Bespoke charters

The Après Tout cruises through some of France’s most beautiful areas, which have a wide range of activities to offer along the timeless waterways. Rory and Caroline are here to help tailor your perfect trip, bringing a wealth of experience and knowledge from over 20 years in the luxury hotel barging business.

Burgundy is full of great rides for all levels of cycling and what better way to enjoy several different rides than to combine that with a weeks’ cruise on the Aprés Tout! We have a huge knowledge of the area and can prepare some outstanding rides either along the canal tow path and small villages nearby, to more strenuous routes up into the hills and beyond. There are an abundance of rides, and on some days we could arrange rides to our favourite visits, for example – to the magnificent Chateau Clos du Vougeot for a visit, and then a return ride through the forest of Citteaux back to the boat.

We have excellent 21 gear bikes on board for all six passengers which are ideal for all terrains in Burgundy. Also, we can arrange for picnics to be set up along the way at some special scenic spots – such as a Chateau garden or village green in a pretty wine village along the famous Route des Grands Crus!

We have found the barge is a wonderful place to entertain three generations of the same family! With cruising there is something for everyone, we have a relaxed pace during the actual navigation but we can pick up the pace for family fun once on shore! We are experts in Burgundy and have some wonderful options for families travelling with children. Some of the fun things on offer are tree climbing and zip lining at Gevry Chambertin, go-karting near Dijon at a fantastic circuit originally used for the French Grand Prix, and off road drives in World War II jeeps through the small tracks that weave through the vineyards along the Côte d’or.

Also, on the boat for any keen fisherman onboard we have fishing rods and have been known to pull out some pretty large carp from the Burgundy Canal. We have a BBQ on the deck and if any family prefer a less formal dinner to our usual 5 course dinner, we can arrange for a fun filled BBQ with all sorts of delights for a change.

On the river Saône in the summer the water is warm and clear and ideal for swimming – we stop the boat and let her drift gently while children and adults enjoy the water.

Cruising and golf are a truly wonderful combination, with the boat moving along the canal at a steady pace, driving time between good golf courses is reduced considerably. We have prepared an itinerary that allows for half the day cruising and the rest of the day enjoying a round of golf. There are some great courses in the area – and we have included 3 superb courses in Beaune, Dijon and Pouilly.

The course at Beaune is situated in the charming village of Levernois and is an 18 hole course with a par of 72. The 18 hole course in Dijon has beautiful views and is extremely well maintained. The course near Pouilly, is located within the grounds of the Chateau de Chailly, which provides a fabulous back drop to their 18 hole course.

We feel there are so many wonderful visits in this region, we have included 2 days without golf – leaving plenty of room to experience some of the outstanding tours also.