Sunday - Day 1
You will be met by our driver at your hotel and be driven to La Nouvelle Etoile which will be moored in the the beautiful little town of Bruges, known as the 'Venice of the North'. After a wonderful champagne welcome we will take you into Bruges for a city tour on one of the little canal boats. Upon return to La Nouvelle Etoile you will have time to relax and get ready for your first of many gourmet meals on board.

Monday - Day 2
This morning you can join a guided walking tour of Bruges with a local guide. Return to the barge for lunch. After lunch, you will have some free time in Bruges. Late afternoon cruise to Ghent.

Tuesday - Day 3
After breakfast your guide will take you into Ghent. Visit the cathedral with fabulous painting 'The Mystic Lamb', painted by the Van Eck brothers. Return to the barge for a cruise up the River Schelde to the town of Oudenaarde where we will moor for the night.

Wednesday - Day 4
A morning cruise further up the River Schelde will take us to the ancient town of Tournay with its famous 'Pont des Trous' (Bridge with holes). This afternoon you can stroll around Tournay or take an optional drive to Waterloo.

Thursday - Day 5
We continue along the Schelde through the town of Valenciennes to the junction of Canal du Nord at the little French village of Arleux. We will drive to Valencinnes along the way to visit the Museum of Fine Arts.

Friday - Day 6
We begin our climb over the Vermandois Hills of Picardie through the many locks and several tunnels of the Canal du Nord. The scenery is spectacular rural France at its best. There is a great towpath for the barge along the canal that allows you to have a leisurely walk if you wish. After lunch, there will be a trip to Amiens to visit what must be one of the greatest of all Gothic cathedrals with its powerful towering spires and columns.

Saturday - Day 7
After breakfast you can visit the War Museum in Peronne. Upon return, we will continue our journey on 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.

Sunday - Day 8
Today we will cruise down to the Oise River valley to moor in the riverside town of Compiegne. There are many places to visit, including the train where the World War I Armistice was signed, as well as the Royal Palace.

Monday - Day 9
We are now cruising down the Oise River Valley where we stop at the village of Auvers sur Oise. This charming village is a Van Gogh scene. Here is where he lived and painted most 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.

Tuesday - Day 10
We will take a picnic lunch, complete with deck chairs and tables, and 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. The gardens will be at their most beautiful at this time of year where we 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.

Wednesday - Day 11
In the morning we will cruise to Bougival and visit Malmaison, the home of Napoleon. We will see its many lavishly decorated rooms furnished by Josephine. We will rejoin La Nouvelle Etoile for an evening cruise up the floodlit Seine past the Eiffel Tower and into the 'Port d'Arsenal' adjacent to the Bastille for a farewell dinner on board.

Thursday - Day 12
After your last elegant breakfast on board you will be driven to either your hotel or the airport.


Note: This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.