Vallée de l’Ouche Cruise
Burgundy Canal de Bourgogne
Relax and be enveloped
in the magic of Colibri
2023 barge cruise
The Vallée de l’Ouche is a rural and beautiful section of the Burgundy Canal on the Dijon side of the summit. Earl and I cruised the Ouche Valley this autumn on our way back to the Nivernais Canal and were struck by its beauty. All the locks are manual and there are plenty of them. The canal winds through the countryside, with the Ouche river tinkling away nearby.
Ouch valley – sample itinerary
Sunday Earl will collect you from the arranged pick up point at 12 o’clock, returning to Colibri for lunch. After lunch we will start our cruise from the ‘bief de partage’, the summit of the canal and commence our descent towards Dijon. Our evening mooring will be below the village of Vandenesse en Auxois with views across the countryside to the hilltop village of Chateauneuf. The village is beautifully lit up in the evening sky to enjoy during dinner.
Monday This mornings visit will be to the village and chateau of Chateauneuf. The last heiress was burnt alive for apparently poisoning her husband – another grisly history!!!! After a fabulous lunch aboard, then it is back into winding locks and continuing our cruise towards the Pont d’Ouche, where the river Ouche joins the valley.
Tuesday Our visit this morning is to the town of Beaune and the breathtaking Hospice de Beaune. Beaune is a beautiful town to explore and located in the heart of Burgundy’s famous vineyards there are numerous wineries to visit, the famous Fallot mustard is made in Beaune, so much to see. After the bustle of Beaune we return to Colibri for lunch and our cruise continues to the beautiful village of La Bussiere. A good place to stretch your legs before relaxing with an aperitif and dinner.
Wednesday Today we will take la Route des Grands Crus through some fabulous scenery and visit a wonderful winery. The Château de Savigny-les-Beaune is a fabulous visit with its collection of old racing car, bikes and planes. Another sumptuous lunch aboard Colibri and a leisurely afternoon cruise to a rural mooring for tonight.
Thursday The halles market in Dijon are our excursion today, the building was designed by Gustave Eiffel and is stunning. The market is full of fresh wonderful products and a bustling joy to explore. The historical centre of Dijon is a delight to discover and is home to some very tempting shops. We continue our cruise down the Ouche valley to the village of Fleurey -sur – Ouche our mooring for this evening and a splendid dinner aboard.
Friday After a leisurely breakfast, depart Colibri, Earl will take you to our agreed drop of point to continue your travels.
Note This is a sample itinerary and may vary as we make improvements and modifications. The cruise will be run in reverse direction on alternate weeks.
Tunnel
At the summit of the canal, a 3.3 kilometer long tunnel between Pouilly-en-Auxois and Escommes, connects the Yonne and Saone river valleys. The construction of the tunnel was completed in 1832, finally allowing the passage of barges across Burgundy and for cargo to be transported from the north to the south of France.
Burgundy canal map
About Canal de Bourgogne
The Burgundy Canal (French: Canal de Bourgogne) is a canal in Burgundy in central eastern France. The construction began in 1727 and was completed in 1832. The canal is 242 km long, with 209 canal locks, and connects the River Yonne to the River Saône.