The family Vacation You Will Never Forget
CRUISES BIG AND SMALL
If you seek a more intimate, idiosyncratic experience, you could explore the Maine coast on a private windjammer, charter a sailboat to bum around the Caribbean, or even steer a barge through the waterways of Europe. Unlike crewing a sailboat, bare-boating a barge (i.e., crewing it yourself) requires no previous experience and is surprisingly affordable.
Evelyn Gresser and 10 members of her family celebrated her husband's 70th birthday on a barge in France. "It's extremely easy," says Gresser, president of Le Boat, a company that charters barges. "Your transportation is built in, and you choose the pace. If you find a likable location, you just stay." They received a quick but complete piloting lesson before starting out. And, although one son-in-law fell into a canal, she insists handling the boat was a cinch.
Life onboard was la vie en rose. "The first one up would head for the town bakery-the children were in heaven when they discovered chocolate croissants. The food was reasonable in cost, and at restaurants my 3-year-old grandson would order saumon fume [smoked salmon] in French, and the staff would just dote on him."
Barging in France
A relaxing and intimate way to enjoy the French countryside By CYNTHIA DADDONA
Agents looking for something different to offer their clients will find barging in France a nice option. Clients have the experience of gliding down the peaceful French canals in a cozy boat and exploring the tiny villages, riding bikes or sitting in a cafe.
When some Americans first hear the term barging, they envision a trip on board a not so comfortable vessel that used to transport coal, lumber, grain or even oil. While barges did carry cargo before the introduction of trains and trucks, today their main use is to carry passengers.
"Barges on the French canals were almost at the point of extinction until private owners and companies bought the barges, gutted them and installed cabins," says Alba Paterson, who was in charge of sales and marketing for Le Boat, Inc. "Today, barges are cozy and some truly elegant." Agents can rest assured that their clients will not be sleeping on bags of grain, but instead, will experience many of the amenities available in a four and five star hotel.
Meanderer
Cruising in Luxury
Every voyage should begin comm ca I held the crystal tulip to the light and watched bubbles stream upward and explode into ethereal foam. In my other hand, I held, with equal finesse, a delectable quail's egg. I lowered the glass and sipped, watching the Marne River glide beneath a medieval wall on the opposite quay where young sycamores grew and old lovers touched on a wooden bench.
We--my wife, Robyn and I and our fellow guests-were standing on the weather deck of the canal barge Meanderer in the Paris suburb of Lagny. It was a deliciously hot July afternoon. We were at the outset of what would be a long, slow, embracing crawl into the heart of the Isle de France, ultimately exploring the visible spirit of this nation. Which I now savored: Champagne.
