Sail past the World Heritage sites of the Loire Valley
On the quayside or out on the water, it’s a world away from the hustle and bustle of the river in the 19th century, whether in Tours, Amboise, Saumur, Orléans, Blois or Chaumont-sur-Loire. But that’s fine for holidaymakers, because when they step on board a toue, a futreau, a gabarre or a barge, what they’re looking for is peace and quiet. A handful of enthusiastic boatmen are keeping the Loire fleet alive by getting these traditional boats back afloat. Let’s drift for a while through the landscape, passing islands, birds, bridges, hillsides and sandbanks.
The wooden boats are flat bottomed so they can sail in shallow water. In some cases, less than 30 centimetres! In summer, there are plenty of sandbanks along the Loire, and the water level can be very low…
Twilight cruises on the Loire
Boat trip on the Loire
Twilight cruises including an onboard aperitif are tremendously popular. In summer, at around 7 pm, passengers arrive and take their seats on the toue. The boatmen don’t provide a typical commentary. Instead, they share their personal and authentic experiences of the river as they manipulate the bourde, a long wooden rod that moves the boat forwards when there is no wind.
In the warm glow of the setting sun, the landscape is a delight to behold. While the light lingers on the surface of the water, the boat glides towards the chain of “boires” (oxbow lakes in the Loire), skirting the shore where you might see a beaver-gnawed tree trunk resembling a sharpened pencil. On moonless nights, everything is cloaked in a shroud of darkness, and our sense of hearing comes to the fore, picking up the sound of frogs croaking and nightingales singing. Yes, that fleeting silhouette, near the bow, really is a beaver, with its snout raised above the rippling water. Shh!
Along the way, passengers will have drunk a glass of Loire wine, shared a snack, a few rillons some goat’s cheese, and got to know one another. “It’s also lovely first thing in the morning, but people have trouble getting up early,” laughs the boatman, who also offers bivouacking, picnics on an island and themed evenings. You can also enjoy this atmosphere with La Rabouilleuse, below the picturesque Rochecorbon cliff, or with the Boutavant Association and Endremage.
On board La Rabouilleuse
Boat trips on the Loire
The Flora and Fauna of the Loire
Fishing and the Loire by bike
Building on the huge success of his Cabane à Matelot, Romain Gadais had the excellent idea of extending the experience of this locally sourced fish restaurant: he takes his customers out on a fishing platform with him to experience the daily life of a professional fisherman on the Loire. However, if they prefer, guests can sip a cocktail and watch the boats from the bank!
Les Pêcheries Ligériennes’ boats
A little further on, cyclotourists on the Loire by bike cycle route can cross from one bank to the other with the Bateliers des Vents d’Galerne and treat themselves to a few kilometres’ ride in the Bourgueil vineyards on the “The Leisurely Loire” cycle route (no. 22).
Boat trip from the Vienne to the Loire
Downstream, on the left bank, the River Vienne joins the Loire at Candes-Saint-Martin, a delightful listed village which adjoins Montsoreau, its alter ego in Anjou. The majestic confluence is a playground for Sylvain and Robin Delaporte, two brothers who are at the helm of the boat and the kitchen. The meals served on board are one of the star attractions of the Amarante, a cosy traditional barge. You can also spend the night on it with your loved one… in a real bed. There’s no danger of ending up in Saint-Nazaire the next day, because the boat is at anchor and the gallant seamen take on the role of bakers, preparing goodies for breakfast on board the next morning.
A smaller vessel, the Belle Adèle is a flat-bottomed barge which is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility. So you can enjoy a boat trip in your wheelchair and soak up the UNESCO World Heritage-listed landscapes. The gourmet cruises (for up to 60 diners) accord pride of place to local ingredients and wines, including the famous galipettes, succulent stuffed button mushrooms…
Candes-Saint-Martin, at the confluence of the Vienne and the Loire
You may also be interested to know that, although the boats operated by the Compagnie de Navigation Vienne Loire are based in Chinon (where the River Vienne flows, along with a famous wine…), they also carry lovers of flora and fauna to the River Loire on their longer excursions.