European River Cruise

When it comes to European river cruising, CroisiEurope does not get any coverage in the southern hemisphere.  Yet this French river cruise operator now has 27 river boats covering all the rivers in Europe and it seems that the company is cruising along to be one of the key players in the flourishing river cruising business in Europe.

History of CroisiEurope

CroisiEurope is an independent family business with an interesting humble beginning. When Gérard Schmitter created  his company in 1976, he started the trend of river tourism by offering lunches and afternoon dances around the port of Strasbourg. An Alsatian by origin, he named his company Alsace Croisières.

In 1982 Gérard Schmitter acquired his first boat which he aptly named “L’Alsace 1″.  With this, he was able to offer romantic cruises on the Rhine and sailing down to Rudesheim in Germany.

In 1984, the company introduced its first river boats with cabins. The “Hansi”, “Kleber” and “Petite France” allowed Alsace Croisières to offer longer cruises, sailing down the Rhine and its tributaries (the Neckar, the Moselle, the Main and the Saar) as well as cruises on the Dutch inland waterways.

1986 saw the launch of the “Kellermann”, the company’s first prestige-class river boat. The company then decided in 1990 that it would build its own boats. “MS Liberté” was the first company built river boat and they haven’t stopped building since.

A Name Change to CroisiEurope

To reflect its European river cruising presence, the company’s name was changed in 1997 from Alsace Croisières to CroisiEurope.

By 1999, CroisiEurope was already a flourishing company when Gérard Schmitter and his wife, Jeanine decided to hand over the reins to their four children, each one managing a certain aspect of the company’s business.

The Rhine and the Danube rivers are by far the most popular cruises for CroisiEurope, followed by the Seine, the Rhône and the Saône and the Douro River. The French make up the majority of passenger group (64.2%) but marketing campaigns outside of France has increased their non-French passengers to 35.8%.

An interesting proposition by CroisiEurope is that they offer short cruises of 3 – 7 days as well as the longer 14-day cruise. So time-challenged passengers who can’t afford the longer cruises, or families with young children, can still experience a cruise down the Rhine, Danube or any of Europe’s beautiful rivers.

Although CroisiEurope began as a river cruising business, they are now also active in the ocean cruising sector through their CroisiMer brand.

Headquartered in Strasbourg, CroisiEurope (www.croisieurope.com) has offices in Paris, Lyon, Nice, Brussels and Lausanne.

The Bridge at Remagen - Friedensmuseum

Our river cruise director announces that we are approaching the Bridge at Remagen and everyone scurries to the viewing deck armed with their cameras.  The Remagen Bridge gained fame as American troops were able to cross the last remaining bridge on the Rhine in 1945 which changed the course of the war and history.

The Bridge stirs memories for many people, especially the many Americans on our Rhine River cruise, and the number of history books, documentaries and even John Guillermin’s film based on the Battle of Remagen have kept alive the interest in the events surrounding the Bridge at Remagen.

War escalated in the Rhine-Ahr region after the landing of allied forces in Normandy on June 6th, 1944. From the autumn of 1944, allied forces began flying systematic attacks on German bridges across the Rhine because it was a retreat area for German troops.

Friedensmuseum

From our river boat we see the two remaining Remagen Bridge towers on the west bank. The east bank has two similar dark towers. Since 1980, the west bank towers have become home to the Friedensmuseum or Peace Museum, thanks to the amazing efforts of Hans Peter Kürten, then Mayor of Remagen.  The history of the war in the Middle Rhine region, the role of the Ludendorffbrücke (as it was then called) and the Prisoner-of-War Camp in Remagen are on show in the museum.

The Peace Museum is open to visitors between March and November and for those interested in the WWII  history at Remagen, there are 11 rooms documenting the Battle at Remagen, including war paraphernalia that have been recovered from Remagen – helmets, boots, empty cartridges, etc. can be seen in shared niches in the walls.

The Museum has been awarded a 5-star rating, so it’s well worth a visit.

For €30 you can buy a presentation piece of stone from the Remagen Bridge pillar, encased in synthetic resin, together with a certificate of authenticity. The proceeds from the sale of these souvenirs go to the upkeep of the museum dedicated to Germans and Americans who lost their lives at Remagen.

More about The Bridge at Remagen
See our River Cruise Remagen Bridge photos

Friedens Museum
Die Brücke von Remagen
53424 Remagen on the Rhine
Germany
www.bruecke-remagen.de

Admission        : €3.50
Opening Hours: 7 March – 15 November (Daily: 10:00 – 17:00.  From May through October the Museum closes an hour later at 18:00)

Burg Rheinstein on Trechtingshausen

The Middle Rhine Valley is world famous for its concentration of beautiful and grand castles and castle ruins which are an unmistakable feature of its landscape.  Most of these castles were built in the 12th and 13th centuries and in the Middle Ages they were the centre of cultural and political life and also a central location for trade and transport.

Each of these castles has its own history, myths and legends and its dungeons probably hold many dark secrets. So rich is its historical heritage that the valley was recognized as a World Heritage Site in June 2002.

Seeing the Castles on a Rhine River Cruise

One of the pleasurable ways to view this belt of castles and castle ruins is from a riverboat cruising down or up the Rhine. On our Amsterdam to Budapest river cruise we enjoyed the leisurely cruise down the Middle Rhine Valley and from Koblenz to Rüdesheim we saw so many of these castles, some more magnificent than others.

Trying to remember the names of the castles is a challenge when there are so many other competing points of interest on the cruise.

Some of the castles like the Burg Rheinstein, Schönburg and Castle Gutenfels  have been converted into hotels, some have been bought and restored by wealthy individuals whereas others are left in ruins.

Cruising downstream, some of the Middle Rhine Castles are listed here.  Where possible, I’ve linked them to  photos from our Rhine Castles album:

Middle Rhine River Map

• Ehrenbreistein
• Stolzenfels Castle
• Castle Lahneck
• Martinsburg
• Marksburg - Now the headquarters and offices of the German Castles Association (DBV), who are responsible for the protection and preservation of castles and stately homes.  Guided tours are available.
• Konigsstuhl
• Sterrenberg
• Kurterische Burg
• Liebenstien
• Burg Maus – above town of Wellmich
• Burg Katz – privately owned
• Castle Rheinfels
• Castle Gutenfels – now operates as Schlosshotel Burg Gutenfels
• Schönburg - on a long-term lease to the Hüttl family since 1957 and who have been running it as a hotel and restaurant. For bookings see HERE.
• Castle Pfalz – King Ludwig’s toll castle sits in the Rhine like a stone ship
• Castle Stahleck – near the town of Bacharach, this castle is owned by the Rhenish Association for the Preservation of Monuments and Landscapes
• Fürstenberg Castle Ruins – Situated above Rheindiebach, the castle ruins are privately owned
• Heimburg
• Sooneck Castle – near Niederheimbach is owned by the Rheinland-Pfalz
• Burg Reichenstein – This privately owned castle sits on a rocky promontory above Trechtingshausen.  It’s available for hire for weddings and other functions.
• Burg Rheinstein – This is one of my favourites.  Bought by a former opera singer Hermann Hecher in 1975.  It has been refurbished and you can visit the castle and its museum, as well as rent a tower apartment or the family apartment for as little as EUR 150 per night
• Ehrenfels Castle Ruins - near Bingen
• Mauseturm
• Klopp

You can do day-trip Rhine River cruises from Koblenz to Rudesheim with a KD Rhine Pass
See Travel Signposts Rhine Castles Photo Gallery here.

Lorelei Rock, Rhine River Cruise

The Rhine river is steeped in myths, sagas, legends, forklore and fairytales and the many castles along the Rhine hold tales of historical and political events, medieval battles, military conflicts and knights brandishing swords.

The Lorelei Legend

One legend that you’ll hear most about on a Rhine river cruise is that of the Lorelei Rock.  The legend is as old as time itself and tells of Lorelei, a beautiful young maiden who committed suicide because of her unfaithful lover. She took her life by jumping from the steep rock into the Rhine River. Lorelei then became a siren, luring sailors to their death with her hypnotising voice. The murmuring from the water is said to be Lorelei’s voice.

Depending on which direction your river cruise is headed, the rock could be on the western or eastern bank of the Rhine river, near St. Goarshausen.  Our cruise was going upstream from Amsterdam to Budapest and so the rock was on the left bank. 

The river is at its narrowest here and a very strong current and rocks below the waterline have caused many boat accidents at this point. As you approach the rock, you’ll see the currents are quite strong here and today a red buoy warns boat captains not to be enticed by the Rhine maiden.

You’ve got to be quick to get this shot.  I totally missed it but thankfully Tony got it.

Durnstein Stiftskirche © Travel Signposts

One of the highlight stops on any Danube River Cruise is the charming village of Dürnstein.  As our river boat approaches the village, our tour director announces on the intercom, with some urgency, that it is time to get onto the  sundeck … and not to forget our cameras.  Already, from a distance, we can see the Wedgewood-like Baroque church tower presenting itself, and as we draw closer there are lots of oohs and aahs – what a Kodak moment!

Situated in the heart of the magnificent Wachau Valley, Dürnstein sits on a river bend, below a rocky promontory, on the banks of the mighty Danube River.   This village offers visitors breathtaking scenery, acres of terraced vineyards, traditional architecture and places of historic interest, but its star attraction is the Wedgewood-like Baroque church tower.  It’s no wonder that every river cruise company uses the same picture of Dürnstein in their travel brochure.

Richard the Lion-Heart

Dürnstein was the seat of the powerful medieval Kuenring dynasty and is the perfect place to spin tales of long ago.  The most common tale that is still told today is the imprisonment, in the 12th-century, of Richard the Lion-Heart, King of England. The famous King Richard is said to have ridiculed the Austrian flag on the Third Crusade and as a result insulted Duke Leopold Von Babenberg.

In 1191 Richard the Lion-Heart tried sneaking through the Wachau Valley disguised as a peasant. At Acre, in Palestine, he raised the English banner and appropriated all the booty.  Despite his disguise he was recognised and captured.  Richard the Lion Heart was incarcerated in Kuenringerburg from 1192 to 1193.

The Romantic Legend

Dürnstein, Austria © Travel Signposts

As the legend goes, Blondel, King Richard’s faithful minstrel, was wondering along the river banks singing popular English ballads when at Dürnstein he heard the King joining in the chorus.  Thus it was that Blondel was able to track down his King, whose freedom was secured upon the payment of a huge ransom.  Yes, it cost England 23,000 kilos of silver to secure Richard the Lion-Heart’s release. We’ll leave it to the historians to sort out what the true account is but a romantic legend is always good for tourism.

Dürnstein Attractions

Today, Dürnstein is famous for its vineyards. With its mild climate, grapes and apricots flourish here.  Dürnstein’s Stiftskirche is one of the finest baroque towers in all of Austria.  Within the interior, Faith, Hope and Charity watch over the carved pulpit. Kuenringer Castle ruins, in which Richard the Lionheart was held prisoner, sits on the hilltop overlooking Dürnstein.

Strolling through the village, we walk on many cobbled streets like Hauptstrasse. Colourful wrought-iron signs and floral displays decorate the streets which are lined with picturesque 16th-century houses.  Blondel is still remembered in town by the Hotel Blondel.

In the past this fortified city on the Danube was occupied by ruthless robber barons, pious crusaders, merry abbots, proud ship captains and wealthy traders.  They would be making their way through the picturesque streets, milling around the small square with their stocks, or entering the monastery wine cellars. Today Dürnstein village is much more serene, there are many little tourist shops, and the robber barons, crusaders and abbots have been replaced by less fearsome tourists and holidaymakers.

See Travel Signposts Dürnstein Photos HERE.

Bamberg's rauchbier

Bamberg is a town that’s not only famous for its ancient heritage, but is also noted for its excellent beers.  For its small population of 70,000, Bamberg has 10 breweries which brew some 60 different types of beer.

A specialty of Bamberg is rauchbier, a “smoked beer“.  On our river cruise stop in this town, passengers were recommended to try this specialty beer and the place to go to is the Schlenkerla tavern at No. 6 Dominikanerstrasse.  It’s in the middle of the old part of town, near the cathedral.

Smoked beer certainly is an acquired taste and even some of the fellow Australian passengers, who are hardened beer drinkers, did not finish their drink.  I thought it tasted a bit bizarre, a bit like beer that’s been infused with smoked ham!  The truth is that the malt is roasted over beech fire to give it that smoky flavour.

Schlenkerla’s history

Schlenkerla tavern has a history dating back to 1405 and has been run by generations of the Trum family.  Walking around the tavern, you’ll notice interesting features. On the walls there are numerous historic engravings of Bamberg, like the “World Chronicle of Schedel” from the year 1493.  The family tree of the Trum/Graser family can also be seen. The “Dominikanerklause” with the arched ceiling dates back to 1310. The “Klause” used to be the house chapel of the Dominican monastery and was used for daily prayer. During secularization the monastery was closed down and all its buildings were nationalized by the State of Bavaria. The “Klause” was later  sold to the Trum/Graser family.

Ordering Rauchbier

The original Schlenkerla smoked beer is still being tapped directly from the wooden barrel according to the old traditional way. If you wait at your table for service, you’ll go thirsty.  To order a beer you’ll need to go to the small window in the wall, ring the bell and the bartender appears at this hole in the wall and serves you your beer.

Amongst the group of passengers who tried rauchbier, Tony was the only one who finished his drink.  It’s no substitute for Guinness, but the colour’s the same.

See our Bamberg photos HERE

Windmill of Zaanse Schans

Our 15-day river cruise starts from Amsterdam so we had time for some sightseeing before our boat makes its journey to Budapest.

Zaanse Schans is a museum village dedicated to preserving the traditional Dutch way of life.  Situated some 9 miles north of Amsterdam on the banks of the river Zaan, the village was created in 1960 when urbanization threatened the demolition of traditional buildings and these were then moved to Zaanse Schans. It’s interesting to note that this was the exact location where in 1574 Diederik van Sonoy, with the aid of locals, erected entrenchments or Schans to hold back the advancing Spanish army.

A piece of Living History

Zaanse Schans is operated as a piece of living history and here you’ll get to experience the workings of a traditional windmill. Climb the narrow and steep staircase to the top of the windmill and it’s amazing to hear the loud flaps of the trellis-work and canvas sails. Windmills had many uses, including grinding corn and crushing seed to make oil. Mills at Zaanse Schans include a mustard mill and the last working oil mill in existence.

In Zaanse Schans, the locals operate the windmills themselves. The energy from the windmills are also used to grind minerals to make pigments used in paint. The rotating cog operates an adjacent wheel to transmit power.

When you’ve seen enough of windmills, you could pay a visit to Catharinahoeve. Here you’ll have a presentation on how cheese is made in the village.  You’ll then have time to walk around the gift shop which is packed to the brim with very attractive souvenirs and foodstuff. The cheese packs are very tempting, but with a two-week river cruise in front of us, the additional calories are hardly necessary. Certainly if you are hunting for presents or souvenirs, you’ll find a great choice here.

Our next stop is a demonstration of clog-making. Here our craftsman explains the clog-making process and as he’s doing his explanation he actually turned one out in an amazing two minutes. I’ve always wanted to own a pair of these clogs but on lifting a pair, they’re actually quite heavy. Commonsense says that it’s not a good way to start the holidays by accumulating bulky souvenirs, so, I forego my Dutch clogs.

It’s nice walking around the village and, time permitting, you can even do a cruise on the Zaan.  Zaanse Schans gives a cultural insight as to what village life looks like in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and what a good way to start your Amsterdam holiday.

See our Zaanse Schans Photos HERE