France
French Canal Voyage by Barge: Discover Alsace-Lorraine
Program No. 21158RJ
Immerse yourself in culture as you sail the Marne-Rhine Canal on a modern river barge, discovering grand Châteaux, picturesque vineyards, cathedrals and world-class cuisine.
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800-454-5768
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Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
Activity Level:
On Your Feet (8)
May 4 - May 14, 2024
May 18 - May 28, 2024
Jun 1 - Jun 11, 2024
Jun 15 - Jun 25, 2024
Sep 7 - Sep 17, 2024
Sep 21 - Oct 1, 2024
Oct 5 - Oct 15, 2024
Oct 19 - Oct 29, 2024
Activity Level:
On Your Feet (8)
May 4 - May 14, 2024
May 18 - May 28, 2024
Jun 1 - Jun 11, 2024
Jun 15 - Jun 25, 2024
Sep 7 - Sep 17, 2024
Sep 21 - Oct 1, 2024
Oct 5 - Oct 15, 2024
Oct 19 - Oct 29, 2024
Activity Level:
Keep the Pace (11)
Apr 6 - Apr 16, 2025
Apr 20 - Apr 30, 2025
May 4 - May 14, 2025
May 18 - May 28, 2025
Jun 1 - Jun 11, 2025
Jun 15 - Jun 25, 2025
Jun 29 - Jul 9, 2025
Sep 7 - Sep 17, 2025
Sep 21 - Oct 1, 2025
Oct 5 - Oct 15, 2025
Oct 19 - Oct 29, 2025
Activity Level:
Keep the Pace (11)
Filling Fast!
Apr 6 - Apr 16, 2025Apr 20 - Apr 30, 2025
May 4 - May 14, 2025
Filling Fast!
May 18 - May 28, 2025Jun 1 - Jun 11, 2025
Filling Fast!
Jun 15 - Jun 25, 2025Filling Fast!
Jun 29 - Jul 9, 2025Sep 7 - Sep 17, 2025
Filling Fast!
Sep 21 - Oct 1, 2025Oct 5 - Oct 15, 2025
Filling Fast!
Oct 19 - Oct 29, 202511 days
10 nights
23 meals
9B 6L 8D
1
In Transit to Program
In Flight
4
The Alsace Wine route & Colmar
Strasbourg
6
Lagarde to Xouaxange, Sarrebourg
Xouaxange
10
Waltenheim to Strasbourg, Free Time
Strasbourg
11
Program Concludes
In Flight
At a Glance
The region of Grand-Est, formerly Alsace- Lorraine, borders Germany and the proximity shows in its culture. But this area is also deeply, proudly French. Beginning and ending in medieval Strasbourg, this voyage on the Marne-Rhine Canal introduces you to Alsace-Lorraine’s spectacular landscapes, magnificent castles and unique customs and cuisine.
Activity Level
Varies by date
Walking up to two miles per day; uneven terrain and cobblestones common. Embark and disembark the ship via ramp. Please note on day three there will be walking up to three miles in the morning in Strasbourg in addition to the afternoon activities.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Navigate the Marne-Rhine Canal’s tunnels and watch as your ship is lifted 144 feet by the Saint-Louis-Arzviller inclined plane.
- Learn about the arts of wine and beer making in Alsace.
- Explore medieval Strasbourg including its famed Romanesque and high Gothic cathedral and the Palais Rohan.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Alexandra Chambon
Alexandra Chambon has been working in the river/canal cruise field since the early 2000s. She likes to share her passion and enthusiasm about her homeland of France and its culture, traditions, history, art and architecture, and she strives to make it come alive for the participants. Outside of being a Group Leader, Alexandra is a foodie and wine connoisseur, and she enjoys playing sports. She loves having convivial moments with a good glass of wine and music.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Alexandra Chambon
View biography
Alexandra Chambon has been working in the river/canal cruise field since the early 2000s. She likes to share her passion and enthusiasm about her homeland of France and its culture, traditions, history, art and architecture, and she strives to make it come alive for the participants. Outside of being a Group Leader, Alexandra is a foodie and wine connoisseur, and she enjoys playing sports. She loves having convivial moments with a good glass of wine and music.
Suggested Reading List
(11 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Strasbourg Map
A city map of Strasbourg at a scale of 1:10,000.
A Traveller's History of France
This fast-moving survey covers the conquests of ancient Gaul through the heady days of revolution to modern times.
Cathedrals and Castles, The Cathedral Builders of the Middle Ages
This pocket-size encyclopedia of the art, architecture and culture of the Middle Ages features hundreds of drawings, color illustrations and a brief chronology.
The Age of the Cathedrals, Art and Society 980-1420
French scholar Duby, writing very accessibly, describes both the great cathedrals and the philosophical, religious, and political climate that enabled them to be built in this classic.
Michelin Green Guide Alsace, Lorraine, Champagne
A guide to Alsace, Champagne and Vosges in the classic Michelin style.
Wine and War, The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France's Greatest Treasure
This thrilling account of how the vintners of France saved their crops -- and their bottles -- as the Nazis approached, focuses on the activities of five winemaking families in Burgundy, Alsace, Champagne, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley.
The Food of France
An evocative and beautifully written survey of French food. First published in 1958 and revised in the mid-1970s, the book covers the important regions of French cuisine by dividing them into domains of Butter (northern France), Fat (Alsace) and Oil (the south).
Alsace, Lorraine Map 516
An up-to-date regional map at the very good scale of 1:200,000 published by Michelin.
Corkscrewed, Adventures in the New French Wine Country
An American journalist living in the south of France, Camuto travels far afield from Bordeaux visiting new winemakers from the Alsace to Mayonnaise, Corsica and Burgundy for this celebration of the culture and diversity of French wine.
Adventures on the Wine Route, A Wine Buyer's Tour of France
A delightful and warmly anecdotal book, highly recommended for anyone touring the wine regions of France. Lynch brings the domains and appellations of French wine to full-blown life, and his portraits of the grand personalities who make the wine are priceless.
A World Lit Only By Fire: The Medieval Mind and the Renaissance, Portrait of an Age
Organized into sections on the Renaissance, Reformation and Discovery, Manchester's popular history evokes in vivid detail the great figures and daily life of the 16th century, including Henry VIII, Magellan, Borgia, da Vinci and Martin Luther.