Schelde will take us past sleepy hamlets and rolling landscapes to the ancient town of Tournai, with its famous 'Pont des Trous' (Bridge with holes). We shall also explore the wonderful square with its ancient and fascinating clock tower. Dinner on board.

Thursday, Day 5 Tournai to Arleux

We continue along the river Schelde as it winds its way through the town of Valenciennes to the busy junction of Canal du Nord at the little French village of Arleux. This sleepy town is the meeting place of many of the barges setting south towards France. Along the way we will drive to the bustling town of Valenciennes to visit the Museum of Fine Arts. Dinner on board.

Friday, Day 6 Arleux to

This morning we begin our climb over the Vermandois Hills of Picardie, through the many deep locks and several tunnels of the Canal du Nord, one of which is over 3 miles long. The scenery is spectacular, giving you the opportunity to see rural France at its best. Well maintained towpaths follow alongside the canal that allow for great walking and cycling. After lunch, we have a real treat in store with an excursion to Amiens, to visit what must be one of the greatest of all Gothic cathedrals in France, with its towering spires and magnificent columns. This is one of the "not to be missed" items on any visit to France. Dinner on board.

Saturday, Day 7

After breakfast you can visit the War Museum in Peronne. Upon return, we will continue our journey along the Canal du Nord. There will be plenty of opportunities to walk or bike while the barge travels from lock to lock. The cruise now continues along the Canal du Nord, as it drops down into the valley of the Somme River before climbing over another watershed. The landscape unfolds revealing a part of France tourists rarely see. Dinner on board.

Sunday, Day 8 to Compiegne

Today we will cruise down to the Oise River valley to moor in the busy riverside town of Compiegne, with its Royal Palace and huge square There are many places to visit, including the train where the World War I Armistice was signed. Shops abound everywhere, giving you the opportunity to see how the local people live. Dinner on board.

Monday, Day 9 Compiegne to Auvers sur Oise

The Oise River Valley is truly beautiful. Our cruise today takes to Auvers sur Oise, where we moor for an opportunity to explore this charming Van Gogh scene. Here is where he lived and painted many of his last and most important paintings, and where he stayed in a small room above a local cafe. We will have an afternoon walk around the town and visit the cemetery where Vincent and his brother are buried. Dinner on board

Tuesday, Day 10 Auvers sur Oise to Conflans

Today we are off on a day excursion to Giverny to visit the home and gardens of Claude Monet, probably the most famous of all the Impressionist painters. Your chef will prepare a delicious picnic lunch to be taken in the gardens of Giverny. During your walk you will see the famous 'Lily Pond' and the 'Japanese Bridge' that inspired so many of his paintings. We will moor for the night in Conflans, which is the junction of the Oise and Seine Rivers. It is here that many of the commercial skippers retire, thus the reason for so many barges moored alongside the quays. Dinner on board.

Wednesday, Day 11 Conflans to Bougival to Paris

In the morning we will cruise up the mighty river Seine to Bougival and visit Malmaison, the home of Napoleon. We will see its many lavishly decorated rooms furnished by Josephine. We will rejoin the Savoir Faire for an evening cruise through Paris, past the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral into the 'Port d'Arsenal' adjacent to the Bastille for a Farewell Dinner on board.

Thursday, Day 12 Paris

  We end the cruise with a hearty breakfast and a fond farewell from your crew and then transfer you to the designated drop off point.

On alternate weeks the cruise will be in reverse direction. All itineraries are subject to change.