how we find our barges...

Barge research

Every vessel, whether destined for the Scottish Highlands, or the sun drenched Canals of Southern France, first has to be found

Apart from scanning the small ads of the Dutch Skippers newspapers, trawling the internet and talking with brokers, the majority of our fine vessels have been located by word of mouth, following leads and time consuming searching of the havens and harbors of Northern Europe

This may take anything from a week to three months. Quite often the sighting of a simple “Te Koop” sign (for Sale) hanging from the bow of a retired Dutch commercial grain barge is the first sign that a new hotel barge is in the making

All of our barges have originally carried freight all over Europe. La Belle Epoque is a classic example. We found her retired to a canal siding just 500 metres inside Belgium but still with her River Rhine trading papers - a rariety indeed!

The owner, a Dutchman who had been born on board in 1931 when the vessel was less than a year old, was proud and delighted to learn that his home of over 60 years would start a new life as a hotel barge and more than keen to tell us all about his travels with his fine ship

Mr Kruijt was a character who knew every lockkeeper in Europe, every bend in the river or canal and a man who together with his French wife, had brought up and educated three children aboard, whilst voyaging back and forth across europe

We listened for hours, days in fact, to the tales of strange cargoes, the war years when British soldiers camped in Savornin Lohman’s (as she was then named, after a Belgium General) cavernous hull. Journeys in the spring floods down the then untamed river Rhone and log-carrying on the enchanting Nivernais canal in Burgundy. Belle Époque’s original owner’s stories intrigued us, and what was equally astounding was that our original intention was to find a vessel, which would precisely fit in the prettiest canal in France! - The Canal du Nivernais

We had found a vessel which we knew would fit perfectly under the low bridge of Mailly la Ville and creep over the shallows of Vincelles, turn in the Basin at Clamecy and contend with the sometime powerful winter currents of the River Yonne.

Every vessel in our program has a fascinating history, which is part of the magical world of barging. The research we do into the history of our vessels is part of the fun of hotel barging and a necessary part of the creation of every vessel

Please visit the following links if you would like to know more about our Barge design and building;

Why not experience the magic for yourself, contact us today to find out
more about our European luxury barge cruise vacations
on the European Waterways....

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