Trip Planning

To assist in making your travel plans, we offer links to the following websites:

Travel To and From the Barge
You will embark on your cruise Sunday at 4:00 pm. Departure time is 10:00 am Saturday. On arrival and departure, you will be transported to/from a local train station, hotel, or car rental agency. The fast track TGV train is the best way to get from major cities to the barge. You can find schedules and buy tickets online at either www.raileurope.com or www.sncf.com. With the introduction of the new TGV Atlantique service in July 2017, the trip from Paris Gare Montparnasse to Bordeaux St. Jean station is barely over 2 hours.

Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (BOD / LFBD) is the closest airport to Bordeaux for international and domestic fights. This airport is 27 km (7.5 mi) from the center of the city of Bordeaux. An additional fee may apply for airport transfers.

Where to Stay Before and After Your Cruise
The French Government Tourist Office at www.franceguide.com has information on all the towns and cities in France with links to hotel websites. We recommend the following hotels for pre or post cruise stays within the cruising area.

Bordeaux Hotels

L’Hôtel Particulier Bordeaux
44 rue Vital Carles, 33000 BORDEAUX
info@lhotel-particulier.com
+33 5 57 88 28 80

Hôtel de Sèze
23 allées de Tourny, 33000 BORDEAUX
contact@hotel-de-seze.com
+33 5 56 14 16 16

Yndo Hôtel
108 rue Abbé de l’Epée, 33000 BORDEAUX
contact@yndohotel.fr
+33 5 56 23 88 88

Boutique Hôtel Bordeaux
3 rue Lafaurie de Monbadon, 33000 BORDEAUX
contact@lebhb.com
+33 5 56 48 80 40

Golf du Medoc Hôtel & Spa MGallery
1366 chemin de Courmateau, 33290 LE PIAN-MEDOC
contact@golfdumedocresort.com
+33 5 56 70 31 31

Mercure Bordeaux Château Chartrons
81 cours Saint-Louis, 33300 BORDEAUX
H1810@accor.com
+33 5 56 43 15 00

Hôtel Château Grattequina
Avenue de Labarde, 33290 BLANQUEFORT
reservation@grattequina.com
+33 5 56 35 76 76

Find other hotels listed at Bordeaux Tourism website.

Coming end of 2024

ETIAS Visa Waiver for Americans
Europe’s Travel Authorization for U.S. Citizens

U.S. citizens traveling to Europe will shortly need to apply for an ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) visa waiver which is the new travel authorization for Europe that will come into effect by the end of 2022. Similar to other countries and regions in the world, Europe has recently decided to improve its security level to avoid any further problems with illegal immigration and terrorism.

This means that, by the end of 2024, all Americans traveling to a European country in the Schengen Zone will be in need of an ETIAS. The Schengen Area is composed of 22 European Union countries like France, Italy, Germany, Sweden, and Spain, as well as 4 non-EU countries: Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. ETIAS will permit travel to all Schengen countries for short stays during its validity.

Learn more or apply at https://www.etiasvisa.com/etias-requirements/americans

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing Travel Insurance to cover all parts of your journey. If you need to cancel due to illness, you’ll be able to recoup the cost of your barge trip, which Canals of France cannot refund. Contact your own insurance agent, AAA, or TravelGuard.com.

Weather Predictions
A handy site for checking weather forecasts is www.weather.com. We recommend bringing a comfortable pair of walking shoes, and informal clothing. Tango’s passengers will want to include a bathing suit for the on-deck spa.

Internet Access and Cell Phones
Call your cell phone company and/or Internet service provider and pre-arrange rates for the duration of your travels if you intend to bring your mobile devices. There is Wifi on board for accessing emails.

Bank Cards and Money Exchange
Call your bank and advise them you’ll be using your credit and/or debit card(s) in France. Posting a Travel Alert will avert cancellation due to suspicion of fraudulent use.