Charismatic cruising on France’s inland waterways

Imagine that you are in Europe, lounging on a flower-filled deck of a cruise vessel, glass of wine in hand. A soft breeze blows. The sun sheds a mellow light. Colorful birds and buzzing bees sing background lullabies. You float through ever-changing scenery: plump cattle grazing in rich green pastures; fields of sunflowers; tiny picturesque villages; ancient castles crowning steep verdant hills; gentle gatherings of picnickers and bank-side fishermen, some who wave or nod a smile as you drift by.

You are tranquilly traveling on a slow boat — either a river ship navigating on a legendary river or a hotel barge floating on an ancient man-made canal.

Falling into the category of “niche cruising,” both European river cruises and hotel barge cruises have soared in popularity in the last half-decade. New ships come on the market at a pace faster than imaginable. Approximately 28 major river ships were added to fleets in 2014 with 21 more expected this year. Currently, more than 80 hotel barges float on French canals alone.

Difficulties come not in plucking a cruise from the overflowing cornucopia of choice, but in deciding what type cruise to take.

River cruise?

Canal barge cruise?

Oh, my, the glory of each—so similar, yet so different.

River ships and hotel barges operate in various parts of the world, but most popular are those in Europe, particularly in France where 5,281 miles of inland waterways and a joie de vivre spirit elevate cruising to a luxurious art form.

In general, both French river and canal cruises provide relaxed travel, all-inclusive pricing, agreeable accommodations, fine food and wine, English-speaking staff and escorted sightseeing excursions with easy portions of history and culture.

The differences between the two cruise experiences lie in the type of vessel, which, in turn, impacts almost everything about the cruise including the number of passengers, itinerary and price.

Waterways dictate the size of both river ships and barges, with lock chambers holding the key to length and width.

A lock as is an enclosed chamber for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. Passenger vessels are built to be as large as possible and still fit into the lock chamber, which are larger on rivers than on canals.

RIVER SHIPS

As to height, river ships must slide under Europe’s ancient low-slung bridges and, thus, are limited to three decks — or four counting the sun deck that is kept open-air.

Typical river ships place their entrance/reception area in a central location; distribute guest rooms for 125 to 160 passengers on each side of three lower decks; and put their large, window-surrounded dining room and a combined bar/lounge/meeting room at the ends of upper decks. Public rooms, such as boutiques, beauty shops, spas, fitness centers and assorted small lounges fit here and there in remaining spaces.

River ships share not only similar dimensions and configurations, but also similar itineraries and stops. The best ships distinguish themselves by décor and services.

Let’s take the S.S. Catherine as an example of a classic (and classy) river ship. The 159-passenger Catherine joined Uniworld’s fleet in 2014 to cruise on the Rhône and Saône Rivers. She measures 443 feet by 37.5 feet (the largest that can fit into a French river lock) and boasts every luxury, including an indoor swimming pool.

Not a nautical term, S.S. in front of Catherine stands for “Super Ship.” The letters could also mean “sensational” and “sumptuous,” reflecting the ship’s décor. If laid end to end, the amount of Murano glass decorating the Catherine would stretch 6.21 miles. Commissioned and purchased art fills the ship. Rich fabrics cover walls of halls and guest suites. Staterooms fall into various categories, but all contain Savoir of England beds, flat-screen TVs and marble bathrooms plush with L’Occitane en Provence toiletries. The Catherine provides a glamorous shell for cruising and her food and service match in taste, quality and pizzazz.

BARGE CRUISING

Barge cruising is a different commodity but no less pleasurable.

Hotel barging dates to 1966, when ancient canals still crossed France, but trains and trucks had replaced commercial barges for transporting goods. Seeing tourist potential, a British journalist bought an obsolete barge, outfitted it for paying guests and launched the industry.

All old commercial barges converted to “hotels” share the same dimensions of 128 by 17 feet — the size that snugly fits into canal locks. And all have two decks with passenger staterooms generally on the lower level and a communal dining/lounge room and outdoor lounging area on the upper level.

The number of passengers indicates a barge’s comfort level. Working with the same fixed dimensions, some barges install two bedrooms to accommodate four passengers, while others divide space for up to 24. (My husband and I once took a 22-passenger barge trip and our bedroom was so small that we literally could not stand and dress at the same time.) The fewer passengers, the more space available per person.

Like river ships, hotel-barges differ most in their décor and individual style.

The eight-passenger Horizon II, floating on canals in the upper Loire, exemplifies the deluxe. Part of French Country Waterways (a company owned by the Carr family of Belleville), the Horizon II features a unique split-level design with cherry wood paneling, antique brass accents and custom-made furniture. The four spacious bedrooms come with attached granite and marble bathrooms and most of the comforts of a cozy country inn. In an effort to preserve the peace of a canal trip, the barge lacks telephones and radios, and the closest thing to televisions are bedroom windows, which sit eye-level to the canal bank and capture the ever-changing scene of wild iris, stray buttercups and marshy grass that garnish the water’s edge.

Nothing much happens on a barge trip, which is the beauty of it.

Most barges devote half a day to sightseeing, the other half to relaxing.

Bikes are stored on deck for passenger use, and barges move at 4 to 5 miles per hour, making it easy to hop off at one lock and bike or stroll to another. Mealtime gets the most attention, and barges take pride in serving fine food, with ingredients sourced from local villages, accompanied by wines, some only available in the region traveled. To add to the gourmet environment, some barges take passengers ashore for a three-star meal.

EXCURSIONS

Although both canal and river cruises offer daily escorted sightseeing excursions, docking and itineraries differ.

River ships dock at the port of a city. Barges dock in small country outlets, taking passengers by car or motor coach to sightseeing sites. River ships can travel at night; barges travel only during the day. Barge cruises last six nights and river ships sell seven- to 21-day cruises. Prices vary cruise to cruise with river ships generally starting at $3,000 and barging starting at $3,500 per person. Both river ships and barge cruising season starts in spring and runs through fall, with some river ships extending through Christmas.

Keep in mind that no matter when you cruise, or where — on a river or canal, by river ship or barge — that meandering through the sleepy heart of an inland waterway offers much to enjoy, including the scenery, the ship, the sightseeing and a sweet sybaritic serenity that allows you to savor each blissful vacation moment.

IF YOU GO

Uniworld: uniworld.com

French Country Waterways:

fcwl.com