Traveling to Alsae France for a LeBoat canal tour from Hesse toward Nancy/Metz

"Are there COVID considerations when crossing the borders?"
--> None at all right now.

"Do either Germany or France have mandatory COVID quarantine sites"
--> France for sure does not and I do not believe Germany does either.

Do you have better flights from your home airport in to Frankfurt than Paris? It's about a 3+ hour train ride from Frankfurt and just under 2 hours from Paris to Strasbourg.

Aaahhhh….the canal de la Marne au Rhin through the beautiful Vosges Mountains! We’ve canal boated twice on that waterway. Once from Saarbrucken to Strasbourg one way and once Lutzelbourg to Strasbourg round trip. First logistics. From Strasbourg, I assume you’ll catch the commuter train to Sarrebourg and a quick taxi ride to Hesse. Get your groceries in Sarrebourg as there really isn’t much in Hesse. Try to pop into the church in Sarrebourg to see the stained glass windows by Chagall.

Your journey from Hesse to Nancy will take you to smaller villages and then some industry before arriving in Nancy. Nancy is gorgeous for its Art Noveau architecture and they do some night time illuminations until mid September. I don’t have much first hand experience east of the Rechicourt locks as I’m head over heels for the stretch between Arzviller and Saverne. I’d recommend heading east down from Hesse (it’s so much more exciting) rather than west if you’re doing a round trip out of Hesse. Visit Nancy by train one day. Let me tell you why. First off you’ll go through the tunnels at Niderviller which are quite an experience at 2306 meters long in total darkness. Then you come upon an engineering marvel at the Inclined Slope of St. Louis-Arzviller where you, your boat and 850 tons of water slip into a giant bathtub and are lowered down the hillside. Stop at the bottom and explore the 17 locks this replaced. Then motor on to Lutzelbourg, an enchanting village under a ruined hilltop castle with lovely moorings and port services nestled in the pink stone mountains of the Vosges. For a casual dinner, try Du Panier de la Table. Onto Saverne, one of my favorite towns on any canal for its magnificent port directly across from the Chateau of Rohan. There are beer gardens at the port to admire the stunning views. Saverne is the city of roses and unicorns. It’s boasts an off the radar, pedestrian only Main Street with beautiful Alsatian architecture. Market days are Thursdays. Eat at the famous Taverne Katz. Now I’m just rehashing old memories, as you’re headed the other way. Sigh.

Okay do yourself a favor and order yourself a “guide fluviale” for the Alsace Lorraine from www.Carte-fluviale.com before your trip. They are the Michelin road maps of the French waterways. The information will be in French, English, and German with detailed guides to not only the waterways but each little village, attraction, restaurant, market day along the way.

Any questions, feel free to direct message me. I absolutely love canal boating and hope you do too!

We did that route, or a very similar one, some years ago. The highlight was Lutzelburg but last year, during one of the calmer Covid periods, we did a road trip to Strasbourg and revisited Lutzelburg which, very unfortunately, suffered greatly by the loss of the glass work factories. It is now a sad reflection of what it once was, lifeless with little to no commercial activity.

Buying one of the canal guide books in advance is a good idea. These are very good guides:

http://www.fluvialnet.com/guide-fluvial-fluviacarte
https://editionsdubreil.com/en/c/guides

There is also a boutique selling nautical books, including the inland waterways if you are in Paris. It´s on rue Jacob in the 6th arrondissement.

Thank you so much for the information! I greatly appreciate your comments, and suggestions!