by James Ruggia
Last updated: 6:00 PM ET, Tue February 10, 2015
PHOTO: The Rosa, an old Dutch barge, explores Gascony with a bicycle for every guest. (Courtesy of European Waterways)
Moving at a barge's pace through the Western European countryside seems to have settled into the collective conscious of travelers as a summer activity, but there's always been great reasons to do it in spring. Now European Waterways is offering discounts from March through May of up to 20 percent off per cabin or 10 percent off whole boat charters on select departures in Holland, Burgundy, Gascony and the majestic Canal du Midi.
Cruisers will often proudly call rivers like the Danube and the Rhine arteries, which they are, but to carry out that metaphor, canals are more like capillaries; a lace like system that permeates through to the back country where life is more easily paced and less guarded.
Thus traveling by barge allows a few guests an almost total immersion into the rhythms of the regions as well as the culture, history and gastronomy. "Springtime in Europe is magical," said Derek Banks, managing director of European Waterways. "The landscape is colorful and picturesque, like it jumped straight out of a Monet painting."
Just as the villa experience is wonderful for families, so too is barging. "Family travel is one of the strongest growth markets in the industry, with more families opting for unique new destinations and itineraries as opposed to traditional vacations, such as theme parks and large ocean cruise ships, where families get lost in the crowd," said Banks.
"Although our cruises are perfect for all types of small groups, we want to make 2015 an especially 'family-friendly' year for hotel barging because it offers the kind of experiences that are tailor-made for today's multi-generation families, with a wide range of activities that can be enjoyed by young children, teenagers, parents, and all the way up to grandparents."
So many travelers only know Holland as Amsterdam. This spring they can learn the country at its most intimate level aboard the 12-passenger hotel barge Panache. The barge sails the Holland of windmills, Royal Delft pottery and small towns such as Haarlem, where Handel and Mozart played the church organ; and Leiden, the birthplace of Rembrandt. Along the way the Panache calls at the Royal Delft pottery. An onboard master chef will introduce guests to the gastronomic delights of Holland. Single supplements are being waived for passengers traveling alone on Panache's April 5 departure.
In France, regions such as Burgundy live a deep culture of wine. Guests on the barge L'Impressionniste can follow the barge, on foot or on a bicycle, along the canal towpath, as well as explore nearby villages. Guides take them to cellars where they can sample Burgundy wines. The food markets of Dijon are also visited. In April and May, guests can enjoy up to 20 percent off per cabin and 10 percent off whole-boat charters on select departures aboard L'Impressionniste.
The Enchanté is an eight-passenger barge that plies the UNESCO listed Canal du Midi. In its UNESCO citation, the canal is compared to a "work of art." The barge features four capacious cabins, ideal for families or "togethering" friends. It also features a hot tub on the sun deck.
This part of France is famous for its subtle Spanish flavor and as passengers cruise the canal they can see the distant Pyrenées. During the six-day cruise, they can tour medieval Carcassonne and visit an olive oil press to taste the Lucques olives, which deserve a UNESCO citation themselves. From March through May, Enchanté offers up to 20 percent off per cabin and 10 percent off whole boat charters on select departures.
Elsewhere in the southwest of France, the Rosa, a fully renovated old Dutch barge, explores Gascony. The barge carries bicycles for every guest. A winery tour and tasting at the Château Bellevue la Fôret; a tour of medieval Nérac and its castle; the crossing of a 1,000-foot-long aqueduct; and an exclusive tasting at a producer of one of the region's most glorious products, Armagnac. Throughout March, April and May, Rosa is offering up to 20 percent per cabin and 10 percent off whole boat charters on select departures.
European Waterways, which pays 10 percent commission to travel agents, is Europe's largest luxury hotel barge cruising company. The company carries some 2,500 passengers per year through the waterways of nine countries: Belgium, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, and Scotland.
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