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IJmuiden to Bordeaux

11 days voyage

Next voyage: Sep 22 - Oct 2, 2025

Starting from €1.980,- pp

Map Key Scheveningen Bordeaux

Coastal voyage

Coastal voyage through the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay

New voyage

Leaving the port of Scheveninge
Dates & prices

Wave the bustling port of IJmuiden goodbye from Europa's decks when you hoist the sails and head for the English Channel. This voyage will bring us from The Netherlands to the historic port of Bordeaux in France. As we set sail from the North Sea into the English Channel, the ship will settle into the rhythm on board, navigating through a busy waterway. This journey offers a unique combination of coastal and open-ocean sailing, providing you the opportunity to experience the ever-changing conditions of European waters.

Sunny sailing
Working in the rigging

Departing from IJmuiden, we will navigate the busy waters of the North Sea, where strong tides and shifting winds provide an exciting start to our adventure. As we enter the English Channel, the voyage continues through one of the busiest maritime routes in the world, requiring careful navigation and teamwork. Here, the mix of commercial vessels, fishing boats, and coastal traffic adds to the dynamic nature of the passage.

Sail handling in the rigging

Destination

Embarkation in IJmuiden

At the edge of the North sea, where the North Sea Canal meets the ocean, Bark EUROPA lies moored in the harbor of IJmuiden, her masts rising above the fishing boats and merged in between the ferries to England and cargo ships. The coast features wide sandy beaches, backed by high dunes that form part of the Zuid Kennemerland National Park. The coastline is shaped by both natural elements and heavy maritime activity.

The crew inspects the rigging, checks the sails and makes sure that all provisions are on board for the voyage ahead. On the day of embarkation, we say goodbye to the Netherlands and hoist the yards, pull the sheets and set the sails, leaving the Dutch coastline behind as we chart a course toward Bordeaux.

Disembarkation in Bordeaux

After a full week of sailing along the European coast, we sail up the Garonne river, where our voyage will end in Bordeaux, a city renowned for its rich wine heritage and historical city centre. Situated on the Garonne river, Bordeaux is a UNESCO world heritage site known for its beautiful architecture and vibrant wine culture. Disembarkation is always a bittersweet moment, marking the conclusion of a great adventure at sea. After days of sailing together, sharing experiences its time to say goodbye to the ship and your fellow crewmates. It doesn't need to be the end of your travels, we recommend to take some time to explore this welcoming city or visit the wine regions surrounding Bordeaux. 

 

Route

The voyage begins in IJmuiden, in the Netherlands. As we make our way toward the English Channel, the waters will get busier. The lookout will have an important job to help the officers on watch to navigate these waters safely. After the English Channel, we will sail past Ile Ouessant, marking the north-westernmost point of France. The winds and currents around this headland can be challenging and will be the perfect opportunity to test everything you've learned in the days before. As we sail onwards, we enter the Bay of Biscay, known for its unpredictable weather. The Bay can be both calm or give challenging conditions, offering another excellent opportunity to test your skills in seamanship.

Map Route Scheveningen - Bordeaux

Itinerary

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome on board

From nearly all corners of the world, our guests will arrive in IJmuiden. Your coastal voyage will finally start. Embarking via our gangway, you will be welcomed by our crew members. You will be asked to sign in on board and take the luggage to your assigned cabin, followed by a first meeting to introduce the captain and crew to the voyage crew before enjoying your first meal on board. These will be the first exciting moments of your time on board. A first glance of who you will be sharing your experience with. They will be solo travellers, friends or couples, young and old, from various countries and with different backgrounds, all united in their dream of sailing the Atlantic on a tallship.

Being on watch

Itinerary

Life on board

For some people on board it will be their first time on a tall ship, while others will have done similar journeys. This mix of beginners and more experienced tall ship lovers creates a learning atmosphere on board, where each person can contribute in their own way to keep the ship sailing. Soon after we have cast of our mooring lines, the watch schedule will begin. You will be placed in the Red - White or Blue watch. Each watch will take turns in being 4 hours on watch, to stand on lookout, steer the ship and help with sail handling.

Bark Europa is setting sail on the North Sea

Itinerary

Sail training

This coastal voyage offers you a chance to get a first glance of the theory and practice of tall ship sailing and all that it entails - sail handling, rigging, maintenance, navigation, routing, weather and much more. From day one, our experience permanent crew will start to teach you all there is to know about square rig sailing. 

Weather and route planning

Itinerary

Research

We believe in expanding knowledge of our sailors, and to do so we invite scientists on board. Oceanographers, astronomers, marine biologists have joined us in the past and their presence and expertise have been highly valued by both our crew and trainees. By working together with universities and other institutions we hope to connect the scientific world with our world at sea and bring scientific knowledge to a wide audience. Our hope is to broaden the awareness of oceanic and polar issues and make scientific knowledge accessible to a wide audience. During your voyage, you will have the opportunity to assist the researchers with their work, such as helping to collect data using a manta trawl or plankton net.

Research during the sailing voyage

Itinerary

Day 10-11: Arrival in Bordeaux

After a week at sea, we are getting closer to the river Garonne, marking our approach to our destination. The last night of the voyage we will spend in port of Bordeaux. This will be the last evening together as a new Bark EUROPA Family, having created memories for a lifetime and making new friends along the way. The morning after, it will be time to say goodbye to the ship, her crew and your newfound friends. On to new adventures!

Making new memories

Reviews

Willow Ryan - OceanOcean Crossing

It was a amazing voyage!!! The crew were wonderful in helping us with everything and dear Rensje was absolutely amazing! I think that for a training ship she is handled very well and the organization was great. Capt. Janke is a wonderful captain and also did a superb job of wrangling the 40 plus landlubbers and keeping a ship shape ship! Thank you to everyone for all the love and effort that goes into these beautiful vessels.

Kathi Blömer - OceanTenerife - Puerto Madryn

This voyage was the experience of a life time for me, it was absolutely amazing. I learnt a lot about sailing, other people and myself. The camaraderie between voyage crew and permanent crew was outstanding in all circumstances. The food was great, healthy tasty and every day different, there were very few dishes which were repeated in 46 days on board! We lived together in close quarters but because of the different watches and different sleeping time it never felt crowded.

Adrian Chan - OceanOcean Crossing

Everything about being on the Europa is just pure bliss to me; the crew were very nice and welcoming, the deckhands were very patient with us newbies, I haven't been this happy for a very long time. There are a couple of things that can be done better though: 1) Better communications between the permanent and voyage crew (e.g. room change arrangements) 2) Get more and/or better fishing gear with lectures on how to fish 3) Get better squeegees for deck wash! Other than that, coming on the Europa for 2.5 months was the best decision I've ever made.

Setting the sails

Why choose us

  • All kinds of weather

    From strong currents to shifting winds and open ocean swells in the North Sea, English Channel and the Bay of Biscay, each part brings its own challenge, making this voyage a valuable experience to develop new skills.

    Steering the ship in all weather

  • Improve your sailing skills

    As we cover quite a big stretch of the North Sea and Bay of Biscay, this voyage offers a hands-on ocean voyage, perfect for those looking to gain experience in ocean sailing. 

    A good way to improve your sailing skills

  • The heart of Bordeaux

    Unlike many other voyages, this voyage allows us to sail directly into the heart of a UNESCO listed city. Arriving in Bordeaux via the Garonne river will be a unique experience! 

    Bordeaux.jpg

Dates & prices

Sailing south in 2025: IJmuiden - Bordeaux - Cascais - Tenerife - Montevideo

Embark on an unforgettable southbound journey as Bark EUROPA sets sail from IJmuiden in autumn 2025! This voyage will take you along the Atlantic coast, from the historic ports of Bordeaux and Cascais to the volcanic landscapes of Tenerife, before heading deep into the Southern Hemisphere toward Montevideo.

Choose your adventure, join for a single leg or experience the full transformation from the North Sea’s autumn chill to the warmth of the South Atlantic. Whether you’re learning the ropes on a coastal leg or embracing the rhythm of the ocean on a long crossing, this is a voyage of discovery, teamwork, and adventure. Step on board and become part of our sailing tradition!

What's included

 

  • Small and personal sailing experience with a maximum of 42 voyage crew members
  • Sail training and interesting lectures from our permanent crew
  • Participate in research projects on board
  • Delicious meals from our experienced cook, unlimited coffee & tea
  • Spend your “off-watch” time in the ships library, lounge, poker corner, deckhouse or ships bar
From To Days Nautical miles Price pp 4/6p cabin Price pp 2p cabin
From
IJmuiden
To
Bordeaux
Days
11
Nautical miles
940
€1.980,-
€2.530,-
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FAQ

To all FAQ
Are there age restrictions aboard Bark EUROPA?

At Bark EUROPA, we warmly welcome sailors between the ages of 15 and 72 to join our voyages, including ocean crossings and Antarctica expeditions. All those under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Please contact the shipping office to discuss the possibilities. 

Are you 65 years old or over? We kindly ask you to fill in the additional health statement that needs to be signed by your physician. This statement will be discussed with our team of ships doctors before we can make a final decision. To ensure the safety and comfort of all on board, the upper age limit for new guests is 72 at the time of embarkation. Guests who turn 73 during the voyage are welcome to join.

Sailors aged 73 to 75 who have recently sailed with us may be considered for shorter coastal voyages, when healthy and fit, based on individual assessment.

Is sailing experience required?

When you decide to join us one of our voyages, you will be doing so as part of the voyage crew. This means that EUROPA’s permanent crew will train you to be a sailor. No experience is needed, our crew will learn you everything along the way. Everyone is welcome to take the helm, set sails, assist with maneuvers, navigation, weather observations, furling the sails on the yards and much more. The permanent crew will give lectures and instruct you during the voyage in steering, navigation and sail handling. This will be done in a ‘Dutch’ style, so without yelling, blowing whistles or uniforms.

In what sort of cabin will I sleep?

Bark EUROPA has 4/6 persons cabins and 2 persons cabins for the voyage crew. If you join us with a travel partner, you can choose for a 2 persons cabin or to be placed in a 4/6 persons shared cabin. As a solo traveler you will be placed in a 4/6 persons male or female cabin.
Every cabin has his own bathroom with shower and toilet.
To get a nice impression of the cabins, you can find our Virtual Tour here.