Even if the Canal du Midi (near Toulouse) is the most famous river cruise in France, there are many more options to relax on a barge (called péniche) in one of the French rivers.

There are 113 nautical bases for river cruising, covering about 5,000 miles of waterway. Most of them are located in the Eastern part of France. The South West is also very nice with the Lot or the Canal du Midi. We have tested for you the navigation on the Mayenne river, located near Angers in the Loire Valley.

 

This type of tourism is for travelers who want to go slow and enjoy life ; maybe around a glass of rosé wine with some cold cuts ; or taking a sunbath on the deck of a boat.

Your journey is about getting cooler in the river, passing locks and strolling villages along the way. At night, you’ll find a pontoon either in the nature or in a small river port.

Everything you need is onboard including a kitchen, a bathroom and bikes.

This is a really nice way to discover the French countryside!

France Just For You

Experts in self-drive tours in France

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Vania
Emilie did an outstanding job choosing ideal locations, charming B and B's and accommodating our requests. We went from Normandy to Aix to the Alps to Paris and were happy with the entire trip. She created a personalized itinerary that made our travels very easy and our experiences feel unique. No doubt I would recommend France Just for You and …
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Myrna & Don
We are experienced travelers world-wide, generally organizing our own itinerary or having a travel group help us with a tour-for-two, and a personal guide, in several select locations. This was our first visit to France. So to be on our own with the guidance and extremely comprehensive written support of France Just For You was just remarkable and …
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France Just For You, made going to France a seamless experience. They took care of all the arrangements: train, and car travel, tours and stays. The bed and breakfasts were hosted by delightful people who took an interest in you and had met and praised Emilie. Emilie tailored the trip to our specifications. Her organizational skills are unmatched …
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