Bike and barge cuisine in Italy and France

There is one aspect that should not be underestimated if you are thinking of going on a boat and bike trip: there is great food on board. There is even a cookbook about our on-board cuisine! In our opinion, there are at least three factors that make our cuisine a reason to go: it is balanced and designed for every dietary choice (vegans and vegetarians, this is for you); it takes into account the seasons, local ingredients and traditional recipes; and finally, it avoids unnecessary waste.

Cookbook bike and barge Italy

For us, talking about the territory means offering dishes and ingredients typical of the areas and cities we pass through. In Chioggia or Giudecca we always prepare sea bass fillet or Mediterranean fish soup, while in Mantua ravioli and braised beef are always on the menu. Another key ingredient is seasonality, from peas to artichokes (in homage to those of Sant’Erasmo and Lio Piccolo) in the spring, to zucchini and eggplant in the summer, to porcini mushrooms and pumpkin in the fall. Whenever possible, we look for local suppliers, such as the butcher’s shop in Zelo, which we walk to, or the fish market in Chioggia. But we don’t stop there, because our idea of local cuisine is often revisited, starting with traditional dishes and recipes, such as asparagus risotto in spring, to which we add strawberries.

Cookbook bike and barge France

The perfect way to taste the local cuisine of Provence and Camargue is sith a bike and barge tour. Travelling along canals and cycling paths lets you tune into the unhurried rhythm of the territory, letting your nose recognise — before your eyes do — the nearness of a lavender field, an olive grove, or a kitchen already busy with herbs and olive oil. Get ready for a journey woven from salt, rice, fish and great wines: a concentrated palette of Mediterranean colours and flavours, all within a few kilometres.

Fresh and local ingredients

Local but also balanced: we take great care to offer a balanced diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, trying to alternate proteins, carbohydrates and vitamins: in this way, even those who do not eat meat always have an alternative among eggs, legumes or cheese. For those who choose a vegetarian or vegan diet, we do not simply remove an ingredient from the plate, but think about how to replace it with the utmost care.

Another fundamental principle of our kitchen is to waste as little as possible: an ethical and functional message, because space on the boat is limited. We try not to throw anything away, so we sometimes use what was not eaten at dinner or breakfast for snacks or aperitifs: everyone appreciates this effort. With the same aim, we avoid plastic whenever possible, remembering that our vacation is in nature, among water, shores and rivers. Even our expenses are always reasonable: in the vegetables we use everything, even the stalks to make broth or, after tasting the Grana Padano cheese, with the crusts we make pasta and beans, just like the tradition.