Your guide to French Barge Cruising
02/07/2020 · By Sukie Chapman
Experience French barge cruising: with Great Rail Journeys. Read our Ultimate Guide and plan your dream cruise today with expert tips from our blog.
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2026 Tour code: CSR26
About the tour
Set sail on France's picturesque waterways to discover the very best of the romantic Provence region. On this fabulous barge cruise holiday, you can uncover the region's hidden gems, from Étang De Thau's famous shellfish to the medieval treasures of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert.
With each stop, we dive deeper into the heart of Provence. Visit an authentic 'manade' farm to see its workings, explore medieval Aigues-Mortes, and witness the wild beauty of the Camargue Delta. A guided tour of the fascinating Roman ruins in Arles perfectly rounds off a memorable cruise adventure.
Unforgettable Experiences
What’s included
Itinerary
With the delights of France's charming waterways beckoning, your cruise holiday begins this morning at London St Pancras International. As you arrive, meet the Tour Manager and your travel group, and together, board the Eurostar to Paris. On arrival in the French Capital, we continue by rail to Montpellier St-Roch.
Joining our coach here, we drive to Sete at the cusp of the Garonne and Rhône Rivers, where our stylish hotel barge awaits. We arrive this evening and board our home for the next seven days, the delightful Anne-Marie. We are welcomed aboard by the friendly crew and can enjoy a welcome drink while taking our first looks at the scenery from the sun deck. Take some time to get settled into your cabin, and then we sit down to our first dinner together.
Additional information
Trains
Ship
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Reviews
4.4 / 5 · 52 reviews
Carol
Submitted 29/Sep
A great holiday on the Anne-Marie in Provence A great holiday on the Anne-Marie on the Seté Canal. Purser Sairah and the Crew of the CroisiEurope barge could not do enough for the guests and made the Holiday memorable. Great Rail Journeys head office attention and information made travelling easy, and the independent included luggage transport service made travel by rail a pleasure. A great holiday except for an avoidable stressful transfer between Stations in Paris on the return which rather took the shine of a great experience partially rescued by the Lunch that was served in Eurostar Plus on the last leg to St Pancras.
Collected by Trustpilot
Mr Michael Edwards
Submitted 25/Sep
A wonderful week. They could't do enough to make you feel at home. Food and drink was all I could have wanted, well served as the barge passed through marvellous countryside. Lots of trips out for guided tours and visits ranging from oysters to olives, black bulls to flamingos, salt mountains to wine tasting. All the crew were welcoming and friendly. I felt l was treated as a special friend. Occasional mosquito, but it was the Camargues.
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Ian
Submitted 24/Sep
great barge cruise helpful and friendly crew, food excellent.
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Mrs Soper
Submitted 24/Sep
Smashing , SO interesting . The crew were superb
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Gillian
Submitted 21/Jul
Peaceful countryside Fantastic food Wonderful welcoming crew
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Anthony Arnfield
Submitted 20/Jul
Long journey and late dinner to start was a bit rough but the rest was absolutely fantastic. The crew of the barge cpould,t do enough for the participants and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly. We are considering doing a similar trip again.
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River Cruise Holidays 2026
Experience the magic of cruising along some of Europe’s most picturesque waterways. Glide serenely along the romantic Rhine, explore the blue Danube or meander through the enchanting Douro Valley. With our river cruises, you’ll drift through beautiful landscapes and historic towns.