Charlemagne
Barging in Germany

Passengers: 32
Size: 217 feet long
Rating: First Class, A/C, Great for Groups and Families
Last Visited: 2007

We are sorry to announce that charlemagne is no longer in service.  please call us at (800) 880-0071 and let us recommend an alternate vessel.

CHARLEMAGNE was recently acquired by Canal and Company and now stars on the new and wonderful routes on the German rivers. We visited Charlemagne twice in 2007.

In April 2007, Ellen Sack, The Barge Lady was thrilled to be among the first guests to board this barge moored near Rotterdam in Holland. We were welcomed by owners (and old friends) John Senior and Guy Bardet. We were extremely pleased with this bright, spacious and above all comfortable vessel. The salon, lit by floor to ceiling windows, hosts small and intimate seating groups, while the twin-bedded cabins are simpler but have great bathrooms with double sinks and powerful showers. (There are also two canopy-bedded suites which may be reserved for a higher price.)

In July 2007, Barge Lady Office Manager Amy Aldrich and her husband Tom cruised from Metz, France to Koblenz, Germany on the "Three Country Cruise". They had a wonderful time! Go directly to the Barge Lady Blog to read bout Amy's day to day adventures - which included really outstanding sightseeing.

After a spring season in Holland, CHARLEMAGNE moves to Germany for two alternating itineraries - one on the River Mosel, the other on the Rivers Neckar and Rhine.

The "Three Country Cruise" either begins or ends in Metz, France, touches down in Luxembourg and then cruises the most beautiful section of the vineyard-lined River Mosel in Germany.

The "German Rivers Cruise" is set entirely in Germany on the Rivers Mosel, Rhone and Neckar and offers beautiful scenery and such romantic ports as Heidelberg, setting for the famed operetta, The Student Prince.

Frankfurt, Germany is the pick up and return point for both cruises.

Charlemagne

German River Barge Cruise Itineraries

Charlemagne cruises in Germany

between May 23 and October 30, 2009

"German Rivers Cruise"

Bad Wimpfen to Koblenz

On the Rivers Rhine and Neckar

Saturday: Frankfurt
We meet at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel in Frankfurt at 2pm and transfer to Charlemagne, moored in the city of Bad Wimpfen, a welcome aboard reception will await you and then you will be shown to your cabins, time to settle into your accomodations before dinner is served.

Sunday: Bad Wimpfen to Eberbach
After breakfast, a visit to the town of Bad Wimpfen. The small fortified town dominates the river and was the ancient Imperial residence of the Hohenstaufen in the 13th C. The town has a picturesque ensemble of half timbered houses that we will discover along the winding streets. WE return on board for lunch and in the afternoon, a pleasant cruise to Eberbach. Here the Neckar rejoins the massif stone of I'Odenwald and flows between the lush wooded areas where we can see the roofs of castles. Charlemagne will arrive Eberbach this evening, it is an agreeable touristic town.

Monday: Eberbach to Heidelberg
This morning, a visit to Michelstadt, exisitng since 741. The town is famous for its numerous half timbered houses, the Rathaus (town hall) and the synagogue dating from 18th C., one of very few to have survived the nazi period. Also famous, the Einhardsbasilika which was built on the initiative of Einhard a member of the court of Charlemagne in 821. We return to Charlemagne by the romantic road of Odenwald. Lunch is served on board and an afternoon cruise through the narrow straits of the Neckar, full of chateaux and small villages. Well known is Hirschhorn with its fortified spur and Neckarsteinach where there are four chateaux. We arrive into Heidelberg in the late afternoon.

Tuesday: Heidelberg to Worms
This morning, we will visit Heidelberg. This important site of German romanticism has inspired numerous poets seduced by the natural beauty of the town and its ruined chauteau built on a hillside. We will have a guided visit of both the city and chateau, this is the pearl of the Neckar route and is far from being just a museum, today it has a vibrant university and the students bring lots of life and animation. During lunch on board, we will leav our mooring in Heidelberg and cruise to Mannheim, a large industrial town, this is where the Neckar and the Rhine join. We contiue our cruise on the Rhine to Worms. One of the three Imperial residences along the Rhine, it constitutes one of the settings for the saga of Niebelungen.

Wednesday: Worms to Rudesheim
This morning, we cruise to Mainz, a city at the confluence of the Rhine and Main rivers and established in 39 B.C. by the Romans. After lunch on board, a walking tour will take you though the narrow streets of the old district to the cathedral. Late afternoon cruise along the famous vineyards of the Rheingau to Rudesheim where we find the world renown Drosselgasse rich in wine bars where we can have a taste of the famous reisling.

Thursday: Rudecheim to Koblenz
This morning we navigate in the heart of the Rhine valley, known as the Romantic Rhine, full of idyllic villages, chateaux, some ruined and all impressionable, together with the Lorelei, the legendary rock which has become the symbol of this passage. During lunch on board, we continue our cruising towards Koblenz. After lunch, a guided tour of Koblenz, a city at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers. We visit the basilica of St. Kastor and the monumental statue of the emperor Guillaume 1er. There will be free time in the city before our Farewell Gala dinner this evening.

Friday: Return to Frankfurt
This morning, after breakfast, we return to Frankfurt by motor coach, arriving around lunchtime.

"Three Country Cruise"

Koblenz, Germany to Metz, France

On the River Mosel

Saturday: Frankfurt to Koblenz
We meet at Steigenberger Frankfurter Hof Hotel in Frankfurt at 2pm and transfer to Charlemagne, moored in the city of Koblenz, a welcome aboard reception will await you and then you will be shown to your cabins, time to settle into your accomodations before dinner is served.

Sunday: Koblenz to Cochem
A morning cruise on the Mosel brings us to Cochem, this famous riverside town is dominated by its medieval castle, originally built in the 11th C. Later, during a wine tasting you will be able to familiarize yourself with the different wines of the region.

Monday: Cochem to Bernkastel-Kues
The Moselle winds and turns and takes a route along the terrain which is entorely cultivated with vines which extend as far as the eye can see, occasionally broken by small villages. We stop at Bernkastel-Kues for a visit to the small town and its half timbered houses.

Tuesday: Bernkastel-Kues to Trier
This morning , we continue our cruise up the river Moselle in one of the most beautiful parts of Germany. After lunch, tour of the city of Trier. This city was the capital of the Occidental Roman Empire in the 3rd C. and was named Rome of the North. Trier can qualify, along with Worms as the oldest town in Germany. Its remarkable collection of Roman ruins has been classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Wednesday: Trier to Remich and Luxembourg
Morning cruise on the river Moselle and arrive into Remich. This charming small town is part of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and we will take an excursion there this afternoon. The capital is a thousand years old, fascinating, built on rock and called the Gibraltar of the North. A short bus ride will also take us for a visit to the Roman mosaiques of Nenning. They were discovered in 1852 as part of an immense villa. The sumptuous mosaic wall is the largest, most beautiful and best preserved north of the Alpes. We return to Charlemagne in Remich.

Thursday: Remich to Metz, France
Early morning cruise to enter France, and finally reach Metz. The countryside changes radically and we leave the hills and vineyards behind us, replaced by the vast plains of the Lorraine. This afternoon, a visit to Metz, the city is Roman, Medieval, Classic and keeps its aspects from its three thousand years of history. The cathedral of Saint-Etienne is world renown for its stained glass which covers a surface of 6496 square meters. We have the pleasure of admiring the masterpieces from the 13th C until recent times. There will be free time in the city before we return to Charlemagne for our farewell Gala Dinner.

Friday: Return to Frankfurt
After breakfast, we return to Frankfurt by motor coach, arriving around lunchtime.


Please note: this is a sample itinerary which may be subject to change depending on local conditions. The route will run in reverse on alternate weeks.
Contact The Barge Lady for reservations and more information about Barging in Germany. Or call us toll free at (800) 880-0071.

Charlemagne

Guest Book

"This was our third barge trip and we really enjoyed it.  Loved the floor to ceiling windows on the Charlemagne.  You could sit on a couch and still see outside!  Also, loved having the whole top deck open.  My favorite day was the one I sat outside in the sun and watched the hillside vineyards go by in Germany.  It was heavenly!"
-Ed and Nancy Hawfield, 2008

"It was a wonderful experience.  We ate and drank our way along the most beautiful river in Europe.  The cuisine was excellent.  A different red and white wine was served at lunch and dinner.  We sampled a total of 24 different wines.  We liked the architecture of the small towns, the castle tour and the winetasting.  As for our fellow guests, the staff commented on how well we all got along!  We thought everyone was interesting:  with different histories and coming from different parts of the country.  We made a great decision by trying barging.  Service provided by The Barge Lady - both on the phone and on the site - is outstanding."
-Nils and Emily Bjerg, 2008

"The cruise exceeded our expectations. The ship was much nicer than the web pictures indicated. We had the Sunflower suite which was great with views on both sides of the ship, clean and well maintained.  The staff was outstanding - all of them. The cuisine was excellent. Far exceeding what we were anticipating. The chef Mario is a find. Not only was the food, wine and cheese excellent, his personality was great. He added a lot of fun to our time aboard. The Black Forest Cake that they baked for my birthday was the greatest. "
- Charles and Janice Sparrer, 2007

Charlemagne Floor Plan

217 Feet long
-Two main deck Queen-bedded suites at 160 square feet 
-14 lower deck twin bedded cabins at 140 square feet
-Large salon and dining area with picture windows
-Large sundeck on top deck
-Powder room on main floor