Many were used to haul cargo. Today they are luxurious floating hotels equipped with amenities such as Jacuzzis and heated towel racks.
Welcome to the world of barge vacations in Europe.
“It’s very unique. It’s the canals, the small waterways, and the beautiful countryside as opposed to visiting big cities,” explained Crystal Groome, owner of The Barge Connection based in Nevada County. “You go through locks, you can get off, visit villages, go hiking or biking. There are also daily excursions with your own private guide and driver. You can do things like go truffle hunting with dogs. It’s all very tailored.”
Groome is one of a select few tour operators in the U.S. specializing in barging. She has been arranging six-night, seven-day barge vacations since 1998.
“I worked with a gentleman in Boulder who started this business in America, introducing barging as a vacation. He brought me to France, where I experienced barging first-hand. I fell in love with the concept,” Groome recalled.
She started her own business after she married and moved to Nevada City. Since then, she’s arranged barge vacations for hundreds of people across the United States.
The barges feature en-suite cabins and can accommodate from four to 24 guests. At any given time, dozens of hotel barges are cruising leisurely along the canals of Europe at three to five miles per hour. Tow paths along the waterways — used in earlier times by horses towing the barges — make perfect hiking and biking paths today. Quaint villages, lush vineyards, unparalleled wine tasting and medieval castles await visitors, who are chauffeured in vans and given guided tours.
Prices for week-long barge vacations — excluding airfare — average $4,000 per person for an all-inclusive, fully-crewed five-star hotel barge. Or, you can split the $3,500 cost of a 10-person, self-drive barge among friends if you prefer to be your own captain and provide your own meals for the week. No license is required, and most people can learn to maneuver a barge after a 20- or 30-minute introduction.
Groome represents 60 barges based in France, Germany, England, Ireland and Scotland. She’s visited nearly every barge.
“Each boat is a little bit different. Like hotels, they’re classified by the number of stars. A three-star hotel barge is more informal, a five-star is like the Ritz-Carlton,” she said, adding that gourmet chefs, open bars and fine wines are common. “Some people are really detail-oriented when they plan a vacation and I can give them those details. For example, I can tell them how many steps down to the cabins or to the salon from the deck.”
While Groome specializes in barges, she is sometimes asked to organize pre- and post-barge trips for clients. She’s also a travel agent to travel agents, who value her expertise and assistance.
“I’m a tour operator, and travel agents call me. They’ll ask what I have available, and I’ll inquire whether their clients want something casual or deluxe. I’ll share what’s available, when, and at what cost. It’s the same price whether you contact a barge captain directly, go through a travel agent, or go through me,” Groome said.
At the invitation of her husband’s parents, Kim Sagebiel of Nevada City and several family members took a barge vacation last summer along France’s Canal du Midi in the heart of the Languedoc wine-producing region. She said they were thrilled with the service provided by the captain, his wife, and two other barge employees who waited tables and offered guided tours.
“It’s the height of pampering. Absolutely incredible. Magical. My husband and I agreed it was the most relaxed we’ve ever been in our lives,” recalled Sagebiel. “Some days we went out on trips, other days we stayed on the barge. It was peaceful and quiet along the canal. We spent a lot of time reading, talking, and playing board games.”
Sagebiel added that the trip was organized around what her family wanted to do, where they wanted to go, and which sites they wanted to see.
“Everything is catered to what you want to happen in your day,” recalled Sagebiel, who said Groome made it all possible. “Crystal is the nicest person ever in the world. She is friendly, helpful, and generous. She does really well asking questions to get to know what you want. She doesn’t make assumptions. She did a good job pairing us with the best boat.”
Phil and Anne Starr, owners of Sierra Starr Vineyard and Winery in Grass Valley, enjoyed a barge vacation nearly a decade ago through the Provence region of Southern France.
“It couldn’t have been better. We had a great crew that treated us amazingly well. They brought aboard fresh meat and produce from the villages every day. The food was really good. Every day we had wine and cheese tastings. We took fabulous day trips, including visiting a walled city. We dipped our toes in the Mediterranean,” remembered Anne. “I can’t say enough good things about Crystal. She arranged the whole thing and there were no flaws.”
Allen and Sabine Ostrofe, owners of Ostrofe Financial Consultants, Inc. of Grass Valley, opted for a self-drive barge vacation in 2013. Groome connected the Ostrofes and two other couples with the self-drive barge called Le Boat, which cruises the Canal du Midi.
“We were completely in control of where we were going and could make decisions right there on the spot, rather than being on a tour and having to go to this hotel or that on a certain day,” enthused Allen. “We’d say, ‘This looks like a cool place to stop for lunch’ and we’d do it. You can explore the countryside on your own and pick what you want to do. You can jump on a bicycle if you’re bored or want some exercise, and get picked up at the next stop.”
Allen said he was pleasantly surprised by how effortless it all was.
“You have to speak almost no French; the people were incredibly friendly. I don’t think we ever paid more than $7 for a bottle of wine. Anybody who can drive a car can drive one of those barges,” stated Allen. “When we started planning the trip, we googled ‘Best Barge Trips in Europe’ and discovered the best person was right here in our neighborhood. Crystal did a fantastic job. She’s easy to work with. There are many barge companies, but hers has the best reputation.”
One of the barge captains Groome has befriended spent part of his youth in Grass Valley. Captain Daniel Sak said he appreciates Groome’s friendship as well as her professionalism.
“Crystal Groome travels often to France and is very well acquainted with the owners of the canal barges. Her familiarity with the various barges and knowledge of the areas where they cruise make her an excellent choice when potential passengers are looking for a tour organizer. She rates among the top professionals in her area of the industry,” praised Sak via an email message from France.
“As captain of the barge Tango, I most enjoy meeting the people who come from all over the world to cruise with us. I also take a great deal of satisfaction in selecting wines and planning the menus that are served onboard,” continued Sak, who has cruised the Canal du Midi for 20 years. “I love being able to return to Grass Valley and meet up with family members and friends, although operating and maintaining Tango occupies most of my time, so I am not able to visit as often as I would like.”
Groome said many barge captains and crew members have told her passengers experience their barging vacations in similar ways.
“They tell me when passengers first board the hotel barge, they’re excited and anxious to get started with excursions,” she said. “By the second or third day, they’re more relaxed and ready to enjoy the peacefulness of their vacation.”