Enchante barge

MS Enchante barge is a luxurious hotel barge (cruise ship) built in 1958 and completely drydock refurbished in 2009. The vessel has as sistership Finesse (same-designed hotel barge). Currently, the ship is owned by European Waterways and operated on Canal du Midi cruises (in southwestern France) on the route between Marseillan (Herault department) and Le Somail (Aude department). Since May 2016, Finesse cruises on Saone River and Canal du Centre (in southern Burgundy).

Enchante was built in Belgium (Oostkamp) as cargo barge and initially used for shipping carbon, fertilizers, grain, and other drybulk cargo. The barge was christened as "Maria" and later renamed several times before 2009 when was registered in France as "Enchante". The ship is made of steel with high carbon content - a common feature for pre-war boats. Though slightly more brittle, this kind of steel has excellent anti-corrosion properties.

With "hotel luxury" in mind, each of Enchante's 4 spacious suites has a beautifully appointed bathroom and air-conditioning. Featuring some of the fleet's largest accommodation, each cabin can be set up as double-bedded or twin. This luxury hotel barge boasts a spacious sun deck (outdoor top-deck) with alfresco dining area and relaxing spa pool. 

There is also a saloon (lounge) with large panoramic windows, as well as a demonstration galley (kitchen) where passengers can watch the chef while preparing their gourmet meals. The ship's interior is modern and well-designed, providing plenty of natural light.

With a crew of 5, Enchante is the perfect barge cruise ship for travelling through Canal du Midi in southwestern France. The boat is ideal for adventurous vacationers who would enjoy the French Canal cruising travel experience. The European Waterways line provides many opportunities for cycling and walking along the itinerary route, or simply relax on the ship and enjoy the passing countryside.

Note: You can see the CruiseMapper's list of all river cruise ships and riverboats in the "itinerary" section of our River Cruises hub. All companies and their fleets are listed there.