8-day Self-drive Houseboat in Alsace, France

Boat for up to 5 x guests in 2 x cabins with ensuites. (space for 2 x guests sleeping in living area)

Enjoy a French boating holiday in the Alsace, a region full of history and fantastic gastronomy. The best bits : magnificent scenery - mountains and forests frame your route ; delicious regional food and wines; watersports, cycling and hiking - something for everyone! Wonderful art and architecture in the cities…

You could start your boating holiday from Saverne in Alsace, a land of history and gastronomy. Choose to either cruise towards Strasbourg or towards Arzviller - famous for its boat lift (the only one in France). Beyond that, you get to the green Lorraine plateau and continue your cruise to Nancy, stopping en route at the superb Place Stanislas, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At Gondrexange you take the Canal de la Sarre which is dotted with lakes and water spots offering beaches, swimming, and watersports. From Harskirchen, location of the second base in Alsace (see the one way cruise option between Saverne and Harskirchen) you can cruise to Sarreguemines which is famous for its pottery or Saarbrücken which takes you just over the German border.

European Cruise: Enjoy a cruise through three countries! Take your boat through France, Germany and Luxembourg. Choose a two week itinerary from  Harskirchen.

Included in your houseboat holiday:

• Your boat for 8 x days (Saturday to Saturday or any other day except Sunday, subject to availability) excellent well-crafted boat with a capacity of 5 guests (plus room for 2 x visitors sleeping in living area). Departure is between 3-6pm Saturdays; return your boat between 8-9am the following Saturday. For other possibilities of extended days, shorter breaks and weekends, bigger or smaller boats - please contact our office: [email protected] 
• Captain's handbook: preparation and advice for a trouble free cruise from start to finish
• Navigation chart: vital for a well-organised cruise. In it you will find the location of locks, water fill-up points, places of interest etc. 
• Base location map: instructions for locating your departure base easily
• Navigation instruction: video giving advice for the navigation and security instructions to live aboard your cruiser.
• Boat equipment, all equipment necessary for navigation
• Boat insurance
• Instructions on navigating the waterways and your temporary boat licence
• Breakdown assistance available 7 days per week during base operating hours
• Inventory: a list of all interior and exterior equipment
• Crockery etc. enough for everybody on board
• Bedding: sheets, blankets or duvets, pillows and pillow cases
• Hotel package: Cleaning price, Set of towels for each passenger, Kitchen towels kit

Not included:

• Boat fuel: you start with a full tank (All consumables such as oil, fuel, gas etc. used are included in your charge. All cruisers are fitted with a meter which is read on your departure and on your return. The number of hours of engine fuel used will be invoiced according to the rate displayed at the base. On average between 30-60 EUR per day.)
• A bond of 1000 EUR (repaid to you at the end of your cruise if the boat and its equipment are brought back clean, in good condition and undamaged, at the time and place agreed on)
• Waterways guide: France Only 25 EUR
• Barbecue rental: 40 EUR
• Power converter rental 12/220v: 10 EUR
• Wifi on board: 50 EUR
• Deck mattress: 10 EUR each: comfortable and foldable mattress for relaxing on theroof or front deck of your boat
• Bikes 40 EUR each
• One-way cruise: from 150-350 EUR depending on distance from the original base (not available in all regions, and charge is according to distance for recovery between the bases)
• Final cleaning (required) internal and external at end of cruise: outside 50 EUR, inside 100 EUR (total clean 150 EUR)

Option for 'all inclusive' package:

• Fuel package + cleaning price
• Waterways map
• Set of towels for each passenger
• Kitchen towels kit
• 2 x bikes
• May be collected and paid on arrival (from 430 EUR)

Slow Tours offers a number of other Houseboat Holidays in Europe

Please check with our office for availability of boats and for the dates you require: [email protected]

Price is calculated for 4 guests. Boat hire is 4 x individual price.

Ask us about your houseboat hire: departures any day except Sunday; boats available from 2-10 guests; boats available in other parts of France, Germany, Netherlands, Hungary and Portugal: find the right boat and location for you at [email protected]

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