Barge cruising France - Champagne, Ardennes 2006

Reims to Rethel: June 3^rd Rethel to Reims: July 8^th

Rethel to Charleville-Mézières: June 10^th Charleville- Mézières to Rethel: July 1^st

Transfers between Paris or Lille and the Barge.

We arrive at the Barge in Reims in time to explore this magnificent city. Reims is the cultural and economic capital of Champagne and boasts a long and celebrated history. Here, amid the splendours of the Cathedral of Nôtre Dame and the Tau Palace, you will find reminders of the coronation of French kings from Clovis in 498AD to Charles X in 1825. Also, as befits a regional capital, the ambience of the centre is appealing with excellent shops, lively bars and plenty of the cosmopolitan chic one associates with champagne. The cruise takes us along the Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne to the junction with the River Aisne at Berry au Bac, scene of one of the most famous tank battles of the first world war. Turning Eastwards along this canal we climb through widely spaced locks past Asfeld and Rethel, both of which have interesting churches, and the end of the cruise.

Leaving Rethel the canal continues up the Aisne valley through a large flight of interesting locks, 27 in number, to le Chesne and the summit level of the canal. The locks cover a short distance, 9km., but the passage through them takes a whole day's cruising, affording a very good opportunity for walking the towpath. The scenery becomes increasingly dominated by large stretches of woodland through which the canal winds its way until we reach Pont à Bar, and the junction with the River Meuse. The cruise now continues downstream towards Charleville- Mézières, in reality two towns, one, Mézières founded in the 9th Century and the other, Charleville a new town of the 17th Century, which were united in 1966. Both are interesting with the Place Ducale in Charleville particularly spectacular.

These itineraries are reversed for the cruises from Rethel to Reims and from Charleville- Mézières to Rethel

 Asfeld viol shaped baroque church

Locking through in the Ardennes

 

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