A Vacation To Savor

A soft breeze blows over the bow of the canal barge the Papillon as you relax on deck in the late afternoon sun. Butterflies lazily hover over the fresh herb boxes that line the sides of the boat. Eyes closed, you take another sip of wine. As the complex flavors wash over your tongue you contemplate another bike ride along the river- not the frantic calorie burning focused rides of your life at home- but a relaxing ride interrupted with picking blackberries from the flanking hedge rows and laughter. Youre actually laughing again. The first day you boarded the Papillon you kept reaching for your cell phone- now you dont even know where it is- or care. This is the magic of a barge cruise aboard the Papillon which means, butterfly in French. Regal in a casually luxurious kind of way, a tour aboard the Butterfly will mesmerize and delight you.

A vacation to Burgundy holds a lot of promise. There are amazing vineyards and world-renowned cellars scattered throughout a region known for its fabulous food and delightful small towns. Unfortunately, most tours are bustling affairs filled with packing and unpacking your things at 6 AM to get on the bus to go to another town, to see another cathedral, to be paraded through another market. Such tours show you Burgundy but fail to capture its essence. The same trip on your own is often a frustrating affair filled with disappointment. However, barge cruises in France offer a perfect alternative. A trip aboard the Papillon that sleeps only six people and serves some of the best food in France is a passport into heaven. Guided by people that really know Burgundy, a tour aboard the Papillion is a vacation to savor.

The Papillon is a canal boat that was built in 1902 to navigate the complex system of canals and rivers that united an industrializing France. Surviving two wars, the Papillon was rescued at the end of her life by a pair of interior designers from New York. They lovingly restored and converted her into the luxurious canal boat she is today.

The Papillon only accommodates six guests at a time pampered by a crew of four. Six guests is the perfect number for social interactions and daily outings without the group disintegrating into a study in herding cats. This is a flexible vacation tailored to your interests- whether this is visiting the new Alesia museum that focuses on Burgundy during the time of Julius Caesar or visiting local wineries, or strolling through the village of Gissey-sur-Ouche. There is always plenty to do including cycling, walking, tennis and French Boules.

The owner of the Papillon, Bill Higgs, has been managing luxury tours aboard the Papillon through Burgundy for the past 20 years. Along with his wife Jenny and his partner Dennis Sherman, and his wife Eleanor Garvin (Ellie) the Papillon developed a reputation as one of the best places for food and wine in Burgundy. Eleanor Garvin is the author of At Home in Burgundy, while Dennis Sherman publishes an acclaimed newsletter about Burgundy wines at www.eldenwine.com.

The current Chef, Sarah Hirst, first joined the Papillon crew in the 1990's and she has been Papillons chef for the last 9 years. By all accounts she has carried on Papillons fine culinary tradition. Sarah Hirst grew up on an organic farm in Wales and it was here that she developed a passion for cooking and came to understand the power of fresh, organic ingredients. Sarahs mother has a charity in India, www.earthtrustnilgiris.org that teaches school children and farmers about the importance of using organic bio-dynamic methods in farming and whenever Sarah gets a chance she visits India to immerse herself in this spicy culture. Witnessing sustainable farming at the grass roots level in India has been very influential on Sarahs choice to cook organic.

Sarah has at her disposal an unlimited budget to buy only the best ingredients for preparing food aboard the Papillon. This flexibility combined with 20 years of established relationships with Burgundys local farmers, purveyors and vintners translates into a culinary experience that is unique and exceptional. Add to this expertly chosen wine pairings and a large selection of regional specialty cheeses and you have the makings for Foodie Heaven.

Aboard the Papillon- if the mood suits- you can visit an outdoor market with Sarah and learn how to choose the best vegetables or spy a particularly flavorful chanterelle. You can watch her preparing meals and Sarah is always happy to share recipes. Sarahs favorite cookbooks include:

My Favorite Ingredients by Skye Gyngell
River Cafe
Jamies 30 minute Recipes
Leiths Cookery Bible
Cranks Bible
At Home in Burgundy by Eleanor Garvin

Sarah loves cooking with herbs and in her kitchen you will always find ginger, nutmeg, Sicilian piment, 5 spice, green cardamom, mustard seeds, cinnamon, coriander seeds, black peppercorns and fleur de sel, (sea salt). Sarah uses hand harvested sea salt collected by workers who scape only the top layer of salt before it sinks to the bottom of large salt pans..the best!

Guests have many favorites among the dishes that Sarah prepares on the Papillon. One of the most requested is a tender Charolais filet of beef prepared for Sarah by her local butcher. Served with a mix of locally gathered wild mushrooms and topped with a deep red wine sauce, the dish is much like Burgundy itself, complex, rich and utterly amazing.

The wine selection aboard the Papillon includes wines from the most famous regions in the world including Champagne, Cote dOr and Chablis. Many of the wine selections are from producers that have been supplying the Papillon for two or three generations. These cultivated relationships supply the Papillon with amazing wines that you will not find at home. Tried and true stables include Goissot, Capitain, Dubreuil-Fontaine and Richoux.

Sarah has asked us to share her most requested recipe with you:

Recipe for a Traditional Burgundy Lunch

Oeufs En Meurette (Poached Eggs in Red Wine Sauce) Serves 8

2 bottles good Red Wine
1 Liter vegtable or meat stock
4 med onions
3 small carrots
1 celery stalk
2 garlic cloves
1 lb mushrooms
1 lb bacon pieces
15 small shallots
16 eggs
16 slices of bread for croutons
Corn Flour
Bay leave and Thyme
Parsley stems
Black peppercorns
Boil altogether until reduced by half, strain the liquid, reheat adjusting the flavor if need be Thicken the sauce using a beurre manie or corn flour. I generally use corn flour so as not to lose the deep red color. Caramelize 15 small shallots, saute mushrooms and bacon pieces. Add to the sauce. Best made early or the day before so the flavors deepen.

Fry up some slices of bread in olive oil for your croutons
Poach the eggs either traditionally in the sauce or in another saucepan if you want to keep them white
Put the croutons in the bowl; pour some of the sauce over, top with poached egg and some parsley for decoration. This dish is very filling so just add a mixed salad after and some fresh homemade pear sorbet to finish. Bon appetit!
This vacation to savor aboard the Papillon is brought to you by Barge Connection, which has specialized in luxury European barge cruises since 1998. Whether you are looking for a fascinating stay aboard like the Papillon or are interested in chartering your own vessel , theBarge Connection can design a vacation that will perfectly suit your needs. Barge Connection has established relationships with all the boat agents in Europe and they are constantly updating and researching the industry to bring you only the best vessels, values and barge cruises. If you are looking to tour Europe in style barging is for you!