Day 1: STRASBOURG
Passenger boarding in Strasbourg (riverside station, rue du Havre) in the late afternoon. Welcome aboard, settling in, presentation of the crew and dinner. Overnight stay in Strasbourg.
Special Attraction: visit of Old Strasbourg.
Day 2: STRASBOURG to WALTENHEIM
Morning journey to Waltenheim-sur-Zorn. Buffet breakfast and lunch on board. We cross the Zorn Valley and its landscaped fields - where the canal is wide and straight—and Brumath Forest before reaching Waltenheim-sur-Zorn around 3:00 pm. In the afternoon, we suggest exploring the hops footpath in Wingersheim. Alsace offers an attractive and unusual landscape. A province of wine-growing and beer-brewing, gain a new perspective on the region through learning about growing hops. Enjoy a pleasurable walk through the hop fields followed by beer tasting. Back on board for dinner. Overnight stay in Waltenheim-sur-Zorn. Taste some "tarte flambée", a local specialty, for dinner at a restaurant in Waltenheim.
Day 3: WALTENHEIM to SAVERNE
Buffet breakfast and lunch on board. Morning cruise from Waltenheim to Saverne. Bucolic journey that transports you to Saverne. We will pass by the towns of Schwindratzheim—nestled on a hillside - and Hochfelden, a typical village. In the morning, you can stroll on the trails or bike on the paved trails along the canal. Arrival at Saverne in the afternoon. The boat will be moored in front of Rohan Castle. Free time in Saverne. Visit to Château de Hohbarr, nicknamed "The Eye of Alsace." Splendid view of the Alsatian plains. On the way back, we pass by the Chappe Tower, an ancient telegraph, where there is an interactive display on the ancestry of all means of telecommunication. Dinner on board. Overnight stay in Saverne.
Day 4: SAVERNE to LUTZELBOURG
Buffet breakfast on board. In the morning, a guided tour of Saverne. Virtually unknown from the usual tourist routes, Saverne offers a wide range of places to discover. The Grand Rue with its unicorn fountain (the symbol of the city); the Katz house, adorned with magnificent carved timbers; Notre Dame Church with its 12th-century steeple; various 18th-century administrative buildings; or the Récollets Monastery founded in the 14th century. Back on board for lunch. Afternoon voyage to Lutzelbourg. The canal winds through the Vosges Mountains before joining the Lorraine region. Arrive late afternoon at Lutzelbourg, which deserves its reputation as the most beautiful village on the French canal banks. Walk to Lutzelbourg Castle. Perched at over 300 m above sea level on a rocky, red sandstone spur, the ruins of the castle majestically dominate the village down in the Zorn Valley. Back on board for dinner. Overnight stay in Lutzelbourg.
Day 5: LUTZELBOURG - Arzviller Inclined Plane - XOUAXANGE
Buffet breakfast on board. Cast off for the Arzviller inclined plane. Stop at the crystal glassworks near the inclined plane. Located at the foot of the incline for over 25 years, the glassworks is a family-run business specialising in the art of cutting crystal. Encounter this old-time tradition and watch crystal blowing and cutting demonstrations. Return aboard. Passage through the Artzviller inclined plane - a fascinating experience. A fabulous structure, this transverse system boat “elevator” is one-of-a-kind in Europe. The inclined plane replaces 17 successive locks over 4 km that once needed a full day to navigate. The structure consists of a caisson (41.5 m x 5.5 m) which is lifted or lowered on an over 41% incline. A 44 m altitude difference is reached in only 4 minutes. Candlelight lunch while passing through the Arzviller and Niderviller Tunnels. Continue on to Xouaxange and arrive in the evening. Dinner on board. Overnight stay in Xouaxange.
Day 6: XOUAXANGE - LAGARDE
After buffet breakfast, cruise through Xouaxange to Lagarde. We go through Réchicourt lock, one of the largest in France. We then journey through the lakes. Lunch on board. This afternoon we have a visit to Sarrebourg that will take us on Chagall trail. Located at the foot of the Vosges and the region of Alsace, the city is rich with diversity. Its historical and cultural heritage is full of unexpected treasures, such as Marc Chagall’s unique stained-glass window—a virtual hymn to peace. Free time. Before returning to the boat, we stop at the Mephisto factory.
Gala Dinner on board. Overnight stay in Lagarde.
Day 7: LAGARDE - Strasbourg
Buffet breakfast on board. Disembarking at 9:00 am. Transfer by coach from Lagarde to Strasbourg. Arrive by late morning. End of our journey.
Route runs in reverse on alternate weeks and may differ on selected cruise dates
(Note: For the safety of our passengers, possibilities to disembark during the cruise for walking or bicycling may be limited to the scheduled mooring points of the barge, depending on the navigational conditions as per the Captain/Pilot judgment)
Madeleine
The 22-passenger Madeleine is part of our “best value for money” cruises, and one of the few hotel barges sailing through the Alsace Lorraine region in northern France. ...Rates are for 6 nights per person and based on double occupancy per cabin.
Additional/Alternative dates are available for Full Boat Private Charters & Groups of 12 to 22 passengers.
Contact Us for availability & pricing.
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