Starting in Paris, where the MV Fleur is docked in the City center, near the Notre Dame Cathedral. Unlike most other river cruise ships, you will travel upstream along the Seine, towards the South. The Castle of Fountainbleau displays the rich and royal history of the region. Popular among the Royals due to the hunting locations in the surrounding forests.
Cycle through the forests and the village of Barbizon, home to the Barbizon School where many painters lived in the early 19th Century. Travel through medieval fortified town of Moret-sur-Loing, along the Canal du Centre through towns of Ferrières and Château-Landon. Finish the tour in Montargis, a picturesque town with many smaller canals decorated with flowers, a beautiful way to end your tour.
Day 1: Paris
14.00 h Embarkation in Paris. You find the Fleur in the center of the city, not far from the Notre Dame. 14.30 h Welcome speech and crew introduction, 15.00 h Free time in Paris, 18.15 h Welcoming drink 18.30 h Dinner, 20.00 h Town walk
Day 2: Paris – Melun, approx. 30 km
Breakfast while sailing. You spent the morning on board to enjoy Paris from the river. Around 9 a.m. there will be a safety lecture. After lunch the bike tour starts from the lock of Evry. You stay along the banks of the river for a while. Final destination of your bike tour is Melun, a town which is known as ‘le domaine des reines blanches’, because in former years it used to be the domain of the widows of the French kings. After diner you can join the town walk.
Day 3: Melun – Moret-sur-Loing, approx. 40 km
Today we bike through the wonderful forests of Fontainebleau. First destination is the artistic village of Barbizon, where since the first half of the 19th century many painters have found inspiration. At the time, a group of landscape painters formed the ‘school of Barbizon’. You can visit the local museum. After this, we continue our tour to the palace of Fontainebleau, much in favor among the French kings, because of the extensive possibilities to hunt in the surrounding forests. In the castle itself there is a museum of Napoleon, among other things. Fontainebleau is also a pleasant town to walk around or to shop. We find the Fleur again in Moret-sur-Loing, a charming medieval fortified town, strategically situated on the banks of the Loing, where painter Sisley found inspiration for his beautiful impressionist paintings.
Day 4: Moret-sur-Loing – Nemours, approx. 38 - 51 km
We stay in the valley of the Loing and visit Grez-sur-Loing. In the townhall of Bourron-Marlotte we can admire a few magnificent impressionist paintings. We meet the Fleur again in Nemours. There we may visit the castle or the prehistoric museum of the Ile-de-France region.
Day 5: Nemours – Néronville, approx. 35 - 45 km
Breakfast during sailing. Today we bike through a wooded area with rugged rocks. Before lunch we will visit the sculpture garden Jardin Bourdelle. Final destination of today is rural Néronville.
Day 6: Néronville – Montargis, approx. 30 - 41 km
Today we start in Chateau-Landon, a beautifully situated town, where we visit the Abbey of St.-Severin which dates from the 13th century. Our bike tour goes to the mediaeval town of Ferrieres with its old town center, which has been preserved beautifully. And in the middle of the narrow streets we find a splendid monastery. Final destination of today is Montargis, with its 15.000 inhabitants the biggest town of the Loiret after Orléans. Unfortunately this former royal residence was destroyed by fire in the 16th century. But the canals are still there. They are decorated with lots of flowers and give the town a lot of charm. Today there is no dinner on board. You can select one of the local restaurants of Montargis.
Day 7: round trip Montargis, approx. 45 km
From Montargis we bike along the l’Ouanne by bike to Château-Renard, where we can visit the ruins of a castle from the 10th century. We will also visit a Apiculture’s Living Museum. There you can see beekeepers and their bees at work, and you’ll be able to sample their delicious honey.
Day 8: Montargis
After breakfast you will leave the ship. Disembarkation till 9.30 a.m.
We recommend flying to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly or Paris Beauvais airport to reach the starting point of this cycling holiday.
Flights: are available with a number of airlines to your required airport or you can travel to the start using alternative methods such as rail or road.
We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best flight prices by date or Rail Europe for European rail travel. Please contact us for more details.
Please use local transport to arrive at the starting point or call us on 0161 703 8161 for more specific travel advice.
Important: Please book your flights only after the cycling holiday has been confirmed by invoice or email. Flights and transfers are not included in the advertised holiday price.
Included:
Welcome on board the MV Fleur!
The Fleur started cruising in 2002. This tasteful passenger barge with its sleek lines was built to fit the smaller locks and canals in France and has been cruising the French waters ever since. Reint Dragt has been the owner for many years now. These years of experience and commitment are reflected in every detail and guarantee that your vacation will be a pleasant one. The Fleur can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests on her trips on the French waterways.
The Fleur has two decks. On the top deck there is a lounge with large windows, a roomy sitting area, a cozy bar and a half-covered sun deck. The sundeck is the ideal place to drink a cup of coffee or an aperitif. In the lounge the Fleur offers free Wi-Fi. Please note that due to the mobile network connection, the quality is not always stable. The salon has central heating and air-conditioning.
On the lower deck the Fleur has 10 comfortable guest cabins (8 m², single beds). Each cabin has a private shower, toilet and basin. Also the cabins have central heating and air-conditioning. In each cabin you will find a small safe and hair dryer.
You can find out more about this cycling holiday by calling 0161 703 8161 to speak to one of the team.
Ship | Departure Date |
MV Fleur: | 31.07.2021 to 07.08.2021|14.08.2021 to 21.08.2021|28.08.2021 to 04.09.2021 |
Room Type | Prices per person excluding bike hire |
2 Bed Cabin: | £1305 |
2 Bed Cabin Single Use: | £1950 |
Rental Bike 11 Gear Unisex: | £90 |
Electric Bike Upgrade: | £200 |
Date From | Date To |
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31 July 2021 | 04 September 2021 |