Day 1, Avignon and the bridge of angels
Your “Journey of a Lifetime” commences in Avignon on the River Rhone. You might like to visit the Park Le Rocher des Doms where you see the 12th Century Pont St. Benezet, ending half way across the Rhone.  This is the Pont d’Avignon of the nursery rhyme and legend has it that the bridge was built on the advice of a shepherd boy, St Benezet, who was told by visiting angels to build a bridge there. Passengers are met at the meeting hotel in Avignon and escorted to L'Impressionniste moored nearby for a Champagne Welcome and introduction to fellow passengers and Captain and crew before dinner aboard.
 
Day 2, Chateauneuf du Papes a taste of Rhone
We spend the morning touring Avignon, which like most of Provence takes its inspiration from Italy.  It was the seat of the Papacy in the 14th Century.  The city is surrounded by a circle of rugged city walls.  During the afternoon we visit Chateauneuf du Papes and savour the region’s most gracious wines. Our afternoon cruise heads north and cocktails are served under way before Dinner aboard.
 
Day 3, Montelimar the Nougat capital
Today is spent cruising, as we head for Montelimar, the delicious Nougat capital. The mighty Rhone River has been the main trading route for over 2000 years and the pre Alps over to the east create a fine setting. A visit to the market town of Montelimar has a medieval centre and is full of shops selling the almond studded nougat that has been made there since almond trees were first imported from Asia in the 17th century Cruise then towards Valence.
 
Day 4 and Day 5, Valence and the Rhone valley
The delights of the Rhone Valley are yours to explore during these days. Valence itself is a thriving town facing the Ardeche cliffs and great for shopping. The Cathedral of St Apollinaire was founded in 1095 and rebuilt during the 1700’s.  The museum of beaux arts contains a collection of late 18th century chalk drawings of Rome. The nearby Ardeche gorges have been carved out over thousands of years and are more reminiscent of the American southwest than the verdure commonly associated with French countryside. This cruise takes us through the vineyards that produce the grapes for the Cote du Rhone wines.
 
Day 6 and Day 7, Lyon a historical adventure
Our journey today takes us to Lyon, a city with a wealth of historic sights, Roman monuments, medieval churches and renaissance houses.  The town abounds with fine inns and restaurants and is justifiably titled the gastronomic centre of France.  For your touring, we start at Place Bellecoeur, then a walk across the Saone leads to a most intriguing area, a showcase of renaissance architecture along ancient dark cobblestone streets. We show you the oldest theatre in France built in 15 BC by the Romans to seat some 10,000 spectators and still used today for Opera and Rock concerts. Lyon is France’s second city.
 
Day 8, Macon and the poet who lived there
We carry on up the River Saone towards the Beaujolais wine region and Macon, home of the poet Lamartine. Macon is the southern frontier of Burgundy and the Musee des Ursulines houses a fine collection of Flemish and French paintings and an exhibition of the prehistoric site of Solutre.  
 
Day 9, Chalon sur Saone the home of photography
Today there is an opportunity to see the great Romanesque Abbey of Cluny and to sample the famous dry white wine from the Pinot Chardonnay Grape. Chalon is the birthplace of photography. In 1822 Nicephone Niepce managed to capture an image on glass at nearby St Loup de Varenne and Chalon has an interesting museum of pictures and photographic artefacts.
 
Day 10, St Jean de Losne and the Burgundy canal
Leaving the river today we join the Burgundy Canal and here is a perfect opportunity to use the bicycles on board, or you can hike along the paths between the various locks.  While all will enjoy the scenery of the area, the wine lovers will delight at the opportunity to share in wine tastings arranged by a Burgundian Negociant.
 
Day 11 and Day 12, Dijon the ancient capital
Two days to enjoy Dijon, ancient capital of the Dukes of Burgundy.  Visit the Ducal Palace.  In the 14th and 15th Centuries, the Dukes of Burgundy turned the duchy into a great centre of European art and today Dijon remains the wealthy cultural and commercial centre of Burgundy and a delightful city for wandering and watching. We take the opportunity to sample the Cote de Nuits vintages near Nuits St Georges.
 
Day 13 to Day 18, Relax in Burgundy a wine region
L'Impressionniste, with her deck chairs, will soon become your viewing spot to enjoy the delights of Burgundian scenery and the energies of the barge Chef will tempt you back again and again to the warm saloon.  The Burgundy area is one of the most serene areas of France and these days of calm tree-lined cruising will be remembered long after your holiday is over. Our route allows ample opportunity to explore on foot or barge bicycle, the picturesque villages, stare back at the white Charolais cows and perhaps catch a site of wild boar foraging near the canal in the early morning sunshine.
 
Day 19, Fontainebleau and an Emperor's Forest
We cruise to Fontainebleau, with its famous forest covering more than 40,000 acres and the Renaissance Chateau that was a favourite residence of the Emperor Napoleon.
 
 Day 20 and Day 21, Paris
Two days, or more if you and your fellow travellers choose, to savour the delights of Paris. L'Impressionniste will be moored on the Seine and the city is yours to explore.  Paris is pre-eminently a strollers’ city where many things old and atmospheric, bright and beautiful may be seen.  One of the most civilised pastimes of Paris is sitting at a sidewalk café and watching the world go by, another is shopping!
 
Days 22 to Day 23, Meaux to Epernay a glass of Champagne and a slice of Brie
Through the environs of Paris to Meaux, capital of Brie.  Take a stroll through the old quarter and view the beautiful Cathedral before continuing further along the River Marne to Chateau Thierry.   This village was named after the Frankish King Thierry IV and later was held by the counts of Champagne.  The river winds its way through riverside villages gradually taking you into a landscape of forests and vineyards, the start of CHAMPAGNE Country and CONDY SUR MARNE. It is from here that we take the opportunity to visit REIMS.  The Cathedral of Reims ranks among the finest in France and the city is a spectacular medieval city, demolished by vandals, ravaged by fire, and devastated by artillery during the Great War.  The city is as impressive for its perseverance as for its enduring elegance. We visit the Mercier champagne house in Epernay, and entertain the vessel’s French Insurer for cocktails as the barge passes his hometown!
 
Day 24 to Day 31, Champagne to Lorraine scenery to remember
Cruising through Vitry Le Francois, Sermaize Les Bains, Ligny en Barrois and Trousy, the traveller will be taken with the unsophisticated beauty of the landscapes, the sunlit lakes and shady forests. This region is less hilly than Burgundy and progress is usually comparatively swift until we enter the Lorraine hills. We follow the path of General Patton and the Red Ball Express, which kept his troops supplied.  Vitry was nearly destroyed in WWII leaving just the magnificent 17th century church standing. We pass the 16,320 foot long Mauvages tunnel before descending the lock flight to Toul. Toul was fortified by the military genius of the Marechal Sebastien de Vauban, the massive stone walls were nearly impregnable and are largely intact today.  The canal runs through part of the Fortress moat! 
 
Day 32 and Day 33, Nancy architectural beauty
Nancy is the capital of Lorraine and here we visit to the Place Stanislas, one of the most splendid architectural creations of the 18th century. The gilded wrought iron gates, baroque fountains and hanging lanterns surround possibly France’s most beautiful square.  There is much to delight the eye and a superb collection of Art Nouveau at the Musee de L’Ecole. Nancy is also a good place for shopping. 
 
Day  34, Metz and its church
Metz has the oldest church in France, the 4th century church of Saint Pierre-aux-Nonnains, and the Gothic masterpiece of Cathedral de St Etienne which offers a superb view of the surrounding countryside from its 300ft tower. We are virtually in Germany now and international waters.
 
Day 35, Luxembourg and a fortified city
Today we leave the waterways of France and move to Luxembourg with its fairytale castle.  One of the smallest countries, Luxembourg has one of the wealthiest per capita in the world.  Founded in 963, the city was one of the strongest fortresses in Europe and now a centre of banking and finance.
 
Day 36, Berncastle your first day in Germany
We visit Berncastle straddling the vine escarpments of the River Moselle Valley. The vines are sometimes covered with blue coating, which protect the late grapes from early frosts and conjure up images of strangely coloured wines! The grapes are mainly Reisling and there are numerous cellars for winetasting. The town is filled with half-timbered houses and dominated by the ruin of the Landshut fortress.
 
Day 37, Koblenz a once disputed territory
Koblenz is at the mouth of the Moselle River and the start of the Rhine River cruising through to Cologne with a giant statue of Wilhelm I at the confluence point. Koblenz has wandered back and forth between French and German domination and in 1809 the impressive Rhinelagen riverside promenade was given to the town by the Prefet Lezay-Mamesia following the inclusion of Koblenz into the French Rhine and Moselle department.
 
Day 38, Cologne and a kind memory
This is the capital of the Rhineland, and noted for remnants of antiquity such as a third century tower.  It is also known for its beautiful Madonnas, medieval sculptures in the Gothic Cathedral. Even older than the Cathedral are Cologne’s Romanesque churches.  The Ring is an elegant boulevard of shops and cafes. The people are open and friendly and an early bond with our barging world was formed in 1982 when the Deutz engine works allowed one of our first vessels (Anjodi) to make an unscheduled stop for repair works and waived the bill due to the kindness of their warm hearts! 
 
Day 39, Arnhem a war time border
From Cologne, L'Impressionniste continues along the Rhine to Arnhem on the Holland - German border. It was here in September 1944 that gallant American and British forces attempted to take the Rhine Bridge with a retreating but nevertheless still powerful German army in occupation. We allow plenty of time to remember the fallen and see first hand the battleground.
 
Day 40, Rotterdam the port of Europe
As our journey draws to a close we move out of Germany and into the waterways of Holland first to the bustling port of Rotterdam.  The city was devastated in World War II and rebuilt into one of the most dynamic and efficient seaports in the world.  Leave time to visit the Boymans-van-Beuningen Museum which houses works by the medieval painter Hieronymous Bosch. Captain’s Farewell Gala Dinner
 
Day 41, Amsterdam the end of a journey
Our port of arrival and what a town! Hundreds of miles of canals, waterside life and a bustling cycle-powered population who never seem to sleep. Do spend a few days here in this fascinating city.  Amsterdam boasts more than forty museums, splendid art galleries, antique shops, theatres, cafes, 17th century houses bordering tree-lined canals and countless excellent restaurants suiting the most refined taste.

Notes:

• Itinerary is subject to change
• An optional hot air balloon ride is available on this cruise. The balloon company charge approximately €200 per person which is to be paid to the balloon owners on the day of the flight. Please let us know at time of booking if you are interested.