MERGANSER CRUISE ITINERARY FRANCE 2008

Reims to Château Thierry: August 30^th  

Château Thierry to Paris: September 6^th

Paris to Château Thierry: September 13^th 

Transfers between Paris and the Barge.

 REIMS to CHATEAU THIERRY

This cruise takes us from the Cathedral city of Reims up the Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne, then down into the Marne valley where we join the Canal latéral à la Marne and then the River Marne itself for the cruise to Château-Thierry Reims is the cultural and economic capital of Champagne and boasts a long and celebrated history. We arrive at the barge in time for a leisurely stroll before dinner on board. The following morning we set off towards the Marne.The Montagne de Reims with its small villages and champagne vineyards is seen towards the west. Passing through the 2.3km. Mont de Billy tunnel we descend towards the Marne valley through a flight of interlinked locks, reaching the junction of the Canal Lateral a la Marne at Condé-sur-Marne. Our cruise now takes us down the Canal Lateral à la Marne to its junction with the navigable river, passing the champagne villages of Mareuil-sur-Marne and Ay-sur-Marne where even in the smallest plots of land straight rows of vines reach down to the water's edge. At Dizy we join the River Marne, and passing Dormans, where the memorial to those who fell in the battles of the Marne during the first World War merits a visit, we come to Château-Thierry. There is time to visit this interesting town before our final dinner aboard Merganser.

Eiffel Tower, Paris

Château-Thierry is an interesting town and there is time to stroll round before returning to Merganser for our first dinner on board. The following day we set off down the River Marne towards Paris, stopping for the night on the river at a suitable mooring place. We reach Meaux the following day. Meaux is thecentre of the Brie region, offering us a chance to taste and perhaps buy some of the famed Brie cheese. The is also time here to visit its famous cathedral and bishop's  palace gardens. From Meaux the cruise continues down the Marne to Lagny, a stretch distinguished by a long canal bypassing the river which ends in an interesting tunnel at Chalifert. After mooring in the Port de Joinville we set off the next day to negotiate the St.Maur tunnel and the large commercial locks into Paris. After reaching the junction with the River Seine we continue down this river to our mooring close by the Eiffel Tower, passing under the spectacular bridges of the city, and the famous Parisian landmarks such as, amonst others, the Hôtel  des Invalides, the Tuileries, Nôtre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre.   

. Dormans

This itinerary is reversed for the cruise Paris to Château-Thierry.

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