Among the different ways to travel, river cruising is increasingly popular with families and groups of friends. You don't need a boat license to get on board and travel through cities and beautiful countryside with peace of mind. If France, with its many rivers, is a favourite territory for indulging in the pleasures of river cruising, other European countries have taken a strong interest in the concept, aware that it represents an interesting alternative for enjoying the rich natural and architectural heritage of an area. In France and in several of its neighbouring European countries, the river cruises proposed by Nicols have enough to give taste to a form of tourism that guarantees a total change of scenery.
Slow tourism and communion with the environment
The first reason to turn to river cruises to discover the riches of a region is of course to opt for a concept that is out of the ordinary. Sailing on the water is relaxing and allows you to slow down time. For all those who wish to break with the hectic pace of everyday life, it's a godsend. You change your pace, enjoy an original way to stay and travel, and above all, you take the time to live. This slow tourism leads the sailors to contemplate the landscapes for hours on end, to become aware of the beauty of the environment and to go and explore it on foot or by bike, just like stopping in communes to go and discover the heritage and to sit down at a table around a dish and a glass of local wine. Far from mass tourism, river cruises also offer a more intimate, less noisy setting. These holidays in harmony with nature are also a good way to preserve it. It is indeed possible today to settle down on board an electric houseboat. You will find everything you need for your daily life, enough to sleep, cook, share meals, and all this is done with the greatest respect for the environment
And the advantage of river cruising is that it can be enjoyed by everyone! There is indeed no need for a licence or special skills to pilot boats with speed limits, in accordance with precise, supervised and safe regulations.
Discovering many territories
River cruises can be practiced in various European territories. France benefits from the largest river network on the continent, so it is quite natural to visit a large number of regions. Head for Alsace and pass through flower-filled villages with half-timbered houses or go down the Burgundy canal to see its abbeys and great vineyards. Unless you prefer to venture into the Loire Valley to travel through the ages in the castles or choose a sunny destination on the inevitable Canal du Midi, which, once you have passed through villages steeped in history and rural areas lined with plane trees and cypresses, leads straight to the edge of the deep blue sea.
As the concept of river cruising became more and more popular, other European countries gradually opened up to this practice. Thus, for those who wish to reach a foreign country for a holiday on board a boat, it is also possible to visit the Müritz National Park in Germany. With its lakes and lush forests, one takes the time to contemplate the fauna and flora and to take a swim. Further north, the Netherlands awaits sailors who want to enjoy everything that characterises the country: from tulip fields to windmills and endless possibilities to combine sailing and cycling. Renaissance palaces, picturesque villages, volcanoes, exceptional forests and vineyards, it is Hungary that has joined the adventure of river navigation to plunge visitors into the heart of the splendours of Central Europe. Finally, how can you miss the enchanting setting offered by the Lago Alqueva, the largest artificial park on the Old Continent in Portugal. Situated in the Alentejo region, it is navigated here without locks, in a sunny region 300 days a year. On the holiday program, the visit of the sunken village of Luz, a stopover a few kilometres from Spain in the village of Mourão, whose historical heritage is very well preserved. Without forgetting a stroll through the cobbled streets of Monsaraz, recognizable by its white houses with red roofs and its long 300-year-old chimneys. Between two escapades to these exceptional towns, fishing and swimming add to a schedule that promises to be most exciting
