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Taking canal or river cruises in Europe is partly about seeing the beautiful sights of countries like France, Italy, Holland, Germany, Ireland and the UK, but it is also about taking time out of our hectic lives and enjoying the slower pace of life on Europe’s waterways. Gliding leisurely through bucolic countryside and quiet backwaters gives us time to relax and really reconnect with ourselves and our travelling companions. The laidback pace of river cruises in Europe gives us that rarest of luxuries – time. On a canal or river cruise there’s time to enjoy delicious meals made from local produce, time to enjoy fine wines produced from grapes grown on the vineyards your boat has meandered past and, of course, time to catch up on all that reading you’ve been wanting to do. There is no pleasure quite like lying in the warm sun on the deck of a luxury boat slowly gliding down a peaceful waterway, so we to add to the pleasure, we’d recommend one of our favourite river cruise reads. The Little Paris Bookshop The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George is a love story set on a barge on the Seine (you can see why it appeals to us!). The owner of the bookstore, Jean Perdu, has had his heart broken and now specialises in ‘literary apothecary’, recommending books to his customers which can cure their emotional ills. When Jean meets the broken-hearted Catherine, he not only gives her books to heal her heart but an old desk as well. Catherine soon discovers an unopened letter in the desk from Jean’s true love that suggests that her departure may not have been as it appeared. To solve the mystery Jean sets off in his barge on a voyage of discovery down the Seine to discover if he can mend his own heart as well. Literary Journeys Thanks to its themes of travelling and self-discovery, The Little Paris Bookshop makes the perfect book to accompany you on any river cruise in Europe, but particularly on one of our barge trips along the Seine. See if you can spot any of the places where Jean stops, or maybe even recognise any of the types of characters he encounters along the way. The key thing is to make sure that along with the excursions to fascinating local points of interest and the delicious food and wines available on your cruise, you take some time for yourself. Find yourself a quiet spot on deck, lie back and relax, and perhaps, pick up a good book. Paul Newman is the Marketing and E-Systems Executive for European Waterways, the UK's most respected provider of all-inclusive, luxury river cruises in Europe, with itineraries in France and other great destinations. Part of a team of experienced barging aficionados, Paul is first in line to endorse the perks of a slow-paced barge cruise to anyone looking for a unique holiday experience.
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