Skip to content
EurMacs
Exploring Europe – mostly on our barge 'Catharina Elisabeth'
  • Homekeyboard_arrow_down
  • Where Are We Now?keyboard_arrow_down
  • Catharina Elisabethkeyboard_arrow_down
    • Searching out Historykeyboard_arrow_down
    • 1915/16 Build & Registrationkeyboard_arrow_down
    • Catharina Elisabeth I and IIkeyboard_arrow_down
    • 1916/60 Historic Photoskeyboard_arrow_down
  • EurMacs?keyboard_arrow_down
  • A Barge – in France?keyboard_arrow_down
  • Buying a Dutch Bargekeyboard_arrow_down
  • Privacykeyboard_arrow_down

Author: Helm and Crew

We've always loved the idea of France. We knew next to nothing about boats, cruising and mechanics. So, ten years ago, we bought a 99 year-old-barge and are now amongst the most fortunate people on Earth - living for months on end cruising the European waterways.
—  By Helm and CrewFebruary 7, 2019

The third most visited tourist attraction in France: 27/07 – 29/07

Pont-l’Évêque – Chauny – Guny Slowing Down Our aim for the next stage of this year’s cruising was to relax a bit. We had pretty much rushed down the Grand Gabarit, travelling the commercial route and using big commercial locks. This had been a 260…
Read more
—  By Helm and CrewJanuary 20, 2019

Kruising with Kiwis: 23/7 – 26/7

Arleux – Moislains – Péronne – Noyon – Pont-l’Évêque Ruyaulcourt Tunnel We started off at a sensibly early time on yet another sunny windless day. Every day seems to be the same this year – warm or hot, sunny and little or no wind. What’s…
Read more
—  By Helm and CrewDecember 29, 2018

Finally off – heading for garlic: 15/07 -22/07

Veurne – Watten – Béthune – La Bassée – Arleux To Dunkirk Sunday morning came and we set off in company with a Dutch couple on a cruiser that we had been chatting with over the last day or so and a third cruiser being…
Read more
—  By Helm and CrewDecember 19, 2018

An Inauspicious Start: 12/07 – 13/07

Veurne – Veurne Veurne Our plan on returning to Catharina Elisabeth was to collect a couple more items with the car, drop it back to Dunkirk and then cruise off into France on July 13th, ready to enjoy the Bastille Day celebrations again. It’s perhaps…
Read more

Posts pagination

navigate_before 1 … 8 9 10 … 31 navigate_next
Advanced Search

Categories

  • Barging (184)
  • France (104)
  • Belgium (40)
  • 2016 (29)
  • Netherlands (28)
Subscribe to our Blog?

We will never share your details with third parties.

"It is better to be sometimes cheated than never to trust."

Rev. T.T. Matthews | Thirty Years in Madagascar

  1. Avatar photo
    Ian on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 26, 2026

    Hi Don, no sorry, it was from 'Stranger in a Strange Land', but I totally agree that 'The Moon is…

  2. Val Poore on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 18, 2026

    A lovely post, as always, Lisette and Ian. How your girls must have enjoyed it! You achieving your dreams along…

  3. Don Evans on The Top of the Canal du Midi ( 20/8 – 23/08/2025)May 18, 2026

    I think that "there ain't no such thing as a free lunch" was The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. A…

  4. Val Poore on Daughters in the Walled City (14/8 – 19/8/25)May 15, 2026

    How lovely to have your girls with you! I bet they thoroughly enjoyed it too. I haven't been to Castelnaudary,…

Categories

  • ►Barging (182)
  • ►Countries (170)
    • ►Australia (2)
    • ►Belgium (40)
    • ►France (104)
    • ►Netherlands (27)
  • ►Cruising Year (177)
    • ►2014 (17)
    • ►2015 (22)
    • ►2016 (29)
    • ►2017 (21)
    • ►2018 (21)
    • ►2019 (19)
    • ►2020 (1)
    • ►2021 (1)
    • ►2022 (3)
    • ►2023 (12)
    • ►2024 (13)
    • ►2025 (20)
  • ►History (2)
  • ►Housekeeping (13)
  • ►Photography (4)
  • ►Waterways – France (40)
    • ►Briare, Canal de (4)
    • ►Centre, Canal du (3)
    • ►Étang de Thau (3)
    • ►Latéral à la Loire, Canal (6)
    • ►Loing, Canal du (1)
    • ►Loing, River (3)
    • ►Marne, River (1)
    • ►Midi, Canal du (8)
    • ►Nivernais, Canal du (4)
    • ►Petit Rhône, River (1)
    • ►Rhône à Sète, Canal du (1)
    • ►Rhône au Rhin, Canal du (2)
    • ►Rhône, River (2)
    • ►Roanne à Digoin, Canal de (3)
    • ►Saint-Martin, Canal (1)
    • ►Saône, River (8)
    • ►Seine, River (3)
    • ►Yonne, River (7)
2026 (CC BY-NC) Ian & Lisette McCauley. Privacy Policy.
Clicky