Barging and Biking — Cycling Your Way

Bike and Barge: Many of our barge enthusiasts enjoy taking some exercise in the form of cycling during their hotel barge cruise, so each vessel carries bicycles for everyone on board to use. The crew can offload the bikes almost anytime for you to take a gentle pedal along the canal’s towpath, or perhaps to the next village or lock.

Barging and Biking… a Perfect Combination

The “Biking Plus” Option

The more adventurous of you might be interested in “Biking Plus” which is offered by many of our barges at no extra charge.

While other members of your group are relaxing on deck or enjoying a stroll, most days you can take a bike and follow an interesting, but not too challenging route that has been carefully researched.

You will be given clearly marked maps for each round trip route and a backpack with everything you might need so you can explore the surrounding countryside and villages for an hour or two along the lanes, towpaths and byways. You can rejoin the barge where you left her or maybe catch up a little further along the canal. If you get lost or have a problem there’s no need to worry as they will send a crew member to come and fetch you.

Your hotel barge’s itinerary is arranged so that you won’t miss any of the organized excursions or much of the cruising, but you will have seen a little more of the people and places around you. This is also a wonderful way to work off some of the calories from your fabulous meals 🙂

With pre-designed offline maps and directions that you can download to your phone, you’ll never get lost. Bike helmets are provided and our reservations team can advise you on the biking opportunities for each itinerary.

If a bit of pedalling sounds appealing on your barge cruise, let us know. Biking Plus is available aboard Anjodi, Enchante, Finesse, L’Art de Vivre, La Belle Epoque, L’Impressionniste, Renaissance, and Panache.

Cycling-Themed Barge Cruise

More committed cyclists may be interested in a Biking Themed barge cruise. There is a small supplement to be paid on cycling-themed cruises which is used to upgrade all bikes on board and hire a specialist cycling tour guide, an expert in both cycling and the areas you ride through. Picnic lunches are also provided with the usual high-quality service.