Alsace-Lorraine

Regional Highlights

Strasbourg – visit this UNESCO World Heritage city for its amazing architecture, excellent restaurants and friendly cosmopolitan charm
France’s oldest church, 4th century Saint-Pierre-aux-Nonnais Basilica and the magnificent stained glass windows in St. Stephen’s cathedral at Metz
Naturally beautiful Saarland in Germany – perfect for watersports and nature-lovers
Baroque facades and beautiful market-squares of Saarbrücken, popular for street theatre and open-air concerts
The Arzviller Boat Lift – a masterpiece of engineering, lifts (or lowers) your boat 45m in just 20 minutes!
Magnificent scenery – the Vosges mountains and the Black Forest frame your route
Watersports, hiking and cycling – something for everyone! Why not follow the cycle paths from Strasbourg all the way to Boofzheim!

The tiny French region of Alsace, and neighbouring Saarland in Germany, is as wonderful as the art and architecture of its cities. Framed by the pine trees of the Black Forest and the blue-tinted Vosges mountains, this culturally unique region has a distinctly cosmopolitan feel and offers superb cruising to suit all tastes.

Suggested Cruises in Alsace-Lorraine

Week Breaks

The Art Noveau

Hesse - Nancy - Hesse

Cruise west through the rolling plains of the Lorraine region, stopping to visit Réchicourt le Château via the excellent fishing lake at Gondrexange. Admire the 15th century Basilica at St Nicolas de Port before arriving in beautiful Nancy. Head to Place Stanislas for glitzy shopping and a café-crème in the sunshine.

Duration:: One Week
Cruise Type:: Return Trip
Distance:: 152 km
Locks:: 42
Cruise Time:: 25 hrs

The Cosmopolitan Cruise

Hesse - Strasbourg - Hesse

Admire the beautiful scenery as you ascend the Arzviller boat lift and cruise on to Saverne, with its beautiful rose gardens. Home to the European parliament, Strasbourg is a culturally rich city and perfect for shopping and sightseeing. Its entire town centre is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Duration:: One Week
Cruise Type:: Return Trip
Distance:: 156 km
Locks:: 68
Cruise Time:: 37 hrs

The Arzviller Experience

Hesse - Strasbourg - Boofzheim (or vice versa)

Cruising on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin and Canal du Rhône au Rhin, take your boat up the Arzviller boat lift and experience one of the greatest marvels of modern canal engineering. Spend time in the cosmopolitan city of Strasbourg, admire Europe’s biggest stained glass window in Sarrebourg and ...

Duration:: One Week
Cruise Type:: One Way
Distance:: 104 km
Locks:: 43
Cruise Time:: 28 hrs

The Dual Nations Cruise

Hesse - Saarbrucken (or vice versa)

Cruise the pretty Canal des Houillères de la Sarre linking France and Germany and enjoy time at Gondrexange lake and watersports at Mittersheim. Saarbrücken is a wonderful, cosmopolitan city and capital of Germany’s Saarland. Cruising beyond Saarbrücken is not possible without a licence.

Duration:: One Week
Cruise Type:: One Way
Distance:: 103 km
Locks:: 31
Cruise Time:: 20 hrs

Longer Breaks

The Triple Nations Cruise

Hesse - Metz - Trier - Saarbrucken - Hesse

A fantastic cosmopolitan and cultural cruise through France, Luxembourg and Germany on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin, the Moselle and Sarre rivers and the Canal des Houillères de la Sarre. A licence is required for part of this journey.