THE LOVE BOAT | TF1 | Reportages

Cruises are attracting increasing numbers of vacationers: a 70% increase in 10 years and more than 20 million customers throughout the world. Ever-bigger, more luxurious ships plow the oceans, drawing a mainly Anglo-Saxon clientele. The French prefer cruises on a more human scale, designed to discover the country they visit and its people.Off the coast of Madagascar, Cécile and Bertrand will experience an exciting adventure-cruise aboard an old vessel. A basic 16-meter boat. The French couple has to forget the creature comforts: no running water, no electricity¾so no refrigerator. Only the bare minimum is stocked in the hold. None of this discourages Cécile: We have the feeling that we’re living in another age, that time is standing still and that, actually, the less you have, the richer you are.” Getting richer for Cécile and her husband also means enjoying the spectacle of the Madagascan natural world. In particular its marine life. On their very first day at sea, the French tourists strike lucky: they see a blue whale close to 100 tonnes right under their noses.The boat has no cabins. To spend the night, the budding explorers dock in a far-flung spot of Madagascar. Cécile and the other tourists discover a remote village, nestling amidst coconut palms. The hundred or so inhabitants live from fishing and bartering. They don’t speak French, but, using sketches, Cécile is able to share a moment with them: “I love moments like this, I don’t want them to make progress. It’s a wonderful memory, not staged, perfectly simple.” However, on this adventure, if you want a shower, you have to walk for 15 minutes through the bush. And today, the crystal clear spring has turned into a mud hole! Far from the idyllic setting Cécile was hoping for: “I must admit I imagined a clear spring, not a muddy hole like this.“6,000 kilometers away from Madagascar, Anne and Jean-Baptiste have given themselves a fine present for their 26^th anniversary: a 5-star cruise in Myanmar, better known as Burma. They’re going to sail 190 km along the Irrawaddy River, from Bagan to Mandalay. The boat used by the tourist couple is one of the most luxurious in the country. On this 102-meter floating hotel there’s one suite and 42 cabins. Anne and Jean-Baptiste can’t wait to discover the upper deck of the ship. “Ah, there’s the pool! I love it! I never imagined such comfort and luxury. You can read, sleep, open your eyes now and then, it’s fantastic!” The couple will also be fortunate enough to take a balloon ride over the greatest archeological site in South-East Asia: the Bagan Valley. “I can understand why people make the trip just for this, it’s wonderful! It’s the sort of moment you remember for the rest of your life!“While the tourists are discovering Burmese culture, the ship’s crew is on deck. The forty or so deckhands, engineers and cleaning women polish every square inch of the vessel. Not a single flaw is tolerated. In the kitchen, worthy of a starred restaurant, the head chef is preparing a special menu to celebrate Anne and Jean-Baptiste’s 26^th wedding anniversary. “The fish is delicious, not too spicy! Come on, Champagne. Here’s to our love, may it last forever!“A final surprise for the French couple: the crew has set hundreds of candles afloat on the Irrawaddy River. A fairytale setting.”