Exploring Canada in spring

Strolling through Waagplein square in Alkmaar we pause outside the historic ‘weighing building’ while our guide Bryan explains the Dutch town hosts the oldest cheese market in the Netherlands.

Dating back to the 14th century, prices are still agreed with a clap of the hand – then huge yellow wheels of Edam and Gouda weighing up to 100kg in total are carried away on traditional barrows suspended from the shoulders of a pair of costumed porters.

We’re not in town on Friday, when the market is held, but our appetites are whetted with these foodie tales. As we continue along narrow streets, we gaze longingly into small shops with windows filled with cheese and local beers. A couple of passengers mention how nice it would be to try some.

This is a tiny group tour, devoid of audio devices and a distant lollypop-wielding guide, and Bryan overhears. As if by magic, back onboard Panache, hostesses Joana and Roberta produce plates of the aforementioned cheese and an array of ales. This experience, on our first day, set the scene for the whole trip.

A hotel barge cruise is a world away from an ocean sailing and is also different from a mainstream river cruise. Barges are slower and smaller than river ships, creating a really relaxing and intimate vibe. Panache, built as a working barge in the 1950s and one of 17 in the fleet operated by European Waterways, has been luxuriously converted to carry a contemporary ‘cargo’ of just 12 passengers, with a crew of six, in style.

Boat parties

Our sailing, from Alkmaar to Delft, quickly takes on the feel of a floating house party; friendships forged over convivial, leisurely meals at the beautifully set communal table in the dining room or on deck. An open bar is included in the fare and, before lunch and dinner, we gather in the salon for the cocktail of the day or our favourite tipple.

At the helm of the culinary side of things is affable Australian chef Daniel, who creates a multitude of mouth-watering meals showcasing local specialities, such as Dutch beer stew and white onion and Gouda tart, as well as international dishes.

There’s not a single time we don’t ‘ooh’ and ‘ah’ as each exquisite course is set before us. Every meal is accompanied by fine wines – and at dinner there are three cheeses and dessert – all of them lyrically introduced by the delightful hostesses. One evening in Leiden, birthplace of painter Rembrandt, two tourists see us feasting and try to come in for dinner, thinking it’s a restaurant boat. Bryan tells us it’s not the first time it’s happened.

Personalised experience

Nothing is too much trouble. One of my fellow Brits asks Daniel if he can rustle up a full English. Next morning, it duly appears as the featured hot dish. Initially bemused Americans are keen to try it, and the novelty of breakfast baked beans becomes a new talking point. Another day, Daniel is quizzed about cookery tips and he invites us into his spotless galley for an impromptu demonstration of the pasta he’s preparing for dinner.

Each day we meander from town to town. Depending on where Panache is sailing, you can sometimes hop off to walk or cycle between locks. Or if you’re not feeling energetic, you can sightsee and soak in bubbles in the hot tub.

We also enjoy the chance to join Captain Willy in the wheelhouse as he chats about life on the Dutch waterways and expertly manoeuvres the 128ft Panache into docking spots, often observed by interested bystanders.

Excellent excursions

One of the most atmospheric moorings is in the heart of Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum of 17th and 18th-century windmills, houses and buildings. On other days, we head out on excursions within walking distance from Panache or on two minibuses that follow us. As our spring sailing coincides with the tulip season, highlights include a visit to the dazzling gardens of Keukenhof to marvel at its seven million blooms.

In many places there’s time to explore alone, but it’s another thoughtful personal touch to see Bryan offering to accompany a solo passenger. The next day, it’s well worth getting up early for a visit to the incredible Aalsmeer flower auction. In a cavernous building, about 17 million flowers are sold each day.

From the aerial walkway, we gaze down at a mesmerising army of forklift trucks and robotic driverless trains moving crates bursting with the kaleidoscopic colours of flowers from around the world. In Zaanse Schans, we’re equally intrigued to discover the area was once home to the biggest concentration of industrial windmills in the Netherlands, producing not only grain but oil, spices, paint, sawn wood and even paper.

You can even buy some of the latter in the souvenir shop. It’s yet one more thing to write home about on a cruise that was a visual and gastronomic feast. And with all that cheese, no wonder we are smiling in every single photograph taken during our time aboard Panache.

Boost your barge knowledge

• The main player, European Waterways, pays commission on all fares and agents can earn substantial commission booking full charters. The company also offers training, presentations and fam trips.
• CroisiEurope offers Clia and Tipto training and events, agent rates and fam trips.
• Upmarket Belmond includes news and selling tools on its agent website.

PICTURES: MG Stavelot; Shutterstock/marina datsenko, travel-fr

Book it

A fully inclusive six-night sailing on Panache, which sails in Holland (March-May), the Champagne region (May-June) and Alsace and Lorraine (July-October), starts at £5,150 or £56,000 for a full 12-passenger charter. europeanwaterways.com

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