Boating in France and beyond
We hope your plans for 2025 are progressing well despite the chaos in America, Europe and the Middle East. It is an understatement to say it's a difficult time, but, as during covid, the best we can do is simply carry on and be supportive, both at home and overseas.
Despite Trump’s behaviour, Americans are travelling to Europe in large numbers and continue to dominate the bookings for the hotel barge cruises. Consequently, most barges are heavily booked for June & September, but for the less popular months, European Waterways are offering discounts of up to 20% and waiving the single supplement on selected cruises.
For example, the 12 passenger Belle Epoque has 20% off the cruises starting on 29 June, 13 July and 10 & 17 August. The August cruises are particularly good value as that is low season, reducing the all-inclusive fare to just 4,792€ per person, share twin. The cruise follows the Burgundy Canal from Tanlay to Venarey-sur-Laumes, where we used to live in a lock-house at Ecluse 52. We know this region intimately and love it, and whenever we return the gentle landscape always reminds us of the Moutere region near Nelson. Its vineyards include Chablis, which is just over the hill from the canal, and Champagne’s most southern vineyards around Les Riceys. Both are visited during the Belle Epoque cruise as well as Medieval and Renaissance chateaux and L'Abbaye de Fontenay - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
If you have some flexibility with your dates and want to indulge yourselves with a week of fine wine and food, in between the sightseeing, talk to us about a barge cruise on the waterways of France. Discounted cruises are available from April to August, plus aboard La Bella Vita in October - an atmospheric and quiet time to be in Venice. La Bella Vita also has an Opera Lovers cruise starting on 13 July, which includes front row seats at the Arena di Verona for a performance of Verdi’s Aida and visits to Venice’s historic theatre La Fenice, and to Mantua’s Teatro Bibiena.
We both love Venice and have visited many times, by land and by boat. One trip was on a Le Boat rental boat, exploring all the main islands during a memorable return cruise from Casale (near Treviso). Afterwards we stayed in Venice and discovered Musica a Palazzo - “Opera as a travelling show with each act set in a different room of one of the most fascination Venetian places: Palazzo Barbarigo Minotto.” If you are visiting Venice, we strongly recommend it and all you need to know is on their web site - https://www.musicapalazzo.com/en/
Le Boat have the largest fleet of self-drive rental boats throughout France and Europe and they are now accepting bookings for 2026 departures, so it’s not too early to plan for next year. Currently, they have a March offer of 15% off all destinations (except Italy) and all boats (except Liberty). Remember that we specialise in holidays afloat and will strive to find you the best boat/route/cruise for your European adventure.
Lastly James of the Walking Party has just advised that he "has a late cancellation from a couple on the Transhumance week (24th - 30th May) which opens the gates to another couple who may enjoy this wonderful flower-filled week with two world class restaurants. All up on the moors and including the wonderful Transhumance festival on the Sunday when the herds of beautiful Aubrac cows, all decked with brightly coloured flowers, arrive one by one in the tiny square of Aubrac village to be blessed before they continue up to the high pastures for the summer months. Plus the wonders of the extraordinary cathedral at Albi and the Pierre Soulages museum.”
This is an extraordinary, all-inclusive, walking holiday, so get back to us immediately if you are tempted to join James.
Best wishes
Robert & Barbara