The following links may be helpful in planning your holiday in France with us. We have also added a few links of relevance to our native Scotland, and to International travel in general.
France
Toulouse Airport – Many of our guests arrive via Toulouse Airport. The airport has particularly strong connections throughout Europe. Check here for flight connections: www.toulouse.aeroport.fr.
French Railway Systems – One of the finest railway systems in the world, French railways have a good reputation for reliability and good timekeeping. Of particular note is the “TGV” – Train Grand Vitesse or High Speed Train. There are good TGV services to us from Paris – either to Agen or to Montauban (listed as Montauban Villebourbon). Please do NOT arrive by rail at Toulouse, unless you are staying there the night before your cruise – it is not an easy meeting point!: www.sncf.fr (this is not an easy website to use).
Toulouse Tourist Office – Check here for general tourist information if you are aiming to spend time in this bustling ancient city before or after your cruise: www.toulousevisit.com.
French Weather Forecasting – This is the official French forecasting site – full of information and statistics: www.meteofrance.com.
Space City, Toulouse – If you are in Toulouse and have a bit of time available – this really is well worth a visit: www.cite-espace.com.
Every August (sometimes late July also) there is a really remarkable “Spectacle” presented in Valence d’Agen. Called “Au Fil de l’Eau” it is an example of the French doing what they are superb at; some 450 local inhabitants come together for a “son et lumière” presentation that is simply unmissable. Beautifully presented, it is a show that we always advise our guests to attend. Visit: www.aufildeleau.org.
If you develop a love for this part of France, as we have, and you decide to buy a property here in the South-West, Bacchus Immobilier could be very useful for your house-finding needs. And, if you need any hand-holding on some of the French administration, maydayfrance has been set up to provide you with the support you need.
If you are looking for a golf hotel just outside Toulouse, do try Golf de Seilh Hotel. As well as two 18-hole golf courses, a driving range and a putting green, the hotel has other facilities such as a swimming pool and a sauna: www.maeva-latitudes-toulouse.com.
To find out what there is in Montauban, go to the Office de Tourisme Montauban: www.montauban-tourisme.com.
If you are looking for a hotel in Agen, Château des Jacobins is a good choice, and right in the old part of the city: www.chateau-des-jacobins.com.
The name is only a coincidence, but a happy one! One of the best vineyards in Fronton is Chateau Saint Louis – read about them on: www.chateausaintlouis.fr.
It is now eight years since the Millau Bridge was opened. This is a rare example of cooperation between the French and the British – although seemingly Jaques Chirac failed to mention British designer Norman Foster when he opened the bridge! A beautiful site for a stunning bridge: www.leviaducdemillau.com.
There are two sites for tourism in Tarn and Garonne, the Département where we are based. Worth checking through for ideas. www.tourisme-tarnetgaronne.fr and www.a30minutesdetoulouse.com.
For complete information about all 8,000km of the French rivers and canals look at www.french-waterways.com.
Scotland
For overall information on any tourist-related matter, the official Scottish Tourist Board are the people with all the answers! Find them on www.scotland.com.
Gleneagles Hotel – Who has not heard of the Gleneagles?! Not only is this one of the finest hotels in the world, it also can provide an extraordinary range of outdoor activity, including riding and of course golf: www.gleneagles.com.
There is in Fife, not far from St Andrews, an international golf agent that specialises in golf from cruise ships – but they can arrange just anything to do with golf. Contact Andrew Gilmour at Montrave International: www.montraveinternational.net.
International Travel
Rhinocarhire.com compares prices from all local and leading car rental suppliers in the area (such as Avis and Hertz) to find customers the cheapest price possible. A family run business established in 2007, in 2010 they won the award of Best Car Hire Website at the Travolution Awards in London.
Especially these days, of major importance when planning overseas travel are the Currency Exchange Rates. On this site you will find exchange rates, calculators, trends and graphs for just about all the currencies you can imagine – including your currency into our Euros! Click on www.x-rates.com.
If you are planning a holiday after a cruise with us, or after your second cruise with us, for ideas you can check this World Travel Guide – www.placesonline.com.
You will of course need to know the weather at your proposed destination – click on: www.holiday-weather.com.
If you live in Australia, or if you are going to travel there, we can strongly recommend a cruise on the paddle steamer Emmylou, which is based at Echuca on the Murray River. Like the Saint Louis, a great inland waterways experience! www.emmylou.com.au.
DBA the Barge Association is a not-for-profit company, limited by guarantee, run by volunteers and open to everybody, with or without a boat or barge, who is or would like to be living in, cruising in, converting, or just relaxing aboard.
