Gascony Cruises Classic Cruise – Gascony

Guests are met in Toulouse** and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Rosa for a champagne welcome. Dinner on board.

This morning take a short drive to an artisanal dairy farm at Ramier, where we experience an entire cheese making process, culminating in a delicious tasting with the opportunity to purchase a few slices to take home! Following lunch on board, we head to old Montauban for a short stroll around this charming redbrick town on the banks of the River Tarn. Back on board, Rosa will then meander up the flight of nine locks on the beautiful, recently restored branch canal skirting the Forest of Agre and moors in the heart of the little town of Montech. Dinner on board.

After breakfast, we head into the Côtes du Frontonnais wine region for a wine tasting at the renowned Château Bellevue la Fôret. Lunch on board is followed by a guided tour of an inclined Water Plane, an amazing feat of engineering that bypasses five locks and, when back in service in the future, will lower vessels 43 feet all in one go. An afternoon cruise to Castelsarrasin before dinner on board.

This morning we visit the UNESCO-classified 7th century Abbaye St-Pierre de Moissac for a private tour and lunch at its excellent restaurant, Le Florentin, situated in front of the spectacular entrance of the abbey. Later, we cruise the river Tarn via the 1,000 foot-long aqueduct, the Pont Canal du Cacor, then descend towards Moissac through a staircase of delightful locks. Dinner on board.

We visit Castelsarrasin’s market for breakfast this morning before starting our cruise, when Rosa rises up from the Tarn and turns west on the brick-lined canal through Moissac. After negotiating the swing bridge, we cruise between the placidly-flowing waters of the Garonne and the foothills of the Quercy massif, before mooring at Pommevic. After lunch, we visit the 18th century Château de Lamotte-Bardigues, where we are given a private guided tour by the resident Countess. At the end of the tour we are even invited to take tea with her in the private apartments, as she explains to us her family’s famous association with the Kings of France. Before returning to Rosa we will see the 15th century hillside village of Auvillar, a 15th century village atop a gorge above the River Garonne. Dinner on board.

A leisurely morning cruise through the bucolic countryside to our final mooring at Boé. After lunch, we visit Domaine de Lapeyrade for a guided tour and private tastings of their esteemed Armagnac and Floc du Gascogne wines in delightful surroundings, before visiting the medieval town of Nérac and its castle – once home to Henry IV of France. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

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