Orient Express Burgundy Wine Cruise Set for July 2008

Orient-Express Hotels, Trains and Cruises will celebrate the 33 Grands Crus wines of the Burgundy region of France with a week-long cruise aboard the luxury barge, Napoléon.

Escorted by wine experts with stops at four exclusive vineyards, the Semaine des Grands Crus will depart from Macon on Sunday, July 20 and end in Dijon on Saturday, July 26, 2008.

The full experience begins in Paris where guests depart by TGV express train through the French countryside past picturesque villages en route to Macon. There they board the Napoléon, considered one of the most luxurious barges in France, for a week of receptions, wine classes, tastings and exquisite menus as it meanders through the canals of Burgundy.

The Napoléon comfortably accommodates an intimate group of just twelve passengers with a high crew-to-guest ratio and a Cordon Bleu chef to enhance the experience.

During the Semaine des Grands Crus, guests visit four distinguished vineyards, including Maison Joseph Drouhin, the Drouhin-Laroze Estate, Domaine Ponsot and a fourth surprise vineyard to be revealed at the time of the cruise.

The tour also includes a visit to Beaune, the capital of the wine region of Burgundy, and a walking exploration of Dijon with a stop at the famed "Maille" mustard shop. Bicycles are available for rides through cornfields to nearby villages, and a minibus is always at the ready for jaunts to local châteaux, abbeys, monuments and antiques markets.

The fare for the Semaine des Grands Crus is $6,200 per person, including round-trip train travel from Paris, accommodations on board the Napoléon, meals, wines, tastings and tours.

For more information, visit www.orient-express.com or call (800) 524-2420.