The eight-passenger L'Art de Vivre started life as a Scottish munitions carrier and survived long enough to be transformed by a team of skilled crafts-men into a floating celebration of the Burgundian "good life".

This region simply oozes charm and the cruise is a journey back in time along a magical waterway. The Upper Nivernais remains an undiscovered region, well off the beaten track on the edge of the Morvan hills. The sleepy hamlets, white grazing Charolais cattle, woods and forests are typical of the scenery L'Art de Vivre cruises through.

During the summer months L'Art de Vivre visits the Valley of Sardy, a canal section with smaller locks, where time seems to have stood still for over two hundred years. The hand-swung bridges are a delight and we pass old logging sites which are now almost a forgotten memory for the local people.

This is the original home of luxury hotel barging and yet today, a barge is a rarity,welcomed by all, and every journey is a great event.

L'Art de Vivre's crew of four comprises Captain, Tour guide, Master Chef and Hostess, all with a love for the Nivernais canal, and all secure in the knowledge that their vessel represents L'Art de Vivre itself.

Cruise highlights:

• All-inclusive open bar, free wines,gourmet cuisine, entry fees to excursions
• Medieval town of Clamecy and 13th century cathedral
• 16 Lock flight at Valley of Sardy
• Visit the 16th Century home of Marechal Vauban
• Tour the hilltop basilica of Vézelay
• Wine tasting at Tannay
• Optional Hot Air Ballooning

Cuisine aboard:

Regional specialties:

• Terrine de Pêcheur Façon Maison
• Tourte Chaude d'Escargots à la Ciboulette
• Filet de Rouget au Safron
• Filet d’Agneau au Basilic
• Magret de Canard
• Poulet à L’Estragon

Wine cellar:

• Sancerre
• Chablis, Pouilly Fumé
• Cote de Nuits
• Hautes Côtes de Beaune
• Vosne Romanée
• Domaine Laroche
• Nuits St-Georges
• Epineuil

Cheese Board:

• Brie
• Maroilles
• Pont l'Eveque
• St Marcellin
• Aisy Cendré
• Bouton de Culotte
• Epoisses
• Ami du Chambertin