bestboatingholidays

Once you have booked your narrowboat holiday you might be wondering what to take with you?  Well first find out what is included in the boat hire.  Most hire companies include bedding – duvets and sheets, but not towels.  So you will need bath and hand towels.  All the pots pans crockery and utencils are always included in your hire, so no need to bring these things.  It is more the little extras that will make your holiday go that much better, that you need to think about.

If you think about the items you might need when travelling along the canal.  Binoculars, for seeing wildlife close up or spotting other craft coming towards you on the canal.  Passing the binoculars around the family gets them involved too.  A camera is a good item to pack. Although most of us now carry a mobile phone will camera included, a digital camera on its own still gives better landscape pictures, in my opinion. Having mentioned the mobile phone, obviously bring it along as well. Texting people back home and sending interesting photos as you travel along the canal can be fun. Fishing rods are not usually included in your boat hire but may be rented from the narrowboat company.  Better still, why not bring your own. There are plenty of shops along most canal systems that sell fishing equipment.  Two rods for the family to use whether it is raining or bright sunshine, will keep the family busy! 

If it does rain or in the evening when you are tied up alongside then playing cards or dominoes are  great family games to play. So pack some cards and dominoes.  Other compact board games could also be brought along with you.  The kids will want to bring more hi tech games as well, so make sure they have actually got them packed! Almost every boat hire company will have a TV on board their narrowboat, so bringing the Wii Fi plus games is also an option. For very young kids, colouring books and plenty of drawing materials will keep them occupied.

A range of outdoor clothes will help your enjoyment. It is very unpleasent putting on wet clothes the next day if you have not brought a few to change into.  So a good waterproof jacket should be packed.  Some boat hirers include a waterproof jacket for the helmsman (helmswoman) but not for all the crew.  Wellies for wet tow paths is also a good idea. Trainers for dry weather.  Avoid flip flops as they are a menace on boats! Umbrellas for rainy days and for sunny days are useful. 

If you have not booked your narrowboat for travelling along the canals this year, why not find out just how little it will cost.  For a short break or a longer holiday, follow this link for more information.

A canal cruise this summer could be exactly the type of holiday you and your family need.  With the recession still well and truely with us, less people are flying off to foreign destinations this year.  More people are choosing to holiday at home.  So instead of looking and hoping for that last minute package holiday, why not think differently and choose a boating holiday?  Of course, many of you are used to spending time on a narrowboat during the summer. 

Some readers may be considering a canal boat hire for the first time and are wanting to find out more about what is on offer.  Well the answer is lots!  There is lots to do on a canal cruise.  You would be surprised just how much there is to see and do as you potter along at 4 mph.  Not only is there the surrounding countryside to admire but also the whole process of travelling through the locks and canal.  You and the family will be kept busy, if that is what you want.

Of course, if you just want to sit and catch up with the next chapter in your new book, then you can do that too.  Sit and watch the world go by.  Breath that fresh country air, listen to the ducks and other wildlife busy going about their daily routine.  Plenty to do.  So why not book your canal cruise today and begin planning how you are going to spend your time on your floating holiday home!

A French canal holiday can be very varied because of the vast amount rivers and canals. For this reason you can be sure that you will be able to find just the right type of holiday for you and your family.

As you cruise along the rivers or canals at a leisurely pace you will get to see things that most people will never experience. Each region also offers you the chance to enjoy their fantastic and sometimes unusual cuisine along with the superb French wine that is as varied as the different regions.

A boating holiday in France will enable you to fully appreciate the wonderful countryside with the added plus of the glorious weather to match! There is such a wide choice available for your boating holiday and you can pick the area with the climate to suit you. Obviously,the further south you go, the warmer it gets, but don’t forget that whilst cruising along, you need to be on the right hand side of the river or canal.

You will need a license to be able to travel by boat on the French waterways. Basically, any boat that has a motor means that you have to have a license, although temporary permits called La Carte Plaisance are available and are issued by the boat rental company or charter firm that you book with. A la Carte Plaisance is valid only for a set period of time for any habitable boat, which is under 15 metres in length, but there is also permit available for your children to drive the boat if they are between the ages of 14 and 16, if you feel they have a good sense of direction! but this is a great way to get all the family involved in the fun, but you must ask for a La Carte Junior in order to be allowed to do this.

Your charter boat company will issue you with river guides,available in English, so you can be sure that you will not miss any of the local attractions or delights on offer. You can also find these guides along with extra information from the regional tourist offices.

All you need to do is choose which region of France you wish to visit. It is so important to get the best out of your holiday and in the North West of France there is Brittany, which is an area known for cider and crepes, to the East of France were there are rivers and canals throughout the regions of Alsace and Lorraine and you will find this area great for experiencing a diverse landscape from rolling hills to forests, whilst trying some of the local French beer and crisp white wines that this region produces.Or you could choose Burgundy within the center of France which is a great place to experience local cuisine and fine wines.

In addition there is the South of France, obviously with the better weather, you can experience traveling along the Canal du Midi, which is the oldest canal in Europe and runs from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, and at the same time you will be able to take in the amazing variety of wildlife such as flamingos whilst on your canal boating holiday. You only need to complete a section of this canal and if you hire a car with your booking, the car hire firm will have it waiting for you at the end of your canal destination. Some groups combine a week on the canal with a week in a villa as their two week holiday. We recently spent a week near Bordeaux,  travelling between Meilhan and Agen, it was beautiful and relaxing.

As with any country, there are always rules and regulations on how you travel the waterways, whether it be the rivers or canals and before you embark on your boat trip you will be given some basic tuition, so that you can be issued with your license. This license is a requirement but is fairly straightforward to acquire.

There are over 2000 locks in France, which are known as écluse? But don’t worry too much as some locks are automatic and some are still operated by a lockkeeper, however others will need to be operated by yourselves, although most people on the canals are very helpful and will come to your aid if you get stuck.

Although the rivers and canals are used extensively by pleasure boats these days, there is also commericial traffic as well and it is these merchant vessels that have the priority on the waterways, plus also the traffic going up stream has priority over those travelling down stream.

As with road systems, the waterways have speed limits and although you are not likely to wish to speed along, these do have to be obeyed, but, it is the left-hand side that is used for overtaking just as it is on the French roads, and the slower boat must also slow down more to let the faster vessel pass.

The condition of the French rivers and canals are excellent and you will find that they even have designated areas for swimming and water sports. For obvious reasons, swimming is not permitted wherever you feel like going for a quick dip, yet if you are into fishing, then you can even do a spot of this while you are meandering down the river, but you will probably need a license for fishing in some parts.

All along your chosen route you will find lots of fantastic areas where you can stop for lunch and stock up on supplies for that important alfresco dining while you are cruising leisurely along.

So even if you have never done this sort of thing before, you will without a doubt have an incredible fun time and when your boating holiday in France is nearing its end, you know that no one will want to leave. So why not book a boating holiday in France on one of their canals?