In late August 2008 I was part of a small group that went on a 5 day self-drive canal boat trip in Burgundy, organised by French Travel Connection.

The trip started in the town of Migennes, where the marina staff provided helpful and friendly service to make sure we were well prepared.  Driving the canal boat was easy and, after we got used to the first few locks, it was a real pleasure to sedately "drive" along the canal to each destination.

The first evening we stopped at a pontoon next to a camping ground and in the morning we motored off to a small village where we stopped to enjoy lunch.  Along the way we saw vineyards, small villages and beautiful wooded areas.  The canal itself was stunning and I mainly stayed on the boat throughout the trip but others in the group rode our bicycles to nearby towns and other attractions whilst the rest of us continued along the canal.

One of the highlights for me was stopping for the night in the small village of Accolay. When we woke up in the morning the whole area was covered in fog, which made for a beautiful start to the day and was really special. I also enjoyed the town of Auxerre, with its huge cathedrals and historical town centre.

The best things for me about our canal trip were the slow speed, beautiful scenery and up-close history, along with being able to genuinely relax with friends and family.

                                                                                                                          Bjorn, Sydney