Shortly before our departure, we receive the news that ourCharter boat for the "Strasbourg short trip" cannot take over in Boofzheim as usual. The new departure point is Krafft. Continuous rain had caused the water level to rise sharply everywhere in recent weeks. For this reason, the navigable remainder of the old northern section of theRhine-Rhône Canalwhich we want to travel as far as Strasbourg, closed some locks at short notice.
The northern section originally ran from Mulhouse via Colmar to Strasbourg. As it was too small for large freighters, its heyday is long gone. Most of the section from Mulhouse to just before Boofzheim was decommissioned in the last century and has fallen into disrepair; there is therefore no longer a connection to the section that is still navigable today, which ultimately leads to the Saône.
We take over the 13 metre long Mystique from the Charter company Le Boat finally at the jetty of the water and shipping authority in Krafft, which the provider uses as an alternative harbour. This saves around ten kilometres, one to two hours of travel time and three locks. The lifts can be operated by the customer.
You should book an early departure in the morning, otherwise the route to Strasbourg is not feasible due to the opening times of the locks.
The same applies to the return, which can only take place in the afternoon. The tranquil route along the tree-lined canal leads through a sparsely populated cultural landscape. There are no incentives to stop off in one of the tiny villages.
After four hours with six locks and an automatically opened bridge in Strasbourg, we reach the floating docks of Europe Boat Trading which serve as the town's new leisure harbour. Unfortunately, the old marina at the hospital directly in front of the old town no longer exists; the jetties fell victim to a remodelling of the area. And since the inner network of waterways in Strasbourgonly from excursion boats or canoes the road to the centre is now a little further. On the other hand, the well-kept complex offers excellent service and the old town with its cathedral is just over two kilometres away on foot - or by tram.
There is a lot to discover in the picturesque alleyways of Strasbourg: after all, the city can look back on over 3000 years of extremely eventful settlement history. Even the Gauls and the Romans lived on and around the "Grande Île". The Grande Île is characterised by two arms of theRiver Ill which flows into the Rhine behind Strasbourg; it forms the old centre and is part of theUNESCO World Heritage Site. In recent history, rule over the city has repeatedly alternated between Germany and France; today, borders play almost no role in this so-called Eurodistrict.
Visitors should be prepared for a lot of hustle and bustle, as the alleyways with their half-timbered houses are a year-round destination for city tourists from all over the world. This often leads to long waiting times for sights such as the cathedral. Nevertheless, a visit to the impressiveCathedral of Our Lady. The church was built between 1176 and 1439 on the foundations of the previous buildings and was the tallest building in the world for a long time thanks to its 142 metre high north tower.
Also well worth seeing is the church in the south transept.astronomical clock. The mechanical masterpiece with calendar and planetarium was completed in 1574. It ran until 1789 and it was not until 1838 that repair work began, which was completed in 1842. This gave the clock a completely new movement with functions that were unique in the world. It now shows the earth's orbit, the moon's orbit and the orbits of the planets Mercury to Saturn. Movable public holidays are also calculated.
Strasbourg's landmarks also include theCovered bridges from the 13th centurywhich, together with their massive fortification towers, mark the entrance to the historic neighbourhood on the River Ill. However, the wooden roofs no longer exist.
The best view ofthe bridges and the old town was built at the end of the 17th century by the Vauban weir opposite. This allowed the southern area in front of Strasbourg to be flooded in a controlled manner, making it impossible for attackers to enter the city.
So much history is enough for the first day. We return to the Winstub Fink' Stuebel ( www.restaurant-finkstuebel.com ), just a few steps away from the historic bridges.Regional specialities such as Strasbourg-style fillet of beef with duck liver and red wine sauce are on the menu here.
The next day, a visit to the historic wine cellar of the Strasbourg hospices ( www.vins-des-hospices-de-strasbourg.fr ) on the plan. Viticulture and agricultural activities used to be used for self-sufficiency and to finance the hospital.
The oldest wine still stored in the vaulted cellars of the winery, which was founded in 1395, dates back to 1472.the oldest cask wine in the world be. We are allowed to smell the cork of the barrel and are impressed by the intense flavour. The current fermentation products from the region's vines can also be tasted and purchased. We enjoy the highly recommended guided tour just as much as the fine wines from the cellar. Time flies in the beautiful ambience.
In the afternoon, a visit to theAlsace Museum just one of many in the city ( www.musees.strasbourg.eu ). In several connected old town houses, you can experience how people used to live in the region with the help of exhibited traditional costumes, furniture and historical workshops. We also spend more time here than expected, so the doors to the historical museum are already closed when we arrive.
In the evening, a visit to the restaurant Chez Yvonne ( www.restaurant-chez-yvonne.net ) is a gastronomic highlight on the programme. Since Yvonne Haller took over in 1956, the wine tavern in the town centre, founded in 1873 as "S'Burjerstuewel", has been known by this name. Excellent Alsatian cuisine is served, with many well-known personalities among the guests. Once again, this day is rounded off with an exquisite menu. This upscale dining experience is not cheap, but there is plenty on offer.
INFORMATION
The journey
Travelling by car to the Le Boat bases in Boofzheim or Hesse is ideal. Travelling by train is possible with the ICE via Strasbourg or Offenburg. For flights, Strasbourg is the destination. The base in Boofzheim can then only be reached by taxi. Hesse can be reached by regional train via Sarrebourg, followed by a taxi ride. If you have your own boat, you can travel to Strasbourg via the Rhine or the Rhine-Rhône Canal. Trailer boats can be hired at the boat slip in the harbour of the Nautic Club Kehl e.V. ( www.nautic-club-kehl.de ) can be launched and refuelled in Kehl am Rhein.
Precinct information
The last section of the old northern section of the Rhine-Rhône Canal runs from Boofzheim to Strasbourg. The onward journey to Hesse is possible in one-way trips in a week via the Rhine-Marne Canal. The unique Saint-Louis/Arzviller boat lift and two tunnels are the attractions on this stretch. We already reported on this section of the route in the February 2017 issue of boote. There are automatic locks that can be used between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. in summer, closing one hour earlier on Sundays. They remain closed on some public holidays, such as 1 May. The area poses no particular challenges and is easy to navigate for newcomers. There is hardly any commercial shipping. Information for visitors is available from the tourist office ( www.tourismus-elsass.com ).
Boat knowledge
The Rhine-Rhône Canal and the Rhine-Marne Canal can be navigated with houseboats from the charter companies without a licence. If you are travelling on your own keel and have your primary residence in Germany, you must have an inland navigation licence. A radio licence is required for radio equipment on board. Owners must purchase a vignette on French waterways operated by Voies Navigables de France (VNF) (can be ordered online at www.vnf.fr/vignettesVNF). Boats up to 5 metres in length and engines under 7.29 kW (9.9 hp) are exempt. Vignettes are available for one, three and 30 days as well as one year. Detailed information can be found at "Boating information France" of the ADAC.
Charter
On the northern section of the Rhine-Rhône Canal, there is only one charter base in Boofzheim, which is operated by Le Boat. On the Rhine-Marne Canal, there are a large number of charter companies offering houseboats. We have analysed the offer of Le Boat ( www.leboat.de ) from Boofzheim. A three-day short trip is proposed here as a "Strasbourg short trip". The times for picking up and dropping off the boats pose a problem. Officially, handover is possible from 4 pm. The return must take place by 9 am. As these deadlines are not compatible with the lock times, it is not possible to complete the trip on the day of departure or return. However, an earlier handover and later return can easily be booked with Le Boat, as otherwise there is hardly any time left in Strasbourg and stopovers with overnight stays do not make sense. The three-night cruise proposal costs from 421 euros, depending on the boat. Bargain hunters
will find various discounts among the offers.
