Royal Splendor of the Seine Valley

This 8 day bike & barge tour starts in Paris, where the barge Fleur is docked in the center of the city, not far from the Notre Dame Cathedral. Unlike other river cruise ships, you will follow the Seine upstream, in southern direction.

This region has a rich, royal history and the castle of Fontainebleau is a magnificent example of this past. The castle was much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. Just as impressive are the royal gardens, which the French kings had their royal architects lay out for them.

You will cycle through the wonderful forests to the painters village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters (Barbizon School) have lived and worked. Next stop is Moret-sur-Loing, a charming medieval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing river, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings.

From there you will follow the Canal du Centre to the beautiful medieval towns of Ferrières with its splendid monastery and Château-Landon with the Abbey of St. Severin. Your final destination is Montargis, a picturesque town with beautiful little canals. The canals are decorated with many flowers and give the town a lot of charm. The bicycle tours go mainly over quiet country roads, off the beaten track.

The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You’ll receive a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking.

Fully Guided
Accompanied by a competent, professional and multilingual tour leader, you and the group will visit interesting sights and places on the daily cycling tours. During the bike tour, they will explain the local history and culture behind the things you encounter along the way. You can also choose to ride individually with the help of a map and route notes (available on board)

Highlights

• Bike in the Forest of Fontainebleau
• Royal history of Fontainebleau Castle
• Impressionist Barbizon & Moret-sur-Loing
• Barge with max. 20 passengers