Are Most Barge Trips Boring?
Jul 11th, 2005, 07:12 AM
#21
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Thank you all for the feedback. I have done some more research and understand the situation much better now.
Being able to hike and bike along the canel and having good food does make it a viable, if a bit pricey option. But it would have to be a short trip with the right bunch of chowerheads along to pass the time.
Being able to hike and bike along the canel and having good food does make it a viable, if a bit pricey option. But it would have to be a short trip with the right bunch of chowerheads along to pass the time.
Jul 11th, 2005, 07:52 AM
#22
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Barge trips are not for everyone--but don't put them down unless you have actually been on one. Several years ago, a friend and I took a trip on the Doubbs/Saonne (SP?) rivers/canals in eastern Burgundy--sounds a bit like the one Gretchen took. There were 18 other people, all unknown to us prior to the trip, but we managed to enjoy each other's company for the 6 day "event." The boat we were on was the "Marguerite"
operated by Continental Waterways.
I usually prefer a lot of activity on a trip, but the "unusualness" of this trip--the food, the historic towns visited, the views of the landscape, away from the main roads, was really enjoyable.
There are often opportunities for less expensive trips in the spring and later in the fall. Summer is prime time and $$$. Try it--you might like it. (I will mention that the cabins are small and my 6'2" husband wasn't interested in going and neither was my friend's.) It is not like a cruise ship experience. But my friend and I enjoyed it and all things being equal, would do it again. mhm
operated by Continental Waterways.
I usually prefer a lot of activity on a trip, but the "unusualness" of this trip--the food, the historic towns visited, the views of the landscape, away from the main roads, was really enjoyable.
There are often opportunities for less expensive trips in the spring and later in the fall. Summer is prime time and $$$. Try it--you might like it. (I will mention that the cabins are small and my 6'2" husband wasn't interested in going and neither was my friend's.) It is not like a cruise ship experience. But my friend and I enjoyed it and all things being equal, would do it again. mhm
Jul 11th, 2005, 07:59 AM
#23
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Degas: Have been concerned about you since your post sometime ago, but I'm pleased to see you seem to be in fine fettle once again! Incidentally, we sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge earlier this month and I didn't see any lanterns, but it was a very satisfying experience.
Here's a website for a French company we considered using several years ago:
La Penichette
http://www.locaboat.com/index_an.html
Here's a website for a French company we considered using several years ago:
La Penichette
http://www.locaboat.com/index_an.html
Jul 11th, 2005, 08:03 AM
#24
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My wife and I have done 4 self-drive barge trips. Early on, we considered a hotel barge buit decided on self-drive for the following reasons:
1. Price - probably a third of the price.
2. Flexibiltiy - our schedule, not someone else's.
3. Food - we'd rather eat in the cafes and resturants in the little towns than have the same chef every day and night.
4. Locking does provide a fun diversion and breaks up the trip and is not strenuous. It's also an opportunity to meet other boaters.
5. And most important - as my wife says, we'd rather spend a week traveling with the A******s we know than the A********s we don't know.
1. Price - probably a third of the price.
2. Flexibiltiy - our schedule, not someone else's.
3. Food - we'd rather eat in the cafes and resturants in the little towns than have the same chef every day and night.
4. Locking does provide a fun diversion and breaks up the trip and is not strenuous. It's also an opportunity to meet other boaters.
5. And most important - as my wife says, we'd rather spend a week traveling with the A******s we know than the A********s we don't know.
Jul 11th, 2005, 09:01 AM
#25
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Ms UNDERHILL...I certainly would like to give advice but I am not the person for barge trips. I went this spring on a RIVERBOAT trip and its all the difference in the world. A riverboat is sized to carry 50 to a couple of hundred people while a barge is mostly in the 6 to 12 area. I ddont't think I'd be interested in a barge trip. But my Grand Circle Rhone /Soane riverboat trip was fantastic. Went from Arles to Dijon with the whole tour including stop-overs in Nice and Paris
Jul 11th, 2005, 11:00 AM
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What I don't think some of you are "getting" is that the actual time spent going from place to place on the boat is relatively short. You dock, get off and go shopping or sightseeing. We did not do interminable locks. I have to admit that the first ones were really exciting because they are VERY narrow and getting into the lock was fun. The crew was absolutely terrific--fun to visit with. Our barge was a Continental Waterways barge--Lafayette. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable trip from many points of view.
Jul 11th, 2005, 01:00 PM
#27
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Hi Jody,
>I have wanted to do a barge trip for ages... but the DH says he could not stand the boredom...<
One is either a boat person or one is not a boat person. There is nothing you will be able to do about DH.
How about separate vacations one year?
>I have wanted to do a barge trip for ages... but the DH says he could not stand the boredom...<
One is either a boat person or one is not a boat person. There is nothing you will be able to do about DH.
How about separate vacations one year?
Jul 11th, 2005, 07:53 PM
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Actually, IMHO, barge trip is far more enjoyable than any vacation rental/seaside resort holidays.
Many years ago, I took one barge trip around Cognac area (near Bordeaux). It was a very hot summer in Paris, after 10 days enduring a hotel room without air-con, I went to a travel agent near Gare du Nord, booked a last minute 7 nights barge trip off from Angoulame. It costed about 1/3 of the price by broucher.
The barge took off every morning after breakfast around 9 AM, so early raiser would have time to take a morning walk to nearby village/market. It stopped at early afternoon for lunch, always close to town/village. After lunch, mini-bus took passengers to visit historic sites/ churches/ cognac houses/ vineyards, then came back for afternoon tea/coffee break. Before dinner, it was free to cycle around countryside/ go shopping/ walk.
Dinner usually served late, on sundeck under starry sky; sometimes, town people taking evening promenade along the canal would stopby for a chat.
The barge lounge equiped with some booksehelves. In the morning, it was relaxing to sit on the sundeck reading/ watching the fields going by.... The canals was so calm, for someone used to the choppy waves of Great Lakes, it felt almost motionless.
Food was one of the best parts: every morning, the chef would come back from local market loaded with bags of fresh local produce. I don't remember ever eating same dish twice.
However, as with limited space on the barge, it was a bit too confined for some passengers (totally 9 of us). After few days, some of the 4 couples started to have little disagreements between them. At one point, I was the only one on speaking terms with everyone else on dinner table. This experience has cured me forever the disquite of travelling solo.
Many years ago, I took one barge trip around Cognac area (near Bordeaux). It was a very hot summer in Paris, after 10 days enduring a hotel room without air-con, I went to a travel agent near Gare du Nord, booked a last minute 7 nights barge trip off from Angoulame. It costed about 1/3 of the price by broucher.
The barge took off every morning after breakfast around 9 AM, so early raiser would have time to take a morning walk to nearby village/market. It stopped at early afternoon for lunch, always close to town/village. After lunch, mini-bus took passengers to visit historic sites/ churches/ cognac houses/ vineyards, then came back for afternoon tea/coffee break. Before dinner, it was free to cycle around countryside/ go shopping/ walk.
Dinner usually served late, on sundeck under starry sky; sometimes, town people taking evening promenade along the canal would stopby for a chat.
The barge lounge equiped with some booksehelves. In the morning, it was relaxing to sit on the sundeck reading/ watching the fields going by.... The canals was so calm, for someone used to the choppy waves of Great Lakes, it felt almost motionless.
Food was one of the best parts: every morning, the chef would come back from local market loaded with bags of fresh local produce. I don't remember ever eating same dish twice.
However, as with limited space on the barge, it was a bit too confined for some passengers (totally 9 of us). After few days, some of the 4 couples started to have little disagreements between them. At one point, I was the only one on speaking terms with everyone else on dinner table. This experience has cured me forever the disquite of travelling solo.
