Friday, December 16, 2022

Special Offers on Barge Cruises

Special Offers & Discounts on 2023 Barge Cruises
 
 
We have updated our special offers for 2023 barge charters and cabin cruises. 
 
Some discounts have been increased from 10% to 20%. New discounted weeks have been added, as well as new No Single Supplement weeks in France, Holland, and Scotland. These specials are valid through January 4, 2023. Some may be extended but don't risk it. Inquire now to take advantage of these super rates.
 

More News

Please note that Grand Cru, Prosperite, and Rendez-Vous have increased their rates, effective on January 3, 2023.

Let's Go Barging In 2023
 
Inquire





Contact Paradise Connections to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

  
#BargeCruises #BargeCharters #SpecialOffersBargeCruises #DiscountedBargeCruises #SepcialOffers #Dscounts

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Black Friday 2022

BLACK FRIDAY 2022 - SAVE 25%

French Hotel Barge Enchante moored at Ventenac


In recognition of Black Friday, the French Hotel Barge Enchante is offering a 25% discount on a private, 6-night cruise on the Canal du Midi in the south of France.
 
Dates
 
April 2-8, 2023
 
Offer valid
 
For charter booked between Friday, November 25th and Friday, December 2, 2022.

Special price
 
$39,000 for up to 8 guests (normally $52,000 for 8 guests and $48,000 for 6)

What’s Included?

This is an all-inclusive, exclusive affair for food lovers, oenophiles, history enthusiasts or just those looking for the break of a lifetime, and a bargain to boot.

Prices include: private, air-conditioned transfers to and from the hotel barges, luxury en-suite accommodation, gourmet meals and wines served on board, an extensively-stocked open bar, daily excursions (often exclusive), and admittance fees as per the itinerary.

In addition to this, guests will have full use of barge facilities, such as bicycles, a deck-top hot tub and the services of a crew of up to six members, including an English-speaking guide and on-board master chef.

Terms & Conditions
  • Applicable to new bookings for the week of April 2-8, 2023
  • Bookings must be made between Friday, Nov 2 & Dec 2, 2022
  • This offer cannot be combined with any other offer
  • A booking can only be held as an option for a maximum of 24 hours

About The French Hotel Barge Enchante


French Hotel Barge Enchante


Inquire



Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book ENCHANTE
View Enchante's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

 
#BlackFridayDeals #BargeEnchante #CanalDuMidiCruise #BargeCharters #BargeCruises #ParadiseConnections

Friday, November 11, 2022

Save 20% on Aurora's 3-country cruise

Enjoy a 3-Country Cruise with Barge Aurora

 
The luxury, 8-passenger Hotel Barge Aurora is offering a 20% discount for new cabin bookings on their 14-night, 3-country barging cruise next May.

After Hotel Barge Aurora completes their springtime Dutch Tulip cruise season, they offer a 3-country cruise from Amsterdam in The Netherlands, through Belgium, to Paris, France. This itinerary offers an exciting mix of three cultures with river and canal cruising for a diverse barging experience.

Save 5,700 euros off the 2-person cabin price on this 14-night/ 15-day, 3-country, all-inclusive barge cruise. Today’s exchange rate (November 11, 2022) has 1 euro equal to US$1.03. 


Hotel Barge Aurora


Route: 14-night 3-country cruise, Amsterdam to Paris
Passengers: up to 8 (4 cabins)
Crew: 5
Itineraries: All Itineraries. 14-night 3-country cruise
 
BROCHURE: View Aurora's ONLINE BROCHURE

Availability: 3 cabins open, 1 cabin booked
 
Dates: May 14-28, 2023

Discounted price: 22,800 euros/per cabin (i.e. $11,400 euros/person, dbl occupancy). Normally 28,500 euros.

Rates include
: Double stateroom (configured as 1 King or 2 Twins) with private ensuite bath, all meals, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages consumed aboard, sightseeing, tours & admittance fees as stipulated, use of vessel's bikes & other facilities, and round trip transfers from specific meeting points to and from Amsterdam / Paris.

Join this popular cruise




Contact Paradise Connections to book AURORA
View Aurora's online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com

  #HotelBargeAurora #BargingInHolland #BargingInBelgium #BargingInFrance #BargeCharters #BargeCruises



Saturday, November 05, 2022

NEW : Garden-themed barge cruises

Enjoy a Garden-Themed Barge Cruise
 
If you’re a keen gardener or would simply like to admire some of Europe’s finest gardens, why not combine your passion for horticulture with a luxury hotel barge cruise?

Our dedicated garden cruises include visits to some of the best gardens, estates, and parklands in Europe. You will learn about the history of each garden from the expert guides, as well as the cultivation and preservation of a variety of plants and flowers from the professional gardeners.
 

In Italy:

Parco Giardino Sigurtà
  • Explore the spectacular 16th century Botanical Garden of Padua, noted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as being the oldest academic botanical gardens in the world.
  • Visit the Giardino di Valsanzibio with its famous 400-year-old box Labyrinth, and its tree-lined avenues, fishponds, fountains, and statues.
  • Spend time at the Parco Giardino Sigurtà in Valeggio sul Mincio, which dates back to 1407. The park encompasses over 600 hectares of expansive lawns, the famous kilometer-long Rose Walk with over 30,000 specimens in spring, a hermitage, and a medicinal herb garden. Well known for its one million tulip bulbs, this garden was awarded the World Tulip Award in 2019.


In Scotland:
 
Attadale Gardens
 
You will visit spectacular gardens and woodlands, including:
  • Arisaig, with its formal gardens designed in traditionalist style.
  • The Wild Woodland Garden of Larachmhor, a 28-acre wild woodland garden on the edge of Arisaig, which is famed for its two hundred varieties of rhododendrons.
  • The wonderful family-owned Abriachan Nurseries and gardens are close to Loch Ness and known for their exquisite auricula collection.
  • The peaceful Attadale Gardens, which includes a vast woodland, Japanese and herb gardens with magnificent views over Skye, Loch Carron, and the Applecross peninsula.

View Spirit of Scotland’s Garden Cruise itinerary.


Garden Cruises can be booked at any time during the cruising season by a private barge charter group. There will soon be Garden Cruises available in other regions, including France. Please contact us for more information.


Inquire


Hotel Barges offering Garden Cruises
 
La Bella Vita

  • Route: ITALY -  Venice, the Islands of the Venetian Lagoon, the Bianca Canal, and the Po Valley
  • Up to 20 guests
  • Private charters and Cabin cruises
  • Itineraries: All itineraries, Garden Cruise
  • Learn more: Online brochure
 
Spirit of Scotland


 
Ready to Explore Historic Gardens?
 
 
Inquire





Contact Paradise Connections to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

  
#Garden Cruises #BargingInItaly #BargingInSecotland #BargeCharters #BargingCruises
 



Tuesday, November 01, 2022

Barge Charter Cruises Special Offers and Discounts

We have updated our Special Offers & Discounts page with the latest deals available for the coming 2023 Barging Cruise season.

 
 
We hope you can take advantage of one of these last-minute deals.
 
You deserve a break today!
 
 
Inquire



Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

  
#BargingInFrance #SpecialOffers #BargeCruiseDiscounts #SpecialOffersBargeCharters #Last-Minute-Vacation-Deals
 


Saturday, September 10, 2022

Shannon Princess Shares Autumn Fruit Recipes

Making Tasty Treats with Autumn Fruits
 
 
We would like to thank Irish Hotel Barge Shannon Princess for this guest blog post. You can easily understand why Shannon Princess books up over a year in advance.
 

When summer in Ireland comes to an end there is a slight drop in temperature and the evenings get a little shorter but what comes next is an amazing transformation and the beginning of a new season. Once the leaves begin to fall from the trees, the views of the countryside become a wonderful glow of golden and orange. With these seasonal colours it is a sign that Autumn is here.

Autumn foods
 
There is also a change in the types of food available. In autumn, an abundance of fruits and nuts begin to appear on trees and shrubs across the country. It is a feast for birds and insects but also perfect for human consumption where it is a busy time for foraging. A whole range of tasty treats can be made with what is gathered.
 
Tasty treats made with autumn fruits
 
Crab apples normally ripen in October and are very easy to retrieve from branches of the tree. Tasty crab apples are used for making apple tarts, crumbles or pies. Sloes, the fruits of the blackthorn tree also begin to ripen in autumn. As they have a very bitter taste, they are normally used for making wine or gin.

Time for blackberry picking

Blackberry picking is one of Ireland's favourite autumn past-times and the berries should be ripe enough and ready to pick now. They are rich in vitamins, plump and shiny in appearance and come off the plant easily once you grasp them.

Here is a treat for you... we have put together a simple Blackberry Jam recipe for you to try for yourself.

Traditional Blackberry Jam




Ingredients
  • 1 kg Sugar
  • 1 kg Blackberries, washed
  • 1 Lemon
  • Sterilized jam jars & jam pot covers
 
Method
  1. Place 1kg of sugar, 1kg of blackberries and juice and zest of one lemon in a large heavy bottomed pot.
  2. Bring the mixture to the boil, stirring all the time until all the sugar has dissolves. Cook the jam for approximately 15 minutes or until it reaches 105˚C on a sugar thermometer.
  3. Remove from the heat and carefully transfer to sterilised jars, cover each with a disc of wax paper and seal tightly with a lid.
  4. Kept in a cool dark place the jam will keep for up to 12 months if you can keep it that long.

Autumn brings a number of food and harvesting festivals taking place in a celebration of the best of Irish food. Popular festivals include the Belfast Food and Drink Festival, the Waterford Harvest Festival, the Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival and a number of other food events happening nationwide. Along with the popularity of food festivals, a number of food trails take place where you can discover and forage the best foods. Find out more about Ireland's food festivals and food trails on discoverireland.com

On the Shannon Princess we celebrate the new autumn season using a whole range natural ingredients creating gourmet dishes from breakfast through to dinner. As we cruise on our luxury barge you will have time to sit back and appreciate the landscape of the Irish countryside and taste the best of Irish food. Book now to enjoy a truly unique experience no matter what time of year.


 
Thank you very much, Olivia.

What goes better with homemade jam than a homemade seed and honey bread? You will find Olivia's  delicious recipe here.
 
Enjoy!
 

About The Irish Hotel Barge Shannon Princess


Shannon Princess Barging Cruises In Ireland


Shannon Princess

The Shannon Princess has been thoughtfully designed throughout. The barge's inviting interior makes a charming floating living space – a perfect "Home away from home" for guests to enjoy. The welcoming atmosphere is enhanced by Ruairi and Olivia’s love of antiquities, crafts, pottery and art with many works by established and local Irish artists.  Onboard the barge a friendly & relaxed mood has been created by carefully mixing casual informality with quality service.

The Shannon Princess provides accommodation for up to 10 guests in 5 cabins which can be configured as double or twins, each with ensuite facilities. This barge is owner-operated with a total of five professional crew in attendance.You will be charmed with excellent but friendly service, gorgeous food & wines, and share in a slice of local life and knowledge.




See Ireland from a different point of view






Contact Paradise Connections to book SHANNON PRINCESS
View Shannon Princess' online brochure
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

 
#Recipes #BargingInIreland #BargeShannonPrincess #BargeCharters #BargeCruises #RiverCruises #Ireland

 

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Barge Charter Cruises Special Offers and Discounts

We have updated our Special Offers & Discounts page with the latest deals available for the remaining 2022 Barging Cruise season.
 
 
We hope you can take advantage of one of these last-minute deals.
 
You deserve a break today!
 
 
Inquire



Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

  
#BargingInFrance #SpecialOffers #BargeCruiseDiscounts #SpecialOffersBargeCharters #Last-Minute-Vacation-Deals
 

Friday, August 05, 2022

Barging in France - Canal du Midi - Part 3: Best Places to Visit

Canal du Midi - Part 3
Best Places to Visit
 
 
 Abbaye de Fontfroide
 
The Abbaye de Fontfroide was founded in 1145, on the site of an earlier Benedictine establishment, and soon developed into a highly respected and wealthy Cistercian abbey. One of its abbots became Pope Benedict XII in the 14th century.
 
The massive church, with its 65-foot-high roof, has the simple, clean lines typical of Cistercian abbeys; enter via a 13th century cloister. The church fell into decay as a result of the Plague of 1348. It was subsequently run by nobles who were given the courtesy title of Abbots without actually being monks. They added various luxuries such as fireplaces, elaborate staircases, and marble pillars in the cloister, which make parts of the abbey look more like a château than a religious establishment. In the monks’ dormitory, there is a display of collages made from fragments of glass rescued from bombed churches in eastern France after the First World War. 

L’Oppidum d’Ensérune is a hilltop settlement close to the Canal du Midi. UNESCO has declared it the “most important pre-Roman settlement” in southern Europe. Greek and Iberian excavations, which date the settlement to 600 BC, have been unearthed, with later Roman additions found amongst the original foundations. Residential dwellings, shops, a town hall, and workshops have been excavated across this vast site. Among other items, huge terracotta cisterns which stored wine, olive oil and water in the floors of the buildings, have also been unearthed. An archaeological museum displays the treasures of this extraordinary site. 
 
 
Etang de Montady
 
Medieval monks drained the Etang de Montady, an ancient lagoon, by cutting radial ditches. The ditches all flow to the center, from where the water runs through an underground culvert under the same Malpas hill as the canal tunnel. The radial design creates a remarkable pattern of triangular field plots, unique to the region.

Overlooking the archaeological excavation site of a Gallo-Roman potter’s workshop, the Amphoralis Museum describes the history of amphorae production in Sallèles d’Aude, which lasted from the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD. The museum is divided into four sections, and details the production, firing, daily life and trade of the Roman potters, who mass-produced the earthenware vessels for the transportation of wine. Outside there are reconstructions of kilns and a potter’s village, as well as a garden which features over 900 plants which would have existed during the Roman period.

Lézignan-Corbières is a lively and friendly market town near the Canal du Midi, which plays a pivotal role in the lives of the neighboring Corbières and Minervois. It has a long history, appearing in a Carolingian document of 806 when it was called Licinianus. Built on a viticultural economy, the town houses the Vine and Wine Museum. It is also home to the Reyes family, better known as the Catalonian flamenco and salsa group, the Gipsy Kings.
 
 
Minerve
 
Minerve, the ancient capital of Minervois, sits atop a rocky outcrop at the junction of the Cesse and Brian Rivers, and is many consider it to be the quintessential medieval village. First founded in the 8th century, it is surrounded by deep limestone gorges and offers magnificent views of the countryside. Along the riverbed are caves and bridges carved out of limestone by the power of the water. An octagonal tower, “La Candela,” is all that remains of the medieval castle. It is famously remembered as the site of the first mass burning of Cathar heretics during the Albigensian Crusade of the 13th century. A small museum in the center of the village recalls this gruesome chapter of its history. The 10th century Church of St-Stephen contains a 5th-century altar, thought to be one of the earliest Christian altars in Europe. It is inscribed with the initials and names of the inhabitants of the town who swore to God they would pay their taxes while under Visigoth rule.

Pézenas was the seat of Languedoc’s local government during the 16th and 17th centuries. The entire old town was one of the first in France to be protected as a state historic monument. It is rich with “hôtels particuliers” (private mansions) with wonderful wrought-iron balconies, stone sculptures, and ornate doorways. The interior of the Consular House dates back to 1552. It is recorded that the consuls of Pézenas met on this site from 1242 until the Revolution in 1789. Today, the town is famous as a market town. Artisans and craftsmen from all over the world come to Pézenas to create and sell their wares. One shop of particular interest is the silk-weaver’s workshop at the crossroads in the old town. A refugee from Damascus, he toils all day weaving beautiful silk scarves on a traditional 17th century loom, the only thing he took with him when he left Syria.

Pézenas is a town rich with the sort of good living that the Canal du Midi region is famous for. The Boudet family have been manufacturing “Berlingots de Pézenas”, a unique variety of hard-boiled candy, for many years. Legend has it that the recipe dates back to the time of the medieval fairs. Lord Clive of India brought another specialty to the town, the “petit pâté de Pézenas”, in 1768. The town’s bakers proudly keep the recipe secret and continue to produce this famous pastry.

The town has always been popular with actors, singers, and all manner of performing artists. It was this love of the arts that attracted the famous French playwright Molière to Pézenas in the mid-1600s, after being exiled from Paris. Molière is reputed to have created some of his famous characters in Pézenas while sitting in the barber’s shop (now the tourist office).
 

Cathédrale Saint-Just-et-Saint-Pasteur de Narbonne
 
Narbonne was the first town outside of Italy to be colonized by the Romans and grew to be the second largest town in Gaul and the largest port outside Rome. Once a coastal port, it prospered until the sea receded in the Middle Ages. It is now eight miles inland. Today Narbonne has a well-restored medieval quarter and is famous for its magnificent art nouveau styled, covered food market. A must visit for anyone cruising on the Canal du Midi.

Buried deep below street level, the Roman Horreum (public warehouse) is thought to be unique in antiquity. Part cold store and part market, this subterranean maze was first discovered in the 1830s and briefly used by residents as cellars. Staircases and tunnels were dug below ground, giving them access to the many rooms it concealed. The excavated Horreum gives a unique insight into the life of Roman Narbonne.

Cathédral St-Just & St-Pasteur, the third tallest cathedral in France, is known for its beautiful stained glass, tapestries, and organ. The famous French singer Charles Trenet was born in Narbonne, and some of his most popular songs are about the region. The house in which he was born is open for visitors and a mural at the entrance of the town is dedicated to him.
 
 
Tour Barberousse, Gruissan
 
On the Mediterranean coast outside Narbonne, Gruissan lies in the heart of the Regional Park of Narbonne. A traditional fishing village, the town surrounds its 10th century castle. Only one tower of the castle remains, known as the Tour Barberousse (Redbeard Tower). Its purpose was to observe the approaches to the harbor at Narbonne and to guard against seaborne invasions of the city. The view from the castle site over the village and surrounding coastline is quite spectacular.
 
The Salt Flats of the Island of St-Martin are located nearby in the lagoon of l’Ayrolle. Since antiquity, Gruissan has exploited its natural resources of salt. The method of harvesting the salt has evolved over time, and it is still a crucial part of everyday life in Gruissan, with generations of salt gatherers having lived in the village. Guided tours explain the life of salt workers, and the work it entails. A museum also describes the history of salt culture and the connection it has with the production and transportation of wine.
 
The awe-inspiring Gouffre de Cabrespine in the hills north of Carcassonne is one of the largest natural caves open to the public in the world. At over 1,600,000 m3 (56,503,466 ft3), it could fit Notre Dame de Paris or the Eiffel Tower inside. Formed over millions of years, it was only discovered in the 1970s by two local boys who found an entrance at the floor of the cave. Today, visitors are guided in from an entrance at the top of the mountain in which it is situated. Rock, including iron, marble, limestone and quartz, can be seen throughout its walls. A sound and light show plays daily, showing off its amazing acoustics.
 
 
Lagrasse
 
One of the most “Beautiful Villages in France”, the medieval village of Lagrasse was home to one of the most important abbeys in the south of France. Founded in the 7th century, under a charter ordered by the Frankish King Charlemagne, the Abbey of Sainte-Marie d’Orbieu (named after the river which flows through the village) was originally built in the Romanesque style. Thanks to several large donations from noblemen of the area, the abbey soon became very wealthy and acquired lands, castles, priories, and other assets. By the 12th century, it ruled over a large territory encompassing the dioceses of Toulouse, Béziers, and the County of Barcelona. In the early 13th century, the Abbey had further improved its fortunes, in large because of bounties collected by crusaders during the Albigensian Crusades against the Cathars. Lagrasse should be on everyone’s list when cruising the Canal du Midi.
 
Its fortunes, however, declined from the 13th through 15th centuries, during which it was fortified to protect its riches from the many wars being fought, including the Hundred Years War and the Wars of Religion. The Abbey enjoyed a renaissance and received renovations, including a new cloister, under its penultimate abbot Armand Bazin de Bezons, before being forced to close during the French Revolution, after which it was put up for sale but never bought. In 2004, the Canons of the Mother of God moved into a portion of the abbey and still reside there. The State of the Aude purchased the unoccupied area in 2007 and is currently undergoing restoration.
 
 
Châteaux de Lastours
 
The Châteaux de Lastours are four,  11th-century Cathar castles, situated approximately one mile from the village of Lastours. The castles are on a rocky spur high above the village, isolated by the deep valleys of the Orbeil and Grésilhou rivers. Built at an altitude of 300m along a rock wall just 400m (1,300 ft) long and 50m (165 ft) wide, three of the castles are in a line, whereas the fourth is on a separate pinnacle close by. Though the four castles constitute a single fortification, they are not a single structure. The construction of each castle is different, reflecting the need to adapt to the natural layout of the rocky sites. The castles have been classified as Historic Monuments since 1905 and archaeological excavations are still in progress.
 
Often referred to as the “Village of Books”, Montolieu contains fifteen bookshops specializing mostly in second-hand and antiquarian books. Many artists and artisans also live and work in the village, occupying workshops and galleries for painters, sculptors and photographers. Since 1991, bookshops and artisans of books, such as bookbinders and calligraphers, have set up shop in Montolieu. A museum dedicated to the history of the book, “Le Musée des Arts et Métiers du Livre” is in the center of the village. Every year, cultural events focusing on books are held, including “The Spring of Books”, “Lire en Fête” and “Cuvée Spéciale”. If you enjoy a good book, this is the place to go while cruising the Canal du Midi.
 
 
Peyrepertuse
 
Peyrepertuse is a ruined 13th-century castle, and one of the many Cathar castles in the Aude department of France. Located high in the French Pyrenees, near the village of Duilhac, it has been associated with the Counts of Narbonne and Barcelona, and was the former seigneury of the Peyrepertuse. The fortress is one of the “Five Sons of Carcassonne”, a series of castles linked with the famous citadel, all situated atop inaccessible rocky peaks. Sometimes known as Celestial Carcassonne, it is the largest of the five castles and is as vast as Carcassonne. There is so much to see when cruising the Canal du Midi.
 

 
This is the third installment of a 3-part series about the Canal du Midi:
This series can also be found on our Barge Charters website under Destinations
 
 
Inquire


Canal du Midi Hotel Barges
 
Anjodi

 
Athos


Enchanté


Roi Soleil
 
  • Route: Canal du Midi between Béziers and Carcassonne
  • Up to 6 guests
  • Private charters and Cabin cruises
  • Itineraries: Standard classic
  • Learn more: Online brochure
 
 
Ready to Explore the Historic Canal du Midi?
 
 
Inquire





Contact Paradise Connections Yacht Charters to book your barge trip
Visit our website for more info on our barges and barging: www.BargeCharters.com
 

  
#BargingInFrance #CanaldumidiCruises #CanaldumidiBarges #FrenchCanalCruises #FrenchBarges