Europe for Visitors Blog

ABOVE: The Adrienne moors for a moment of reflection.

Starting in April, 2011, the luxury hotel barge Adrienne of French Country Waterways will offer cruises on a new route in Alsace-Lorraine until early July, when the barge moves to its classic cruising area in Champagne.

The Adrienne will sail between Strasbourg and Nancy every Sunday from April 3 to July 2. Highlights of the itinerary include a walking tour of Strasbourg's historic quarter, dinner ashore at the Michelin-starred La Cerf in Marlenheim, a private tour and wine tasting at Domaine Bechtold, a visit to the 13th Century chapel of the Cordeliers (with a stained-glass window designed by Marc Chagall), and a stop in Place Stanislas, which is said to be one of the grandest squares in all of France.

Meals on board are prepared by the barge's private chef, with four-course candlelit dinners accompanied by Grand Cru and Premier Cru wines.

The Adrienne has six suites with king-size beds, individual thermostat controls, extra pillows, fresh flowers, heated towel bars, 110/220-volt electrical outlets, and other luxury amenities. Prices (which include meals, wine, an open bar, daily sightseeing excursions, and bicycles for use on towpaths) are $5,295 to $6,295 per person, double, for the Alsace-Lorraine itinerary.

From July 10 to November 5, the Adrienne wll offer cruises in France's Champagne region at the same rates.

The barge is also available for charter bookings by families and small groups. French Country Waterways has negotiated special room rates at deluxe hotels in Paris and/or Strasbourg for guests who'd like to extend their stay.

For more information about Adrienne (including brochures by mail), visit www.fcwl.com. In the U.S. and Canada, you can phone (800) 222-1236 toll-free; from other countries or in Massachusetts, call +1 781 934-2454. Or write to: French Country Waterways, Ltd., P.O. Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331, USA.

Photo: French Country Waterways.