
Hire self-drive boats and navigate the canals of Alsace
Crisboat - Expert in river boat rental for over 20 years

River Cruise in the Alsace region
Discovering Alsace via its 400 km of waterways promises an enchanting cruise in one of the most beautiful river destinations of France. Welcome aboard for a journey in a land of traditions and gastronomy located in the heart of Europe!
At Crisboat, we offer you 7 possible locations to start your river cruise : Languimberg, Harskirchen, Hesse, Lutzelbourg, Saverne, Waltenheim et Boofzheim. To help you choose, we suggest you discover the 3 cruising areas of the Alsace region : the Marne to West Rhine Canal, the Marne to East Rhine Canal and the Saar Canal.

- The sumptuous Zorn Valley and its towpath
- Passage through the inclined plane of Arzviller
- Discovering Strasbourg, the sparkling city
Cruise in Alsace
Rent your houseboat to navigate on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin towards Strasbourg
What about discovering Alsace by licence-free boat? Opt for a river cruise on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin. You will have the opportunity to discover the inclined plane of Arzviller, the valley of the Zorn, littered with castles and numerous gourmet stops or Saverne, the cradle of river tourism in Alsace. During this royal and magical stopover, don't miss the Château des Rohan and its fabulous gardens, including the famous Rose Garden. Above all, let yourself be seduced by Strasbourg, the European capital listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site!
Canal boating holidays in Alsace
Rent your houseboat to navigate on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin
Built at the same time as the Paris - Strasbourg railway line, the Marne to Rhine Canal was opened between Nancy and Strasbourg in 1853. During your boating holidays on this part of the canal, you can discover Liverdun and Toul, two towns with a rich historical heritage, stop off in the heart of Nancy, capital of the Dukes of Lorraine, and have the opportunity to pass through the Réchicourt lock, the highest in France at 16 metres high and 40 metres long. Alsace will fascinate history buffs and invention enthousiasts, not forgetting nature lovers thanks to the numerous ponds and the Sainte Croix animal park.

- A canal rich in infrastructure and cycle paths
- Nature-related leisure activities
- A refreshing cruise with a guaranteed change of scenery
Cruise in Alsace
Rent your houseboat to navigate on the Saar Canal
Welcome to the Saar Canal, a preserved river route in a green natural environment, ideal for swimming. Admire the beautiful forests and vast reservoir ponds offering a wealth of water sports activities. The picturesque village of Harskirchen will seduce you instantly: flowered balconies, water mill, baroque church. Sarralbe offers a pleasant stopover for history lovers because of the watery side of the Maginot Line. Further up, Sarreguemines welcomes you. The city of earthenware has an exceptional setting on the French-German border. For a rejuvenating moment, push the doors of the Saarland Therme thermal complex, a paradise for relaxation.
Customer testimonials


"Sympa."

"Wonderful"

"Very good."

"An adventure, a great trip, friendly people, delicious meals and relaxation."

"Very responsive to our preliminary requests ; the cruise was a great experience."

"Very competent staff."

"Very good, an experience to be repeated."

"Very good, an experience to be repeated."

"Great!"

"The staff were very competent and the heating was repaired quickly."

"We would have liked a slightly more recent boat, but overall we're very satisfied."

"It was amazing ; our technician was great, cheers and thanks to him."

"It was a pleasant stay, but the lock crossings were quite sporty!"

"No problems at all. Everything went smoothly."

"Everything was perfect."

"A new family experience that one should enjoy at least once."

"auto-translation :''Online booking was quick and easy, changes due to Covid were no problem, pick up and return of the boat was friendly and quick. Again happy.''"

"auto-translation :''Super''"

"auto-translation :''Very good''"

"auto-translation :''Very pleasant stay and friendly staff.''"

"auto-translation :''competent and friendly''"

"auto-translation :''Everything well organised, nice contact.''"

"auto-translation :''Very nice discovery of the river cruise with confidence and with all the necessary advice''"

"auto-translation :''Very relaxing stay, we loved mooring where we wanted (in front of the sheep the first night, for example)''"

"auto-translation :''Excellent''"

"auto-translation :''Always that happiness this week of September on our Tarpon 32''"

"auto-translation :''Overall well''"

"auto-translation :''Overall well''"

"Good family time."

"auto-translation :''Pleasant''"

"Wonderful holiday"

"auto-translation : ''Very good welcome from the staff, super friendly''"

"auto-translation : ''Soothing, ideal for relaxing weekend by seeing beautiful scenery''"

"auto-translation : ''Sincerely Okay, good service (commercial service starting point, boat)''"

"auto-translation : ''Nice, quiet, again''"
The locks are automatic on the Marne-Rhine Canal and the Rhone-Rhine Canal. They are closed on some bank holidays. Locks are manual on the Canal de la Sarre.
The Canal de la Marne requires repair work east of Saverne: navigation is therefore interrupted at this level from March 2025 until the end of May 2025.
Sector concerned: Canal de la Marne au Rhin, East branch (on reach 34) between pk 271.016 (Lock 33 at Monswiller) and pk 272.221 (Lock 34 at Steinbourg).
As a result, there is no one-way navigation in Alsace (Boofzheim-Hesse or Languimberg-Waltenheim) from March to the end of May 2025, and no navigation to Strasbourg until the end of May 2025.
Navigation on this region’s waterways is quite easy and perfectly suitable for a first canal cruise experience.
You can moor wherever you want along the canals, even in the heart of the countryside.
Everything you need to know about navigation on a licence-free boat in Alsace
Alsace is one of the most beautiful river destinations in France. This Eastern region is located at the crossroads of Europe and has many assets. The most beautiful part of Alsace for a boating holiday is the various ponds which offer a perfect harmony between rolling countryside, water, forest and green fields. The Inclined Plan of Arzviller on the Marne to Rhine Canal is a spectacular work that should not be missed!
During your river cruise on the Marne to Rhine Canal, you will pass through several typical Alsatian towns and villages such as Nancy, Lagarde, Hesse, Lutzelbourg, Saverne, Waltenheim, Strasbourg or Plobsheim. During your boating holidays, you will discover the gastronomic and traditional Alsace, with its world-famous vineyards and an unsuspected heritage richness.
For an unforgettable experience in Alsace, you can embark on a river cruise with a licence-free riverboat from April to October. If you plan your river cruise in September, enjoy the atmosphere of the grape harvest and taste the new wine!
Travelling with CrisBoat
Crisboat has more than 90% of the French fleet of self drive river boats. Entrust us with your desires and your availabilities and we will shape your holidays on the water. Located in the heart of the Vienne, Crisboat is the leader in self driver river boat rental in France. Discover our team, made up of 6 experts ready to take up the challenge to design the cruise that will meet your expectations.
Satisfaction: 4,5 / 5

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