“Self-skippered cruises may be the wave of the future,” a leading trade journal recently headlined, and I expect it might be right. I recently acted as master of ceremonies at a travel seminar where a couple described a recent self-drive barge trip they and one other couple took, and it sounded like great fun. These days, arranging such a trip is easy and the costs are reasonable.

Among the most popular barging venues for American tourists are the canals and rivers of France. The waterway network covers virtually the entire country, from the industrial north to the foothills of the Pyrenees. You don’t notice much difference between rivers and canals: Rivers have been heavily dammed to the extent that water flows are as smooth and steady as those of a canal. On my last visit to the Burgundy wine country, I drove a rented car along several such canals, and thought how much more fun it would be to actually be on the water driving my own boat.

Equally popular are the canals and rivers of England. The region from the Thames Valley north through the Midlands was heavily canalized during the early industrial revolution, and many of those canals were preserved long enough to be converted from industrial to vacation use. As in France, most of the rivers are heavily canalized. You’ll also find plenty of canals and rivers in adjacent areas of Benelux and Germany.

A self-drive barge trip combines several of the key advantages of a barge cruise and a vacation rental.

— As with a conventional barge cruise, you can visit the small villages and interesting sites that line the waterways. Either way, you travel slowly enough to take short side trips, walking or by bicycle.

— As with an apartment or cottage rental, you spend your entire trip in the same accommodation, unpacking and repacking just once. You have the choice of doing your own shopping and cooking or of trying some of the many restaurants and bistros you’ll find along the canals and rivers.

According to the couple at the seminar, the boats are equipped much as you’d find with a RV, including small bedroom(s), bath with shower, living area and a small kitchen. In addition, there is plenty of deck area where you can sit in good weather. You won’t have much of a problem piloting a rented boat, even if you’re a novice. Maximum allowable speeds are quite low in the neighborhood of 5 mph to minimize disturbing other boats with your wake and to avoid erosion of the banks. At that speed you can’t get into much trouble. And even if you do, you’re never more than a few feet from land. The most difficult chore, said the couple, was the physical effort of opening and closing the locks, much of which was by hand. Of course, you have to familiarize yourself with the (simple) rules of navigation and right-of-way.

Prices compare favorably with renting a cottage or apartment. Rates for a small boat (two adults plus one child) start at around $600 a week in the off season, rising to $1,000 in the peak season. Rates for a boat comfortable for two couples are about 50 percent higher, and, of course, you can easily pay double or more for a larger or more luxurious model. One-way rentals are available in several areas —for a surcharge of around $100. You can also rent bicycles and other touring equipment you might want.

As with any other tourist activity in Europe, try to avoid July and especially August. That’s when all the Europeans want to rent barges, too; prices are high, boats are scarce, and canal traffic is heaviest. I’d recommend May, June and September for the UK and northern France, April and October for the south of France.

Art/Architecture, Arts & Culture, Uncategorized
Barge Cruise, canals, rent barges, rivers