 Today boats such as Prospérité Barge, as photographed above, tour the European canals and offer weekly charters to discerning travelers from around the globe.Luxury hotel barges have been cruising in Europe for over 30 years and are felt by many of their clients to provide an enjoyable, relaxing and luxurious way of experiencing countryside scenery, towns and villages.The great majority of boats are to be found in France, but there are also hotel barges operating in Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy.