Next year French Country Waterways, the only American-owned company to offer luxury barge cruises along France's canal system, will celebrate its 30th year of service.   Its four barges follow five itineraries throughout the French countryside, traveling along ancient canals.  French Country Waterways' routes have been selected to highlight some of the most charming and picturesque stretches of canal, including those in Burgundy's Côte d'Or, Central Burgundy, Champagne, Alsace-Lorraine and the Upper Loire Valley.  Since each barge hosts only eight or 12 passengers at a time, it's not uncommon for trips to sell out many months in advance.  With that in mind, French Country Waterways is releasing its 2014 brochure now so that potential guests can plan ahead and select the itinerary that best suits their interests.  Six-night trips depart on Sundays, April through October; rates for the 2014 season start at $5,495 per person, double.

Each day brings excursions that highlight the culture of the region.  As an example, guests on the Central Burgundy tour aboard the 12-passenger Nenuphar get a private tour and sampling at a vineyard in Chablis; a walking tour of the St. Etienne Cathedral and the charming town of Auxerre; a visit to the 16th-century chateau of Ancy-le-Franc; and a tour of the Abbaye de Fontenay, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was founded by St. Bernard in 1118.  Each itinerary also includes a dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant, and the Central Burgundy tour features the inventive cuisine of three-star Le Relais Beranard Loiseau in Saulieu.

But the Michelin-starred restaurant isn't the only place where French Country Waterways' passengers experience the finest in French cuisine. Among the six-person crew on each barge is a classically trained chef who takes the freshest ingredients and incorporates them into meals that earn rave reviews from guests. Passengers enjoy continental breakfasts, buffet lunches, and four-course, candlelit dinners, all in the comfort of the barge. Each day there's a fresh selection of breads and buttery croissants that are brought onboard from the villages the barge passes, and a highlight of both lunch and dinner is the presentation of an array of French cheeses. The other staple of French dining is, of course, wine, and during the cruise, passengers are offered more than two dozen different wines, many with well-known labels from Grand Cru or Premier Cru vineyards. 

Interesting excursions and delicious food are part of what makes a French Country Waterways trip memorable, but what leaves guests with the best impression is the level of service and professionalism extended by the crew.  The team of six is fluent in both English and French, and each is dedicated to ensuring that all passengers have a phenomenal visit.  From escorting guests on all excursions to ensuring the complimentary bar is well-stocked, the crew is focused on making the entire experience as relaxing and seamless as possible. 

Each of French Country Waterways' barges is available for individual bookings and for charter groups of up to 12 guests.  Information, reservations and the company's new brochure can be obtained from French Country Waterways, Ltd., P.O. Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331; calling 800-222-1236 in the U.S. and Canada and 781-934-2454 in Massachusetts; or visiting www.fcwl.com.

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