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If sights of rolling sunflowers, vineyards and fertile forests are what you look for in a holiday; if you prefer quaint medieval towns to sprawling metropolises, and luscious countryside to urban infrastructure, then a cruise on the Canal de Garonne will be perfect for you. Cruise aboard European Waterways hotel barge Rosa on the Canal de Garonne, experiencing the best of slow travel, French culture, viticulture and gastronomy.
Spotlight on Rosa - Slow Travel Canal Cruises in Gascony & Bordeaux
A Short History of Rosa
Rosa began her life in Dedemsvaart, Holland, where she was built at the riverboat shipyard. Constructed in 1907, she was originally a traditional Dutch Clipper barge. Designed with an elegant hull line and shallow draft, she was made to pass beneath low bridges and navigate waterways with as little as three feet of water, all whilst carrying commercial cargo. Operating under sail, she worked the inland waterways of the Netherlands for more than eighty years.
In the late 20th century, everything changed for Rosa. Bought by a British shipowner in the 1990s, she underwent a major conversion at the Saint-Jean-de-Losne shipyard in Burgundy. A rare and ambitious project for the time, Rosa was transformed from an industrial cargo carrier into an illustrious hotel barge. Though many Freycinet-type barges were shortened to comply with canal lock dimensions, Rosa was in fact lengthened by four metres to allow her plenty of space for crew and guest comfort. The renovations and her new 30 metre length were nothing short of a Renaissance and for a few years, she did operate under that name!
Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, Rosa would cruise the waterways of France as a floating hotel. She shot to stardom in French Odyssey with Rick Stein, earning herself a reputation amongst the elite barges of Europe. With her new prestige, she’d earned a refit and a new name; Rosa, referencing her association to La Ville Rose; ‘The Pink City’ of Toulouse.
Rosa was purchased again and the subsequent renovations were to prepare her for the next stage of her life, cruising the Canal Latéral à la Garonne. Known for being one of the most beautiful stretches of the Canal des Deux Mers in south-west France, Rosa needed a first-class interior to reflect her new status in barging high society.
Cruising under European Waterways colours with an exquisite interior, guests can experience this 120-year-old barge for themselves in either the Gascony or Bordeaux regions. Though her role has evolved dramatically since 1907, as a hotel barge Rosa remains true to her origins—a finely balanced vessel, purpose-built for shallow waterways, and still perfectly at home gliding gently through Europe’s historic canals.
Hotel Barge Rosa Today
Today, Rosa is a comfortable First-Class barge with a warm, spacious saloon, four cosy ensuite cabins and a sun deck that’s fitted with a hot tub. With space for 8 passengers and 4 crew, throughout a 6-night stay, guests will be closely attended by one of our team.
Rosa’s warm, wood-panelled saloon reflects her barging heritage, providing guests with modern comfort in a cosy setting. A bar in one corner is surrounded by shelves and bookcases filled with a selection of liquor and literature for guests to while away the afternoon with a tipple of whisky. Choose from plush sofas, a comfortable corner chair to journal on or an oval table and chairs. The latter table also provides an ideal setting for gourmet meals to be served at lunch and dinner. A side table in the dining area will provide all the tea, coffee and drinks-making facilities guests could possibly need throughout the day.
Guests can choose from four cosy stateroom cabins, either with a double bed or twin bed arrangement. Each cabin includes its own ensuite bathroom and is climate-controlled with its own heating and air conditioning, so you can choose the perfect temperature to sleep in. You’re sure to have an excellent night’s sleep!
Guests who enjoy sightseeing and the fresh air of the canals can climb the steps to Rosa’s sundeck. Experience the gentle breeze as you dine alfresco beneath the parasols, put your feet up on a sun lounger with a cooling cocktail or slide into the spa pool and let the warm water soothe you after a day of exploring the French countryside.
Eight bikes stored onboard allow guests the luxury of cycling alongside Rosa as she glides through the canals in the seasonal sunshine. Just borrow one any time she’s cruising or hop off and wander the tow path on foot to enjoy the wildlife and rippling water. With an onboard private chef, bicycles stored onboard for your exclusive use, and fully air-conditioned spaces, you’ll feel right at home on your hotel barge Rosa.
The Canal de Garonne – Rosa’s Cruise Regions
Every year, Rosa cruises two separate regions of the picturesque French countryside during the barging season. Guests can choose from April – Mid July to cruise Gascony or from mid-July – October to experience the Bordeaux section of the canal.
Both cruises see hotel barge Rosa journey along the Canal de Garonne, which is a beautiful, scenic waterway weaving through sunflower fields, historic villages and idyllic farms. Opened in 1856, the Canal de Garonne was designed to allow small vessels to pass the 194-kilometre journey through the Gascony and Bordeaux regions. The route avoided the dangerous and unpredictable Garonne River, offering safe passage to Toulouse, where barges could join the Canal du Midi.
The Canal de Garonne was conceived by the great French engineer, Sébastien Le Prestre, the Marquis of Vauban, in the seventeenth century. It was intended to link the manmade waterway of the Canal du Midi, designed by Paul Riquet, to the southern regions of France, connecting trade routes between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.
From 1996 to 2006, the section of the Canal de Garonne between Montech and Montauban was closed for essential maintenance to its banks, following on from leakage into the surrounding countryside. Ever since its reopening, it has been used primarily for tourism. Guests can therefore cruise in peace along the canal, without being disturbed by industry.
Gascony
Cruising the Canal de Garonne through Gascony, guests enjoy the agricultural landscapes surrounding the canal, weeping willows gently breaking the surface of the water, and a huge aqueduct that towers 1000 foot above the River Tarn. A cruise aboard hotel barge Rosa through Gascony transports guests on the Canal de Garonne from Boé to Montauban, past Montech, Castelsarrasin, Moissac and the Abbaye Saint-Pierre, and Pommevic. Visitors even cruise over the aqueduct to see the views from up high, descending an entire staircase of locks to arrive at Moissaic!
Gascony Itinerary Highlights
Guests seeking the beautiful scenery of the Gascony region will cruise in comfort whilst passing the stunning Forest of Agre, ascending onto the aqueduct at the Pont Canal du Cacor, and the staircase of locks at Moissac.
Passing the landscapes of vineyards on the Canal de Garonne, it’s natural to want to savour the taste of a local wine or two. A visit to Château Bellevue la Fôret in the Côtes du Frontonnais wine region should quench the thirst of Rosa’s guests, if the onboard vintages haven’t quite managed to do just that. Liquor lovers may prefer the private tour and tasting at Domaine de Lapeyrade however, where they’ll sample Armagnac and wine.
Cheese lovers will revel in an opportunity to discover the cheeses produced at an artisan dairy farm at Ramier. A tour with the farmer himself is followed by a tasting and an opportunity to take some home for yourself! Mix gastronomy with culture as you visit Château de Lamotte-Bardigues for a tour, followed by an exclusive opportunity to take tea with the countess herself.
Filled with stunning architecture and cultural heritage, Gascony is a fabulous area to explore for culture lovers. Guests can experience the Abbaye St-Pierre de Moissac, with its 12th century church, stunning carved cloisters and medieval Romanesque architecture. With additional visits to the medieval hillside towns of Nérac and Auvillar guests will have an opportunity to see how quaint the life of a medieval French villager was.
Whether it’s the grandeur and wines of the châteaux you are seeking, or the scenery of the picturesque Gascony countryside, cruising hotel barge Rosa between April and mid-July is a fantastic way to spend the spring and early summer months.
Bordeaux
With swathes of hillsides dominated by vineyards, Bordeaux is known for its 2000-year-old winemaking history. Blessed with fertile soils, warming sunshine and gentle rainfall, the region has prospered because of its sought-after high-quality wines and vintage yields. Rosa cruises from Castets-en-Dorthe to Boé via Lagruère, Buzet-sur-Baïse, Sérignac-sur-Garonne and Agen. Guests can enjoy the unique experience of gliding across the 1900-foot-high Agen aqueduct, enjoying views of the valleys below, and through 53 locks. Bordeaux has beautiful villages and rich cultural heritage, much of which is navigable on the Canal de Garonne. Lush vegetation rises up on either side of the banks as Rosa cruises the canal at a slow pace, allowing guests a quiet moment of contemplation and wildlife-watching.
Bordeaux Itinerary Highlights
The Bordeaux region is a charming area of medieval towns and patchwork landscapes. Cruising onboard hotel barge Rosa, guests will have a chance to enjoy the vineyards and farmland from the water, as they float effortlessly along. There’s also an opportunity to travel on the Garonne River aboard a traditional flat-bottomed boat, to see the sights and experience freshwater wildlife in this different ecosystem.
Excursions to the many medieval towns and villages of the Bordeaux region, including an outing to Saint Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site. There’s also a tour of the pretty village of Le Mas d’Agenais, where guests can wander the 11th century church aisles and gaze upon a real Rembrandt. A trip to the 13th century bastide village of Vianne will reveal a maze of medieval streets, and Agen conceals the colourful cathedral dedicated to Saint Caprasius. You can even see where the medieval King Henry IV lived at the hillside village of Nérac in a castle.
Wine lovers will revere the tasting and guided tour of the winemaking facilities at Château Franc Mayne, who are known for their premier and grand cru wines. At the Lapeyrade estate there’s a cellar tasting of Armagnac and you’ll learn the history of the oldest alcohol in France. A final tour and tasting at the Domaine Christophe Avi will allow guests to experience family-made organic wines and savour the flavours of the Bordeaux terroirs the vines are grown on.
If all this isn’t enough, the gastronomic experiences Rosa’s itinerary affords you will leave you hungering for more. At an artisanal dairy farm there’s a chance to experience the cheese making process, which ends with a goats’ cheese tasting. Weather permitting, there’ll even be a gourmet barbecue at Lagruère. Guests are seated at the barge, overlooking the attractive scenes of the River Garonne, whilst enjoying a feast as cooked up by the chef.
Rosa is Perfect for:
Wine Lovers
Bordeaux Wine Appreciation Cruise
Wine lovers seeking an explosion for their taste buds should visit the place where tannins linger: Bordeaux. Board Rosa for an unforgettable wine cruise, where you’ll learn everything worth knowing about the wines of Bordeaux. Guests enjoy tours and tastings at the wine cooperative of Les Vignerons de Buzet and Château Beau-Sejour-Becot, and savour the ‘Grand Cru Classe’ at Château de Malle. There’s even an educational trip to the winemaking exhibition at Maison des Vins and an excursion to visit the Cork Museum in Mézin, which was home to over 50 corking factories in the 1800’s!
Families
What better way to see Gascony than onboard Rosa with a personalised itinerary for the whole family. The classic itinerary can be adapted with up to 4 activities substituted for family-friendly options that will suit the age of those aboard. Teenagers and young adults may appreciate the rollercoasters on offer at Walibi Sud-Ouest Theme Park, or kayaking out onto the River Garonne for some water sports. Younger children can choose from Tohubohu inflatable Adventure Park, Z’Animoland zoological theme park and Base de Loisirs 82 water activities. There’s also zip lining, tree climbing and go-karting. With so many activities to choose from, it’s hard for anyone in the family to get bored!
Bordeaux Family Cruise
Families travelling through Bordeaux on Rosa can mix up their itinerary to enthuse the younger members of the company. Simply exchange up to 4 excursions on the classic Rosa itinerary through Bordeaux for some family-friendly alternatives. Substitutions can be made for Walibi Sud-Ouest Theme Park, Z’Animoland, Base de Loisirs 82, canoeing & kayaking, zip lining, go-carting and Tohubohu Adventure Park. See here for more information and to start planning your new itinerary for Rosa!
In Review
Don’t just take our word for it, see what the media have to say about cruising on Rosa!
Travel editor, Karen Bartlett, recently cruised on Rosa, and here’s her account of the time she spent in Gascony. In her article ‘Barge Rosa: Six Days and 700 Years in Gascony’ she tells the story of her travel along the Canal de Garonne and her immersion “in antiquity”, helping to operate the locks for Rosa.
The lure of a cruise aboard Rosa, she claims, is “This is the land of Cyrano de Bergerac and real-life French Musketeer Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan”. She speaks of the charm of 700-year old Château de Lamotte Bardigues and the exciting experience of joining the 20th generation descendant of Clement V’s nephew for tea there.
She speaks of how impressed she was with the four crew who attended on their company of guests, and was especially complimentary of Nicole and Julian who are a multi-talented husband and wife team who guide and captain. Julian masterfully navigates the locks with Rosa as Nicole’s “authentic storytelling evokes the soul of Gascony”.
Karen was impressed with Chef Stéphane’s cooking, “whose every plate is an artist’s palette and a gastronome’s dream”. She called him ‘exquisitely talented’ and described the hostess and housekeeper, Agatha, as a ‘fairy godmother’ who “fluffs up our cabin and anticipates every wish”.
Of the ambience of Rosa, Karen notes that “The ambience is warm and friendly: food and wine sophisticated; dress code casual.” In good weather there were lavish Gascon buffets al fresco and starry-night-soaks in the hot tub.
Of her favourite excursions, Karen speaks fondly of the “private tasting at the distinguished Château Bellevue la Fôret” which she explains is “the largest privately owned wine estate in the southwest of France”. At the foothills of the Pyrenees, Domaine de Lapeyrade revealed its more than 700-year-old Armagnac secrets at the bottom of a barrel, and Karen marvelled at the making of regional cheeses in “the traditional way in copper vat by the 4th generation Maraval family”.
Overall, Karen’s experience of Rosa was summed up beautifully as gliding “so gently through a landscape of sunflowers, plum and apple trees, weeping willows, and quaint old-stone lockkeepers’ houses in an intimate world far from the open seas”.
Ready to Cruise onboard Rosa?
To discover the full spring/summer Gascony itinerary, brimming with hand-picked destinations, cultural gems and unique experiences then take a look here.
For the Bordeaux summer/autumn itinerary, showcasing slow travel and a different view of Bordeaux wine country, take a look here.
Contact us today to discuss your dream voyage with our experts! Or fill in our contact form below.
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