European Waterways

European Waterways is an international company based in Berkshire, England that operates a fleet of 17 river cruising vessels along the rivers and canals of Europe. The company takes old trading barges and converts them into hotel barges.

European Waterways Limited
TypePrivate limited company
IndustryTravel
Founded1974
HeadquartersDatchet, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Key people
Derek Banks, John Wood-Dow
ProductsHotel Barging
Number of employees
50 - 75
Websiteeuropeanwaterways.com

Company history

European Waterways, a UK company based in England, was established in 1977 by owner Derek Banks with the purchase of an existing French inland waterways cruising company which had been created 3 years earlier in 1974. The first hotel barge was Anjodi, which was originally purchased in 1982. In 1994 the company built the 12 passenger La Belle Epoque followed by its sister ship, 12 passenger L'Impressionniste, in 1995. After these acquisitions European Waterways expanded steadily and, as a result of cooperation with several companies in the travel industry and additional acquisitions, now operates a fleet of 17 hotel barges along the inland waterways of 9 countries in Europe.

Banks, the company founder, was brought up on the River Thames and has enjoyed all aspects of life afloat. It was as a result of this early exposure to the inland waterways that he was inspired to move to a lock house in the middle of France in the mid 1970s and start a barge cruising company.

The company originally focused on the Canal du Nivernais in central Burgundy, France, but as of 2018 operates throughout Europe.

Current fleet
Ship name Year built Length Crew Guests
La Belle Epoque 1930 128 feet 5 12
L'Art de Vivre 1917 100 feet 4 8
L'Impressionniste 1960 128 feet 5 12
Rosa 1907 98 feet 4 8
Enchanté 1958 100 feet 4 8
Spirit of Scotland 2003 126 feet 6 12
Anjodi[1][2] 1930 100 feet 4 8
Athos 1964 103 feet 4 10
Nymphea 1921 80 feet 3 6
La Renaissance 1960 128 feet 5 8
La Nouvelle Etoile 1964 129 feet 5 8
Scottish Highlander[3][4] 1931 117 feet 4 8
Magna Carta 1931 117 feet 8 4
Shannon Princess II 2003 107 feet 5 10
La Bella Vita 1960 140 feet 5-8 20
Panache 1959 128 feet 6 12

References
  1. Pritchard, David (2009). Shooting the cook. FSC AND Harper Collins. ISBN 978-0-00-727830-5.
  2. Bowler, Vivian (2005). Rick Stein's French Odyssey. BBC Books. ISBN 0-563-52213-5.
  3. Gardner, Alison (2009). "Barging Across Scotland, Clan History, Nature and Scottish Cuisine". Travel with a Challenge. Retrieved 2 October 2009.
  4. "www.intltravelnews.com/2009/02/cruising-scotlands-caledonian-canal-thomas/".
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