Summer 2024

Cruise to the heart
of Alsace-Lorraine
MS Madeleine © Michael Yung, Cruise Director, CroisiEurope
Janine Marsh took a cruise to the heart of Alsace and Lorraine, through the most
picturesque countryside imaginable, pausing in fairy tale pretty villages and dining
like a lord on board a hotel barge…
My journey began and ended in historic
Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace, a buzzing
city of culture and art, gastronomy and
heritage. But aboard CroisiEurope’s MS
Madeleine, life is rather more tranquil as you
sail along the Marne-Rhine Canal. And if you
want to get to know authentic Alsace-Lorraine
in northeast France, its historic villages deep
in the countryside, its ancient castles and rich
culture – you’ll certainly find it on this cruise.
After boarding the barge, which has 11 double
bedrooms, a dining room, comfy salon,
hot tub, and spacious sun decks, I met my
fellow passengers, a mix of British, French
– including 92-year-old Louise, a sprightly
solo traveller – and Americans, joined by the
6 crew members for welcome aperitifs. The
onboard chef served a superb meal, the first
of many delicious dishes, paired with fabulous
wines. You’re totally spoiled on the cruise,
everything is inclusive, even drinks (except
for a few, like Champagne) and over
the next few days we indulged in salted
caramel creme brulée, Alsatian salads,
loads of different cheeses, roast beef, John
Dory, fabulous wines from Alsace and from
Bordeaux, strawberry soup and strawberry
macarons, pain perdu and cinnamon ice
cream and many other truly scrumptious
dishes – all made by the chef and his team.
You can eat yourself to a standstill on a
CroisiEurope cruise. You can also hop on a
bike for a gentle ride along the tow paths,
take daily walks when the boat docks and
enjoy the included excursions.
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