Meandering through Europe's green and history rich countryside each summer season, enjoying the sights, sounds, tranquility and all that these lands have to offer. Exploring the areas around the beautiful waterways that cover a surprisingly wide area. Soaking up the sun (hopefully!) and enjoying cruising and operating Swan on the canals & rivers, meeting the lock-keepers and other boaters enjoying this great life afloat.
A typical day can be as follows:
A traditional French style breakfast, for which we collect fresh croissants, pain au chocolat, & bread each morning, depending on how far it is to the bakery, either I jump on the scooter, a bicycle, or walk. If Guests want to join me for the early morning walk or cycle to the bakery, they are most welcome.
After breakfast, mornings aboard can be spent seated forward, watching the waterways creeping toward us, reclining on the loungers, or viewing the passing countryside from the teak framed sun lounge. The relaxed informality of life on board includes time to enjoy a good book, plug into music, or walk along the bank and as we cruise at walking pace (6kph or 4mph), or cycle, between locks.
As Guest crew you can learn to help handle the barge, take a turn on the wheel, assist at locks, or even help the lock-keeper operate the gates, which is always appreciated.
By making an early start, perhaps 8:30, we cruise in the morning and moor up for the day by noon, as the majority of the locks close for lunch hour. Of course sometimes we have to cruise in the afternoon, but we try to moor as early as possible, so we can enjoy the afternoon.
After lunch on board, the afternoons can be spent exploring the local area by foot, or on bicycles. Excursions are influenced by the interests of our Guests and what is in the locality; which can be charming villages, country markets, serene vineyards, interesting museums, exciting châteaux/castles and other places of interest, or outstanding natural beauty.
When we return to the barge, we like to enjoy a refreshment, perhaps a chilled local white wine, or a fruit juice, whilst we relax and discuss the day we've enjoyed, the evenings dinner, which we will have identified & booked, and what is planned for the following day.
Dinner is not included in the cost of the charter and can be taken ashore at one of the many restaurants, which we can recommend from our experience or the guide books, whilst considering our Guest's budget.
If there isn't a local restaurant (unusual but it happens!) then we'll cook diner on board, perhaps shopping in the market beforehand, with all of us helping.
A few things to know:
Before you join us we will have communicated, details of the cruise, meeting and drop-off points, any special dietary requirements etc, but when on board if you have a request do ask.
The relaxed informality of life on board means that we dress casually; no need for black tie or cocktail dresses. The correct footwear is important, soft soled shoes (deck shoes are best) must be worn, no leather/hard soled shoes or high heels should be worn on board.
The adventure of travelling on the barge includes some inherrent hazards of boats and surroundings, such as old uneven quays, unkempt grassy banks, sloping gang-planks for boarding, steps to enter the barge, uneven decks, bollards, mooring ropes, low doors and floor level changes. Please watch your step and your head, we want your time on board to be safe and comfortable.
To fully enjoy the experience as Guest crew you need to be reasonably fit & agile.
Guest crew join the barge cruise on a Bed & Breakfast basis, for meals on board we share the cost of shopping, for diners ashore we split the bill. I can buy some provisions in advance of arrival, or we can shop on arrival, many hands make light work!
Although the barge has generous water and electrical capacity, please keep in mind that they are finite; so if we need to replace them it can be noisy and time consuming. Turning off lights and taps when they are not being used will minimise time with the generator on, or the need to find a water tap on shore.
Electrical appliances such as hair dryers, or curling tongs will severely drain the the barge's battery supplied electrical system; to reduce this we supply low wattage hair dryers and curling tongs, in each cabin. Please use them only when the main engine, or the generator is running, we're happy to turn on the generator whenever an electrical appliance is needed.
You are welcome to smoke on deck, but not inside the barge.