Tag Archives: loire valley

European Barge Cruise

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For travelers that have seen the major tourist sites and now want to experience more of Europe, and still have the comfort of every aspect of the trip taken care of, then a European barge cruise may be for them.  For travelers that are not interested in a typical cruise, this is a totally different experience.  The atmosphere is very relaxed, no formal nights, you are out during the day exploring, so they will never run out of activities.   The similarities are unpack only once, all meals and beverages included, as well as the excursions.  There are special cruises/dates for golfers, garden lovers, wine enthusiasts, and many more.

European Barge Cruise in Burgundy France

A European barge cruise is  unique way of exploring the beauty of Europe, while unpacking only once.  Drifting through the beautiful landscape, enjoying all the creature comforts of regional food and wine, and service superb in every way, while experiencing the chateaux, cathedral, tours, vineyards, and sleepy villages left behind by time.  History, art, architecture, culture, gastronomy, music, gardens, it is all there to be experienced by tours, whether by foot, motor coach or bicycle, with a Luxury Barge Cruise or Casual Bike Barge Cruise.

Barge cruise prices range from the mid $3000 – to over $7000 per person. Some of  the features of the barges that distinguish the prices between barges are the cabin and lounge space, level of food and wines provided as well as barge amenities. On the lower priced barges, you will be looking at cabins around 90 – 100 sq ft, compact bathrooms – usually with a shower curtain and small shower stall. The wines will be good regional wines. The more expensive barges will have bigger cabins – 170 – 250 sq ft with big bathrooms, big shower stalls with a glass door. Other barge feature might include: computers or internet access on board, tvs / dvds in the cabins, hot tubs or fitness rooms. On some of the ultra deluxe barges, there are wines served for the serious wine enthusiasts – featuring  premier and grand cru.

The cruise rates include gourmet meals, wine and cheese of the region with lunch and dinner, open bar with alcoholic beverages and all the sightseeing.  For a different experience, some barges offer a night out at a typical French restaurant for a meal.  No matter what level of barge cruise is selected, you will always find a great crew that will go out of their way to provide top level service and go the extra effort to make sure your cruise is truly memorable.  The crew on board will have knowledge of the areas and love to impart known and little known facts to interested passengers.  The food will always be top quality and prepared with a emphasis on pairing wonderful food with special wines of the regions.

The barge cruising areas within France are:  Alsace Lorraine, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Canal du Midi, Chablis, Champagne, Loire Valley and Provence.  Outside of France, the cruising areas are, England on the Thames River, Ireland on the Shannon River, Italy on the Po River and Scotland on the Caledonian Canal.

There is a large selection of european barge cruises in france such as: Grand Victoria, Anne Marie, Apres Tout, Clare de Lune, Colibri. Enchante, Jeanine, Johanna, Luciole,  La Nouvelle Etoile, le Phenicien, Madeleine,  Magna Carta, Meanderer, Nymphea, Panache, Raymond,  Roi Soleil, Rosa, Savoir Faire, Saroche,  Saint Louis, Shannon Princess II, Cest la Vie, Wine and Water, La Belle Epoque, L’Art de Vivre, Hirondell, L’Impressionniste, Anjodi, Scottish Highlander, Spirit of Scotland, La Bella Vita, Panache and Renaissance.

We also have CASUAL BIKE AND BARGE cruise itineraries in Holland and Belgium, on the Mosel in Germany, Burgundy and Provence in France and Venice and the Po River in Italy. Cruise and bike in a very casual atmosphere with international guests.

Europeanbarging has been selling European Barge Cruise and European River Cruises since 1998.  Contact us so we can help find the perfect barge for you.  888.869.7907

Touring the Loire Valley on a Loire Valley Cruise

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The Loire Valley is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in France. It lies in the middle stretch of the Loire River in central France. The valley has numerous vineyards, fruit orchards (such as cherries), and artichoke and asparagus fields lined along the banks of the river. Due to such an abundance of fauna in the Loire Valley, it is often referred to as the Garden of France. It is also popularly called as the Cradle of the French Language. The city of Tours in the Loire Valley is renowned for speaking the purest French.

Loire Valley has been inhabited since the Middle Palaeolithic period. It is remarkable for its historic towns, architecture and wines.  The central part of the Loire River valley got listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000.

Loire Valley is famous for its historic towns such as Ambiose, Angers, Blois, Chinon, Orleans, Saumur, and Tours. These historic towns display excellent architectural heritage. But specifically, Loire valley is considered exceptional for its châteaux, such as the Château d’Amboise, Château de Chambord, Château de Chinon, Château du Rivau, Château d’Ussé, Château de Villandry and Chenonceau.

The undulating riverside terrain of the Loire Valley and especially its many cultural monuments are reminiscent of the influence of ideals of the Renaissance and the Age of the Enlightenment on Western European thought and design.

The Loire Valley has an extensive wine territory encompassing several French wine regions situated along the river from the Muscadet region on the Atlantic coast to the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. Many wineries in the region offer tours.

As mentioned earlier, the central part of the Loire Valley got recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000. The honor came for the Loire Valley region between Maine and Sully-sur-Loire on December 2, 2000. While adding this part to the list of esteemed UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the committee bestowed high praises on the region in these words: “an exceptional cultural landscape, of great beauty, comprised of historic cities and villages, great architectural monuments – the Châteaux – and lands that have been cultivated and shaped by centuries of interaction between local populations and their physical environment, in particular the Loire itself.”

Loire Valley is a wonderful region to explore. Book your vacation on our Loire Valley cruise for a memorable experience with your family!

For more information contact: Europeanbarging, 888-869-7907, jan@europeanbarging.com