Lorraine on La Petite Saone River

 A Mini Health Cruise

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2010

Dijon to Corre -Dijon--Burgundy to the France Comté and foothills of the Vosges Mountains

July 17

Meeting Place Dijon Railway Station for July 17 

The Burgundy Canal offers an incredible abundance of interesting shore excursions, both from our air conditioned tour bus and by foot or bicycle in this region well know for its fine wines and hearty cuisine.

Cruise Highlights:

·         Close - Vougeot, a monastic winery dating from medieval times and the present day headquarters of the Brotherhood of Knights of the Vine. 

·         Beautiful Auxonne and it's Napoleon Museum

• 7th century town of Gray (good shopping)

• Chateau of Ray sur Soane

• Vesoul, a sizable town with homes dating from the 15^th and 16 century and the beautiful St. George Church dating from the 18^th century.

• Vittel Bottled Water headquarters for a tour of the facility that many think is as interesting as a vineyard tour.

•  Luxeuil Les Bains.  Luxeuil was first colonized by the Romans in the 1^st century who named it Luxovium and established it as a thermal town.  A swim in the old Roman thermal spa waters if you wish.

• Le Musee de la Tour des Echevins

3th-century Basilique St-Pierre which was  restored in the 14th-century.

• Palais Abbatial, the most famous early medieval monastery in Franche-Comte, founded in 585 A.D. . 

·   ·         Bicycles on board

• Air Conditioned    

The best way to see France is at 3 MPH

Burgundy rivals Bordeaux as a producer of the finest wines in the world.

Saturday----Meeting at Dijon Railway station at 4:15 p.m.  The bus will wait until all passengers are on board or 5:30 p.m. SNCF has not announced schedules for July at this time.  We will forward train schedules when they are available.  Your clients will be provided with a cell phone number of the bus driver in case there is some problem.   (This itinerary is being written in January 2009.  At this time the Dijon railway station is under significant construction.  The exact meeting place can not be assigned yet because the construction is changing the places where buses can wait for clients.  We will  be  back to you prior to your client’s cruise departure.)  Train schedules are subject to change and can be confirmed at www.raileurope.com.

Bus transfer to Lorraine and welcome aboard drinks with introduction of the crew.  As you are getting acquainted with your new sailing mates, the Lorraine will begin its journey along the Canal de Bourgogne to its evening mooring at Ouges.

Sunday---After breakfast we join our bus to travel to the Close - Vougeot, a monastic winery dating from medieval times and the present day headquarters of the Brotherhood of Knights on the Vine.  We later join the Lorraine at St. Jean de Losne for a cruise up the Idylic Saone to Auxonne.

Monday---This morning we will visit Auxonne which contains a Napoleon Museum in recognition of Napoleon Bonaparte who was an artillery Lieutenant here for 3 years. This was an upscale town and Napoleon, a Corsican with an Italian accent, did not fit in.  He used his time here writing a book and strolling this lovely setting.  The grounds of this museum are beautiful.  After a visit to the museum we will visit Auxonne’s beautiful 13 century church built nearly 300 years before Columbus discovered the Americas. In the 13^th century Auxonne marked the boundary between Burgundy and the Franche-Comté  This afternoon we will have a visit to Pesmes, a picturesque village with an exquisite Renaissance Chapel from the 16^th Century.   We finish the afternoon cruising to Mantoche where you can bicycle before dinner or just have a pleasant walk around the villiage..

Tuesday---Today it is off to Charentenay.  Of course we will stop in Gray, a riverside town from the 7^th century, for some shopping before we cruise through the Savoyeux tunnel.  This afternoon we will visit the Chateau of Ray sur Soane where the park of the castle extends over the whole of the hill side which dominates the Village of  Ray.  The grounds cover about  6 hectares that forms successive and impressive terraces, bordered by high walls which enclose the ancient fortress.

Wednesday----Today we set off for Port sur Saone.  We will stop at Vesoul, a sizable town with great shopping and many homes dating from the 15^th and 16 century and the beautiful St. George Church dating from the 18^th century.   Vesoul was formerly an earldom.  It was decimated by the plague in 1586. Later Lorraine’s bus will take you to the Vittel Bottled Water headquarters for a tour of the facility that many think is as interesting as a vineyard tour.

Luxeuil's Gallo-Roman past is evoked in Le Musee de la Tour des Echevins which also houses 19th-20th-century art and works by the Luxeuil-born painter Jules Adler.  

Luxeuil's historic centre is also worth a foray with its 13th-century Basilique St-Pierre which was  restored in the 14th-century.  However, the Palais Abbatial is probably the main attraction and the most famous early medieval monastery in Franche-Comte.  It was founded in approximately 585 A.D. by the well respected Irish monk, St Columbanus. 

A swim in the old Roman thermal spa waters is possible if you wish. 

Lorraine meantime sails for Corre where the Saone joins the Canal de L’est.  Tonight is the Gala farewell dinner where we say goodbye to a very pleasurable week on Lorraine. 

The goal of American Dream Vacations and the crew and staff of Lorraine is to make this the very best week of your year.