Tips On Renting A French Canal Barge Or Joining A Scheduled Trip

In France, the river-cruising season is generally from late March to early November - and the options abound.

You can rent your own canal barge - which means devising your own itinerary and handling the boat and locks by yourself.

You can join one of the scheduled tours aboard a luxury crewed barge - with everything organized - meals, excursions to villages, the works.

Or you can charter a barge and put together your own group and itinerary while a crew takes care of the boat - and you.

-- SELF-DRIVE BARGES

Renting and operating a self-drive barge is not unlike renting and operating a houseboat.

Indeed, many of the barges look like fiberglass houseboats although they are designed somewhat longer, lower and slimmer for the canals.

Some U.S.-based companies act as brokers for self-drive barge rentals in France (and other European countries). Among them are:

- Le Boat Inc., P.O. Box E, Maywood, NJ 07607. Phone 1-800-922-0291. Le Boat can book barges through Blue Line, one of France's larger rental-boat companies, and other companies.

- French Experience, 370 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Phone 1-212-986-1115. Can also book Blue Line.

- Jody Lexow Yacht Charters, 42 Wee Burn Lane, Darien, Conn., 06820. 1-800-662-2628.

When to go: The season begins in mid-March and ends in early November. Mid-March to mid-April and mid-October to November are the least expensive times to rent a barge. July and August are the costliest months.

How much: A self-drive barge for two can cost as little as $860 a week. A mid-sized barge, sleeping eight, normally runs $2,000 to $3,000 a week when rented from Blue Line. (Times writer Blaine Newnham rented a Blue Line barge.)

Other costs: Diesel fuel runs about $200 a week. There is also a charge of about $30 a week for bike rentals - bikes can be easily carried on the barge and used to ride into villages. Most companies usually hold a $200 security deposit.

What's provided: Bedding, kitchen gear.

What to take: Binoculars, portable sound system, clothes for all seasons, sun screen and a sense of humor for invariable mishaps as you learn to steer the boat and navigate the locks.

-- BARGE TOURS AND CHARTERS

A handful of U.S.-based companies arrange river cruises on luxury crewed barges in France.

A six-night cruise aboard a luxury barge costs about $2,000 to $2,500 per person, double occupancy. Meals, accommodations on the barge and excursions into villages and towns are included in the price. Three-night cruises also are sometimes offered, and some companies have charter barges.

Here's a sampling of companies (travel agents can provide more information):

-- Abercrombie & Kent, 1520 Kensington Rd., Oak Brook, IL 60521; 1-800-323-7308. Canal cruising aboard hotel barges and charter barges in France, England, Holland and Belgium.

-- Europamerica Cruises, 500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110. Phone 1-212-719-1200. A variety of river cruises (on small ships, not barges) through Eastern Europe plus France, Austria and Germany.

-- French Country Waterways, P.O. Box 2195, Duxbury, MA 02331. Phone 1-800-222-1236. France-only canal cruises through Burgundy and Alsace aboard four luxury hotel barges. Charters also available.

-- French Cruise Lines, 701 Lee St., Des Plaines, IL 60016. Phone 1-800-222-8664. Two 100-passenger river vessels cruise through the French regions of Normandy, Burgundy and Provence.

-- Delta America Cruise Company 250 Old Country Rd., Mineola, NY 11501. 1-800-221-3254. Canal cruises in England and France, plus journeys on the Danube, Volga and Black Sea.