A French Cruise – The Ultimate Travel Experience
Imagine going on a holiday to France where you don’t need to deal with dusty, bumpy roads or overcrowded tour buses or trains. Imagine what it would be like not to have to constantly keep changing hotels, lugging your belongings along, every time you move to a new location. Imagine not losing precious holiday time moving from one town to another, but simply going to sleep and waking up in a new place in the morning, your new adventure ready to begin as soon as you step out of your door. Imagine seeing so much more of the country at a leisurely pace, and having the time to enjoy the scenery, instead of rushing from one location to another, all the while constantly worried about missed transport, or worrying whether you’ll be able to find your hotel and whether they got your reservation right, or if the restaurant you booked understood your dietary restrictions. Imagine more of the pleasures of travel with less of the aggravations.
Fortunately, this isn’t just a pipe dream but a reality that is readily available for the discerning traveller. The answer? A French barge cruise!
Get Cruisy
Known as ‘floating hotels’, these wonderful vessels are the comparable to a stay in a luxury hotel, but with all the adventure of a holiday on water – without ever losing sight of land! More than the star treatment, privacy (a typical French barge cruise only has six to ten passengers) and leisurely pace, however, a French barge cruise offers a travel experience unlike any other – bringing even the most experienced traveller a new perspective of beloved sights and locations.
For example, imagine drifting along the Seine, one of the world’s most beautiful rivers, as you enjoy iconic sights such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Bastille, and the La Defense business district, among others, and then enjoying a scrumptious dinner on-board. The City of Lights? Just wait till you’re on the water reflecting those millions of lights – you’ll feel as if you are surrounded by stars! After dinner you can go ashore for a bit of after-dark sightseeing or experience the nightlife. Next day, you can sleep in and have a lazy breakfast in bed or enjoy it on the deck. Then it’s off to the next destination and your next adventure!
Due to the country’s intricate network of rivers and canals, you’ll be spoiled for choice as to the length and breadth of your explorations. The Loire Valley, with its imposing castles and châteaux dotting the landscape is another great option for your French barge cruise, guaranteed to take your breath away – even without you stepping ashore.
There are, however, plenty of attractions to tempt you back on land, such as the magnificent Royal Château d’Amboise. This castle is built on a spur above River Loire, and became the favourite residence of several French kings. You can also visit the Château du Clos Luce, the home of one of the world’s greatest thinkers and artists, Leonardo Da Vinci. Need to stretch your legs a little? There are plenty of hiking and biking trails to explore, as well as several world-class golf courses in the area, such as the Tours Ardrée Golf Club, which features an 18-hole golf course nestled in more than 350 acres of park and woodland. There are also plenty of restaurants specialising in regional cuisine to help keep your strength up during your adventures if you feel like a break from the five star dining on-board.
Imagine going on a holiday to France where you don’t need to deal with dusty, bumpy roads or overcrowded tour buses or trains. Imagine what it would be like not to have to constantly keep changing hotels, lugging your belongings along, every time you move to a new location. Imagine not losing precious holiday time moving…