Within 5 hours of flight touch down at the chaotic Paris CDG airport, I had whooshed by train to Burgundy on a glorious spring morning and was boarding #1 of the 3 barges scheduled for the day.  One of my longtime favorites for its chic-yet-comfortable design, PROSPERITE was nearly ready for the 1st guests of the season arriving in 2 days.  My host and chauffeur for the afternoon was Spencer Hayes – a class-act barge personality, whose “we can do that” approach to barging has made PROSPERITE a success story since its inception 10 years ago. 

After a quick look at the 8-passenger SOJOURN – a work in progress, with good “barge bones” – we left Dijon for St. Jean de Losne.   As France’s largest inland port and a crossroads for many of the country’s waterways, think of this as the barge “beauty shop of Burgundy” and a winter watering hole.  Here the barges put on their best dress-up finery, getting spiffy and polished for this season’s arriving guests. 

I was thrilled to step aboard Caroline & Rory Macrae’s new APRES TOUT, a 6-passenger stunner this experienced and most charming couple purchased just last year.  The barge itself – under former owners – was always a trustworthy 6-passenger choice – but “Cazza” and “Rors” have added color, pizazz and some TLC and now the new Apres Tout features an inviting warm welcome, from the exceptionally large deck to the immaculately clean interiors.  Fabulous showers and incredible beds are complimented by Caroline’s killer cuisine and Rory’s impressive wine cellar onboard.

A long but successful day concludes after a lively dinner conversation with friends in the barge community.