Lone Star
Barging Alsace-Lorraine

Passengers: 8
Size: 126 feet long
Last Visited: 2008
Rating: Ultra Deluxe, A/C, Families

2009 rates

Whole-Boat Charter- $45,000
Lone Star will book on charter-only basis in 2009.
The cruise fare does not include the cost of your transfer to/from the pickup and return points in Alsace-Lorraine. We would be happy to coordinate and reserve train transfers from Paris or other locations.  Please call us at (800)880-0071 to start this process!

LONE STAR will offer six-night cruises between Nancy and Strasbourg in Alsace-Lorraine.  This itinerary is available in 2009 every Sunday from August 23 to October 10.  Enjoy dinner on shore at the Michelin 2* restaurant Le Cerf - and a host of outstanding sightseeing!

Created by dedicated Texan owners, Lone Star was originally conceived as a barge for their family. It combines the best of U.S. style space and amenities with the charm of European-trained crew. The result is a very welcoming vessel which feels and "lives" like a home - and now can be YOUR floating home-away-from-home in France.

The window-lined salon and dining area is a place to really relax and watch the world go by. Decor is in warm shades of blue and cream, acented by comfortable couches and a beautiful wood bar. The owners upgraded the space in 2008 with new furniture, curtains and dining room chairs - among many major improvements to this already classic and spacious vessel. Colorful table settings both in the dining room and on deck reflect the warmth and fun of Lone Star.

Guests in 2009 will have access to a computer in the salon and will enjoy movies on the flat screen television.

The four spacious suites are panelled in ash and cherry wood and offer such amenities as individually-controlled heating and air conditioning, choice of Queen or Twin beds, 110 and 220 volt electricity in the bedroom and bath, and ample storage as well as a writing desk. Most unusually, there are three windows on each exterior wall.

Crew is a great strength. Multi-talented Captain Olivier Megret is a 20-year industry veteran (and hails from a prominant "barging family" which has crewed all over France for generations). Captain Megret is a reliable guide and companion. He has cruised on most of the canals and rivers in France and served in the French military in the Alsace region. He is also a licensed balloon pilot and has had culinary training. He is joined by a top gourmet chef and additional experienced crew.

In April 2008, we boarded Lone Star moored in Vermenton. We were delighted to be with Captain Olivier and his wife Debbie, who is Lone Star's guide. 2008 Chef  Tadek served some of the best food we have EVER enjoyed on the canals. In the Menu section, find some of these meals as well as a picture of Tadek at work. We plan to revisit Lone Star in 2009!

Lone Star

Alsace-Lorraine Barge Cruise Itinerary

Alsace-Lorraine Cruise

Saverne to Nancy on the Canal de la Marne Au Rhine
Six night cruises between August 23 and October 10

Sunday: Strasbourg to Saverne
Your party will be met in Strasbourg at 3:00pm, either in your hotel lobby or in front of the train station. It is a short drive to Saverne. Saverne is a typical Alsatian town full of half-timbered houses and dominated by Cardinal Rohan’s summer palace, a grand Renaissance masterpiece complete with formal gardens. The Canal de la Marne au Rhine weaves its way through town, providing a magical backdrop for your first night on board! After the traditional champagne welcome and introduction of crew, there’s time to explore a bit in Saverne – before the first of many gourmet dinners on Lone Star.

Monday: Saverne to Lutzelbourg . . . Sightseeing in Strasbourg
After an unhurried breakfast buffet – which includes just-baked village pastries – set sail into the Zorn River Valley. Ruined castles cling to the hilltops (Alsace has Europe’s highest concentration of medieval castles), while closer in, there’s walking and bicycling. Your mooring tonight is Lutzelbourg, one of the most beautiful and colorful canal-side villages in Alsace. After lunch, it’s back to Strasbourg, a city which sits on the border of France and Germany. Street signs are in both languages! Stroll the picturesque Petite France neighborhood. With its half-timbered houses accented by colorful flower boxes, Petite France looks like something out of a fairy tale. Then visit the Cathedral of Notre Dame, one of Europe’s great Gothic structures, and take a few minutes to browse the shops and patisseries around the Cathedral. There is much to enjoy in Strasbourg, but by late afternoon it is time to return to Lone Star. (If your party has already spent time in Strasbourg, we’ll propose an alternate excursion. For instance, in nearby Sarrelbourg is the 13th century Chapel of the Cordeliers, smartly brought up to date with a massive stained glass window designed by Marc Chagall.) Enjoy dinner on-shore at the Michelin 2* restaurant Le Cerf in nearby Marlenheim.

Tuesday: Lutzelbourg to Xouxange...Adorable Wine Village
Begin the day with a drive to the tiny (650 inhabitants) and beautiful village of Mittelbergheim, surrounded by vineyards. Alsatian wine villages are the very definition of “old world charm.” On the main street are several producers and we’ll enjoy a winetasting. There will be time to purchase, too. Then it’s back to Lone Star and your afternoon cruise to Xouxange. On the way, encounter perhaps the most amazing experience of your trip: The lifting of the barge straight up 138 feet on the Arzviller incline plane. Counter-balanced weights lift an 850-ton trough of water (with the barge in it) sideways up a cliff! Prior to its construction in the 1960s, barges needed eight to thirteen hours to traverse seventeen locks. You are now in Lorraine. The landscape becomes gentle, featuring agricultural landscapes and small villages. 

Wednesday: Xouxange to Lagarde...Baccarat Crystal
This morning, relax on board as we float to Lagarde. Today’s excursion is to the town of Baccarat – where the world-famous crystal is still made by artisans using 18th-century formulas and techniques. Visit the Museum of Glass, housed in an elegant old manor. Here is displayed crystal stemware made for – among other notables – Czar Nicholas II, President Roosevelt, and Prime Minister Churchill. There will be time to shop in the Baccarat showroom before returning to Lone Star to compare purchases and enjoy another gourmet dinner.

Thursday:Lagarde to Crevic...Family Chateau
Cruise to the village of Crevic this morning. After lunch, served on deck if weather permits, we’ll present the Chateau de Fleville. Fleville can trace its roots to the Middle Ages, while the present structure was completed in the Renaissance period. The same family has owned the Chateau for 200 years. Fifteen rooms and a romantic garden are open to view. Return to Lone Star for dinner on board.

Friday: Crevic to Nancy. . . . Elegant and Artistic City
You'll cruise this morning to our mooring in the heart of Nancy: an elegant city which is the artistic and intellectual capital of Lorraine.  Its centerpiece is the Place Stanislas, a gigantic square surrounded by gloriously classical buildings, gilded wrought-iron gates and extravagant fountains. In the late 19th century, Nancy was the center of the Art Nouveau movement, its influence still seen in the gorgeous mansions of the period and the collection of historic Art Nouveau glasswork in the Musee des Beaux – Arts. One can still purchase museum quality Art Nouveau objects – or respectful copies at a lesser price. Return to Lone Star for the Captain’s Dinner, which ends your cruise in style.

Saturday: Nancy. . . . A Sad Farewell
You'll depart Lone star at 9:00am and taken to the train station in Nancy for the mid-morning TGV to Paris; estimated arival at the Gare de L'Est in Paris is noon. (All transfers to and from the route in Alsace-Lorraine are in addition to the cruise price and must be booked separately. We will assign arrival and departure trains.) If your party wishes, you can be chauffered back to Strasbourg for your onward transfer arrangements. Breakfast is your last on board meal. We hope to see you on Lone Star soon again!

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 Burgundy on the canals and waterways of France Or call us toll free at (800) 880-0071.

Lone Star
Guest Book

"Our stay on the Lone Star was perfect!  It was beyond our expectations.  Of course this was largely due to our wonderful crew who did everything possible to ensure a perfect trip.  I think the high light was dinner at a three star Michelin restaurant with our Captain, Olivier...what a magical night."
-Durrell and Gwen Hillis, 2008

Lone Star Floor Plan

126 Feet long
Cabin 1 = 226 sq feet
Cabin 2 = 226 sq feet
Cabin 3 = 220 sq feet
Cabin 4 = 236 sq feet
-Three windows on each exterior side
-Choice of Twin or Queen Beds
-Beautiful cherry wood wardrobe with lots of storage
-110 and 220 volt electrical outlets in both cabin and bathroom
-Large and window-lined salon and dining area
-Flat screen television
-Teak deck with awning if needed
-Large wheelhouse with guest seating