Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SLOW BUT SURE IS FUN
Hayley Watson relaxes on a cruise barging trip in France
Up on the deck of a cruise barge drifting through hidden nooks of the French countryside, I sit back and savour the moment.
The warm sunshine beating down, the scenery like something from an impressionist painting and above all, the leisurely pace to take it all in.
Later I would be picking from a menu of fresh local cuisine at the onboard restaurant. Tomorrow I would be exploring pretty French towns. All in between soaking up the sights along the river and restful nights in my cosy cabin.
This is cruise barging – a niche kind of European river trip that is gaining a loyal following of mindful travellers for whom relishing the tiny details of the journey is the holiday itself.
I was travelling with Croisieurope, which operates one of the largest river cruise fleets in Europe.
Promising ‘an adventure between land and sea’, I had plumped for an itinerary featuring the delights of Provence cruising the Rhone and surrounding canals.
After a flight to Marseilles, I boarded a coach transfer to the city of Arles, where the delightful royal blue and white MS Anne-marie was docked awaiting its passengers.
Greeted by friendly staff, I met charismatic purser Hans, who I soon learned would be ringing a bell for an aperitif and an amusebouche before every onboard lunch and dinner. Magnifique!
Barge cruising in these parts is nothing like narrowboating on the canals at home. There are no metal buckets painted with folk art, no whistling kettles on gas rings, no squeezing through gangways.
Anne-marie was more like a snazzy floating boutique hotel. Her spacious lounge with sleek, wraparound sofas in white leather led out onto the deck with tables for sundowners and parasols for shade. There was a hot tub out there too, should you fancy some bubbles with your flute of French fizz. Inside you could perch on stools at the cocktail bar.
There are just 11 cabins on board spread over two decks, sleeping 22 in total, and I just loved that my light and airy room with twin beds, ensuite shower room and TV was always just a few steps away, wherever I was on the vessel.
That night I sampled the first of many outstanding meals paired with local wines. After a silky cauliflower velouté, salmon en croûte carved at the table, crème brûlée, and a revolving selection of regional cheeses, I knew dinner times were going to be a highlight.
Following a peaceful night’s sleep, there was a buffet breakfast, featuring obligatory pains au chocolat.
Then I joined a short coach trip through picture-postcard French villages to Le Moulin de la Coquille olive oil mill.
With my fellow passengers, I took a fascinating tour of the machinery, sampled some delicious produce, and enjoyed the views.
We then headed back to Arles for a gentle stroll. By chance the annual Festival of the Herdsmen was taking place and it was wonderful to watch locals in traditional clothing proudly parading through town on horseback. It’s a ritual that’s been running since the 16th century.
It was then back to the boat for an easy-going afternoon of cruising the waterways, resting our legs and making the most of the sunshine.
The next morning we arrived in the heart of the Camargue, shaking off the cobwebs along the riverside paths with help from the onboard bicycles available for guests to use. The fishing town of Saintes-maries-de-la-mer, with its fortified church, flamingos on the lake and vast sandy beach was a smashing seaside trip.
We then enjoyed another afternoon cruising the river, ending in the town of Aiguesmortes, where we had free time to potter around streets full of artisan shops and ice-cream parlours.
On our final day we took a guided walking tour of Aigues-mortes, then visited the Salins du Midi, huge salt pans that have been producing the region’s famous salt for centuries, with a chance to climb the dizzy heights of the salt mountain. Our final lunch was a spectacular barbecue on the sun deck, with brochettes of beef and monkfish and a selection of colourful salads. Although I’d seen and done a lot in the snapshot three days on board (regular itineraries are seven days), everything was timed so that nothing felt rushed.
Watching the landscape change as we cruised brought a new appreciation for the countryside between those picturesque French towns. I adored my cabin, the food and banter with other passengers, who became pals over drinks and dinners. Holidaying at a slower pace certainly made it a richer one. Now where is my pre-lunch aperitif ?
‘‘ Although I saw and did a lot, it was all timed so that nothing felt rushed