Tour
Total tour distance: 180 miles
Daily tour distance: 30 miles
Difficulty: 30 / 100
Description
Royal splendour in a wooded surrounding
During this great bike & barge tour, which starts in Montargis, with all her charming canals, we follow the Seine downstream to Paris.
Your homebase is the comfortable barge Fleur, tailormade for the size of the French canals. Every day you cover a distance of 30 to 50 kilometers by bike with an experienced guide and your floating hotel will be waiting for you at your destination. That doesn’t mean you have to get on a bike every day. You can always decide to go for a walk along the canal or relax in an easy chair on the sun deck.
The first couple of days we follow the canals Du Centre, where shipping knows a rich history. We cruise to Moret-sur-Loing, a mediaeval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings. We also visit the medieval towns of Ferrieres and Chateau-Landon.
This region has a rich, royal history and the castle of Fontainebleau is a magnificent example of this past. Just as impressive are the royal gardens, which the French kings had their royal architects lay out for them. We cruise the woods of Fontainebleau heading for the artists village Barbizon.
Final destination is Paris, where the Fleur will be moored in the Port d’ Arsenal, not far from the Notre Dame.