FRENCH COUNTRY WATERWAYS OFFERS UNPRECEDENTED SAVINGS ON LUXURY CRUISES

TWO-FOR-ONE PRICES ON FOUR DIFFERENT ITINERARIES ON THREE  BARGES

Duxbury, MA, January 2009 -- Whether traveling with a spouse, companion or good friend, guests aboard one of  French Country Waterways’ luxury barges will be able to save 50% when sharing a cabin as the company unveils a "Two-for-One" program.  The fares -- $3,648 to $4,098 per person, double occupancy vs. normal rates of $7,295 to $8,195 -- are offered on select April through August, 2009 departures.  Barging the canals of France is a unique experience that combines an upscale existence - tastings of dozens of Grand and Premier Cru wines, attentive service and wonderful meals - with an insider’s look into provincial France.  This offer cannot be combined with other specials and is subject to availability.

The 12-passenger, all-suite Adrienne sails in Burgundy’s fabled Côte d'Or wine-growing region between St. Léger-sur-Dheune and Dijon, where guests visit the wine town of Beaune and its famous 15^th century hospice; the medieval Clos de Vougeot; and the historic center of Dijon.  The eight-passenger Horizon II takes in “Historic Burgundy,” the route between Tanlay and Veneray-les-Laumes on the Canal de Bourgogne, visiting Auxerre’s St. Etienne Cathedral and historic quarter; the Cistercian monastery of Abbaye de Fontenay; and the splendid Renaissance château of Ancy-le-Franc. 

The eight-passenger Princess splits her season between Champagne and Alsace-Lorraine.  In Champagne, guests explore the Cathedral of Reims, the cellars Moët & Chandon and the sites of the American Cemetery and World War I battlefields of Belleau Woods.  In Alsace-Lorraine, a border region where German and French influences converge, excursions include the city of Nancy, with its Place Stanislas, one of Europe's most beautiful squares, and cosmopolitan Strasbourg and its Petite France neighborhood brimming with half-timbered houses and vibrant flowerboxes.

These luxury six-night cruises combine an elegant dinner ashore at the most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurant near each cruise route (Adrienne - Lameloise in Chagny; Horizon II - Le Relais Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu; and Princess - Les Crayeres in Reims and Le Cerf in Marlenheim) with creative cuisine prepared by talented young chefs.  Other signature characteristics include first-rate service from a crew fluent in English and French; daily sightseeing excursions and a private wine tasting; time to relax on the sundeck and walk or bicycle along canal towpaths; and escorted transfers between Paris or Strasbourg and the barges. 

Information, brochures and reservations can be obtained from French Country Waterways, Ltd., P.O. Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331; (800) 222-1236 in the U.S. and Canada and (781) 934-2454 in MA; www.fcwl.com.

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