BORDEAUX — At 6 p.m. on the Quai des Chartrons, opposite one of the most attractive districts of Bordeaux, the Cyrano de Bergerac awaits its passengers. This splendid immaculate white ship, built in Belgium in 2013 and owned by the CroisiEurope company, is 360 ft long, 37 ft wide, and has 60 cozy cabins.
For five days, despite the gloomy weather of mid-May, the Cyrano de Bergerac will sail on the Garonne River, the Gironde estuary and the Dordogne River. The Portes de l’Atlantique, or Doors of the Atlantic, cruise includes excursions to Cussac-Fort-Médoc for a tasting of great wines, to Blaye to discover the majestic Vauban citadel and to the heart of the medieval city of Saint-Emilion, another iconic destination among the Bordeaux vineyards.
At 7 p.m., the passengers gather in the ship’s vast lounge bar and, cocktails in hand, applaud each of the 30 some crew members of various nationalities, who smile and introduce themselves in an American-style show. Then, Pedro Crespo, the Portuguese purser, runs through the cruise program in perfect French, before inviting the “guests” to enjoy their first meal in the restaurant room, at the other end of the ship.
Gérard Hauttement, 81, is traveling with his wife, Lorraine. This former business executive from Normandy regularly takes river cruises as romantic getaways. “This is our tenth trip. We have visited the Douro Valley in Portugal, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and sailed on the Seine. The pace is quiet, gentle and peaceful. We don’t have to get up at dawn to take part in the excursions, which generally take place in the afternoon.”
Sitting across from him at the table, where five guests are enjoying an excellent filet mignon, Andrée Haziza, 79, an elegant retiree with bright blue eyes, nods. This long-time Nice resident lost her husband eight months ago. “My life was turned upside down, and a month ago, I decided to join this cruise to clear my head. I came alone. I like this formula where you can choose to attend historical and cultural conferences, go for a walk or stay quietly in your cabin to take a nap or read on the sun deck, when the weather allows it,” she says, smiling.
Eco-friendly tourism
After a considerable slowdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, cruise tourism professionals are now back in business. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), no less than 31.5 million tourists boarded a cruise ship in 2023.
While the Americans, Germans and Spanish mostly go for “All Inclusive” trips on XXL-sized cruise ships — “buildings on the sea” that environmental associations across the planet vilify — the French prefer more modest-sized vessels. In other words, ships with a more “human” aspect.
France is both a model and a magnet for tourists with 8,500 km of navigable waterways.
Lucas Schmitter, e-commerce director of the CroisiEurope company, the French leader in river cruises in Europe (including the Seine, Loire, Gironde, Rhine and Danube), confirms the trend, with an average of 180,000 passengers per year, “nearly half of whom are returning customers,” he says with pride. His grandfather, Alsatian Gérard Schmitter, created the company in the mid-1970s. Its head office is located in Strasbourg, the departure point for many river cruises, and has a fleet of 50 small-capacity boats (8 to 200 passengers).
“These river excursions are part of a major trend toward healthy and eco-friendly tourism. Even though the pandemic put a big brake on our business, our booking figures have exploded since 2023. They even exceeded those of 2019,” Schmitter says.
When it comes to river tourism, France is both a model and a magnet for tourists with 8,500 km of navigable waterways, the most in Europe. According to the National Observatory of River Tourism (ONTF), river operators in France welcome 11 million passengers each year and sell 2 million overnight stays, 70% of which are for touring boats on the Seine.
Slow tourism
So what would be the benefits of these cruises that ride the wave of “slow tourism”? On that matter, those interested are unanimous: the quality of service, the (very) moderate speed of the boat which allows its passengers to appreciate the beauty of the landscapes sailed along, the conviviality, the possibility of mooring in the heart of small or medium-sized towns or islands spared — for now — by overtourism.
A Strasbourg resident for many years, Marie Salomon took her first cruise in 1996. Since her retirement, this fast-talking former logistics manager with infectious enthusiasm now takes one trip a year, mainly on European rivers.
“The stress of everyday life disappears instantly on board. The cabin crew is very attentive. The meals are refined and the excursions, once on land, always relevant. I really appreciate not having to change hotels every day and not having to pack and unpack my suitcase,” she says, noting that while she travels solo “by choice” she regularly makes friends during the cruise.
We embody the exact opposite of mass tourism.
After seven years at Le Figaro newspaper and five in strategy consulting, Lionel Rabiet created the high-end company Voyages d’Exception in 2012. “We organize nearly 80 trips and cruises each year,” the entrepreneur explains. He is also the head of the professional organization Entreprises du voyage d’Ile-de-France (EDV) which, like its competing operators, “recruits” renowned speakers and scientists to bring intellectual and cultural added value to its cruises.
“We choose our boats according to the destinations. On rivers like the Danube or the Mekong, we usually privatize boats with 25 to 80 cabins,” Rabiet says.
A different relationship with time
Rivages du Monde, founded in 2001, takes a similar “100% French-speaking” approach to tailor-made travel, preferring small vessels (24 to 160 passengers maximum) and praising the moderate speed of the skiffs it charters.
“Our boats sail at a speed of 9 to 18 mph. It’s a different relationship with time. No other mean of transport allows for such rich discoveries,” says Rivages du Monde President Alain Souleille, noting that one of the company’s most popular cruises on the Danube: 12 days dedicated to visiting the cities of Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest, Belgrade, Bucharest, while crossing the Wachau wine region in Austria and admiring the parade of the Iron Gates between Serbia and Romania.
Last year, Pierre Jeay, 68, former IT manager, wanted to sail along the peaceful banks of Dutch canals and admire the tulip fields stretching as far as the eye can see. In the spring, he and his wife took an eight-day cruise with tour operator Terres d’Aventure aboard a superb converted barge.
“We sailed around Amsterdam. My wife desperately wanted to admire these emblematic flowers of Holland, at the best season, when they were blooming. The experience was fantastic. We were 18 on board with a staff of four, including a chef. We also went on bike excursions wherever the boat was anchored,” the retired Toulouse resident said enthusiastically, noting that his only regret is not having rented an electric bike.
Navigating independently
Companies offering tourists the chance to sail independently have sprung up across France in recent years. The concept: After a quick one-hour initiation, the new captains are invited to take the helm of license free boats that can accommodate between two to 12 people. The cruise lasts a weekend, a week, or even more, with a few basic rules to respect, such as a maximum authorized speed of 3 to 5 mph on canals, 6 to 7.5 mph on rivers.
“No waves and no seasickness on our boats. The change of scenery is incredible. Our customers can moor almost wherever with two cast iron stakes and a mallet,” says Alfred Carignant, the general manager of Les Canalous. This family business, created in 1981 and based in Digoin, in eastern France, is both builder and manager of 300 boats.
“We embody the exact opposite of mass tourism. Our passengers, who are regularly passed by joggers on the banks, have every opportunity to have lunch in a small restaurant in the middle of the countryside or visit a Roman church,” he says, fully aware of the ecological issues concerning his activity, like any mode of transport.
We can’t wait to try it again on another canal.
After launching its first hydrogen boat last year, the company replaced the polluting diesel used across its entire fleet with hydrotreated vegetable oil. “Thanks to this change, we will reduce our CO2 emissions by 92%,” he says.
Sébastien Rousselle, 44, a computer engineer from Nîmes, was seduced by the idea of a stress-free holiday at a leisurely pace with his family. He set up an “expedition” with three license free boats during the recent Easter vacations on the Canal du Midi near Béziers.
“Each boat accommodated a member of my family and their children. In the evening, we took turns organizing the aperitif and dinner. The cabins are spacious and comfortable. Actually, navigation wise, these boats are like big bumper cars. It was a thrill to go through the locks, with each one playing a very specific role. We can’t wait to repeat try it again on another canal,” Rousselle said.
City cruises
As Paris prepares to deliver, at the end of July, one of the most unforgettable opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games on its legendary river, city cruises are becoming more and more popular. This is the market chosen by Philippe and Anne Cadoux who founded their own navigation company, Seine Privée, seven years ago.
Every day, passengers can admire, for two hours, the most iconic Parisian monuments such as the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay and the Louvre from an elegant 12-meter Dutch vedette, while enjoying a cocktail or savoring refined dishes in a friendly atmosphere.
“What we offer is the privatization of our boat,” says Cadoux, a former telecoms engineer. “We want our guests to feel as if we were welcoming them into our home. And it works!” Experience shows that as soon as you step on board, your worries vanish.
