Cultural cruise of the Oise and Paris

“You are now a squire of the Brotherhood of the Knights of Whippers of Chantilly Cream” said the red-haired, bespectacled knight beaming at me. It’s certainly not something you hear every day. I was on a cultural cruise of the Oise and Paris, aboard the MS Raymonde, a hotel barge in the fleet of the French family-owned CroisiEurope company, on the Oise River in Picardy, close to the exquisite Chateau of Chantilly which we’d toured earlier in the day as part of a week-long cruise of the Oise Valley visiting historic towns, castles and pretty villages.

The knight of the Confrérie des Chevaliers Fouetteurs de Crème Chantilly – real name Corinne (she works in a local restaurant), had joined us to demonstrate how to make the famous Chantilly cream which is said to have been invented at the chateau. When she asked for volunteers, I was in, I mean, how hard can it be to whip cream? Actually, if you do it properly, it takes about 10 minutes of good hard whipping! I was rewarded with a bowl of delicious vanilla-flavoured cream, whipped to puffed up peaks of perfection, which passed the hold it over-your-head-upside-down test and gained me my Squire status in the Knighthood – I have a certificate to prove it!

A week long cultural cruise of the Oise and Paris

Learning to make Chantilly Cream was just one of the fun and fabulous organised events on a week-long cruise of the Oise Valley that is full of surprises – culture, history, beautiful villages, ancient sites, and delicious, truly delicious, food and wines.

My rendezvous point was in Paris, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and you’ll either embark there or be transported by private minibus to Noyon in Picardy, to board the specially built barge which will be your home for 7 days. Carrying just 22 passengers maximum, and with 6 staff, there’s plenty of room and two sun decks to enjoy, as well as a hot tub and bikes for cycling along the tranquil tow paths.

The barge hotel cruises between Paris and Pont-l’Évêque in Noyon where French Protestant reformer John Calvin was born in 1509 and takes in some of the most famous sites of France including the Chateau of Malmaison, one time love nest of Napoleon Bonaparte and his Empress Josephine, and Auvers-sur-Oise where Van Gogh lived and painted prolifically for the last months of his life.

Bespoke barging at its best

From the very first moment you board the boat to be greeted with a glass of fizz, you feel as though you’re part of the boat ‘family.’ Our group included Brits, Americans, and French-speaking Canadians, but within hours we were bonded, and at the end we all hugged when we said goodbye feeling like we were leaving friends behind.

I’m no stranger to CroisiEurope, I’ve taken several cruises in France and I have loved every one of them. I’ve been with my husband, with friends and solo (they are great for solo travellers by the way). All of the cruises are low in guest numbers, high on customer services and they always share common traits. Amazing food. Fabulous wines. Friendly, welcoming crew who all speak English and French. And tours with guides (in English and French), that will take in a mix of big-ticket attractions, major castles for instance, plus places that are less well-known, authentic and a little off the beaten track. Such as Noyon.

Cruising the historic countryside and sites of France

It was dark when we left the boat after dinner to go to the Cathedral of Notre-Dame in Noyon. Pasquale the minibus driver dropped us off with a guide and we entered the candle lit abbey, especially opened for our group. Built 1130-1150 (13 years before Notre-Dame in Paris was begun), it is the 5^th church to be built on the site where the Emperor Charlemagne was crowned King of the Franks in 768; Hugh Capet, founder of the Capetian Dynasty was also crowned here (968). Next door is Calvin’s former home, now the local library with a small museum dedicated to him.

There’s no sailing at night, you cruise the winding waterways most mornings, with excursions in the afternoons, which the next day brought us to Compiègne.

Historic city of Compiègne

Compiègne is a vibrant town and its medieval streets are lined with half-timbered houses, shops, and restaurants. There are several museums, and a library in the former medieval cloisters. Joan of Arc came here, and finding her way barred by the Governor who feared her presence would endanger his town, she was taken prisoner by the Burgundian forces (English allies), on 14 May 1430. It’s said that Joan prayed in the town’s 13^th century church of St Jacques. It’s richly decorated and has a reliquaries room full of bones and bits.

The vast Royal Chateau of Compiègne, one of the biggest in France, is a wonderfully preserved time capsule. Napoleon Bonaparte spent much time here, but not having the funds to revamp it, he left most of it as it was when the Bourbon Kings were on the throne, and it remains just as it was. Filled with furniture, tapestries, and artworks, it sits in the heart of the town and on the edge of the great forest of Compiègne, one of the largest forests of France.

Close by, the Armistice museum is home to a replica of the railway dining coach which became a makeshift conference room in which the Armistice ending World War I was signed at 05.00 11 November 1918. It makes for a moving visit. Read more about Compiègne here.

Chantilly – the castle that inspired Marie-Antoinette

The next day we headed to Chantilly to visit one of the most beautiful castles in all of France. Oozing with history, home to one of the greatest collections of artworks in the world, sumptuously decorated, gorgeous gardens which cover a whopping 115 hectares and include a hamlet that is said to have inspired Marie-Antoinette to build her own hamlet at Versailles, plus chateau-like stables. And the place where yours truly became a Square of the Knighthood of the Chantilly Cream Whippers! Read more about Chantilly here.

Auvers-sur-Oise – last resting place of Van Gogh

Sailing on, accompanied by herons, swans and ducks sharing the glorious countryside with us, we arrived in Auvers-sur-Oise, the town in which Vincent Van Gogh lived his last weeks. We docked a stone’s throw from the famous church that Van Gogh painted. He was here for just 70 days and in that time, he created in a frenzy – 76 paintings of local sites and people. I couldn’t help but think it was almost as if he knew his time was up or was planning to ensure it.

After a walk to visit his grave, poignantly next to his beloved brother’s last resting place, we took a guided tour of the town following in the footsteps of Van Gogh and other artists who were captivated by the beauty of this area including Cezanne and Pissarro. Van Gogh worked nonstop, painting the farmhouses, and winding roads to the fields and he would probably recognise the landscape, the town, and the lovingly-restored garret where he lived above the Auberge Rouge.

We ended with a visit to the Absinthe Museum – and of course a tasting of the ‘Green Fairy’, one of Van Gogh’s favourite tipples.

Pontoise – impressionists’ favourite

Continuing the arty theme in Pointoise, we followed the Impressionist Trail with a guide who showed us the sites that featured in works by many artists including Paul Gaugin. Housed in a 19th century mansion, the Pissarro Museum features some of Camille Pissarro’s works plus those by his five sons and the Impressionists who were influenced by him.

Chateau de Malmaison

Then it was on to the glorious Chateau of Malmaison, where Josephine Bonaparte loved to grow roses and where after her divorce from Napoleon, she continued to live. Beautifully decorated and furnished in Empire style, it has an intimate feel to it though it’s barely ten miles from Paris. Read more about Malmaison in the FREE Good Life France Magazine issue 39

Barge cruise Paris!

Sailing down the River Seine, sipping sparkling wine as you admire some of the most famous and legendary landmarks – the twinkling Eiffel Tower, the Statue of Liberty looking out from an island to its big sister in New York, the historic buildings and iconic sites – it’s a uniquely special journey. This is a cruise where you’ll make priceless memories to cherish forever – you see a lot of sites, visit many beautiful villages and towns, discover authentic France, and experience French culture – but always in a relaxed way.

This captivating cruise runs from April to October: croisieurope.co.uk/destination/the-oise-valley

Discover all of the fabulous CroisiEurope cruises across France and further: croisieurope.uk

Janine Marsh is the author of several internationally best-selling books about France and editor of The Good Life France Magazine.