Booking Codes H103, H108, H109 & H111 Exploring Flanders – The Lys from Lille to Gent 5 Days departing Wednesday 6th July Friday 23rd September Friday 7th October Monday 21st November November Departure £795 Other Departures £895 Single Supplement £135 Join Backwaters for a fascinating exploration of the River Lys along a 100km cruise range between the Northern France capital city of Lille and the historic city of Gent in Belgian Flanders. Booking Codes H103, H108, H109 & H111 We stay throughout in the fine 4* Mercure Hotel on the outskirts of Roeselare, handily situated close to the midpoint of our cruise, and our cruising is complemented by some free time to sightsee in Roeselare, Gent and Bruges, and by a free evening in Ypres where there is opportunity to attend the Last Post Ceremony at Menen Gate. Cruising may be in either direction as indicated by the detailed itineraries shown below. If departing from Lille, our first day’s cruising follows the canalised River Deûle for the first 16km before we reach the waterway’s junction with the River Lys at Deûlèmont. The River Deûle was only a minor tributary of the River Lys, but it became an important part of French waterways history having been “canalised” by the great engineer Vauban and opened to boat traffic in 1693, making it one of the earliest navigable canals in the country. From Deûlemont we follow the Lys downstream along an often tree-lined corridor as far as Menen where we moor for the day. Menen is well known of course for its association with the daily Ceremony of the Last Post at the Menen Gate in Ypres, which we will visit next day. Continuing out of Menen next morning, the Lys continues into Belgian Flanders, presenting a fascinating mix of urban history and attractive park and farmland. Cruising continues through the town of Kortrijk, where we pause to admire the spectacular 14th Century Broel Towers, and onwards to the junction of the Lys with the Afleidingskanaal at Deinze which concludes our second day of cruising. From here we make our way directly to Ypres where guests will be able to select their own restaurant for an early evening meal before we attend the 8pm Ceremony at Menen Gate. Our final cruise leg from Deinze takes us onwards along the increasingly meandering Lys into the centre of Gent, where we aim to moor after lunch to give guests the chance for some independent sightseeing in the afternoon. For our travel-home day, time is on our side and we have a free morning to explore historic Bruges. After allowing time for lunch in the city centre, the coach will depart at around 15:00 to fit with a schedule which brings us back into Kent around 6pm our time. The Programme: 6th July, 23th September, 21st November departures cruising between Lille and Gent Day Coach pick-ups for planned Eurotunnel Crossing at 11:50 to arrive Calais 13:30 local time. Hotel check in at 1 15:00 followed by free time in Roeselare Centre. Dinner in hotel Embark Disembark Km/Locks Lunch Other Detail Hotel ETD/ETA Day Lille 09:30 Menen 16:00 33/4 On Board All day cruise. Dinner 09:00/16:30 2 in Hotel Day Menen 09:30 Deinze 17:00 38/2 On Board Lunchtime pause in 09:00/21:30 3 Kortrijk. To Ypres post-cruise (guests to choose own restaurant) Day Deinze 09:30 Gent 14:00 28/1 On Board Free afternoon in 09:00/18:00 4 Gent departing 17:00. Dinner in hotel Day Free morning in Bruges from 10:30 departing 15:00 for return crossing at 18:20 Hotel ETD 5 09:30 Booking Codes H103, H108, H109 & H111 7th October departure cruising between Gent and Lille Day Coach pick-ups for planned Eurotunnel Crossing at 10:50 to arrive Calais 12:30 local time. Hotel check in at 1 14:00. Depart hotel 15:00 for free time in Lille to 18:30. Dinner in hotel Embark Disembark Km/Locks Lunch Other Detail Hotel ETD/ETA Day Gent 12:30 Deinze 17:00 28/1 On Board Free Morning in Gent. 09:00/18:00 2 Dinner in Hotel Day Deinze 09:30 Menen 17:00 38/2 On Board Lunchtime pause in 09:00/21:30 3 Kortrijk. To Ypres post-cruise (guests to choose own restaurant) Day Menen 09:30 Lille 16:00 33/4 On Board All day cruise. Dinner 09:00/16:30 4 in hotel Day Free morning in Bruges from 10:30 departing 15:00 for return crossing at 18:20 Hotel ETD 5 09:30 The Broel Towers in Kortrijk – picture © Tourism Kortrijk What’s Included: • Executive Coach Travel • Eurotunnel crossings • Three days of cruising between Lille and Gent • Four nights at the 4* Mercure Hotel in Roeselare • All meals except lunches on the two travel days and evening meal when visiting Ypres • Complimentary bar whilst cruising, and drinks package with evening meals • Free time in Ypres, Roeselare, Gent and Bruges Booking Codes H103, H108, H109 & H111 Guests Should Please Budget separately for: • Travel to or from their chosen coach pick-up point • Any overnight accommodation required in UK preceding or following our coach transfer • Lunch on outward and return travel days • Dinner on the evening we are free in Ypres • Travel and Health Insurance Coach Pick-ups The planned pick-up sequence for these departures is: 23rd September & 21st November Departures North Greenwich Jubilee Line Station (O2 Arena) 07:00 Medway Services 07:50 Maidstone Services 08:15 Ashford International Station 08:45 Stop 24 Services Folkestone 09:30 Tunnel Crossing at or close to 11:50 6th July & 7th October Departures North Greenwich Jubilee Line Station (O2 Arena) 07:00 Medway Services 07:50 Faversham (A2 Preston Park Bus Stop) 08:20 Canterbury Bus Station 08:45 Hawkinge (LIDL Store bus stop) 09:20 Folkestone West Station 09:40 Tunnel Crossing at or close to 11:50 Guests will be asked to signal their preferred pick-up point on booking and this will be confirmed and subject to detailed instructions when tickets are issued. It may be possible to arrange additional pick-up points for guests travelling as a group of 10 or more. Please raise this on booking for further consideration. Coach Transfer – Connection for Guests Travelling from Distance Our coach will call at either Folkestone West Station or Ashford International Station to meet guests travelling on the day via local trains or the fast service from London St Pancras. Guests living further away are advised to book a stopover hotel close to their selected pick-up point. Travelling Direct Guests wishing to join the tour in France by either driving direct or connecting via Eurostar through Lille will be welcome to do so. There are no changes to the tour price in this event. Our Hotel and Meal Plan: The 4* Mercure in Roeselare is a modern hotel situated in a business park on the edge of town and enjoys an excellent reputation for its standards of hospitality and catering. Evening dining, with drinks package, is Booking Codes H103, H108, H109 & H111 included in our programme except for one evening when guests will be asked to choose their own restaurants to allow them to dine either side of the 8pm Menen Gate Ceremony. Scenic, Intimate, Silent, Slow, Comfortable, Relaxing….cruising the Backwaters way! .