France - Living the Seine River by Bike and Boat (2018) Guided 8 nights/7 days One of the highlights of this guided cycling and sailing holiday in France is the impressive castle Fontainebleau. You'll be pedaling along the winding rivers Seine and Oise. You cycle right through some famous forests like Compiègne and you experience a fantastic canal cruise across 19th century Paris. See why the painters Vincent Van Gogh and Alfred Sisley were so inspired by picturesque villages like Auvers-sur-Oise and Moret-sur-Loing. You have enough time to enjoy some Paris specials on you own, such as the Eiffel Tower, Sacre Coeur, Arc de Triomph, museum Centre Pompidou or the Versailles palace.
Itinerary Day to Day Day 1: Moret-sur-Loing (or Saint Mammès) 7 km By bus transfer from Paris Gare du Nord you arrive in Moret-sur-Loing where the barge is moored. Moret is a picturesque medieval village famous for its impressionists painting souvenirs and artists like Alfred Sisley. In the evening you'll take a short bike ride to Saint Mammés, a traditional barge village at the confluence of the Seine and Loing rivers. Day 2: Moret sur Loing - Melun 45 km Today you start cycling to the impressive castle and the beautiful gardens of Château de Fontainebleau. Along the river Seine you cycle and pass Héricy and Samois sur Seine. Your trip ends today in Melun, an attractive small provincial town. Your tour leader may take you on an easy going city walk and show you several nice bridges, attractive historical buildings and churches. Day 3: Melun - Vigneux s/seine - Paris 50 km Cycling trip following the river Seine and crossing the forestry of Domaine de Senart to Vigneux sur Seine. Here you embark the barge and make the sailing trip on the Seine to Paris. The barge moors for the night in the historic Bassin de Bastille located in down town Paris. Day 4: free day in Paris In the morning there s a cruise by barge from Bassin de l Arsenal to Bassin la Villette. This impressive sailing trip on the Canal St. Martin (appr. 2.5 hours) takes you through a tunnel, along romantic bridges and through historic locks. From 10.30 you are free to explore Paris and its highlights such as the Eiffel tower, museums (Louvre, Centre Pompidou), do some window shopping, etcetera. Day 5: Paris/Bassin La Vilette - Bougival 40 km Starting in downtown Paris you take an easy going cycling tour mainly on cycle lanes following the river Seine, partly across the famous Bois de Boulogne to the village of Bougival, your peaceful mooring place for the night. Day 6: Bougival - Auvers s/oise - l'isle Adam 40 km Your cycling trip passes the château St. Germain-en-Laye, leads through Conflans Ste Honorine, the French Barging capital, to the village of Auvers s/oise. Here Vincent Van Gogh used to live and work. In the late afternoon you embark the barge for a sailing trip to l Isle Adam, a charming village situated on the banks of the river Oise.
Day 7: l'isle Adam - Creil - Compiègne 40 km In the early morning you sail to the town of Creil. Here you start a scenic cycling trip alongside the river Oise that leads to the imperial city of Compiègne. There are several options for a visit: the beautiful park, the Napoleon lllrd palace, the St. Jacques church (13th century). In the evening your tour leader may take you for a walk in the town center. Day 8: Compiègne End of tour after breakfast. Say good-bye to the crew and your tour leader. Your train to Paris-Gare-du-Nord or to the airport Charlesde-Gaules leaves from Compiègne in the vicinity of the barge.
Route Technical Characteristics: Tour Profile: Easy. Distance: 222 km Travel Dates: Departures from Moret-sur-Loing: May 26; June 9; June 23; September 1; September 15 and September 29, 2018 Departures from Compiegne: May 19; June 2; June 16; August 25; September 8 and September 22, 2018
Prices per person: Double occupancy 899.00 Single Surcharge 220.00* Surcharge for Specialty Diets excluding vegetarian, diabetic and low sodium 50.00 High Season Surcharge September 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 79.00 Bicycle Insurance (including taxes) 27.00 E-Bike Surcharge (including insurance) Limited availability 171.00 Reductions Additional adult in 3 or 4 person cabin** 18% Children 0-3 years, in same room with 2 full paying adults** 60% Children 4-11 years, in same room with 2 full paying adults** 33% Bringing own bike 20.00 *Only on request and when available **not applicable to Family Specials Included: Stay in double cabin Full board (7x breakfast, 6x packed lunch, 6x dinner) Rental bicycle (24 gears) and pannier Travel guidance (during cycling itineraries) Several city walks Info booklet and map Visit to castle Fontainebleau Transfer by bus between Paris/Gare du Nord - Moret-sur-Loing Tasting of Wine/Cheese Not Included: Journey to and from Paris/Gare du Nord and Compiègne Excursions not in program Drinks on board Dinner on free day in Paris We highly recommend bringing a bike helmet on this trip
Clair de Lune From May 2014 on Marco Pouw and his wife Astrid are the new owners of the barge CLAIR DE LUNE. This pretty ship has been sailing for HAT Tours before under the names Steile Bank and Summerjazz. Five cabins will each be equipped with 2 split-level beds, 3 cabins have a double bed and one cabin is for single use. All cabins are provided with private facilities. Marco Pouw has a lot of experience as a captain on freighters sailing in the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. He is very much looking forward sailing with passengers from lots of different countries.
Bikes Assisting people in realizing their touring dreams worldwide is our passion. www.okcycletours.com THIS IS A PARTNER TOUR FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT OK Cycle & Adventure Tours Inc. 666 Kirkwood Ave - Suite B102 Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1Z 5X9 Toll Free 1-888-621-6818 Local 613-702-5350 TICO Ontario Registration No: 50022848