Lorraine
Barging in Alsace-Lorraine

Passengers: 22
Size: 128 feet long
Rating: First Class, A/C

2009 rates in Alsace-Lorraine
as of December 15, 2008

Whole Boat Charter
$49,300 - Low Season
$55,100 - High Season

Individual Cabin Prices
$2,465 - Low Season (per person in a twin or double bedded cabin)
$2,755 - High Season (per person in a twin or double bedded cabin)
Single Occupancy Supplement - $655

Prices do not include open bar, crew gratuity or train transfers to/from Paris and the pickup point. The Barge Lady can assist in the purchase of train tickets.
All prices are subject to change re: Dollar - Euro currency fluctuation.

The Lorraine will cruise in Alsace-Lorraine between the dates July 18 to October 30, 2009. Six-night cruises begin Saturday in Strasbourg and end the following Friday in Strasbourg.

2009 Low Season Dates in Alsace-Lorraine
July 18 to August 21 and October 24 - 30

2009 High Season Dates in Alsace-Lorraine
August 22 to October 23


Lorraine is owned by an experienced American investor-operator. He pledges to run the barge at the same quality level  enjoyed by guests in previous seasons. Lorraine will spend the first half of the 2009 season in Southern Burgundy, returning to Alsace in mid-July.

When in Alsace, Lorraine holds down a fascinating route in Alsace - Lorraine, where French and German cultures intertwine. (The villages look German, the wines taste French! ) This beautiful route contains some of the most interesting and varied sightseeing in all of barging, including a barge "lift" that hauls Lorraine up 150 feet from the River Marne to the Rhine Canal! Other excursions include Strasbourg, a wonderful city with great shopping; Colmar, renowned for Renaissance and Medieval architecture; wine tasting in typical village; and the Chapel of Cordeliers, with its famed Chagal window.

Young and enthusiastic crew keeps the ambiance festive and a French chef rules the kitchen. A great choice for 11 couples on a whole-boat charter, as the cabins are identical. Highly praised by our guests!

Lorraine

Alsace-Lorraine Cruise Itinerary

2009 Cruise dates in Alsace are July 18 to October 30. Six night cruises begin Saturday in Strasbourg and end the following Friday in Strasbourg.

krafft to xouxange

Saturday: Strasbourg toKrafft
Passengers will be met at the Strasbourg Rail Station at 4:30pm. (TGV train tickets to/from Paris are in addition to the cruise fare and must be purchased separately. We can coordinate this purchase before departure.) You will transfer to Lorraine, moored in the village of Krafft. Sip an aperitif as we welcome you on board and introduce you to the crew. (Meanwhile your luggage is taken quietly to your cabin.) Enjoy your first gourmet dinner on board this evening.

Sunday: Krafft to Strasbourg
After cruising the peaceful Canal du Rhône au Rhin, drive to Colmar, renowned for its magnificent medieval and Renaissance buildings, 13th-century collegiate church, and Little Venice district. Enjoy a guided tour and free time to explore. Stop at the Unterlinden Museum, famous for its Renaissance art and home to the "Issenheim Altarpiece." Return to the barge through the famous vineyards of Alsace. Pause in picturesque Riquewihr for a tasting of local vintages before returning to Lorraine, moored in Strasbourg.

Monday: Strasbourg to Waltenheim
Cruise past the European Parliament before disembarking for a walking tour of Strasbourg, including the picturesque Petite France riverside district and the remarkable cathedral of Notre Dame. Afterward, explore on your own. Visit a museum, take advantage of the excellent shopping or simply stroll the cobbled streets. Return to the Lorraine in the nearby village of Hochfelden.

Tuesday: Waltenheim to Lutzelbourg
After breakfast and a short cruise, we will visit a small local brewery, all the best French beers are brewed in the Alsace region. Afterwards we return to Lorraine for lunch and a cruise through Saverne and the Zorne valley to the fairytale town of Lutzelbourg, nestled in the Vosges mountains.

Wednesday: Lutzelbourg to Hess
After breakfast, visit a crystal workshop and see how some of the most famous products of this area are still individually fashioned by hand. Back on board cruise into Lorraine, where the canal follows the steep-sided, tree-lined valley of the river Zorn to the famous inclined plane of Arzviller. Here a counterbalanced barge lift hauls us up nearly 150 feet to the summit level of the Marne to Rhine canal. We then cruise through a cutting and two tunnels under the peak of the Vosges Mountains before mooring for the evening at a quiet spot near the village of Hess.

Thursday: Hess to Xouxange
Cruise along the summit pound, or highest section, of the Marne to Rhine canal, passing through the regional park of Lorraine, a nature reserve with vast woodlands and lakes. After lunch drive to Sarrebourg and visit the chapel of the Cordelieres, with its famed Chagall window. We return to Lorraine, moored in Xouxange for our farewell gala dinner.

Friday: Coach Transfer back to Strasbourg
You will be driven back to the Strasbourg Rail Station. Expected arrival is 11:00am - noon. Breakfast is your last on-board meal.

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 and river cruises in France Or call us toll free at (800) 880-0071.

Lorraine

Guest Book

"Fantastic!  The food was outstanding!  After telling friends about this experience, they are planning to book a barge trip in 2010."
-Jo Anne Eschler, 2009

"The tours were varied.  Our favorite was the beertasting - and we loved Colmar!"
-Cliff and Laura Wood, 2008

"Just a quick note from Kelly and I to say that we thoroughly enjoyed the trip.  The crew, the boat, the tours, everything including the weather were absolutely awesome and we will certainly recommend it to our friends.  Thanks, too, for your attention to detail and speedy responses."
-Greg and Kelly Banks, 2008

"Great Trip, can't wait to do another next year!"
-Doug and Paula Groseclose, 2008

"Fellow passengers were lots of fun and interacted very well with six in our Seattle group.  The entire staff was always friendly and helpful.  Helen, cruise manager, made special accomodation for Jane's allergy to "oaked" wines."
-Louis and Jane Lambert, 2008

"The most FABULOUS vacation ever!!! Did you hand pick the other voyagers, we were the most delicious group of people ever. . . hugs and kisses and e-mail exchanges at the end. The level of activity for the teens, the 50 year olds and the "oldsters," was terrific. The food, the excursions, the bikes, the crew were wonderful. Neil, the bus driver and guide was outstanding, easily one of us, but with a wealth of knowledge about the sights. What's to say. . . we will barge again and again."
- Florence Michelson, 2007
Thanks, Florence - we loved working with you!

"The trip was fascinating. The highlight is a lifting of the barge from the River Zorn up nearly 150 feet to the Mame to Rhine Canal. I have barged at least a dozen times and never have I been so captivated. Hard to believe a 128 foot barge can be lifted like that. The wine tasting, beer tasting and crystal factories were most enjoyable. It's a wonderful cruise through the Alsace and Strasbourg is a beautiful city to visit. The crew was a delight and I would like to have them all serve me again."
- Ada Paulsen, 2007

"Especially, we loved cruising the canals and meeting our companions, many of them had barged before. One thing we've noted on all our barge cruises is that barge travelers "get it." That means they know the benefits of such travel and plan to return again and again."
-Don and Elaine Smith, 2007

Lorraine Floor Plan

128 feet long
-11 Cabins 110 sq ft, all with twin beds and large windows.
-Lounge/bar and separate dining room with modern decor and large windows.
-Sundeck with canopy.