
Top class stylish cruising in ultra-modern comfort
The Horizon range (1, 2, 3 and 4) has been designed exclusively for Le Boat with couples and small families in mind. For those looking for a little luxury – a higher specification and more features – the Horizon is the perfect option.
The Horizon 1 has a large forward cabin, a second double or twin cabin, a bathroom with separate shower cubicle and a spacious ‘fundeck’ – the largest top-deck area of any boat of its size on Europe’s inland waterways.
With a roomy, light and comfortable interior, this boat also has generous headroom throughout and large sliding glass doors to the outside seating area at the rear.
A second steering position on the upper shaded sundeck makes the Horizon an excellent 5* boat for relaxing and viewing the passing scenery, available in most regions of France.
Summary + Price Band
Key Features:
Inside:
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- 1 master double or twin bedded cabin, and 1 smaller cabin with double or twin beds
- 1 x bathroom with basin, electric flush toilet and separate shower cubicle
- USB ports in both cabins
- Individually controlled air-cooling
- Fully equipped galley with oven, hob, large electric refrigerator, microwave and high-quality equipment and utensils
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Outside:
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- Sundeck with sunbathing area, table, sink, ambient lights, BBQ hotplate and deck shower
- Large removable bimini-style sunshade
- 2 steering positions, inside and outside
- Bow and stern thruster for easier handling
- Easy access to all sides of the boat.
- Aft cockpit with settees and safety door for children
- MP3 entertainment system with waterproof speakers
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Cruise Locations
Le Boat Horizon 1 (2+2 – 11.5m) regions - Alsace | North Burgundy-Nivernais | South Burgundy-Saone | Camargue-Mediterranean | Midi-Languedoc | Aquitaine-Gascony | Charente | Brittany
Hire Boating - Alsace
► Self-drive boats available in Ardennes and Alsace
■ Nicols: Harskirchen and Saverne
■ LeBoat: Hesse and Boofzheim
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Lutzelbourg
Canal Marne au Rhin – Canal Rhone au Rhin (N) – Canal de la Sarre
The waterways of North-East France are set against striking backdrops – the forests of the Ardennes, the Vosges mountains, the beautiful Doubs valley – with the River Rhine marking its eastern-most edge. Being so close to Germany and Switzerland, these influences and references are strong: castles, steeply pitched roofs, decorative timberwork, hearty cuisine, Riesling wine, plus a big selection of beers – no more so than in the regional capital of Strasbourg, where French poet and novelist Victor Hugo described the 12th century cathedral as, “a gigantic and delicate marvel.”
At Saverne the Lalique Museum is home to more than 500 exceptional pieces of glassware by French designer René Lalique. The Arzviller boat lift is a marvel of engineering that carries boats 450 feet up the Vosges Mountains and for the perfect end to a day’s strenuous sightseeing, try sipping a glass of Riesling wine in Place Stanislas, the gilded, UNESCO listed central square in the Art Nouveau city of Nancy.
– [below] In the region: Strasbourg, Nancy, Lalique Glass, Arzviller Boat Lift, Canal Marne-Rhine –
Hire Boating - Burgundy North and The Nivernais
► Self-drive boats available in Northern Burgundy-Nivernais-Upper Loire
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ France Afloat/Linssen: Vermenton and Tonnere
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Joigny and Corbigny
■ LeBoat: Migennes and Tannay
■ Nicols: Brienon and Venarey-les-Laumes
Canal du Nivernais – River Yonne – Canal de Bourgogne
A hundred miles south east of Paris, North Burgundy is a region steeped in culture and history and is considered by some to be the gastronomic heart of France, with its Boeuf Bourguignon, its buttery garlicky snails and its Coq au Vin, not to mention its stunning Chablis wine. To the west of it, the Nivernais Canal links the Loire and the Seine basins and crosses the remote and beautiful heathland of the Morvan.
Among the Nivernais’ natural wonders are the Rochers de Saussois, a limestone bluff that soars above the River Yonne which feeds the canal as it goes, while man-made highlights include the Chateau de Tanlay with its romantic moat and famous trompe l’oeil frescoes. The breathtaking abbey at Vezelay is the starting point for one of the pilgrimage routes to Santiago di Compostella , while Fontenay Abbey was built by St Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118 and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Still on a religious theme, Auxerre is a historic city of such astounding loveliness that it boasts not just an 11th century cathedral, but a 12th century abbey too.
The lives of more ordinary folk are evident Villeneuve sur Yonne and the beautiful half-timbered town of Noyers-sur-Serein with its characteristic mediaeval arcades, where walnuts and truffles were traded and enjoyed as a complement to the fine local wine.
– [below] In the region: Villeneuve sur Yonne, Fontenay, Tanlay, Noyers-sur-Serein, Auxerre, the Morvan, Saussois, the Canal du Nivernais –
Hire Boating - Burgundy South
► Self-drive boats available in South Burgundy-France Comté
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ Locaboat/Linssen: Dompierre s/Bresbre, St Leger s/Dheune and Macon
■ LeBoat: Branges
Canal du Centre – River Saone – River Seille
The Saone is one of the most attractive rivers in France: wide, sleepy and unhurried, it wends its way from the mountains of the Vosges to the Rhone, linking up with the Burgundy Canal, the River Doubs and the Rhone au Rhine Canal and passing through delightful countryside replete with wildlife. Macon offers an ideal base for discovering the Beaujolais – an undulating crest of hills famous for the production of light red wine, while fans of photography will be keen to visit Chalon-sur-Saone, the home of Nicéphore Niepce and thus regarded as the birthplace of this popular art form: the colourful Sunday market offers perfect opportunities for taking vivid holiday snaps.
A bucolic tributary of the Saone, the River Seille leads to the heartlands of Bresse, famous for its delicious chickens which have appellation d’origine contrôlée status, while the Canal de Centre which links the Canal Lateral a la Loire with the Saone, passes through the rolling verdant vineyards of the Cote Challonais.
– [below] In the region: River Seille, Chalon-sur-Saone, River Saone, Macon, Canal du Centre –
Hire Boating - Midi-Languedoc
► Self-drive boats available in Midi-Languedoc
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Port Cassafieres, Narbonne, Homps, Trebes and Castelnaudary
■ France Afloat / Linssen: Capestang
■ Locaboat: Bram, Argens-Minervois and Negra
■ Nicols: Le Somail and Port Lauragais
Canal du Midi – Canal de la Robine
The Canal du Midi has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of the achievement of architect Pierre-Paul Riquet in linking the Etang du Thau in the south east with the River Garonne in Toulouse, effectively connecting the Mediterranean with the Atlantic. His engineering prowess can be seen in the flight of nine characteristically oval-shaped locks at Fonserannes near the ancient city of Beziers, and if ticking off UNESCO sites is your thing, then you get two for one in Carcassonne, where the canal passes close to the ancient citadel that forms one of the most iconic skylines in the whole country.
The canal meanders between the vineyards of Corbieres to the south and the Minervois to the north and a visit to the wine town of Minerve, one of the most beautiful in France, is a treat. A diversion along the Canal de la Robine leads to Narbonne, which dates back to Roman times when it was a strategic trading centre, and even today its covered market, supplied by local producers, is a kind of foodie heaven.
– [below] In the region: Minervois, Minerve, Canal du Midi, Beziers, Narbonne, Carcassonne –
Hire Boating - Aquitaine
► Self-drive boats available in Aquitaine-Charente
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Castelsarrasin and Mas d’Agenais
■ Locaboat: Agen and Valence s/Baise
■ Nicols: Buzet s/Baise
Canal de Garonne – Canal de Montech-Montauban – River Baise
Aquitaine covers the far southwest corner of France and its capital Bordeaux is a stately presence on the estuary of the Garonne river and is ineffably associated with fine wines, claret in particular. The Maison du Vin in the city centre offers an introduction to many vintages, but a visit to some of the prestigious vineyards themselves is hard to beat.
Helping to link Bordeaux to Toulouse, the Canal de Garonne shadows a popular pilgrimage route to Compostella and one of its outstanding waystations is the town of Moissac, world famous for its Romanesque abbey cloister. There are exquisite country villages to discover, including Serignac with its curiously twisted church spire, and as you travel inland from the Atlantic the vineyards are replaced by orchards growing apples, pears and particularly Ente plums. Agen has become synonymous with prunes and the Pruneau d’Agen is so fine that it has earned itself a Protected Geographical Indication, which governs the location and means of its production.
– [below] In the region: Moissac, Wine Tasting, Canal de Garonne, Serignac, Agen –
Hire Boating - River Lot
► Self-drive boats available in Aquitaine-Charente
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Douelle
■ Locaboat: Cahors
■ Nicols: Bouzies
River Lot (Upper Section)
One of the loveliest rivers of them all, the Lot rises in the Cevennes and travels west through Quercy, famous for its ravishingly pretty villages and traditional dovecotes made from honey-coloured stone. Two sections of the waterway are navigable, the lower from Nicole to Lustrac and the upper from Luzech to Larnagol.
The river cuts through spectacular gorges and perched at the top of one enjoying breathtaking views is the ancient town of St-Cirq-la-Popie, which was built by three feuding families who attempted to out-do each other with the magnificent architecture of their homes. Where the cliff overhangs the towpath at Bouzies, the rock has been decorated with sculptures by Daniel Monnier, but perhaps the most memorable image of the river is the stunning Valentre bridge at Cahors which was completed in 1378, although legend has it that the master builder made a pact with the devil to help speed up construction. Cahors itself is the capital of the Lot and is best known for its feisty red wine.
– [below] In the region: Bouzies, St-Cirq-la-Popie, Cahors, Laroque-des-Arcs –
Hire Boating - The Charente
► Self-drive boats available in Aquitaine-Charente
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Jarnac
■ Nicols: Sireuil
River Charente – River Boutonne
The River Charente in the south west of France is navigable from Angouleme to the Atlantic and the French King Henri1V said it was the most beautiful in his kingdom. Like the Loire to the north and Bordeaux to the south the landscape is covered in vineyards, but rather than making wine they are used in the production of brandy, named after the local town Cognac.
Near Angouleme, the chateau at Verteuil-sur Charente was built in 1078 and was strategically placed on the road between the kingdoms of France and Spain – in the middle ages verteuil meant heavily fortified . Further west downstream the riverside city of Saintes is even more ancient, dating back to Roman times. As well as brandy, the area is known for its succulent charentais melons, its goats cheese and its irresistible salted caramels.
– [below] In the region: Verteuil-sur-Charente, Cognac, Saintes –
Hire Boating - Brittany
► Self-drive boats available in Brittany-Anjou
Hire Fleets and Bases
■ LeBoat: Dinan, Messac and Nort s/Erdre
■ Locaboat: St Martin s/Oust and Melesse
■ Nicols:: Glenac and Suce s/Erdre
Canal Nantes a Brest – River Erdre – River Vilaine – Canal Ille et Rance
The Canal Nantes-Brest travels for 385 km through the Breton interior, arcing from the south coast to the west coast at Lorient. Located at the mouth of the River Loire, Nantes was once the seat of the dukes of Brittany and still boasts a spectacular renaissance chateau. The modern capital is at Rennes, which was ravaged by fire in 1720, but its narrow streets with their half- timbered houses retain a lingering appeal.
Arty crafty villages abound: Rochefort-en-Terre is home to a colony of artists and even the post office is housed in a renaissance building. Other attractions include the Chateau de Josselin, a renaissance gem, and Redon, famous for its chestnut festival every autumn. Last but not least is Dinan, a medieval town overlooking the River Rance and still surrounded by 13th century ramparts – the perfect place to retreat to a café and order Brittany’s best loved dish: a crepe.
– [below] In the region: Canal Nantes-Brest, Josselin, Redon, Rochefort-en-Terre, Dinan –
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