Ideas For France Boating Holidays

If you love beautiful scenery, fine food, great wine and relaxation combined with an adventure, why not consider France boating holidays?

France is a huge country in comparison with the UK, and the regional variations on cuisine, culture and tradition are vast, meaning there's new interest at every turn.

In the West of France are Burgundy and the Loire, two regions that are both beautiful and exciting. If you fancy yourself as a bit of a wine connoisseur, or just enjoy a delicious tipple, this region will appeal as it's famed for its fine wines including Chablis and Sancerre.

The Loire Valley is only an hour's drive from Paris, yet is in complete contrast to the hustle and bustle of the capital city. Boating holidays allow you to explore the towns and villages steeped in history and tradition of this area. Set in rolling green hills and stunning countryside, the town and villages here have personalities and traditions of their own, and communities with their own identities.

Enjoy beautiful chateaux of the region, including France's most famous chateaux Chateau de Chambord. This is one of the most easily recognizable chateaux that exist as it features distinct French Renaissance architecture, blending French medieval forms and classical Italian structures.

Constructed by King Francois I so that he could be near his mistress the Comtesse de Thoury, the building was never actually completed, and has had many prestigious inhabitants.

These are the kinds of delights you can expect to witness on France boating holidays. The gastronomy of this region is also renowned, and so this area of western France is perfect for real foodies who love their French cuisine and wine.

Head further down south in France and you have the Canal du Midi, popular for France boating holidays and now preserved as a monument due to achieving UNESCO world heritage status.

The Canal du Midi is 150 miles long, and was originally built for the transport of goods, as well as the French navy, between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

Constructed by Pierre Paul Riquet, the canal took from 1667 and1681 to build, and utilised the efforts of around twelve thousand workers. It's an amazing feat considering it was built by manpower alone.

The canal is almost exclusively for pleasure boat use now, and is an extremely popular path for those on France boat holidays.

This is only a surface scratch of the delights of France boat holidays. There's so much to explore in France and so many great water ways that you may find yourself booking a second boating holiday on your return!