Around northern france by barge, car and bicycles. Traveling in France on a "floating hotel" - for romantics and sophisticated

Preparing for the trip

Route
We have dreamed of sailing on a boat along the canals and rivers of France for several years, from the moment when I took a catalog of one of the French companies engaged in the leasing of ships at a tourist exhibition in Moscow. The whole family leafed through this catalog and looked at the photographs. Well, we were inspired by the report "Around Burgundy on a Barge" for concrete actions, for which we express our deepest gratitude to the author. After last year's Poland, where we went with the Getmanovs, Roman Nikolaevich and Olga Dmitrievna again asked for Europe. We began to think and figure out, Anka remembered about the barges. So it all started spinning.

After last year big trip in Swiss and French Alps, Provence and Aquitaine, we have developed for ourselves a set of requirements for a real trip.

Let's try to outline them here:
Travel should not be by country or countries, but by individual regions.
Large journeys are not the journey itself - they are boring transfers between separate parts of the journey.
During the trip, there must be walks or trekking in interesting places. Better yet, cycling.
There must be a sea, and better ocean and, as we decided, not necessarily warm.
There must be mountains, and the higher the better.
And of course the historical and cultural sights and cities.

The boat only takes two weeks, and our summer trips usually last 30 days or more. So we decided to continue traveling further after the ship.

As a result, the travel plan was as follows:

1. We are driving from Moscow to Alsace. We spend all the extra days between the road and the ship exploring Alsace.
2. Two-week boat trip along the Marne-Rhine canals, Moselle, Saar and the Saar-Marne canal.
3. Then the Getmanovs either go home through Kaliningrad to stop by to see Mityai (one of the sons who now serves in the army), or they travel with us for several days, and then go to Kaliningrad.
4. We drive through Champagne and Picardy (we look at them not in detail, but only the most interesting along the way).
5. We travel in detail in Normandy and Brittany. This, in fact, is the purpose of the second part of the trip.
6. On the way back, we stop at Lake Constance and from there we travel along the German Alpine Road to Salzburg.

Barge booking

We started looking for a route and a ship at the end of November - at the beginning of December. As it turned out, the choice of operators involved in the rental of ships is not that great. Two large companies operating throughout Europe and several small ones dealing with a specific region. The route search criteria were simple: we wanted to swim for about two weeks and did not want to swim back and forth along the same path. It turned out that there are very few two-week routes in general, and most of of them - these are round-trip routes, there are almost no circular routes. I liked the route through Burgundy and the upper Loire, but, unfortunately, this year it was not available due to the reconstruction of canals in these parts. Another route in Lorraine along the Moselle and the Saar. We chose him. It is interesting that there is almost no information on this route on the websites of rental companies, as it turned out later, it is not available on the base where the route begins.
Therefore, at the end of November, I sent letters to several companies asking what they can offer for the second half of July for 12 people for two weeks in Alsace and Lorraine.
The answer came from the two largest operators. Le Boat offered a comfortable modern ship at an inconvenient time for us at a very high price, Locaboat Holiday offered a simpler ship for the dates we needed at a reasonable price. We booked it.
Another problem was that licenses were not required to operate a ship in most European countries, except Germany. Our route partially passes in Germany, and for this part, national rights to operate the ship are required for people from countries that have such (for those countries where there are no rights to ships, they are not required). Roman Nikolaevich once had the rights to the boat, we scanned them and sent them to Locaboat. We were told that everything was fine. (On rights there is not a single word in the Latin alphabet, with the same success it was possible to provide a student or library card). I never had to show my rights to anyone.
For early booking a 5% discount, for a long trip 5%, for a large number of children in the team 10%. The percentages are not added, but taken from each other. Until the end of December (for the early booking discount to work), you must pay 40% + cancellation insurance.
We refused insurance, since it is paid only in case of refusal for very serious reasons. The final payment must be made 40 days before the start of the trip. And one more final payment is made directly at the base on the day of departure. It includes full insurance (it includes the cost of fuel, the final cleaning fee for the ship and the rental of one bike), the cost of renting the rest of the bikes and parking cars. You can refuse insurance, then you have to pay separately for the diesel engine operating hours and the ship's wash. Some time after the payment of the deposit, the Captain's Book arrived by mail - a magazine on English language with general information on navigation along canals, rivers and lakes, with basic rules on the water, with schemes of ships and the procedure for settling, staying and checking out. Even later, a packet of leaflets came from the tourist information offices of the regions through which we were to sail. So we started studying navigation rules back in winter.

Closer to the summer, it turned out that there would be not 12, but 10 people. The elder children of the Getmanovs, for various good reasons, could not go: Seva went to college, Mitya himself went to serve in the army, Kolya went on a campaign with friends to the Russian North, Ksenia had an artistic practice in Rostov, then in Polotsk. Everyone has their own adult affairs and concerns. Only schoolchildren and preschoolers went with us.

Visa
Visas were made by the French at the consulate. We will not go to the French anymore, we were given only 4 months. Nerves twitched when submitting documents properly.

Maps and navigation
As in all travels over the past year, except for TomTom on the second screen, we always had a detailed topographic map of the surroundings in OziExplorer. We used 250 meter maps of France and Germany.
A navigator with a detailed topographic map was also placed on the barge at the helm. By the way, it is very convenient, you always know where you are sailing and what is around.

Travel guides
Basic information was taken from Michelin Green Guides by region. (Alsace, Lorraine, Champagne. Northern France and the Paris region. Normandy. Brittany.) Also printed out parts of the DK travel guides (Brittany, Normandy, Munich and Bavarian Alps, German motorways). And, of course, chapters from LP. A lot of information and maps were obtained from local tourist offices. The children have already learned what advertising brochures and stands look like, they themselves chose interesting things from the pictures and asked to take them there. So we went to the aquarium, zoo and climbing park. The children grew up and began to actively participate in the discussion of the program.

Throughout France, from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the famous man-made waterway runs for 240 kilometers. This is the Canal du Midi, built in the years 1667-1694. The channel also has other names - Languedoc or South. Channel creator Pierre-Paul Riquet made it one of the most best monuments in the area of ​​a similar structure: there are about 328 hydraulic structures - bridges, tunnels, locks, aqueducts. It is not surprising that this object was listed in World heritage UNESCO.

The need for an aquatic artery

The construction of a canal 240 kilometers long, 10 meters wide and about 2 meters deep for the 17th century was a feat of labor of the French people. For that time, the idea of ​​connecting the Garonne River with the Mediterranean Sea seemed like mere dreams of unattainable technical possibilities.

The very ideas of such a structure go back to the time of the power of the Roman Empire. The next waves of desire arise already in the XV-XVI centuries. For the French economy of that time, the creation of the canal was supposed to be a profitable business. Delivery of goods was carried out earlier through the huge hook of the Iberian Peninsula, and the Spanish pirates did not let them sleep well. In addition, the trade route went through the Strait of Gibraltar, controlled by Spain, so there was an even greater desire to strain the treasury of rivals.

Pierre-Paul Riquet

Ideas and dreams were in the air for about another hundred years, until Pierre-Paul Riquet took over this business. A wealthy man who served as a salt inspector in the Languedoc province. By controlling the salt tax, over the years of service, Riquet earned himself the respect and fortune that allowed him to start realizing a great plan. He understood perfectly well that the canal would provide an inflow of finance not only for France, but also for his province. Therefore, after completing his service in 1662, at the age of 58, he took up the implementation of the canal.

Pierre-Paul Riquet

Rike's personal qualities - proactive, courageous, open-minded, hardworking, able to do business - served as a successful implementation. Moving from words to deeds, already in 1661, research began on the canal route. During this period, the problems of filling and maintaining the water level in the canal are solved. For this purpose, the construction of reservoirs in the Black Mountains is being decided.

The next step was to convince the state to finance the project. Here Rike's business acquaintances played a big role. So he manages to present the project to Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who was then the finance minister of Louis XIV. Kolbert liked the idea of ​​building a canal, but the king signed the decree only in 1666. All this time, the construction of the Southern Canal was carried out at the expense of Rike's personal funds.

Canal construction

In 1666, the construction of the necessary reservoirs began. In 1667, the largest artificial reservoir of its time was built - the reservoir of Saint Ferreola.

Prior to this period, the first stage of the Toulouse-Trebe canal was already under construction. The construction of the second stage of Trebe-Ethan begins in 1668. During the construction of the third stage, a special major port Set.

Channel map

For 12 years, builders have been paving the way to the sea. On the way of this route there were many obstacles, each of which was individually solved by Rike. Along the entire route, the Languedoc Canal is crossed by 130 built bridges, many of which have come down to us from the time of construction in their original form.

One of the main problems during the construction was the crossing of rivers. In some places, river water was allowed to enter the canal, thereby controlling the water level in it. But many turbulent rivers could simply overflow and silt it up, so engineers found other hydrotechnical solutions to the problem. Riquet himself and Vauban, who replaced him later, took emphasis on the construction of aqueducts. So 50 aqueducts were built, most of which belong to Vauban.

But sometimes aqueducts did not help either. Then the need arose for the construction of locks. At one time, about a hundred of them were built here. The locks were combined into whole cascades up to eight pieces. In later times, they were modernized, rebuilt and reduced.

In addition to the rivers, there was a problem with a hill, which was becoming a difficult task to get around. Then it was decided to cut through the Malpa tunnel, which is a unique structure in its own way.

The best conditions for their time were created for the workers on the South Canal. They received about 10 livres a month, which exceeded the salary level in the country. At the same time, weekends, non-working days, sick leave were paid, and inexpensive housing was provided. For this, Riquet received many sidelong glances from other entrepreneurs, whose workers also wanted better conditions.

Channel life

In 1680, Pierre-Paul Riquet dies before only two miles from the sea. The official opening of the canal takes place on May 24, 1681. On this day, a royal barge is launched along the canal. Since that time, the movement here does not stop for a minute, making the Canal du Midi the oldest functioning canal in Europe.

Of the 17 million livres spent on construction, 4 million were taken from Riquet's personal savings. In total, about 12 thousand people were involved in the work. Initially, the length was 240 kilometers, but in later periods it was necessary to carry out modernization. So, due to the water level drops in the Garonne River, they had to dig a way to the Atlantic. In the east, work was carried out to unite with Rona.

In the second half of the 19th century, a competitor came to the canal - the railways. The last cargo barges here come to an end in the 1970s. Since that time, only tourist boats and small vessels.

Old trees grow along the banks of the canal, providing shade for the horses towing the barges. Such a solution significantly increased the productivity of draft power in hot France. And besides, the roots of the trees significantly strengthened the banks of the canal. This problem became especially acute with the launch of the channel motor boats, the wave from which eroded the coast much more strongly.

Instead of horses, tourists and cyclists now walk along the shaded paths. But many still prefer boat trips along this wonderful canal.

Video about the Languedoc Canal

October 27th, 2017, 10:19 pm

The canals built in the century before last played an important role for France for many decades. transport role... But by the middle of the 20th century, with the development of automobile and railways, many cargo barges were out of work. Then the idea arose to carry tourists to them. We tried it - it worked. Today, barge cruises through the canals of France and other European countries are one of the most unusual types of river tourism.

Let's go on a five-day barge trip through France. Meet Madeleine, or Madeleine. What are you saying? Oh, this is her food.

Madeleine is a representative of a new generation of cruise barges. This is no longer a converted cargo ship, but a full-fledged cruise ship, built three years ago to fit the French canals. The name "barge" here is just a tribute to tradition. The vessel is 39 meters long, 5 meters wide, and has a capacity of 22 passengers and 6 crew members.

In the hull of the barge there are eleven small but comfortable passenger cabins.

The superstructure houses a salon, a bar (also known as an information desk) and a restaurant. Everything is nearby, just like home.

In front of the superstructure there is a promenade terrace with a real jacuzzi.

And on the uppermost deck, more precisely, on the roof of the superstructure, there is a promenade terrace, which is usually closed due to low bridges.

The journey begins in the small town of Lagarde. The mooring lines have been given up, and the Madeleine is sailing leisurely into the misty morning.

The construction of the Marne-Rhine Canal, along which the cruise passes, was completed in 1853. We are on our way to Strasbourg, but if we had gone in the opposite direction, in many days we would have reached Paris or some other corner of France by canal system. In the 19th century, the canals were important freight arteries for the country. Nowadays, canals have lost their transport function. Their existence is more of a tradition, to the delight of the owners of small boats and cruise barge passengers.

There are many gateways on the canal. Freight, and now cruise barges were built strictly according to their dimensions.

The barge moves at about the speed of a pedestrian, and there are paths along the canal, so it costs nothing to leave the ship in one of the locks, walk along the canal, and return aboard at the next lock.

The deckhouse of the barge is completely recessed into the superstructure before passing the low bridge. Here is our barge with a wheelhouse ...

... and in a minute the cabin is gone. Captain Camille controls the barge using a portable remote control. If necessary, he can generally leave the upper deck with this remote control, and control the ship from any room.

Having safely passed the bridge, "Madeleine" carefully enters the lock. This is not an easy task: the width of the barge is not much less than the width of the airlock. The captain is at the control panel, and the captain's mate Jocelyn is preparing to give mooring lines on the bow.

The captain is pleased with the job. However, this work is quite ordinary for him, because there are forty-one locks on the route from Lagarde to Strasbourg.

Moreover, if the width of the locks is approximately the same, then in height they sometimes differ greatly. One of the floodgates on our way is the deepest in western Europe... Its depth is fifteen meters.

We are approaching this airlock ... What is there inside, behind the gate?

And there is a narrow and high airlock. The feeling that we are literally crawling into the crack.

A fisherman was upstairs. "What did you catch?" - "I didn't catch anything."

The fog has cleared, and the channel appears in all its autumn glory. There is no oncoming traffic. There is no wind. The speed is four kilometers per hour. Feeling of an easy walk.

French cruise ships, including barges, are good for one more reason. For lunch, two types of cheese are served here, new every day. Before putting the cheeses on our table, the cruise director Melanie and the waitress Elizabeth give a short introduction.

Although I rarely write about food on cruises, cheese is not only food. This is part of the culture of France, and it is impossible to get around it. So, today we have Sainte-Maur-de-Truins, strung on a straw for ventilation on a straw soft cheese from goat's milk, covered with a mold crust. He came from the Loire Valley. We also have Livaro Norman cheese today, wrapped in strips of dried cattail leaves.

After lunch, we stop in a very small town with the puzzling name of Xahuacsange, from where we go to neighboring Sarrebourg.

Full of city sculptures, Sarrebourg seemed very attractive to me.

The Franciscan chapel (the only thing that remains of a large 13th century monastery) is decorated with a stained glass window by Marc Chagall "Peace", which was made in 1976.

There is a museum next to the chapel contemporary art... Its central exhibit is Chagall's painting "The World" of the same name with the stained-glass window.

The adjoining rooms display works by Picasso and several contemporary artists.

The antique porcelain cabbage of the 18th century won me over. I was absolutely smitten and for a long time could not move away from her: I was wondering how to get her out of here unnoticed. And although this, of course, is a joke, but I would not mind that such a masterpiece adorned some of our ships.

Isn't she wonderful?

A quiet evening in desolate Xahuaxange. Here we stay until the morning.

During this day we covered 27 kilometers.

Today I call the day of hydraulic engineering miracles.

The first miracle is the most modest: it is the aqueduct, along which our canal passes over the highway. Hello motorists! Let's try not to splash water on you.

Not far from Niederville we meet the Panache cruise barge. Unlike Madeleine, this barge was converted from a cargo barge, as can be seen from its exterior. Actually, "Madeleine" and "Panache" - this is the whole cruise fleet Canal Marne-Rhine.

Here it is. Let him be free, we can go. But what kind of area is this where only one-way traffic operates? Now we will see everything for ourselves.

Before us is a real navigable tunnel. This tunnel is considered small: its length does not exceed half a kilometer. Now we will enter it.

In the old days, barges were not as maneuverable as they are now, and they were dragged through the tunnel with the help of horses. Later horses were replaced by small locomotives. Today, ships go through the tunnels on their own.

Here it is, the light at the end of the tunnel! But we have a second tunnel ahead.

The second tunnel is more interesting than the first. Firstly, it is long: its length is almost two and a half kilometers. Secondly, it runs parallel to the railway tunnel, and if they start next to each other, then they go further one above the other.

The barge moves along the tunnel very slowly, and while we pass it, we have time to have lunch. Today we have the famous Roquefort with blue mold from the province of Auvergne, and the wonderful soft Chaurs from Champagne with a thick layer of white mold.

We are at the highest point of the route, and now we will go down. Once upon a time, the next section of the canal was a steep descent from the mountain, consisting of seventeen locks. Here it is, this descent, to the left along the side ...

But we don't need to go there. The passage of this section took a lot of time, and in the 1950s a ship lift was built next to it. This is where we are heading.

A boat lift is a lift, or funicular, for ships. The lift chamber is almost like a cable car.

The ship enters a chamber that at first glance resembles a flooded lock. But the water doesn't go away. Instead, the camera itself, along with the barge, begins to move downward.

Everything happens quickly and smoothly. Being on board a barge descending the slope, you really feel like a passenger on a funicular.

In a few minutes we are downstairs. It's even a pity that everything ended so quickly.

We moor not far from the boat lift to visit the shop of local glass blowers.

Here the masters also work.

I am a lamp.
- I am also a lamp.
- And I am a lamp.
- I'm an owl.
An awkward pause.

Now we have a sluice section of the channel. Someone overcomes it on bicycles, and others on foot. You can stay on the barge, but how not to take a walk in this weather?

The landscape here is almost mountainous.

We stop for the night in Luselbur. Here our cyclists are already waiting for us, they are my neighbors on the table: Bob from Canada and Larry and Julia from New Zealand. Very positive people, to whom I am very grateful not only for interesting conversations, but also for the absence of the traditional cruise dialogue that takes place on every foreign ship I visit.

Table neighbors: "What are you doing?"
Me: "I work for a cruise company."
Table neighbors: "Ah, that's why you are here."
I, mentally: "<вырезано цензурой>... Well, as much as possible. "
I, out loud: "Well, now I'm here, just because I love cruises."
Neighbors on the table, mentally: "How is it?".

I do not argue, the stupidest situation: a person likes the field in which he works.

In general, this dialogue did not take place here. By the way, in Soviet time Bob wrote a dissertation on passenger transport in the northern regions of the Soviet Union, and in this regard, in the sixties, he traveled pretty much The Soviet Union... In his life there were many Soviet trains, planes, steamers, which he recalls with pleasure. And the main disappointment from these trips? "Hamlet" at the Irkutsk Drama Theater. The main character next to the rest of the cast, he looked irregular. But the film with Smoktunovsky is very good.

And this is how the monument to the inhabitants of Luselbourg, who died in the first and second world wars, looks impressive:

Today we have covered 20 kilometers. And what!

Morning Luselbur is pleasant and conducive to walks. I wanted to climb the mountain to the ruins of the local castle, but the road was closed, and I did not make my way through the forest paths.

When you hear the word "canal", you imagine something narrow and straight, flowing through flat terrain, or through a city. But here the canal runs through the Vosges Mountains. It is beautiful and unusual. And this is again conducive to a race with the barge.

What kind of cheeses do we have for lunch today ... For lunch we have a Norman Pont-l'Eveque square, unusual for France, which tastes like the more famous Camembert. It is complemented by Valance cheese made from goat's milk, traditionally made in the shape of a truncated pyramid. Legend has it that the tradition of chopping off the top of this pyramid came from Napoleon, whose memories of the Egyptian company were very unpleasant. But I think this is just a legend. This cheese is produced in the Loire Valley.

When the mountains end, the canal suddenly finds itself in the center of the city. This is Saverne, founded by the Romans.

In Saverne, we say goodbye to a group of Frenchmen from Strasbourg who wished to get to know their native land from the side cruise barge but do not have time to participate in the full cruise.

One of the towers of the optical telegraph line connecting Paris with Strasbourg has survived in the vicinity of Saverne.

The optical telegraph appeared in France at the end of the 18th century, and at that time it was the fastest way to transmit information. The dispatches were transmitted along a chain through a system of towers, on the roofs of which there were semaphores with movable poles. 92 combinations of pole positions were used. The telegraphers used a book in which almost eight and a half thousand of the most common words were recorded on 92 pages, with 92 words on each page. First, the page number was transmitted, then the word number.

A total of 128 towers were installed on the 450-kilometer Paris-Strasbourg line. The neighboring towers, of course, were in sight of the telescope. Communication between these cities took three to four hours, which was then considered very fast.

By the way, in parallel with the construction of optical telegraph lines in France, the Russian mechanic Ivan Kulibin invented a similar "long-range machine", which was built in 1794. However, it did not come to its practical application. The first operating optical telegraph line in Russia appeared thirty years later. It connected St. Petersburg and Shlisselburg and served to transmit data on the conditions of navigation on the Neva and Ladoga Lake.

Near the tower are the ruins of the ancient castle of Haut Barr, which was called the "Eye of Alsace" due to its excellent all-round view.

During this day we covered only ten kilometers. Is it a lot or a little? If you remember that the barge moves at the speed of a pedestrian, then this means ten kilometers of walking along the picturesque mountainous terrain. Not bad at all in my opinion.

We will explore the cozy center of Saverne with many interesting medieval buildings.

The largest building here is the country palace of the Strasbourg bishop Louis de Rohan. The palace was built in 1779. Some plans for its completion and interior decoration remained unfulfilled: the revolution prevented. Now the palace houses a museum, Cultural Center and a youth hostel.

The city cathedral was built from the 12th to the 15th century.

A little away from the center, there is a “public laundry”, where in ancient times the townspeople washed their clothes in the water from the canal.

We continue our way. We come across not only small motor ships, but also pairs of swans. Isn't it an oncoming fleet?

And for lunch today we have the Alsatian Munster cheese with a characteristic pungent smell and Brija-Savarin from Normandy. Brija-Savarin is covered with a layer of wonderful white mold, tastes very good, is very high in calories and contains 75 percent fat. This is perhaps the best cheese I have tasted on this cruise, although any of them may well grace the most exquisite table.

Walking along the canal again. This time I managed to photograph Madeleine from the bridge.

The captain controls the barge using a portable remote control, and almost does not use the wheelhouse. And when should he use it? Due to the low bridges, the wheelhouse is almost always lowered to the lower deck, and, by the way, you can ride it like an elevator. And the wheelhouse is equipped quite modern.

When the cabin-elevator goes down, from it you get to the service part of the barge. Here are the crew cabins and a small galley. The galley is hosted by the chef Christophe, who single-handedly prepares food for the crew and passengers, and does a good job of it.

And just tonight at Christophe free time... We stop at Watenheim-sur-Zorn and head to a local restaurant where they prepare a traditional Alsatian tart flambé.

Tart flambé means “flaming pie”. In appearance, it is somewhat reminiscent of pizza, and in some way - khachapuri. However, this pie does not taste like pizza or khachapuri. Its filling consists of soft white cheese, onions and bacon. All this is put on a thin dough and sent to the oven.

Flambe tart can be prepared not only with classic filling, but also with various additives. During the evening we tried four types of this dish, including the flambé tart with the addition of Swiss cheese, with mushrooms and the vegetarian one. They all turned out to be very tasty.

We walked 22 kilometers in a day. Not bad for almost walking, isn't it?

What do you think it is?

And this is a very long trailer for a tractor. On it we will drive through the hop plantations, and then we will taste the glorious products of local brewers.

From here it is already close to Strasbourg. On the way, we part with a real cargo barge, of which there are very few left on the French canals ...

... and then we pass the interesting swing bridge.

Cheeses, cheeses ... France is a place to try them, at least as a part of the country's history. There are a lot of them here, almost all of them are delicious and relatively inexpensive. And for lunch today we have orange with a pungent smell Langres cheese from Champagne and hard Cheese Conte from the Franche-Comté region. These are the last of twelve wonderful cheeses we tasted on this cruise. And although the culinary impressions of the places visited usually do not seem to be the main ones, they sometimes wonderfully complement the experience.

We enter the line of Strasbourg. At first, neat three-four-storey buildings stretch along the canal, and then the barge finds itself near the huge building of the Council of Europe, opposite which the European Court of Human Rights is located.

Here you can already meet a large cruise ship from the Rhine ...

... but cruise ships cannot pass through the canals to the very center of Strasbourg ... But we can. It's good to be a small barge.

Almost in the very center of Strasbourg, we parted with a loaded barge and moored to the embankment.

Strasbourg - a beautiful city with amazing central part... It is necessary to write a lot about him and in detail, and that will be another time.

In the evening, the captain's cocktail brought together not only the guests, but the entire crew of six people. Tomorrow Captain Camille will set off for Burgundy to ferry the Jeanine cruise barge across France to the winter storage site in Strasbourg. For the remaining two voyages, Chief Officer Jocelyn will take over as Captain Madeleine. Well, then the navigation will come to an end - until next spring, when the crew will gather again.

Today we covered a record 28 kilometers, and the length of our entire route was 107 kilometers. Usual river boat will cover this distance in five hours, but we walked slowly ...

We say to our "Madeleine": "Goodbye!" Train Station not far from here ...

What can I say in conclusion? I went on this cruise because I was wondering what kind of cruises are they - on barges? And received great pleasure... Do I recommend this type of travel? Sure. I see the main advantages here in the following.

Firstly, a barge cruise is an acquaintance with the country from the inside, in terms of the degree of penetration comparable only to a bicycle or even a walking trip.

Secondly, the barge is small, cozy and comfortable. On it you feel at home, and the few fellow travelers and the crew become your good companions.

Interesting travel to all!

Duration: 9 days

Check-out date: 6 September 2019

My journey through the canals of France will certainly be suitable for couples in love, photography lovers, aesthetes and for those who have long been tempted with package tours and travels in Europe. I invite you to an exclusive, measured and very beautiful trip on the " floating hotel”That will charm you from day one. We will see hospitable and cozy France, with its many towns. Each town is like a new page of an interesting book: picturesque canals, small bridges, tunnels, old castles, temples, ivy-covered buildings, seaside restaurants and pretty adventurous streets. We will not only feel such a France, but also learn a lot of interesting things about it, because the group will be accompanied by a professional ethnographer guide. This is a journey for those who value a comfortable, eventful and professionally thought-out vacation. Don't miss your chance to get to know France!

Program

6 September. First day. Group meeting and acquaintance. Arrival to Lyon.

Today we all fly to Lyon - a city that combines the images of different traditions that historically influenced it in one way or another. A busy day of meetings and acquaintances awaits us. At dinner in one of the French restaurants, we will discuss our travel plan and get to know each other better. Those who still have strength after the flight will be able to stroll along the cozy streets of the city, while the rest can relax at the hotel.

September 7. Second day. Tour of Carcassonne and departure.

Breakfast, most likely with fresh croissants or baguettes and on high speed train we will go to Carcassonne. We are waiting for an acquaintance with the 13th century fortress, which is located in the city of Carcassonne. We will explore the fortress, climb its high walls to admire the valley, and then we will receive instructions and board the boat. We will have dinner at the restaurant and return to the "floating hotel". Rest.

8 September. The third day. Green points: Trebe - Marcelet - La Redort - Puicheric - Om.

Today we will enjoy the truly "green" corners of France. In the morning we will leave for Treba. Here we will stop at the Saint-Etienne Church and the Canal Bridge. Then we will visit the towns where each in its own way will charm us with its beauty. All of them are united by a riot of colors, somewhere vineyards, somewhere flowers, somewhere beautiful trees, harmoniously growing on the streets of the city. We walk, stop at restaurants to have a snack and walk again.

9th of September. Fourth day. The farther, the more beautiful: Argen-Minervois - Rubia - Paraza - Ventenac.

Today, the line of our route has been laid through four settlements, each of which is worthy of attention. The first stop in Argens-Minervois is a cozy town that was built around a 14th century castle. Here we will enjoy views of the Canal and the Aude River. In the village of Rubia we will visit the parish church and walk in the forest next to it. In the village of Paraza, we will take beautiful pictures against the background of colorful houses, which are harmoniously located along the bank of the Canal. Sailing to Ventenac, we will see a panorama of the ancient castle, a very picturesque place. In the port I always welcome wine merchants, where you can taste it and choose what you like. This town is called Fabulous, which is why tourists love it very much.

10 September. Fifth day. Unusual places: Somai - Kapestan.

In the morning we will go to the Somai village. Here the house is enveloped in greenery, there is an unusual book Shop and a museum of hats. Let it all be a surprise to you. From here we will sail to Kapestan. Here we will explore the 14th century Cathedral Church and visit a local wine estate.

11 September. Sixth day. Romantic walks: Colombier - Foncerance.

In Colombier, we will definitely visit the famous Saint-Sylvester church, which is famous for its decoration. This place is very conducive to evening walks, the romantic atmosphere is created by the beautiful lighting of the garden. In Colombier we will find the ruins of a Roman military fortification, 6th century BC. The day will be full of walks and exploring these places.

12-th of September. Seventh day. Bezier .

The town of Beziers pleases with its interesting architecture. A cozy place for easy walks. There are also enticing sandy beaches where you can take beautiful memorable pictures.

September 13. Eighth day. Last day on the barge: Narbonne.

We have a bright and eventful day ahead. Our stop will be the legendary Narbonne (or Narbonne) - a city that grew on the site of the first Roman colony in Galia, founded in the 1st century. BC. Surprisingly it sounds now, but during the Roman rule Narbonne was an important strategic port on the coast Mediterranean Sea while today Old city is located at a distance of 17 km from the coast, and coastal zone is an resort area... During the Roman Empire, Narbonne was also a military post and the capital of South, or Narbonne Gaul. After the Battle of Narbonne (436), the city came under the control of the Visigoths and at one time had the status of a capital. In the first half of the 8th century, Narbonne was ruled by the Saracens. In the Middle Ages South part Narbonne was ruled by the counts of Toulouse, and the north by local bishops. Later and until the 16th century, Narbonne was an independent county. Saint Sebastian was born in Narbonne, who was martyred by the pagans during the reign of the emperor Maximian in Rome. St. Sevastyan and his retinue are revered Orthodox Church... It is known that the last troubadour Guiraut Riquier, who served at the court of Castile at the end of the 13th century, was also from Narbonne.
Of particular interest is the Cathedral of St. Just and St. Pastor, which is a national treasure of France. The construction of the temple began in 1272 and, as is the case with many temples, was never finally completed. Until 1801, the church was the seat of the Archbishop of the Diocese of Narbonne.

France Cruises, Inc. is a tour operator based in the USA that organizes the best river cruises and canal cruises in France based on a fleet of over 40 luxury hotel barges and river boats. The business is run by a team of tourism experts, each of whom speaks at least two languages. This enables France Cruises to provide unique, personalized tours and special travel bookings for the independent-minded traveler interested in a uniquely new experience in France. Sail along the narrow canals and rivers of France in elegant, air-conditioned boats, while breathtaking countryside views will melt the past into its serene splendor. Enjoy gourmet food, fine wines, and unique sightseeing tours that include ancient villages, castles, markets, cafes and more.

Hotel barges and river vessels France Cruises ranges from “traditional” to “super-luxurious” and can accommodate any group from 4 to 50 people. Gourmet food and gourmet wines, personal guide, private minibus, daily excursions, and an open bar are all included, along with a special personal service. Travelers also have the option of either chartering the entire barge or booking a cabin on board. Cruise plans include such scenic areas as:

• Alsace
• Burgundy
• Champagne
• Bordeaux
• Provence
• South of France
• Canal du Midi
• Chateau land in the Loire Valley
• Beaujolais
• Normandy

Itinerary plans also include daily trips to attractions such as famous vineyards, stately castles and original wine villages. In addition to the popular "classic" cruises, France Cruises also offers themed cruises, including: Antiquity, Golf, Gardens, Theater, Art, Painting, Architecture, History, Wine Tasting, Gourmet Food / Cuisine, Fishing, Cycling, Hiking trips and Photography.

Along with excellent opportunities to relax and unwind, the carefree elegance of each expedition offers the opportunity to experience France in an intimate and unique way. Whether it's a romantic honeymoon or a family getaway, a French Canal Barge cruise aboard Europe's most majestic ships turns your holiday into a stunning and unforgettable holiday and promises an excursion unlike any other. Discover the history and charm of France with France Cruises.

We invite you to visit our website for more detailed information about our various cruises in France. When entering the site, be prepared for the fact that all content is presented in English. In addition, all correspondence is conducted strictly in English.