Burgundy by Barge and E-Bike: Moret-sur-Loing to Auxerre, 8 Days Guided

Day 1 – Moret-sur-Loing
Boarding and check-in from 2pm. The captain, crew and tour leader welcome you, then you are fitted to your bike. Dinner is served on board. Afterwards there is time to walk through Moret-sur-Loing, the medieval fortified town on the Loing where Sisley found his subjects.

Day 2 – Moret to Montereau, then on to Pont-sur-Yonne (43 km or 48 km)
Breakfast while the ship sails to Montereau, where the Yonne meets the Seine. The collegiate church of Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Loup, built between the 12th and 14th centuries, is a listed monument and worth the stop. The day ends at Pont-sur-Yonne, a quiet river town where you moor for the night.

Day 3 – Pont-sur-Yonne to Sens (35 km or 46 km)
The short route follows the river valley, the longer one heads into the countryside. Sens is one of the oldest towns in France and you visit its cathedral of Saint-Etienne, the first of the great French Gothic cathedrals. Just outside town lies the Parc du Moulin a Tan, with a rose garden and an arboretum. There is no dinner on board tonight, so you eat in Sens.

Day 4 – Sens to Villeneuve-sur-Yonne (30 km or 53 km)
Two options again. The short one stays close to the water; the long one climbs into the hills to the cider museum, where you taste what they make. You moor at Villeneuve, a quiet town with medieval gate towers and a romantic string of gardens.

Day 5 – Villeneuve-sur-Yonne to Joigny (47 km)
A morning along the river to Saint-Julien-du-Sault and its 13th-century church of Saint-Pierre, known for its stained glass, then on to Joigny. The afternoon is a loop through the local vineyards that ends with a tasting of Burgundy wines. Joigny itself has renaissance facades and old churches.

Day 6 – Joigny to Auxerre (58 km or 61 km)
The short route follows the Yonne south, the long one heads further inland. Both end in Auxerre: majestic church towers, streets of 16th-century timbered houses, the cathedral of Saint-Etienne, the old harbour and a 15th-century bell tower.

Day 7 – Auxerre and the Bailly cellars (49 km or 52 km)
A free day if you want one. Otherwise you ride out with the guide along the Yonne to the Caves de Bailly, a vineyard famous for its sparkling Cremant de Bourgogne and its limestone caves. The vineyards of Saint-Bris and Irancy are close by.

Day 8 – Auxerre
A farewell breakfast on board with the group, then disembarkation until 9:30am.

Where two distances are given, the first is the short route and the second the longer option; distances are approximate. You can stay on board any day you prefer not to ride.