Afloat in france professional#

Enjoy cruising under sun-drenched trees and visiting vineyards, villages, and historic sites like the medieval fortress in Carcassonne and various Roman relics. Barges are a common sight on the 200-plus-mile, UNESCO-listed canal system. Outside of Burgundy, it’s hard to beat a cruise down the Canal du Midi in the Languedoc region of southern France. Choose the eight-cabin hotel barge Luciole for snapshots of French rural life by day and the best boeuf bourguignon you’ve ever had by night. Most cruises begin near historic Auxerre, the capital of Burgundy’s Yonne department and a major producer of Chablis wine. We recommend the Canal du Nivernais, which connects the Seine with the Loire. Cruises are split between the Canal du Centre, Canal de Bourgogne, and Canal du Nivernais. As a general rule, the bigger the barge, the cheaper it’ll be.īurgundy’s more than 600 miles of canals have long been the go-to for barging in France. (Think boutique hotel instead of all-inclusive resort.) Thankfully, the recent uptick in barging enthusiasm has resulted in a number of solid budget options alongside luxury trips organized by Amercrombie & Kent and others. Smaller boats mean fewer amenities but also better quality and service.

The one thing that is generally large when it comes to barge cruises is the price tag. Plus, the gentle passage means little to no chance of seasickness. It is now part of Belmond, the rebranded Orient-Express. A high-end boutique barge company, Afloat in France was started by two American women in 1987.

Afloat in france professional#

Barges mainly stick to canals that larger vessels can’t navigate, so they’re more about immersing in a stretch of countryside than cramming multiple countries into one trip. travel42 Professional Cruise Line Review. It’s a perfect fit for quiet types, solo travelers, and families, as well as anyone who simply enjoys nice scenery. The crew is correspondingly small, and everyone gets to know each other quickly.

Barges are small, typically carting one to two dozen passengers compared to the one or two hundred most river cruises ferry.