Cruise

Say Fore With European Waterways

European Waterways says that with interest in this year’s Ryder Cup at an all-time high, the biannual event (which takes place at the end of September) is raising the profile of France as a golfing destination.

Set to take place at L’Albatros Course in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, just 20 miles from Paris, the Ryder Cup pits the best of European golfers against top American players. It is being held in France for only the second time in history, bringing new appreciation for the country’s many world-class golf courses.

As a result, Derek Banks, managing director for European Waterways, says: “We’re seeing increasing interest for hotel barge cruises in Southern France from golf aficionados who want to satisfy their love of the sport.”

And Banks added: “If they can’t attend, we offer the next best thing – tee time at some of the top golf courses in France, where the scenery is just as magnificent and the sand traps just as challenging.”

A number of vessels cruise just hours from the site of this year’s Ryder Cup, allowing guests to hit the links in regions that include Burgundy and the Canal du Midi, as well as neighboring courses in the Loire Valley.

Between rounds of golf, guests can also participate in culinary excursions, wine tastings and exclusive tours of castles and stately chateaux – all while being catered to by an attentive crew that includes a master chef who serves up haute-cuisine sourced from local ingredients.

Among the hotel barges available for golf-themed charters, the deluxe 12-passenger L’Impressionniste offers cruises in Southern Burgundy between Fleurey-sur-Ouche and Escommes. With free transfers from Central Paris by private chauffeured minibus to the boat, guests can quickly settle in for a good night’s sleep and be at the top of their game the next morning.

A minimum of four passengers are required for a golf cruise and there is a supplemental fee, applicable for each player. Non-golfing guests can enjoy escorted excursions to castles and chateaux, wine tastings, food markets, and other sightseeing opportunities and attractions.

Said Banks: “France is not the only ideal destination for golf lovers. We also offer the truly dramatic courses of the Scottish Highlands and superb fairways of Wentworth and Sunningdale near the River Thames. Even the most seasoned golfer will be spoiled for choices with our Golf Charters in Italy, Scotland, Ireland and England.”

Go to www.europeanwaterways.com for more.