Cruise the Marne Rhine Canal in Alsace Lorraine

If you’ve been inspired by Timothy West and Prunella Scales on the recent episode of Great Canal Journeys and would like to have your own boating adventure through the Alsace Lorraine region, you can! Alsace boating holidays offer superb cruising to suit all tastes; nature-lovers, history buffs and city explorers.

We’ve listed below the main stops on a 7 night one way boating holiday in the Alsace that would allow you to see the same sights, and take in the same experiences as our national treasures did.

Niederviller

Start your Great Canal Journey by arriving at our base in Hesse. You can fly to this region of France from the UK in around 1.5 hours.

Once you have checked in and been given your boat induction and handling demonstration you can set off. 45 Minutes cruising will bring you to Niederviller, where Timothy West and Prunella Scales first saw their Horizon boat in the arrival scenes of Great Canal Journeys. This tiny town has a history of porcelain making and the huge, ancient ovens are still standing in the centre of the town. 

Lutzelbourg

Today will be an action packed day on your trip through Alsace-Lorraine! First you will cruise through two tunnels, the first for only a few minutes but the second one is over 2.5 kilometres! You will need to wait for the traffic light signal to be able to pass. Once you are through you will arrive at the top of the Arzviller boat lift, an inclined plane which replaces a chain of 17 locks which would previously have taken an entire day to pass through which is located in the heart of the Vosges Mountains.

Cruise on to the pretty village of Lutzelbourg, passing the ruins of the castle high above you. You may notice lots of American flags around the town, this is because Luztelbourg was annexed to Germany during WW2 and was one of the first places liberated by American troops in 1944.

Restaurant des Vosages is one of the top places to eat in Lutzelbourg, and is famed for being the place where Hitler met with soldiers on Boxing Day 1940. They also make a fantastic trifle which they call tiramisu.

Saverne

The cruise from Lutzelbourg to Saverne is delightful, however the entrance into Saverne itself is stunning. With only a glimpse of the town visible as you approach, you then descend a deep lock, and as the lock gates open the town is revealed!

As you come around the corner you will see Rohan Castle, you can moor directly opposite and enjoy a top deck dinner just like Tim and Pru did. Or take a walk in to town and dine at Tavern Katz, a typically Alsatian restaurant dating back to the 16th century. 

Hochfelden

Upon leaving Saverne, your next destination is Hochfelden – a small village which produces 320 hectolitres of beer every day!

The Meteor Brewery is a family run business that is the largest independent own-brand brewer in France, and you can take tours Wednesday – Sunday.

Also in the village is the museum Pays de la Zorn, which is housed in an ancient synagogue and documents daily life within the region spanning the past 7,500 years!

Strasbourg

As you continue your cruise today the countryside will give way to the towns and outskirts of Strasbourg, the capital of the Grand Est region of France and home to the European Parliament.

In order to cruise in to Strasbourg on Great Canal Journeys, we had to obtain a special permit. However you can moor at the port just outside and walk to catch a tram into the city.

The city is well worth a visit with lots to see and do, from the Cathedral with its astronomical clock depicting the position of the sun moon, to the charming streets of ‘Petite France’ – Strasbourg will captivate you.

Boofzheim

Leaving Strasbourg the city will soon fade away to greenery as you cruise through the ‘Ried’, a vast wetland and make you way to the final town on your tour of the Alsace Lorraine region, Boofzheim.

Once you’ve arrived at our marina you have a choice of way to spend your last night on board, either explore Boofzheim itself with its 13th century church and 17th century timbered houses, or even head back to Strasbourg for a night out in the big city.

If you've already discovered the Alsace then discover our other boating holidays in France, with 8 other regions to explore.