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To make your experience as safe as possible, we require all participants to be fully vaccinated. See our Safety Roadmap
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DATES & PRICES
| Ship Outside |
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Accommodation DetailsA cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside. |
DATES & PRICES
| Ship Outside |
|---|
Accommodation DetailsA cabin with a window or porthole to view the outside. |
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon: After you check in to the hotel and get your room, take some time to freshen up and relax before our Orientation session. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to local COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. This is a Chartered Exclusively for Road Scholar Adventures Afloat program. Port stops and field trips are subject to change as weather and river conditions could affect the progress of the vessel, making it run late and possibly miss ports if it is not safe to dock. The cruise itinerary should therefore be regarded as provisional. The time available in each port is set by the cruise line, which may mean free time in port is limited. The cruise line reserves the right change the itinerary without prior notice. When possible, the Road Scholar daily schedule indicates port arrival and departure times. Our knowledgeable Group Leader will give lectures and provide expert commentary throughout the program. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner: We will walk to a local restaurant. In France, restaurants take pride in creating a relaxed atmosphere where patrons can take their time and enjoy every bite. It is customary for servers to wait until everyone has finished their dish before clearing the table and bringing out the next course. Meals are accompanied by complimentary bread (“pain”) and water (“eau” or “l’eau”) so you need not ask for them. It is customary to fill wine glasses no more than half full to allow the wine room to breathe. When you have finished your meal, you may indicate to the server by placing your utensils together on the right hand side of your plate.
Evening: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles, standing up to 2 hours; cobbled stone streets, inclined terrain, even and uneven ground.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will head out with a local expert on a walking field trip to explore this place where people have lived for thousands of years. We will focus on the section of Strasbourg called “La Petite France” and visit the cathedral famed for its beauty.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We will continue our exploration and walk to the Palais Rohan, former residence of the Prince-Bishops of Strasbourg. It was designed by the principal architect to the king of France and is regarded as one of the finest structures of the 18th century, virtually unchanged since its completion in 1742. Today, it houses the Archaeological Museum, Decorative Arts Museum, and Fine Arts Museum. After an introduction by our Group Leader, we will have time for a self-directed study to see what interests each of us most. We will return to the hotel with some time to freshen up and relax before dinner.
Dinner: At a restaurant near the hotel.
Evening: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the evening is at leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 67 miles, approximately 1.5 hours riding time. Walking up to 2 miles during scheduled activities; cobblestone streets.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will check out and store our luggage at the hotel in a safe room (porterage service will be provided by the hotel). We’ll then meet a local expert who will lead us on another walking field trip to learn more about the city of Strasbourg.
Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Afternoon: We will have some time for independent exploration before transferring to the barge. You might like to see more museums, or simply sit at a café, sip a beverage, and watch the passing people parade. We will regroup at a designated time and place, board a motorcoach, and ride to Lagarde where the barge is docked. After boarding and getting your cabin, take some time to freshen up and relax. We will gather when announced for the crew’s orientation on safety and ship regulations.
Dinner: Aboard the barge.
Evening: At leisure. The barge will remain docked in Largarde overnight.
Activity note: Stepping on/off the barge. Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day, standing up to 2 hours; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
Morning: We will gather aboard the barge for a lecture by Group Leader on navigation and the history of the Alsace-Lorraine canal. As we continue our journey towards Xouaxange, we will pass through the Réchicourt lock, one of the largest in France, and on into lakes.
Lunch: Aboard the barge.
Afternoon: We will stop en route to Xouaxange for a walking field trip with our Group Leader in Sarrebourg at the foot of the Vosges Mountains. It was once an imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire and has rich historical diversity. We will visit its church that features unique stained glass windows by Marc Chagall.
Dinner: Aboard the barge.
Evening: At leisure. The barge is scheduled to arrive in Xouaxange and dock after midnight.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles throughout the day, standing up to 2 hours at a time; cobblestone streets, uneven terrain.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
Morning: As we glide towards Lutzelbourg, the Group Leader will give us a lecture on the people and history of Alsace-Lorraine that was settled thousands of years ago by Celts. It was later taken by the Romans who prized its agriculture. After the Roman Empire, the area was controlled by Germanic and Frankish tribes, then the Holy Roman Empire, then the Habsburgs, then France. After the Franco-Prussian war of 1871, the German empire annexed the region. It reverted to France after World War I, but Germany took control again during World War II before it was finally returned to the French fold. While such tumult was at times calamitous for the people who lived here, it resulted in a richly distinctive cultural heritage that lives on today.
Lunch: Aboard the barge.
Afternoon: We will encounter the Saint-Louis-Arzviller “inclined plane” — a lift built in 1969 that moves boating traffic nearly 150 feet (45 meters) up or down the hill, thereby avoiding a series of 17 locks. This remarkable feat of engineering is the only transverse boat lift of its kind in Europe. We will step off the barge in Arzviller for a field trip to a local “cristallerie” — a crystal workshop specializing in the art of hand blowing and cutting crystal. This business, located at the foot of the incline, has been family operated for more than 25 years. The tradition of glass works in the region goes back to the medieval period.
Dinner: Aboard the barge.
Evening: At leisure. The barge will remain docked in Lutzelbourg overnight.
Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day, standing up to 2 hours at a time; cobblestone streets, uneven and slightly inclined terrain, unavoidable steps at castle.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
Morning: After arriving in Lutzelbourg, we will set out on a walking field trip to see the partly reclaimed ruins of a castle originally built in the 11th century. At an elevation of 980 feet, it has views of villages in the Zorn Valley.
Lunch: Aboard the barge.
Afternoon: For our next field trip, we will visit the Château de Haut-Barr (Hohbarr in German), situated at an altitude of more than 1,500 feet (460 meters). For this reason, it has often been called “the eye of Alsace.” The original structure dates from c. 1000 CE, but was abandoned in 1770.
Dinner: Aboard the barge.
Evening: At leisure. The barge will remain docked in Saverne overnight.
Activity note: Walking up to 2.5 miles, standing up to 2 hours at a time; cobblestone streets, uneven and slightly inclined terrain.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
Morning: We will step off the barge for a walking field trip with a local expert to explore Savern, a relatively unknown and charming town. Among its highlights are the Grand Rue and Place de la Licorne (Place of the Unicorn) — the town’s emblem — as well as Taverne Katz dating from 1605 with its façade of sculpted timbers, the 12th-century Notre Dame Church, and the Récollets Monastery founded in the 14th century.
Lunch: Aboard the barge.
Afternoon: Free time. As the barge moves along, we will see the charming villages of Hochfelden and Schwindratzheim.
Dinner: Aboard the barge.
Evening: At leisure. The barge will remain docked in Waltenheim overnight.
Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile, standing up to 1 hour at a time; uneven and inclined paths.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge.
Morning: We will step off the barge, board a motorcoach, and ride through the beautiful Kochersberg region with its rolling hills, lush fields, and quaint villages with half-timbered homes. With an expert, we will explore the Maison du Kocherberg museum, where we will learn about local history and traditions, and have an opportunity to see antique and modern objects from the area. Next, we will ride to Hochfelden to explore the Villa Meteor, the oldest brewery in France. With an expert, we will hear the family history of the Meteors and their brewery from 1640 to the present day. We’ll also learn about beer making and be able to taste some local brews.
Lunch: Aboard the barge.
Afternoon: We will gather with our Group Leader for a lecture on the four different appellations of Alsatian wines and the vineyards they come from. Our lecture will culminate in an opportunity to taste the wines and learn how to differentiate among them.
Dinner: Aboard the barge, share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: We will float through Strasbourg’s old town, centerpiece of the UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site known as the Grande-Île. At its heart is the renowned Cathédrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg, more than a thousand years old. Prepare for disembarkation and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Disembarkation by 9:00 a.m. See your program’s “Getting There” information regarding transfers.
Breakfast: Aboard the barge. This concludes our program.
Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
JOOOB
