A revamped luxury boat hotel, golden marguerite fields, three-Michelin-star menus, and the finest wines in France — Belmond’s newest river experience is everything a slow travel dream should be.
If you’ve ever imagined drifting through the heart of Burgundy, wine glass in hand, with nothing on the agenda but a vineyard visit and a private chef’s dinner waiting for you on deck — Belmond just made that vision a little more real.
This summer, the luxury hospitality brand is relaunching one of its iconic boat hotels under a fresh name and a beautifully reimagined identity. Meet Marguerite, A Belmond Boat, Burgundy.
ABOUT BELMOND
For those new to the name, Belmond is the luxury travel brand owned by LVMH, operating 47 exclusive hotels, trains, river cruises, and safaris across the world. Founded in 1976, it’s perhaps best known for the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, and has built its reputation around what it calls “slow luxury” — travel that is unhurried, deeply curated, and rooted in the culture of its destinations.
Les Bateaux Belmond is its fleet of intimate riverboats sailing through France, including Alouette in Bordeaux, Pivoine and Napoléon in Provence, and Fleur De Lys and Lilas also in Burgundy.
Marguerite is the newest addition — and she’s a beauty.
MEET MARGUERITE
Formerly known as Amaryllis, the newly revamped Belmond riverboat takes its name from the golden marguerite fields that blanket Burgundy’s countryside. The redesign runs deep: inside, you’ll find soft yellow hues, delicate floral motifs, stained glass crafted by the renowned Atelier Loire in Chartres, and bespoke rugs that playfully echo the act of plucking daisy petals. Every detail feels rooted in place.
“From the stained-glass mastery of Atelier Loire in Chartres to the fine woodwork crafted in Saint Rémy, Marguerite embodies a level of savoir-faire, deeply anchored in our national heritage,” says Maxime Brun, general manager of Les Bateaux Belmond.
“This is exactly what our guests seek with Les Bateaux Belmond: a genuine connection to our contemporary heritage, a sense of place, and authenticity that embodies our values. It is a testament to our ongoing commitment to slow luxury, where time is not simply spent, but invested.”
The boat accommodates up to eight guests across four double suites, an open-plan salon, and an outdoor deck with a private plunge pool. Think of it less as a boat and more as a floating boutique hotel — one that happens to change its view every morning.
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THE ROUTES
Marguerite will sail three itineraries through the Burgundy region this summer:
Pontailler-sur-Saône to St Léger
Lyon to Auxonne
St-Jean to Lyon
Each route winds through some of France’s most storied wine country, passing vineyards, medieval villages, and sun-dappled canals at a pace that actually lets you take it all in.
WHAT TO DO ON BOARD AND BEYOND
Itineraries are fully customisable, designed around the interests and rhythm of each group of guests. On the water, you can simply relax on deck, dip in the plunge pool, read, sketch, or do absolutely nothing — which, in Burgundy, feels like exactly the right amount.
Off the boat, the experiences on offer read like a very well-edited bucket list. Highlights include a mustard-making class in Dijon, a private lunch at the historic Château du Clos de Vougeot, a market-to-table cooking class in Beaune, and family-estate wine tastings in Gevrey-Chambertin and Côte de Beaune. For those who prefer to explore on two wheels, e-bike tours along the Route des Grands Crus offer stunning vineyard views at a wonderfully unhurried pace.
THE FOOD
After a day of exploring, guests return to the boat for dinner prepared by an onboard private chef — and not just any chef. The menu is crafted by Dominique Crenn, whose San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn holds three Michelin stars. Paired with Burgundy’s celebrated wines, enjoyed along the Route des Grands Crus and at iconic wineries in Beaune, Vougeot, and Morey-Saint-Denis, dinner on Marguerite is likely to be a highlight of the entire trip.
THE DETAILS
Marguerite, A Belmond Boat, Burgundy sets sail this summer 2025. Private charters for up to eight guests start from €85,100. For enquiries and bookings, visit belmond.com.
Whether you’re planning a milestone celebration, a family reunion, or simply a very luxurious escape with close friends, Marguerite offers something increasingly rare in modern travel: the feeling that you have all the time in the world — and that every moment of it has been thoughtfully looked after.
