by Alison Gardner, Editor
Travel with a Challenge

Learn more about our Barging Specialists showcased within this richly-illustrated article.
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Cruising along Europe's historic waterways in Spring, Summer, and Autumn provides an authentic link with past and present cultures and with Nature at an unhurried vacation pace. Many of the Continental European canals and locks still in use were constructed as early as the 16th century, long preceding highways as reliable transportation between villages and market towns. Since the canals were the main street, impressive buildings were frequently designed to display their best face to the action.

Still standing today, canals are preserved, like time capsules, as historic working monuments. Often with intricate lock systems and tunnels, they represent astonishing feats of engineering for their time. Along their banks, one may visit Greek, Roman, and early Christian sites; medieval walled cities; and great castles with noble and sometimes infamous histories. Vineyards, owning wine labels coveted throughout the world, are a feature of many "shore excursions", and the special dishes and drinks of each region make most barging vacations a gastronomical treat from start to finish.

The best-established barging routes, whether self-guided or fully-catered with all the trimmings of a deluxe hotel and dining room, are in England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Belgium, France, and Germany. Each route is steeped in history, country atmosphere, and culture which faster-moving vacations fail to allow time to fully absorb or appreciate. Each vessel, operator, and route has a distinctive personality -- which may be, in itself, a compelling argument for consulting a specialist in this type of travel.

There is a considerable difference between canal barging and river cruising, with the former featuring fewer passengers and a slower pace (frequently slower than walking, with an average barge cruise covering only 30 and 50 miles in one week!).

Offering an expert insider's tip, Ellen Sack, The Barge Lady calls the Upper Loire, located a two-hour drive south of Paris, perhaps the least well known of the company's many cruising areas. The region's historic 16th-century waterways meander invitingly through picturesque towns and rolling countryside.

Varied sightseeing opportunities along the Upper Loire range from the hilltop wine village of Sancerre and an aqueduct designed by Eiffel of Tower fame to shopping for china at Gien, a working Renaissance farm and magnificent château of St. Fargeaux, and adorable Montargis, criss-crossed by canals and colorful floral displays.

These are grand vacations for photographers, bird watchers, walkers, artists, and multi-generational families, leaving plenty of room for spontaneous as well as planned land-based explorations. Some barge companies offer specially-themed weeks scheduled for golfers, cuisine vacationers, and wine lovers. With canal barging, you can lend a hand at the locks, help wind the sluices to send thousands of gallons of water rushing into the lock chamber, or just sit back and enjoy the slowly changing scenery. You can drop into a lockside pub, take a bicycle ride or a walk into a medieval village for a baguette of French bread and a bottle of wine, and still be on board in time for tea.

With a brief lesson in boat etiquette and vessel management before hitting the water on your own, self-skippered vessels are often small enough for one or two families or even a couple to create a wonderful, affordable holiday, ideal for that memorable three-generation vacation where the lack of telephones, TV and Nintendo set the perfect atmosphere for creative communication and shared activities.

ROW International founder, Peter Grubb, offers the following tip: "Choose a route with no more than 40 locks in a week. Locks are a novelty at first, but then become a bit tedious and time-consuming if there are too many. This is especially important for smaller groups with two to four people. Larger groups have more options of leaving a few people on board to drive the boat and navigate the locks while others take a turn on shore riding bikes, walking and exploring."

In Britain alone, there are over 4,000 miles of navigable rivers and canals covering the length and breadth of the country. From 1761 until well into the 19th century, "narrow boats" were the working vessels of the canals (or indigenous craft, as they are fondly called), generally about 70 feet long and 7 feet wide, often barely smaller than the width of the canals themselves. Now restored for their new role as carriers of tourists, they are decorated in traditional style with polished brasses and intricate rope work; today they are run on diesel engines instead of being pulled by horses as in times past.

No longer a vital form of transport for the mines, farms, factories and ports, these colorfully painted hotels are now given over to stylish luxury and haut cuisine with a British flavor. Some hotel boats offer self-guided walking holidays that are particularly attractive to the seniors market. Each day, the client sets off to explore an area with a packed lunch, and meets their slowly moving hotel at a designated spot later in the day.

Steadily growing, fleets of barges and canal boats are proliferating on the European continental waterways. Holland, long respected for an epic struggle to control its water-logged territory, is a land of well-ordered canals and rivers with a large choice of boat-based vacations. Hundreds of miles of centuries-old canals are dotted with towns and villages you may admire while boating down the main street!

Growing in popularity, Germany is also a culturally and historically significant destination with a vast network of canals, rivers and lakes, including the country's largest lake, the Muritzsee. You can even head to Brandenburg at the heart of reunited Germany and visit Berlin with its famous Museum Island. Whether choosing an ultra-deluxe, full service vessel or a modest self-skippered pénichette, Germany is a country that deserves more attention in the barging and canal boating vacation lineup.

Most French barges are British or American Owned

As a result of the hot politics surrounding the Iraq War, a little known fact of ownership in the French canal barging industry has come to light. In 2003 when many British and American travelers decided to boycott French barging vacations as a misguided political statement on France's lack of support for the Iraq war, it turns out that they were punishing their own countrymen!

Canal barging vacations started in the mid-60s when British investors recognized the commercial potential of France's then-neglected canal system. American companies got into barging in the 1990s and introduced many innovations, particularly in the Ultra-Deluxe category.

Shoulder or "value" seasons undoubtedly provide the best deals. Check with your barging consultant on shoulder dates in particular countries. For example, cruising seasons are April to October in both France and the U.K., with self-skippered boating in parts of France starting in mid-March. Also inquire about discounts for second and subsequent weeks on the same vessel. Singles especially appreciate these vacations because there are often single cabins with little or no surcharge. Also ask about the barge operators who welcome small children or extended families, often with designated "family weeks".

Featuring profiles on Go Barging, French Country Waterways, The Barge Lady, The Saint Louis, Barge Burgundy & Beyond, The Anthonia, ROW International, and Barge Nilaya!

Celebrating 33 years of smooth sailing in 2007, Go Barging - European Waterways, www.gobarging.com, is a pioneer in the vacation barging business, offering luxury cruise holidays that include Scotland, France, England, Ireland, Italy, the Czech Republic and Germany. This company has been a leader in hotel barge design and in developing new routes and themes for their creative itineraries such as the unique Venice, Italy barging vacation. Among the most popular choices remain canal cruises in the south of France and the Fall cruise around the Chablis Vineyard region in northern Burgundy. Family barge charters are also in high demand.

Go Barging's 17 beautifully-presented 6-12 passenger hotel barges cruise in eight European countries at a calm majestic pace, allowing passengers to truly experience a country’s character from within. Barges feature restaurant, bar, saloon, sauna and spa pool/Jacuzzi, bicycles and cabins with ensuite facilities, a knowledgeable English-speaking crew, great food and quality guided excursions. Travel individually or charter a whole barge. Tel: [toll-free USA] 800-394-8630, [toll-free Canada] 888-342-1917 or
[Britain] 44 (0) 1784 482439. Email: Sales@GoBarging.com.

French Country Waterways, www.fcwl.com, cruises four of the most picturesque regions of France -- Champagne, Burgundy, Alsace Lorraine, Upper Loire -- each one rich in culture and history. With a fleet of five luxury hotel barges accommodating between 8 and 18 passengers, expect the same high quality throughout this fleet, each barge with the luxurious ambience of a fine country inn.

Drawing upon France's rich culinary heritage, French Country Waterways chefs skillfully blend classic cooking techniques with the current trend to lighter, healthier cuisine. The results of this synthesis of styles are fresh, creative dishes equal to any from the best kitchens in France. From Continental breakfasts and buffet lunches, to our four-course, candlelit dinners with local wines, each meal is a celebration for the senses.

Spacious twin or double staterooms with private bath complement the attractively-furnished lounges, dining areas and panoramic outer decks. As well as offering bicycles to encourage independent exploration, a deluxe motorcoach accompanies each barge for excursions ashore and transfers. Departures are every Sunday, April through October. Tel: [toll-free USA] 800-222-1236 or 781-934-2454; Email: admin@fcwl.com.

Drawing on 22 years of experience in European canal barging, The Barge Lady, Ellen Sack, is a respected veteran of the business, with a personal interest in each one of the many vessels her company represents in France, Holland, Belgium, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Germany. While all barges in the portfolio offer high standards of intimate and authentic cruising, her detailed rating system for each vessel allows clients to choose the perfect match for their needs, interests, and budget, ranging from Ultra-Deluxe to Casual Class to a Self-Drive Plus boating experience.

About 75% of clients are over 50 years old. Minimum age is 18 except on specially designated family departures or where a whole boat is chartered. Send for a FREE newsletter by visiting The Barge Lady's newly updated website at www.bargeladycruises.com or request by phone.
Tel: [toll free U.S.A.] 1-800-880-0071 or 312-245-0900 worldwide;
Email: ellen@bargelady.com.
If you plan to book a barge holiday in FRANCE, call us at 800-880-0071 and tell us you saw our writeup in Travel with a Challenge. In conjunction with the barge booking, we'll gift you with one night in a Paris hotel!

The Saint Louis, www.bargefrance.com, is extremely comfortable, with 3 large double/twin en-suite guest cabins, a superb saloon, and airconditioning/central heating throughout. The Saint Louis provides week-long cruises on the magical unspoiled waterways of south-west France, between Montauban and Bordeaux, under the expert touch of owners, Alasdair and Barbara Wyllie.

Excursions are taken to a huge variety of places of interest, including medieval villages, ancient abbeys, vineyards, distillers of Armagnac, local markets and country museums. Barbara's cuisine is highly recommended -- fresh delicious meals crafted from the best of local ingredients, all beautifully presented. These great cruises are inclusive of transfers, excursions, all food and all drinks. Clients come from all over the world to sample the delights of the Saint Louis, often in groups of 2 or 3 couples, or in family groups. Mobile tel: 0033 (0) 685 95 25 41; Email: saintlouisbarge@orange.fr.

Barge Burgundy & Beyond, www.bargeburgundy.com. Professionally trained in barge skippering and operations, American hosts, Don and Patty Garni, personally welcome each guest aboard their beautiful floating home, Maria. It is a classic Dutch Luxemotor built in Holland in 1931 converted to a private cruising barge in 1992 by German shipwrights. For six magical nights, you will cruise through the centuries-old canals and history-rich waterways of rural France, mooring at medieval villages and meandering through magnificent countryside abundantly dotted with wineries and chateaux. Principal routes are Burgundy, Rhône-Alpes, Haute-Saône, Vosges, and Alsace-Lorraine.

Maria accommodates up to four guests in two beautifully appointed and spacious double staterooms, each with bathroom, shower and wardrobe. Breakfast and lunch are provided daily as well as the first night's "welcome a-barge" dinner and two hosted dinners ashore at local restaurants. Working closely with guests and drawing on their own intimate knowledge and appreciation of "Burgundy & Beyond", Don and Patty plan and personalize the cruise itinerary and activities for each week. However, their cruising style remains adventurous and flexible, free to stop on an impulse and to deviate from a planned itinerary on a whim! Maria's cruise season runs from mid-May to mid-October. Email: info@bargeburgundy.com.

The Anthonia, www.bargeanthonia.com, explores the waterways of Burgundy’s always-magnetic vacation region, rich in culture, history and distinctive cuisine. Sensitively converted into a luxurious floating home, The Anthonia whole boat charter offers up to four guests at a time a week-long travel experience, both relaxing and intense in its possibilities.

For the young at heart, with adventurous spirits, the three to five hours a day of canal meandering may be spent on the spacious sundeck, watching nature and villages pass by … slowly. Or … you are invited to take the helm of this 80-ton ship, learn skills of working the ropes, operate the locks, discover a new recipe in the galley, set off on some independent towpath exploration with the barge bicycles or walk the ever-changing and always-stunning countryside.

Drawing on the fresh and famous products of the region, meals aboard The Anthonia are lavishly supported by local cheeses and wines that compliment the dishes. Most dinners are taken ashore, sharing the bill with your hosts. Restaurants are intimate and carefully selected for their atmosphere and gastronomic excellence.

With British owner operators, Janet and Malcolm Nabarro as your hosts and exclusive guides, and the barge Anthonia as your Burgundian residence, a week is not enough!  Cruises, on a variety of routes, operate from late April through mid-October. Cell phone: +33 673 11 10 18; Email: info@bargeanthonia.com.

ROW International, www.rowinternational.com, offers all-inclusive luxury barge cruising throughout France as well as partially-serviced "casual" cruises and self-skippered barge and canal boat vacations in France, Italy, Germany, Holland and Ireland. Rental prices vary greatly depending on the time of year, size of barge and length of trip.

Smaller boats holding 2 - 4 passengers cost about $1,000 per week in the low season and up to $2,500 per week in the high season. Luxury hotel barge trips start at $2,000 per person, per week, including meals and excursions. Whichever you choose, there's ample time to stroll the streets of picturesque medieval villages, visit with the locals, ride a bike to a country winery, assist a lock-keeper or relax on deck.

About 40% of trips are multi-generational family groups. Of the remainder, that is, couples or friends vacationing together mostly from the USA and Canada, about 80% are mature travelers. Tel [toll-free USA and Canada]: 1-800-451-6034 or (208) 765-0841 worldwide; Email: info@ROWadventures.com.

Barge Nilaya, www.bargenilaya.com. Informal affordable barge cruising is what it’s all about. Join Englishman Kevin Hartwell aboard his 1922 barge, Nilaya, and actively participate in a hands-on voyage of discovery through France’s beautiful waterways. Delicious cheese, fabulous wine, flexible dining and being able to tell the captain ‘where to go’ are just some of the ingredients ensuring your vacation of a lifetime. Nilaya accommodates up to four guest crew in two comfortable ensuite cabins. Singles, friends, couples or groups are all are welcome to join these informal adventures. No experience necessary, as Kevin likes to say!

During the 2008 season, Nilaya captures the explorer spirit by cruising Alsace-Lorraine including Saverne and Nancy, the stunning Canal de l'Est and River Meuse to Belgium, Reims and Champagne through the intensely rural Canal des Ardennes, and Paris via the mighty Rivers Seine and Marne.
Tel: +33 670 824 762; Email: kevin@bargenilaya.com.