A barge trip offers something that no large river ship can match: intimacy. With fewer than two dozen guests, a barge becomes less of a vessel and more of a floating home. You quickly form bonds – with the crew, with fellow travelers, with the chef who shops in the village markets, and with the quiet corners of France that bigger ships can’t reach. It’s not just travel – it’s connection. And that’s what makes it unforgettable.

There are river cruises, then there are barge cruises. The two are worlds apart, or at least waterways apart. River cruises take place on Europe’s major waterways on vessels that typically carry from 100 to 200 guests. By contrast, barge cruises operate on small canals (you could skip a stone across many of them) and typically carry no more than two dozen guests. To say that the experiences are similar would be a quite a stretch. Sure, they both operate on water, but they are markedly different modes of transport. How so? In this post we’ll take a look at 10 reasons to choose a barge cruise.

1. Intimate

The first reason to choose a barge cruise is intimacy. Within minutes of stepping on board, you’ll get to know nearly everything there is to know about the barge – and you’ll meet all the people you’re traveling with.

On CroisiEurope’s barges, for example, there are only three decks: the bottom deck, where most of the staterooms are located; the main deck, which features outdoor seating, a Jacuzzi, a lounge, one cabin, and the restaurant; and the top deck, which serves as the sun deck.

Within just a few hours, you’ll become acquainted with the crew and your fellow bargers. I’ve hosted more than a dozen barge trips since 2015, and it always amazes me how quickly the group bonds over the week we’re on board.

I encourage people to change tables each evening, though more often than not, it happens naturally. There’s something about spending a week with a small group that makes dinners less tiring than on ships that carry a few hundred guests. Conversations feel less contrived on barges. You’re traveling with like-minded people.

In fact, something magical happens over the course of the week – a kind of bonding among 22 people who, by the end of the trip, want to stay in touch (usually via Facebook) and continue to barge cruise together year after year.

2. Cozy

Barges are just downright cozy. The lounge resembles a living room – one with an all-inclusive bar. On a typical day while we’re navigating, there might be one person in the lounge reading a book. Then another person comes in and takes a seat to relax, then another, and another. You feel as though friends are joining you in the living room.

It’s not like on a larger ship, where you may not have seen this person before. You don’t have to get to know them all over again. There’s a bond that’s hard to describe, but you feel it. You’re both exploring a beautiful region of the world by way of a cozy means of conveyance.

3. Do Things You Can’t Do On Rivers

In October 2026, I’m hosting a barge cruise trip in Alsace. Two fascinating aspects of this trip are the 1.4-mile-long Arzviller Tunnel that we’ll transit, and a ship “elevator.” I’ve enjoyed candlelit lunches in the past while passing through the tunnel. Again, it brings us back to that cozy feeling of barge cruising mentioned above.

The “elevator” is actually a boat lift that lowers boats and barges about 150 feet in just four minutes, eliminating the need for more than a dozen locks that would otherwise be required to cross the Vosges Mountains. These are engineering marvels – and a lot of fun to experience.

4. Go Places You Can’t Go On Rivers

On a barge cruise a few years ago, we began our trip with a cruise around Île de la Cité (where Notre-Dame is located) and Île Saint-Louis – two of the remaining natural islands in Paris. It was beautiful to stand out on the top deck and take in the sights. Few, if any, of the large river cruise vessels can navigate this part of the Seine.

Barges typically spend time in the countryside of France. You’re on smaller canals exploring a part of France that larger vessels cannot get to.

5. The Food

Certainly, you can enjoy exquisite cuisine on river cruises. What’s different about dining on barge cruises is that the chef is preparing meals for fewer than two dozen guests – it’s like a big dinner party. Often, the chef has visited the towns and villages along the route to shop for local ingredients at the markets. I’ve had multiple people tell me that they dined in Michelin-starred restaurants before boarding the barge – and that the food on the barge was even better.

6. Wine & Cheese

France is known for its wines and cheeses, and barge cruises are a wonderful way to experience the finer things in French life. One fun aspect of our cruises is the evening cheese presentation, where we learn about two or three of France’s 365-plus varieties each night. And the wine? This is France. Say no more.

7. Unique Excursions

Sure, barge cruise excursions do many of the same things river cruises do – taking you to the marquee attractions. But barge cruising also allows you to venture into the hinterlands of France, where hidden gems can be exceptionally rewarding.

8. Bike & Hike (or walk)

Just check out the photo above. Typically, paths line the banks of the canals, perfect for biking, hiking, or walking. You needn’t worry about getting left behind – just hop back on the barge at the next lock.

9. Gangway

See the gangway in the photo above? In fewer than ten steps, you’re on the barge. That makes things especially nice when you want to step outside for some fresh air or take a walk through one of the villages where the barge docks.

10. Water Levels

If there’s one thing cruisers fret about, it’s water levels. We get it – we field dozens of questions each week on the topic. But on a barge cruise, there’s little need to worry. Water levels are regulated by locks, and we’ve rarely heard of them running too high or too low, or of anything hindering passage.

Join Me On A Canal Cruise In 2026

In 2026, I’ll host three barge trips in Alsace, Burgundy & Provence.

What can you expect on these trips?

1. A maximum of 22 guests
2. Dining that rivals Michelin-starred restaurants (that’s what my past guests tell me – and it’s my experience too).
3. The ability to bike or walk along the canals between locks (and there are many locks!) This is a great way to soak up the atmosphere of the beautiful places we visit.
4. Tearful goodbyes. The trips are that good; I’ve seen many crew members dab their eyes as we were saying farewell, guests got teary-eyed too. You form bonds that are harder to form on larger vessels.

Is it for everyone?

No. Staterooms are small but more than adequate. I’ve never had anyone complain the rooms were too small. I’m 6’5″ and they work for me. Don’t let the size of the stateroom deter you from these wonderful experiences.

Also see River Cruise 101: Canal Cruising On Barges (2019 Update)