Great report! We have done 2 Locaboat trips, first the Nivernais and then one very similar to yours but 7 days one way from Venarey les laumes to Joigny.
We are a family of 3 .. the first time our son was 7, the second time 9 and it was a fantastic way for us all to see the countryside.
Rosemary - we are from New Zealand and had no problems whatsoever with the bookings. In fact they just sent a tantalising brochure for 2008 ...
All the personnel I dealt with spoke good English and were very helpful. But it was fun (and good manners!) to use our limited french at the locks.
In any case, the 'rules of the road at sea' speak an international language - go for it, you would have a great time!

Hi Ira: I can't remember the names of the restaurants at Montbard etc. All I remember is that they were convenient to the Canal, looked OK, and served the usual auberge-type food i.e. simple ,delicious and inexpensive.
Hi Shandy: If I had only one canal trip in my life, I would probably prefer the Canal du Midi. It is older, smaller, and passes some wonderful villages where there are excellent auberge meals to be had e.g. Homps. It also traverses Castelnaudry (real home of the Cassolet), Carcassonne etc.
Main issue there is finding a barge depot (of whatever firm) that has easy access by public transport. With Locaboat, we went from Negra to Argens, and needed a lenghty taxi ride from Toulouse to the former, and ditto to Narbonne from the latter. Access to a depot at Joigny, on the other hand, was dead easy.

Interestint reoprt, thank you for sharing your experience.

Thanks for the report. Looks like just the sort of thing for my family once DS has finished GCSEs [english 16+ public exams] next year [or Venice!]
can you give us the web-site address for the company you used?
Thanks
ann

Last year my husband and I met our 2 adult daughters and had a week on a boat (Locaboat) from Agen along the Gironne canal and down the Baise River. It was a wonderful week and not at all touristy. We moored at little villages each night and found great restaurants to eat in often on the river. The weather was warm during the day and cool at night - beautiful to wake to mist on the river. It is a very slow relaxing way to go.
We booked from Australia and the Locoboat company were easy to deal with.

Thanks anyway, A.

((I))