6-night half-board or all-inclusive cruise on our barge through the stunning Canal du Midi

• Generally this barge cruises between Carcassonne and Beziers, in alternate directions on alternate weeks.
• Please ask us for the proposed itinerary in the week you would like to come.
• Please bear in mind that this barge – as with all the hotel barges on the Canal - will cruise at between 4 and 6 km/hour depending on the meanderings of the Canal and the traffic. The objective is that you spend between 3 and 4 hours a day cruising.
• The day is split nicely between navigating the Canal and visiting some of the exceptional sites in the region.
• You can also run or cycle along the Canal: you will go faster than the barge!
• While cruising ... just relax, enjoy the scenery, enjoy the locks, refresh yourself in the pool and enjoy the drinks offered by your hostess.
• When you look at the itinerary below you might be surprised that no Wine Tasting or Cellar Tour is specifically mentioned. Don't worry! The Languedoc region offers many treasures of the local great winemakers.
• Depending on your taste and your willingness to discover some of them, your cruise can be personalized, including visits that will appeal to you - whether wine-based or otherwise.
• The Captain is happy to propose on request some cruises with a specific theme: THE WINE LOVERS CRUISE, which is directed and led by a Wine Master /OR/ The GOLF CRUISE, where you can play at some golf courses along the cruise.
• Our base rate is one of the dine-ashore rate weeks, meaning 4 dinners ashore (at recommended local restaurants) at guests’ own expense. An option in extra is available to do these 4 dinners onboard.

Day 1-Sunday: Day of arrival at Carcassone or Béziers, champagne onboard

• A member of the crew will welcome you at Narbonne railway station at 4 PM and transfer you to your beautiful hotel barge moored in the enchanting countryside of the famous Canal du Midi.
• A champagne reception will be served on deck as a nice premise to your week cruise. You will then have plenty of time to discover the barge, its environment and to settle in your bedroom before dinner.

Day 2-Monday: Relax onboard or cycle while we cruise, arrival at Homps

• This is the perfect day to relax and enjoy your barge facilities or go cycling. The barge will leave l'aiguille lock, quite an unusual place with artwork all around made by the artist lock keeper.
• After a lazy morning cruise, we will moor in the countryside for our gourmet lunch. In the afternoon the barge will get back on the move to get to our night stop in Homps; a typical village where historically, barges used to stop to load and unload wine barrels.

Day 3-Tuesday: Visit Carcassone and/or Lagrasse and cruise to Argens-Minervois

• This morning you are going to discover the world-famous walled medieval town of la Cité de Carcassonne. This extraordinary place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is said to be the most visited site in France.
• If you have already visited ”the Cité,” we will visit Lagrasse, an attractive village now home to numerous pottery workers and artists attracted by the place itself and the renowned natural light of the region.
• The two highlights of the village are perhaps the Abbey and the bridges, although the narrow medieval streets of the village itself are also very attractive, and the remains of the town walls can still be seen.
• After lunch, the barge will go through a couple of traditional locks with some very scenic double ones on our way to Argens-Minervois village.

Day 4-Wednesday: Cruise to Le Somail and visit an olive factory

• Let the world float by as the barge is moving slowly on this elegant canal. We will cruise to Le Somail, a famous local village with fascinating antique bookshops and local potters and artists.
• After lunch a very short drive to visit the Olive factory at L’Oulibo, a prize winning olive oil mill and a great place to experiment with an olive oil tasting. After this a very scenic drive into the Minervois hills and Les Gorges de la Cesse to get to Minerve. This amazing medieval village is perched on a spectacular rocky outcrop formed by the rivers Cesse and Brian. Famous for its Cathar history and its wine countryside, this village is full of charm and history.

Day 5-Thursday: Visit Narbonne, and enjoy a wine tasting

• This morning a 15 minutes drive will take you to Narbonne, a lively city dating back from the Roman time. This city has much to offer like the Archbishop’s Palace but one of the highlights is the beautiful and famous covered morning market.
• After this city tour, it could be a good time to enjoy a wine tasting in this superb area already known by the Romans. The afternoon cruise will take us through a unique canal bridge and a long stretch with beautiful pine trees.
• Our goal will be to find the perfect mooring to enjoy a great evening meal under the stars in the countryside!

Day 6-Friday: Morning chill cruise and visit of Pezenas

• A morning cruise with many turns and loops to get to Capestang through the famous tiny bridge known for being the lowest on the entire canal system in France. After lunch, your guide will come and pick you up to go and visit Pezenas a magical city full of art and history.
• The entire old town is rich with period mansions, wonderful wrought iron balconies, stone sculpture, and ornate doorways. Molière is reputed to have created some of his famous characters right here in Pézenas in the barber’s shop! This town is a perfect shopping place with many beautiful little shops to discover. 

Day 7-Saturday: Day of departure

• After a wonderful breakfast, your guide will take you to the railway station in Narbonne to get to your next destination.
• We hope to see you back soon!

Note 1: This itinerary is a sample only and is subject to change. On alternate weeks it runs in the opposite direction.

Note 2: Half-board and three-quarter board cruises are also available (for charter bookings only), providing guests with the opportunity to savor excellent local dishes in an authentic brasserie or restaurant atmosphere.

Note 3: Take in charge and drop off of guests can happen in different locations, but should be arranged in advance with the owner.

Ryanair flies to Béziers-Cap d'Agde from Bristol, London (Luton), Düsseldorf (Weeze) and Stockholm (Skavsta). You can reach Béziers within an hour from Montpellier, Carcassonne and Perpignan airports.

A direct autoroute (Autoroute A75) links Béziers to Paris.

Intercity and TGV trains run to Béziers from Paris Gare de Lyon. It is also possible to go to Barcelona by train.

Beziers is in the Hérault department of Languedoc-Roussillon between Narbonne and Montpellier. It is an attractive town which rises up a hill from the many spanned old stone bridge across the River Orb, towards the Saint-Nazaire cathedral above the town.

The town fortunes have changed dramatically at regular points in history. Beziers was a Roman colony in 36BC and an important point on the route from Rome to Madrid. In 1209 the town was burnt down and its 20,000 inhabitants put to death in the Catholic crusade against the Cathars. In the 19th century the town had its heyday with the growth in the regions wine industry.