Bike and Barge Tours in Europe – Barging and Biking the European Waterways Way. We know that many of our passengers enjoy taking some exercise during their barge cruise, so all of our vessels carry bicycles for everyone on board to use. Almost anytime during the cruise, the crew can offload the bikes for you to take a gentle pedal along the canal towpath, perhaps to the next pretty village or lock. For more information please see:
“BIKING PLUS”
For those passengers who would like to be a little more adventurous, a number of our barges now offer a “Biking Plus” option, as follows:
• Whilst others are relaxing on deck, or maybe enjoying a stroll, you can take a bike on most days and follow an interesting, but not too challenging route which we will have already carefully researched.
• We’ll give you clearly marked maps for each round trip route and a backpack with everything you might need so that, for an hour or two, you can explore the surrounding countryside and villages along the lanes, towpaths and byways.
• If you get stuck or lost, we will come to fetch you. Otherwise, you can just rejoin the barge where you left her — or maybe a little further along the canal.
• We will arrange the hotel barge itinerary so that you won’t miss any of the organised excursions or much of the cruising, but you will have seen a little more of the people & places around you — and done yourself some good at the same time!
TANDEM BIKING
Have you ever ridden a tandem bicycle? Most people haven’t but on some of our hotel barges with tandems on board, you can get the chance. As romantic a way to travel as you could imagine on a bicycle made for two and not as hard as you might think. As you both cycle together along the towpaths of Burgundy or perhaps the Canal du Midi, you just need to decide who is going to steer!
BIKING CHARTERS
Lastly, for more committed cyclists, we offer biking charters with half day guided itineraries, upgraded bikes and picnic lunches — but still with our usual five star hotel barge service.