Autumn in France

Bonjour from Port Chalmers.

As the season winds up all enquiries are now for 2025 and beyond, but there are some good waterway deals for September and October for anyone looking to expand their European experience. 

Le Boat has 30% off its rental boat fleet for all destinations except Italy.  Bookings need to be confirmed before 2 September, so don’t procrastinate and grab one of these self-drive boating bargains.  Le Boat are also accepting reservations for next year with early booking discounts ranging from 10-25% depending on the boat and destination.

For anyone wanting a bit of pampering, European Waterways has 10-20% off cabins on a few barges in September, October and November.  The most notable ones with 20% reductions are the 8 passenger Rosa for its Aquitaine/Bordeaux cruises starting on 1, 8 & 15 September and La Bella Vita for its 8 September cruise around the Venice Lagoon.  Plus the 12 passenger Panache is offering 10% off its Christmas markets cruise in Alsace starting on 24 November.  That is one cruise that is on our wish list …..

For solo travellers, La Bella Vita is dropping its single supplement for that 8 September cruise and so is the Enchanté for its 27 October cruise along the Canal du Midi where daytime temperatures should still be mild.

James of the Walking Party has released his programme of fully guided walks for 2025 with a NEW ‘week’ in Slovenia - that is north-east of Trieste.  The itinerary starts and ends in Ljubljana and the dates are 3-11 May and 1-9 October 2025.  This terrain is more demanding (photo below), so we prefer his more relaxing walks, such as his popular Transhumance walk from Aubrac in May, the Dordogne in June, the two St James Way walks in September and the Basque Pyrenees in October.  The back-up minibus carries lunch and refreshments and ensures that weary walkers can leap-frog ahead if their legs, or the weather, are giving out.  Contact us for a summary of the itineraries, dates and all-inclusive prices.  

For private small groups of up to five people, he is offering a 4 night Winter Escape at his home in Quercy from December to March - 760 Euros per person, all-inclusive.  James is a generous host and will enchant you with the local walks, markets and cooking experiences.   His PS to his newsletter was - "Just remember Solvitur ambulando ... 'It is solved by walking’.  Diogenes worked this one out and there is nothing like a walk in the open air to clear and revive the mind!"

Bien cordialement.

Robert & Barbara