Loire River Cruises
France’s longest river is too shallow for ordinary river ships — so one company built a paddle-wheeler.
Get Free France River Cruise QuotesA River That Resists Cruising
The Loire is the river of the châteaux, but for cruise ships it is difficult water: wide, shallow and shifting, with sandbanks and levels that change with the seasons. The answer from CroisiEurope was the Loire Princesse, a riverboat driven by two side paddle wheels, built at Saint-Nazaire for the shallow lower Loire. It is based in Nantes and has been sailing the river for about a decade.
Nantes
The home port: the château of the Dukes of Brittany and the giant mechanical animals of the Machines de l’Île.
Saint-Nazaire
The Loire estuary and the shipyards where large ocean ships are built.
Ancenis
A riverside town in Muscadet country.
Chalonnes-sur-Loire
Gateway to the Anjou vineyards and the Layon valley.
Angers
The fortress and its Apocalypse Tapestry.
Itineraries are short, typically four or five days round trip from Nantes, with 2026 and 2027 departures listed.
Seeing the Châteaux
The great Touraine châteaux — Chenonceau, Amboise, Chambord, Villandry — lie upstream of the stretch the paddle-wheeler sails. Many travelers combine a Loire cruise with a few days on land in the Loire Valley, or add a châteaux stay before a Seine cruise from Paris. Our cruise advisors can arrange either.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there so few Loire river cruises?
The Loire is shallow and changeable, with sandbanks and variable water levels, so conventional river ships cannot navigate it. CroisiEurope built the Loire Princesse with side paddle wheels specifically to cope with these conditions.
Does a Loire river cruise visit the famous châteaux?
The paddle-wheeler sails the lower Loire around Nantes, Saint-Nazaire, Ancenis, Chalonnes-sur-Loire and Angers. The great Touraine châteaux such as Chenonceau and Amboise lie further upstream and are normally visited on land tours.
Like the idea of small-boat France? Hotel barges on the canals are another way to go — see Barge Cruises in France and, for value, Discount Barge Cruises.
Who the Loire Cruise Suits
- Repeat river cruisers who have done the Seine and Rhône and want something new.
- Travelers with a few days rather than a full week.
- Fans of the Atlantic coast — Nantes and Saint-Nazaire are close to Brittany and the Guérande salt marshes.
- Wine lovers curious about Muscadet and the Anjou whites.
It suits less well if your heart is set on the famous Touraine châteaux, which lie upstream of the cruising stretch. In that case, consider a land stay in the Loire Valley before or after a Seine cruise from Paris — the TGV from Paris reaches Tours quickly.
Ask About a Loire River Cruise
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will check Loire paddle-wheeler dates and help you add châteaux time on land.
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