Canal du Midi Classic Cruise

Guests are met in Béziers* and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Athos where a warm welcome with champagne and Mediterranean canapés awaits. Once you are settled into your cabin, you will be invited to your first 4-course dinner on board, prepared by the highly skilled chef.

Enjoy breakfast in a comfortable chair on the upper deck of the hotel barge, before we drive to the famous medieval double-walled city of Carcassonne. Your knowledgeable guide will provide a full tour of this historical place and ensure that you also have time to explore at your leisure. Return to the barge for a gourmet lunch (perhaps including the famous duck confit stew, cassoulet) and an afternoon’s cruise to La Croisade, with plenty of opportunity to walk or bicycle along the towpath. Dinner on board.

After breakfast, we enjoy a tasting at L’Oulibo, a cooperative olive oil press. After tasting those organic and wholesome olives accompanied by a glass of rosé, we take a short drive up the Gorge de la Cesse and into the hilltop village of Minerve. Your guide will regale you with the harrowing tale of the Cathar siege launched at Minerve during the 13th century. Relax after lunch on board, whilst we cruise to Capestang, or you can enjoy a wine tasting at a local château, such as Château Cabezac. Return to the hotel barge for dinner on board and admire the floodlit Collegiale St. Etienne.

After breakfast, we take a trip to the weekly morning market in Narbonne. Even for non-shoppers, Narbonne offers much entertainment. Explore an excavated portion of the original Roman road, the Via Domitia, browse through the Roman Museum, discover the beauty of St. Juste Cathedral, tour the Archbishop’s Palace, or simply relax at one of the many cafés. After lunch in the atmospheric market, we return to Athos and cruise to Fonserannes via the famed Malpas Tunnel. From our mooring tonight you will have a glorious view of the town of Béziers and the Cathedral St. Nazaire. Dinner on board.

This morning we drive to the old market town of Pézenas, which was the first seat of the Languedoc court. The architecture is unique within this region because of the ‘Hotels Particuliers’ or mansions belonging to the noble families who followed the Court. It is filled with artisanal shops including painters, hat makers, and costume designers. Once again, your guide makes sure that there is time to browse, as well as learning about the history. After lunch on board, we begin our negotiation of a 17th century feat of engineering, the Fonserannes Staircase Locks. Then we traverse the 19th century aqueduct over the River Orb. The paved towpath and the many locks leading to our mooring make it an ideal afternoon for walking or bicycling alongside the barge. Dinner on board.

This morning we cruise through the Petite Camargue, passing pink flamingos, bee-eaters and Europe’s largest mussel and oyster beds, as well as the unique ’round lock’ at Agde. After lunch in Marseillan we end a perfect day with a fascinating tour of the Noilly Prat distillery and, if you choose, a tasting before the Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Béziers*.