Itineraries along with name of the barge in the region shown below:
French Country Waterways has luxury hotel barges with six-night cruises from April through October. Meals are classic French cuisine and include complimentary wines, with more than half being from Premier Cru and Grand Cru vineyards. There is also a meal ashore at a local restaurant. All barges have a library with books and games and bicycles. Crews are fluent in English and French. Lowest rates are during April, August, and October. Passengers must be at least 18 years old, unless a family charters the full barge.
ADRIENNE
Passengers: 12. Luxury hotel barge began cruises in 2005 on the Upper Loire. Burgundy - Cruise near the heart of the famed Côte d'Or wine growing region on the Canal de Bourgogne and the Canal du Centre.
Itinerary highlights: walking tours of Dijon, the historic capital of Burgundy, and the beautiful wine town of Beaune, wine tasting in Rully, dinner ashore at Lameloise.
HORIZON II
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Passengers: 8. the barge, 128 ft. long, was built in 1954 to carry cargo. It was converted to a luxury hotel barge in 1984, and then in 2005 was converted from a 12-passenger barge to 8 passengers in 4 suites. There is a crew of six. Suites have individual air-conditioning and heating controls, and private bathrooms with showers. The barge is a split-level design with paneled interiors. It cruises on the Canal de Bourgogne between Tanlay and Pouillenay in Burgundy. |
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Fares: below include an open bar, daily tours and excursions, and transfers to and from Paris.
NENUPHAR
Passengers: 12. Built in 1924 in Belgium, 128 ft. long, the barge carried grain, coal and timber in Belgium, Holland, and France. It was motorized in the 1950s and was converted to a luxury hotel barge in 1979. It was reconfigured in 1988. Nenuphar means water lily in French. Four cabins have queen beds, two have twin beds; all have individual air-conditioning and heating controls and private bathrooms with showers. It cruises along the Canal de Briare, Canal du Loing and River Seine.
Fares: $3,895 to $4,295 per person including an open bar, daily tours, excursions, and transfers to and from Paris.
PRINCESSPassengers: 8. The 128-ft. vessel was built in 1973 in the Netherlands by Daniel Ludwig, international shipping magnate and founder of Princess Hotels, as his private barge, then became a hotel barge in 1997. There are four suites with king or twin beds that have individual air-conditioning and heating controls and private bathroom and all with showers. |
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There is a canopied sundeck. Cruises go on two routes: in Champagne and in Alsace-Lorraine between Strasbourg and Nancy.
Fares:below with rated including an open bar, daily tours and excursions, and transfers to and from Paris.
| All vessels depart every Sunday from April 6 through October 26. | ||
| High Season: | May 4 - July 5 August 10 - October 18 | |
| Value Season: | April 27 - May 3 July 6 - August 9 October 19 - 25 | |
| Shoulder Season: | April 6 - April 26 October 26 - November 1 | |
You are greeted at the Paris hotel by our guide and escorted via private motor coach or high-speed train to the mooring where your luxury hotel barge awaits. Once aboard, you are welcomed by your English-speaking crew, and shown your comfortably appointed stateroom, complete with private bath. The first evening s enjoyed by becoming acquainted with your fellow passengers who, like you, seek to experience France in a special way.
Each morning, your luxury hotel barge gets underway for the day's cruise. As it navigates the frequent locks on the canal, it is easy to step directly ashore for a leisurely stroll. If you feel adventurous, take one of the barge's bicycles to explore the quiet lanes and quaint villages nearby. Or, simply relax on the sundeck and watch the lovely French countryside slowly unfold.
During the day, you are invited to join an excursion via private motor coach to a nearby point of special interest. Each itinerary has been selected to include a varied sampling of the region; romantic castles, historic towns, and renowned vineyards for wine tasting. At certain châteaux and estates, your tour will be conducted by the owner, whose family has been in residence for generations.
On one evening, you will be welcomed by one of France's most prestigious restaurants for an elegant dinner ashore. Your Captain will also arrange for you to enjoy special local events which occur during your cruise, from lively farmers' markets to the fireworks on QuatorzeJuillet.
Since the same high level of quality and service can be found on each barge, you can select your cruise based on the itinerary you find most intriguing. Whatever your destination, you will discover a land of quiet beauty and gracious people, and gain a rare, insider's perspective of provincial France.
Contact: pamela@smallcruiseships.net or (303) 504-0400 - USA & Canada (888) 321-0103. International Calls Welcome.
