New Date Announced For 2022 Alsace Barge Trip With David Wilcox

First, take a moment out of your day to listen. If you’re anything like me, you’ll appreciate the soothing acoustics and thoughtful lyrics from the American Folk Singer & Songwriter David Wilcox. We’re fortunate that David will be with us as we barge through Alsace June 4-10, 2022. David will serenade us as we float through one of the most beautiful regions in France. This trip has been pushed forward twice due to the pandemic. The barge operator, CroisiEurope, has been gracious in working with us during the year (make that two years) of the pivot.

Details

• Prices are per person, double occupancy. Single traveler rates can be quoted upon requests.
• A non-refundable deposit of $2,000 per person guarantees your space.
• Please review the Waiver Agreement that you will be required to agree to and sign before boarding.
• Transfer to LaGarde is included. Typically, the transfer is at 4 p.m. on the day that our barge trip begins. All details will be communicated later, but the transfer point typically is from Strasbourg’s central train station.

Itinerary

Also known as the Green Way, the canal we’ll be traveling meanders through Alsace and the Vosges. It links Strasbourg to Saverne, the gateway to Alsace, situated at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, and continues through a grand forest to Lutzelbourg in the Moselle region. Its spectacular architecture and many structural works include the "Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane" (the only one in Europe), where boats are hoisted up a steep incline through the Vosges, before reaching Xouaxange, a charming small town in the Moselle.

NOTE: OUR ITINERARY IS IN REVERSE, BEGINNING IN LAGARDE | SOME EXCURSIONS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE | TRANSFERS TO THE BARGE FROM STRASBOURG ARE INCLUDED

DAY 1: STRASBOURG

Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail. Tonight we'll enjoy dinner followed by a panoramic boat tour of Strasbourg.

DAY 2: STRASBOURG -WALTENHEIM

This morning will be spent cruising towards Waltenheim-sur-Zorn through the Brumath Forest. In the afternoon, join us on an excursion to hike along the hops trail in Wingersheim. With a heritage of wine-growing and beer-brewing, Alsace will give you a new perspective by showing you how hops are grown. We'll return on board before leaving for dinner to taste the tarte flambée, a local specialty, at a restaurant in Waltenheim (included).

DAY 3: WALTENHEIM – SAVERNE

This morning will be spent cruising towards Saverne. Enjoy this bucolic journey passing the towns of Schwindratzheim, nestled on a hillside, and Hochfelden, a typical local village. During the morning, feel free to stroll or bike on the paved trails alongside the canal. In the afternoon, join us on a tour of the Château du Haut-Barr, nicknamed “The Eye of Alsace,” where you will discover a splendid view over the Alsatian plains.

DAY 4: SAVERNE – LUTZELBOURG

We'll set out on a guided tour of Saverne. Virtually unknown by the usual tourist routes, the city offers a wide range of places to discover. We'll return on board and cruise towards Lutzelbourg. The canal winds through the Vosges Mountains before joining the Lorraine region. Late in the afternoon, we suggest you to set off on foot to marvel at Lutzelbourg Castle.

DAY 5: LUTZELBOURG – Arzviller Inclined Plane – XOUAXANGE

We'll set off for an excursion to the Arzviller inclined plane. Along the way, we will stop at the crystal glassworks near the inclined plane. We'll learn about this time-tested tradition, and watch crystal blowing and cutting demonstrations. The boat will cruise through the Artzviller inclined plane – an incredible experience. A fabulous structure, this transverse system boat "elevator" is one-of-a-kind in Europe. The inclined plane replaces 17 successive locks over 2.5 miles that once needed a full day to navigate.

DAY 6: XOUAXANGE – LAGARDE

This morning will be spent cruising towards Lagarde, passing through the Réchicourt lock, one of the largest in France, before continuing our journey through the lakes. In the afternoon, join us on a visit of Sarrebourg that will take us on the Chagall trail. Tonight is our gala evening and dinner.

DAY 7: LAGARDE – Strasbourg

Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. Transfer by coach back to Strasbourg, arriving late in the morning. End of our services.

Photos from the Barge

I’ve hosted barge cruises for the past five years now. In 2015, I hosted a canal cruise from Arles-to-Sete trip on the Anne-Marie. These photos will give you a taste of what to expect, along with posts below that detail each day of our trip. All of CroisiEurope’s barges are practically identical in layout and offerings.

CroisiEurope’s barges are custom-built for hotel barging, as opposed to being modified from cargo barges. Anne-Marie features bicycles, included excursions,  jacuzzis, and complimentary WiFi that actually worked well — and the all-important open bar.

Stateroom

Staterooms are down one deck from the living room and bar, cozy, measuring 110-square-feet, and exceptionally well-configured, with plenty of space for storage. Knowing that the staterooms were small before boarding Anne-Marie, I found that the cabin exceeded my expectations.

The staterooms featured smartly designed storage in the headboards of the twin-bed configured staterooms, as well as a small closet for hanging clothes and storage of suitcases underneath the beds. I was pleased to see the bathroom had plenty of storage, in a smartly configured drawer beneath the sink, and that the shower was large enough to accommodate all of my 6’5″ body, even with the glass doors closed and elbows extended when washing my hair.

Dinner On Anne-Marie

Dinner is served course-by-course, beginning with an amuse-bouche, followed by a starter, then the main course, then cheese, then dessert — all complemented by complimentary wines from the region, which just so happens to be the largest wine-producing region in France. We enjoyed Côte du Rhône, Provençal Rosé as well as Chablis and Chardonnay, along with other wines on our voyage.

For those with food allergies or food preferences, the galley can be flexible, serving alternative dishes. Bottled water was at our table, both sparkling and still. Specialty coffees and soft drinks, as well as spirits and beer, were all available at no extra charge.

The Cheese Plates

The post New Date Announced For 2022 Alsace Barge Trip With David Wilcox appeared first on River Cruise Advisor.

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