Five Reasons Travelers Should Consider a Barge Cruise with French Country Waterways

The canal barge Horizon II from French Country Waterways carries up to eight passengers for intimate travel experiences filled with food, fun and history. (Photo by Colleen McDaniel)

I’ve been intrigued by the idea of barge cruising for a while now. I had heard about the amazing food, tiny little towns you can visit and the relaxing pace of the journey.  

However, I was wary of a couple things: I love to stay active. So, would a barge cruise be too slow? 

Also, when you travel with just a few other people on a very tiny boat, your trip could become a little awkward — if not downright awful — if people don’t get along well. Really, it could take just one jerk to ruin the whole vibe. 

Truthfully, I wasn’t too worried about any of this. I can always find a way to stay active and have fun, and international travelers who would pick a barge cruise are most likely going to be awesome people with similar interests. 

So, with all this in mind, Colleen and I got ourselves booked onto a journey in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France for a six-night barge trip with French Country Waterways on the barge Horizon II. 

Here’s what we learned during our week gliding through the canals on beautiful days, stuffing our faces with delicious food (the best we’ve ever had on a trip) and sipping on award-winning wines. 

A barge cruise with French Country Waterways offers an unparalleled way to experience the serene beauty, rich history and culinary delights of France’s lesser-traveled regions. Unlike traditional river cruises, which often carry upwards of 140 passengers or more, a trip on the eight-passenger Horizon II provides an intimate, luxurious and highly personalized journey through picturesque canals.  

There were just four total cruisers onboard for our weeklong trip on Horizon II. (Photo by John Roberts)

This style of travel stands out for its charm and warm service from the crew.  

We traveled from Nancy to Saverne on the the Marne-Rhine Canal along with just one other couple. So, the barge was half full for our trip. We had five crew with us.  

Anna was our captain/guide, and Oscar was the pilot who drove the 75-year-old and beautifully refurbished Horizon II. Our chef was Wojciech, who is a culinary genius, especially considering how he crafted such amazing meals from the barge’s tiny galley.  

Csilla was our hostess, who shared her delightful laugh and smiling personality all week while offering amazing service. She had come up on river ships and said she loves working on the barges even more because of the more personalized and flexible way she can work with cruisers and her colleagues on the small vessel. 

Sacha was our deckhand, and he already has a great knowledge of the region and its history, and he loves to share stories and discuss the aspects of his job and how the boat works with his guests.  

I really like how the crew works in harmony to handle all kinds of duties, from serving to bartending to cleaning cabins, operating the barge and handling the ropes. 

Colleen and I had a wonderfully relaxing week, mixed with plenty of exercise and visits to interesting new towns and attractions. Along the way, I picked up at least five reasons you’re going to love a barge cruise with French Country Waterways. 

1. It’s an Intimate and Personalized Experience 

The loungers on the sun deck are an ideal spot to relax and enjoy the scenic cruising on the canals. (Photo by John Roberts)

Horizon II is a beautifully refurbished 1950s cargo barge that carries just eight passengers when filled. This creates a cozy atmosphere onboard. With our group of only four cruisers and five crew, there was a sense of camaraderie, making the journey feel like a private retreat for our family of nine. Crew quickly learns your preferences for drinks and how you want your eggs each morning, for examples, so every need is anticipated. 

From the moment we stepped onboard in Nancy on a Sunday evening, we were warmly greeted with a glass of Champagne as Oscar and Sacha grabbed our bags and placed them in our cabin. The crew seamlessly juggles multiple roles — serving as bartenders, waitstaff, tour guides and even bike handlers. The program flexibility allows you to easily find just the right way to enjoy on your trip, whether you seek an active adventure, a quiet retreat or a livelier social experience. For travelers who value personalized service and a close-knit environment, this intimate setting is a major draw. 

The small size of the barge also allows for surprises, such as when Oscar gave us the opportunity to take the wheel under for a turn navigating Horizon II along the canal.  

Both Colleen and I had a few minutes at the helm, as Oscar and Sacha closely watched. I think they were more impressed with Colleen’s skill than my own.  

We had a further appreciation for the skill required to navigate the narrow canal and tight locks.  

French Country Waterways does a good business with charters, as friends and families often book the entire vessel for a tailor-made journey. We quickly started considering how much fun this would be to do with our friends. 

2. These Trips Offer Amazing Food and Wine  

The culinary program makes French Country Waterways a haven for food and wine enthusiasts. Our chef, Wojciech, working in his compact galley, crafts gourmet meals that rival those of upscale restaurants. We loved each meal from Chef Wojciech, whose dishes featured impeccable presentation and high-quality ingredients. Our menu offered pan-seared sea bass, tender duck breast and lobster ravioli, alongside inventive dishes such as John Dory fish with garlicky sauce and pea puree. I gained four pounds during the trip -- despite our daily workouts and bike rides. 

Breakfasts are served buffet-style, and they include fresh pastries, cheeses, cured meats, fruits and made-to-order eggs. We had our lunches on the sundeck under sunny skies each day, and these midday meals featured a variety of salads, regional specialties like quiche or onion tarts, and main courses such as mussels or filet of beef. Dinners are the highlight, though, with four-course menus of an appetizer, main course, cheese course (always with with three premium varieties of some kind of cow, sheep and goat cheeses) and a decadent dessert like raspberry soufflé, chocolate mousse, pain perdu (brioche French toast). Chefs can easily accommodate dietary preferences. 

The wine and cheese selections are equally impressive. French Country Waterways curates nearly 200 wines annually to select premier cru and grand cru varieties, with two bottles — a red and a white — presented at each lunch and dinner. Over the six-night cruise, we tried more than 20 wines and almost 40 different cheeses, including the delicious Morbier, Roquefort and Brie varieties. Ana amnd Csilla provided detailed explanations of the style, history and flavor profile of the wines and cheeses, which added a little bit of fun education to our dining experience. A highlight of this itinerary is a seven-course wine-pairing dinner at the two-Michelin-star Villa Rene Lalique is the Alsacian hillside town of Winger-sur-Moder.  

It was a delightful treat to have the fine-dining experience off the barge, but, truthfully, our meals on Horizon II matched the quality experience we had at this famed restaurant.  

For foodies, this focus on amazing dining opportunities is a compelling reason to choose French Country Waterways. 

3. Travelers Get a Scenic and Historic Itinerary 

We’re at the top of the Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined-plane boat elevator on our way down 145 feet to the lower section of the canal. (Photo by John Roberts)

The Horizon II’s six-night itinerary along the Marne-Rhine Canal offers a deep dive into one of France’s most picturesque and historically rich regions. Unlike larger river cruises that stick to major waterways, barge cruises access smaller canals and remote towns, providing an off-the-beaten-path experience. Our journey started in Nancy, with its UNESCO World Heritage site, Place Stanislas, and fisnhed up in Saverne, while passing through charming villages like Crevic, Lagarde, Xouaxange, Niderviller, and Lutzelbourg.  

Yes, I’ve never heard of any of them, either. Plus, we visited nearby towns when we hopped into our van with guide Anna for the exclusive shore excursions.  

The canal winds through idyllic countryside, dotted with farms, grazing animals, and tree-lined paths, offering a serene backdrop filled with mesmerizing songs from birds such as cuckoos, great tits and reed warblers. (Other than the cuckoo, we weren’t sure what we were hearing without our helpful Merlin app.) 

The itinerary includes culturally enriching shore excursions, such as a tour of the Baccarat crystal factory in Meurthe-et-Moselle, a visit to the 13th-century Cordeliers Chapel in Sarrebourg with its stunning Marc Chagall stained-glass window La Paix, and a wander around the Benedictine abbey in Marmoutier. A private wine tasting at the Mochel family winery in Traenheim adds a delightful touch for wine fans. This particular itinerary features a unique maritime experience: navigating the Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined-plane boat lift, a 1969 engineering marvel that replaces 17 locks and lifts vessels 145 feet in just four minutes.  

Our deckhand Sacha explained that commercial barge traffic used to be held up for days on end waiting to traverse the old lock system. It now takes boats less than 20 minutes from start to finish. 

Video: Canal Cruising Highlights and Tour of Horizon II

The slow pace of the cruise, with daytime sailing and overnight docking, ensures a tranquil experience. Passengers can relax on the sundeck, taking in views of lush farmland and historic lock systems, or engage in self-guided activities like biking or walking along the canal paths between the locks. The crew provides maps and instructions for these adventures, allowing you to go at your own pace. It’s really fun to plan for the time when you hop off the barge in a lock and then rejoin the cruise farther along the route. 

This is the best way to get some pretty pictures of Horizon II as it navigates the canals amid the countryside settings. 

This blend of guided tours and independent exploration appeals to travelers seeking both relaxation and a little bit of active adventure in a region steeped in history and natural beauty. 

4. We Love the Opportunities for Active Travel 

Colleen and I loved hopping off the barge to do some long bike rides along the canal and through the countryside. (Photo by John Roberts)

Yes, even a barge cruise can be a winner for people who like to get in a daily workout and for those who just like to keep active. Horizon II is equipped with 3-speed bikes, and the flat canal paths are ideal for cycling, jogging or walking. Colleen and I enjoyed our daily routine of morning workouts using our exercise bands (they’re easy to pack and take up no space in our luggage) followed by mid-morning runs or bike rides along the canal. We could hop off in one lock and then meet up with barge a few locks later. The regions we were traveling had the feel of pristine nature reserves, filled with wild grasses and reeds and trees lining the river and canal paths and birds filling the air with their pretty songs.  

We also passed by farms and fields filled with sheep, cows and wildflowers. 

Our crew facilitates these activities, by helping passengers plan out how they might want to spend the morning (on the boat or off). If you pick cycling, they will offload bikes and provide guidance on routes. We had an especially cool ride past a series of 17 old locks no longer in use. The trail is in a beautiful park with the little lock houses now occupied by residents or businesses 

The old locks were replaced by the Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane, the boat elevator I mentioned above that expedites passage through the Vosges Mountains. These daily active pursuits bring great variety to the day, complementing the more leisurely shore excursions. We also mixed in some morning stretching sessions, guided by apps, as another good option for our fitness regimen. 

5. Horizon II Is a Luxurious Home for Cruisers 

Oscar, our pilot on Horizon II, let us have a turn at operating the wheel during one stretch of the canal journey. (Photo by Sacha)

Despite its origins as a 1950s cargo barge, Horizon II offers luxurious and meticulously maintained accommodations that make the overall experience that much more charming. The boat offers four identical suites on Deck 1. These are spacious, featuring twin beds that can be combined into a king, a desk with power outlets (including North American, European, USB and USB-C) and ample storage with wardrobes and drawers.  

The Victorian-style decor, with rich fabrics, gold accents and wood paneling, creates an elegant feel. Two porthole windows provide views at the waterline, and the cabins have adjustable air-conditioning and heating units. 

Bathrooms have large walk-in showers and heated towel racks.  Also, I appreciate the attention to detail with the daily housekeeping and turndown service; beds were even remade after our midday naps.  

The cozy Salon on Deck 2 serving as the dining room, lounge and bar and is the main community space onboard. The four of us enjoyed buffets breakfast and delicious four-course dinners with lively conversation. 

The barge has included Wi-Fi, which performs best in the Salon/Lounge/Bar area on Deck 2. 

The sundeck on Deck 3 is outfitted with lounge chairs, tables and umbrellas for outdoor relaxation and a place to sit and enjoy the passing scenery as we cruised. The barge cruises during daylight and docks during the night. 

The crew’s constant maintenance, including cleaning and painting to address lock-related scuffs, keeps the 75-year-old vessel in pristine condition. This combination of luxurious accommodations and attentive service makes Horizon II a comfortable and inviting home base for exploring France’s canals. 

Why You’ll Love French Country Waterways 

We were blown away by the FCW experience on our journey through Alsace-Lorraine on Horizon II. 

This is such a luxurious and pampered way to experience the countryside in France. The intimate setting means personalized service and meaningful connections with fellow travelers. However, it’s the exceptional culinary program that will truly delight food and wine lovers — with dozens of gourmet meals, exquisite cheese and award-winning wine selections.  

The scenic itinerary, with a chain of historic villages, offers a fascinating glimpse into a lesser-traveled region — complemented by opportunities to be as active or as lazy as you like.