Mosel & Saar 3-Länder-Tour

Frouard is a small town (and the nearest port) just outside Nancy.

Check in: 3:30 PM – 4 PM We will offer a welcome drink and introduce the crew, as well as inform you about the tour and the ship, and offer you a safety briefing. At 5 PM, Merlijn will set sail for Pont-á-mousson. After dinner you can enjoy an evening walk.

After your first breakfast on board, the bike tour for the day will start. A small warm-up ride will take you to the calm and serene town of Pont-à-Mousson. Around the world, pipes and manhole covers carry the stamp of the town’s steel production. But Pont-à-Mousson was also home to a Jesuit university known throughout Europe, which explains the town’s incredible architectural heritage. You’ll cycle through the French countryside, with its riparian landscapes, wheat fields and tiny villages. Today’s destination is Metz, an ancient French city strategically situated on a Roman trading route. Its cathedral is the 3rd largest Gothic church in France. Metz is awash with stunning architecture, flowers, and great cafés. Don’t forget to visit Temple Neuf, as this church is stunning from any angle.

During breakfast, Merlijn will take you to Richemont, from where you’ll start cycling. Soon you’ll reach Thionville, once the modern and industrial centre of the steel industry, now merely a historical city. The old centre is home to medieval ramparts, lovely gardens, old streets and the St. Maximin basilica, which houses one of the finest organs in the world (you can also cruise a bit longer and start biking from Thionville). After your visit, you’ll pedal to the fortress of Sierck-les-Bains, one of the palaces inhabited by the powerful Dukes of Lorraine.

One more interesting stop before you reach the destination of Remich is a town called Schengen, home to the famous ‘Schengen Agreement”, signed by 5 countries in 1985, and known by everyone in Europe as it led to free passage between borders. From here, you’ll leave France and cycle into Luxembourg. After dinner, prepared by our onboard chef, you can visit a wine cellar to sample the wines of the upper Mosel. The wines here are different to the middle Mosel styles, due to the geology, which lends the wines different characteristics.

During breakfast, the Merlijn will cruise towards Wormeldange, where todat’s bike tour will start. Cycling along the meandering Moselle river ‘downstream’, you will pass the Luxembourg-Germany border. The last thing you should know about Luxembourg is that, although it‘s a small country, the capital, also named Luxembourg, is an important finance centre for Europe. You will bike on to Trier where Merlijn awaits you. In the afternoon, you’ll enjoy a guided tour of this magnificent city by a local guide. Trier was the Roman capital of the western territory of the Roman Empire, and there are many remnants such as the gigantic city gateway Porta Nigra, and the Roman Baths. 

Today we have a different day (than the average bike and barge day) in store for you. The Merlijn will stay docked in Trier for another full day and we offer several choices today. Those who came 100% for the cycling can get ready to enjoy one of the cycling highlights on this trip! Where most routes lead along the river, today's route is entirely through the mountains and free nature, and even then mostly downhill! To achieve this, you go in the morning, together with your bicycle, by bus into the mountains and then follow an old railroad line, which has recently been transformed into a bicycle path, towards the Mosel. This ride will take most of the day…

Those who also deserve some rest during this vacation, want to go shopping or see more culture, will also find something to their liking. Leave the bike onboard for the day and walk into Trier to enjoy everything this city has to offer. A rich history, nice stores and plenty of terraces. Our guide will be happy to help you with your plans for the day. Tonight’s dinner is at your own pace in one of the many restaurants.

While enjoying your breakfast, the Merlijn will cruise from Trier to the holiday resort of Mehring. The Roman poet Ausonius already lauded this beautiful landscape in song. The Romans fell in love with this landscape more than 2000 years ago, and built splendid country villas here. After visiting Neumagen-Drohn, you will bike further on to Bernkastel-Kues, where magnificent framework houses line the market place. After a visit to this famous and charming city, you will board the Merlijn and together we’ll set sail for Traben Trarbach.

During breakfast, we’ll cruise to Zell, famous for its vineyard ‘Zeller Schwarze Katz’. Here your bike tour starts, and you’ll cycle along the meandering Moselle and visit many charming villages, such as Alf, Sankt Aldegund (where you can visit a cellar brimming with liqueurs, wines and Mosel mustards), Bremm and finally Beilstein. After exploring this interesting medieval village, that has managed to remain intact throughout its history, you will cycle on to Cochem, where the Merlijn will await you.

After breakfast, you will start cycling from Cochem into the Eltztal. Here you will park the bikes and put your hiking shoes on. After a hike of approx. 40 minutes, you will reach the stunning castle of Eltz. Situated in a romantic setting atop a cliff, the castle is one of the very few that has never been destroyed during its long history. After a visit there, you’ll bike on to Koblenz, where the Merlijn will be docked close to the Altstadt and the ‘Deutsche Eck’. In the evening there will be a farewell dinner served on board.

After breakfast, it is time to say goodbye and continue your European trip, or leave for the airport.