But one ramification that could alter the course of European travel is the increase in drought conditions affecting the continent’s waterways. Bleak images of a barren River Loire made the nationals last month as France suffered its worst drought on record. The water level sank so low in places it could be crossed on foot.
Elsewhere, the Rhine became "virtually impassable" at a key waypoint, while the Danube also faced low water levels. Germany’s Federal Waterways and Shipping Administration said west of Frankfurt, the Rhine’s depth was forecast to drop to 40cm with the water predicted to fall as low as 37cm.
