Gals on Canals: Two Best Friends Go Barging with Barge Lady Cruises
Question for you: have you ever traveled abroad with your best friend? If not, this is your sign to start planning what will truly be the trip of a lifetime.
I was so honored and grateful to recently travel to Southern France with my best friend Sonia, and cruise along the picturesque Canal du Midi aboard the barge Esperance with Barge Lady Cruises.
While Sonia and I currently live in separate cities (she is in Seattle and I am based in Chicago) we have the most adorable backstory on our best friend story; our moms met at a grocery store while pregnant with us! We love saying we have been best friends since the womb, because we have.
Over 40 years later, we finally took our best friendship international and it could not have been a more perfect maiden voyage. The most involved part of planning this epic trip was coordinating our travel to the meeting spot of Narbonne, France (which truthfully, was not even difficult since we opted to travel on the same flight together out of Chicago).
From there, it was smooth sailing (literally!) because the Barge Ladies took care of all the details from our pickup to drop-off in Narbonne and everything for the week in between. Sincerely the best kind of all-inclusive rendez-vous for our inaugural trip to Europe together.
If you are looking for some inspiration to plan that special trip with your bestie, here are five reasons why a Barge Ladies Cruise is the perfect option:
STRESS-FREE PLANNING
As I mentioned earlier, the biggest logistics were coordinating our travel to the meeting spot in Narbonne for the barge trip. After that, we did not have worry about how to get from point A to point B or make any plans for the entire week, as those details were handled by the wonderful crew upon the barge Esperance.
Because we knew the itinerary in advance, all we had to do was show up and have a blast!
Not having to fret over planning aspects and expenses truly made for a carefree vacation and allowed our time and energy to be spent on the “tougher” decisions of the day, such as whether to have a plain or chocolate croissant (or both!) at breakfast each morning. You know you are living the dream when that is your difficult decision of the day.
INCREDIBLE CULINARY PROVISIONS INCLUDED
Speaking of food, having an onboard Chef who prepares multi-course, next-level meals means we did not have to spend time researching or traveling to restaurants. Especially since I am vegetarian (Sonia does not have any dietary restrictions) our Chef went above and beyond to create thoughtful and delicious vegetarian dishes for me at every single meal.
Not only that, because the Esperance is one of the unique barges with an open kitchen concept, I was able to observe Chef prepare meals while simultaneously discussing his inspiration for each dish or learn new culinary hacks.
I can promise you I was far from ever hungry on this trip. It was such a fun way to feel included in one of the true highlights of the cruise, the incredible food and wine!
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
While Sonia and I align on many similar interests, namely food, travel, and shopping, we both also had very specific activities we were looking forward to on this particular trip. While Sonia is a huge bibliophile, she was most excited for one particular stop along the Canal du Midi in the quaint town of Le Somail at the bookshop Le Trove Tout du Livre. This massive second-hand book store has over 50,000 books, which we joked Sonia would need a minimum of one full day to peruse and get lost in.
As for me, I find pure enjoyment in bike riding and what a better place than along the canal towpath through the French countryside? To say my soul felt happy would be an understatement.
Aside from bookstores and biking, during sailing times, Sonia could be found curled up with a blanket and a novel in the lounge area or on the deck. And, I could almost always be found on the deck taking no less than a thousand photos and videos of the stunning scenery, mostly to be shared on my Instagram account @vegtourist (check out a few Reels from our trip here and here).
A RELAXED ITINERARY IN PURE COMFORT
Sonia and I agreed one of the best parts of the trip was the fact that we never felt rushed or overwhelmed, it truly was the perfect mix of relaxation and discovery. We thoroughly enjoyed the daily excursions to neighboring Medieval cities, where we learned first hand about French history, architecture and so much more, while also having time on our own to shop or stroll through the stunning historic towns.
But, equally as important on this trip was feeling beyond comfortable and well taken care of by the incredible crew on the Esperance.
Our extremely spacious cabin had ample room for our belongings and we never felt cramped in what can sometimes feel like narrow quarters upon other vessels. And, our crew went above and beyond to make sure we always had what we needed, helped with any of our questions and accommodated all requests with the utmost enthusiasm.
BUILDING MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME
It goes without saying that this trip through Southern France with my best friend is something I will never forget. To share this experience with someone who you have known your entire life and have the opportunity to continue to strengthen an already special bond (in one of the most beautiful parts of the world nonetheless) is something I will cherish forever.
Not only that, to see my best friend in her element while visiting one of her personal dream destinations, truly brought me so much joy. I sincerely hope this was the first of many Barge Lady Cruises to come!
I hope I have convinced you that you need to start planning a Barge Lady Cruise with your best friend ASAP! It truly is the perfect getaway and way to savor your time together while discovering charming and unique destinations around Europe. My kind of trip indeed.
As it turns out, Sonia and I have already begun discussing plans for travels in 2025 on a barge in Northern France. Maybe we officially get the hashtag #bestiesonabarge or #galsoncanals trending and make this happen. Who else would like to join?!
To read more about Sapna’s travels and vegetarian dining on a barge in Northern Burgundy, click here. To read more about the luxurious life on the Esperance, click here. To book your own Gals on Canals cruise, click here.