The eight-passenger L’Art de Vivre is the oldest hotel barge in the European Waterways fleet. Built in England during WWI as a supply vessel to Allied troops battling in Somme, the 100-foot historic ship now sails smoother waters on Canal du Nivernais in Burgundy, France.
Converted into a hotel barge in 1998, she is traditional and timeless in style, with original wood and brass features to pay homage to her storied heritage. At the same time, the L’Art de Vivre cabins have been lovingly updated to suit modern travelers, while common areas feature contemporary amenities like a spa pool and a cozy saloon.
Step back in time aboard the classic vessel as she effortlessly cruises on one of the longest-established canals in France.
100 sq. ft. including modern en suite facilities. Each room has twin or double beds, wardrobe, small table and a private bathroom with shower
Deckplan
Staterooms
The L’Art de Vivre barge offers four Staterooms featuring either twin or double beds for two guests. With a private bathroom, a wardrobe, and a small table, each well-appointed room is comfortable and fully equipped for week-long trips to quiet waterways and remote tourist spots in France. Other features include portholes and hairdryers.
Sun Deck: Head to the ship’s sun deck for the best views of the L’Art de Vivre cruise. Loungers offer a comfortable spot to watch the enchanting French countryside pass by, while a six-person Spa Pool is perfect for a soothing soak while sightseeing.
Saloon: Inside, the light-filled saloon is a well-loved hangout spot among passengers seeking drinks and good conversation. A pleasant combination of traditional furnishings and modern leather accents make this an inviting space from morning to evening.
Dining: Every meal aboard this European Waterways cruise features classic favorites and regional specialties. Wine and a cheese board are also served.
The L’Art de Vivre hotel barge is fully air-conditioned. A four-person crew is onboard to ensure a relaxing and smooth-sailing journey for guests.
L’Art de Vivre Cruise Itinerary
L’Art de Vivre cruises the Canal du Nivernais, a serene and secluded waterway in France. The week-long Burgundy cruise takes passengers to treasures of the region, from the magnificent riverside cathedral of Auxerre to idyllic French villages. Private charters of the tour are also available.
The Canal du Nivernais cruise treats guests to a variety of shore excursions, including wine tasting, hikes, and guided tours of historic churches and sites. L’Art de Vivre carries bicycles for guests interested in cycling on towpaths. An optional hot air balloon ride is also available.
L’Art de Vivre Information
Length: 100 feet
Passengers: 8
Crew: 4
About European Waterways
With more than 40 years of experience, European Waterways is known for developing exceptional barge cruises in Europe’s most beloved waterways. Sail to beautiful lands across the continent, from castles in Scotland and Holland’s gardens to quaint towns in England and the vineyards of France.
The European Waterways fleet consists of hotel barges especially fitted for these journeys, including La Nouvelle Etoile, Shannon Princess, La Bella Vita, and Spirit of Scotland, among others. Each vessel can carry up to 20 passengers, making each European barge cruise intimate and personalized. All ships and systems undergo regular maintenance and refurbishment to maintain the company’s remarkably high standards of safety and comfort.
L'Art de Vivre Reviews
The peaceful nature of the L’Art de Vivre hotel barge cruise suited passengers who experienced tours aboard the vessel. A good number of guests raved about the food served on the ship, while others highlighted the clean, well-maintained cabins.
Ask our Adventure Life travel experts for cruise recommendations, ship comparisons, or general advice on upcoming tours in or beyond Europe.
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 251 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 251 reviews on
2 days ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
3 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
4 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
6 days ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.