3-night onward cruise in front of the Mediterranean Sea, fully crewed and you decide on the planning

Where will we cruise together;

• After meeting at Béziers, a town rich in history and patrimony. From there, we will steer towards the sea, on the Canal du Rhone to Sète.
• Arriving there, you will be stunned by the landscapes while we cruise towards the Lac of Thau. From there on, you will have the sea sitting at your right, and the countryside in your left. 
• We will be cruising in a natural reserve, where all the Occitan region's wildlife meets and gather!

How do we cruise together;

• Our gîte formula for 6 to 12 people gives you the privacy you want, you don't have to share with other passengers.
• For 7 days / 6 nights of navigation, this specially adapted barge allows you the freedom to organize your stay as you choose.
• Your barge glides along the canal every day, thanks to the crew who steer for you. You can participate in alongside them and assist in the different maneuvers.
• Your navigation timetable is fixed in advance but can be modified in agreement with the crew.
• We're old hands on the waterways and we can give you help on how best to organize your holiday to enjoy it to the full, avoiding the pitfalls that novices often encounter. Not forgetting all the tips that we can share with you!

Self-catering formula;

• All along the way, there are little markets and small, local grocery stores that are ideal for your daily shopping.
• If you so wish we can plan an itinerary that includes a stopover in the evening near a restaurant.

*Note that this trip is available either for 3 nights/4 days,  6nights/7days or 12 nights/13 days. Do a normal inquiry and a Bookarivertrip.com agent will contact you to discuss your cruise!

• If you wish so, for an extra, we can organize your pick up at Toulouse or Montpellier airport. A driver will come to meet you there and drive you to the city of Bèziers. 
• This trip is valid from Béziers to Aigues-Mortes and reverse, from Aigues-Mortes to Béziers. Additional towns that can be visited along the way as the trip is 100% customizable, are Aresquiers, Bagnas, and Vias (waterpark).

Day 1-Sunday: Day of arrival, driving to Béziers et discovering the barge 

• We will be on board waiting for you when the drivers arrive and organize drinks at arrival for you, and prepare your first dinner on board (extras). If not, we can recommend very good restaurants in town, in order to celebrate the start of your cruise! 
• Relax, discover the ship, and walk in the old town of Béziers. Birthplace of Pierre-Paul Riquet, the engineer of the Canal du Midi, Béziers appeals to the visitors with its Saint-Nazaire cathedral overhanging the River Orb and its Vieux bridge.
• A place not to be missed in the heart of Béziers: the Paul-Riquet alloys. Very popular with the inhabitants of the city, this pleasant promenade decorated with plane trees is lined with shops and cafe terraces. Nearby, the Poètes plateau is a charming park inviting to linger.

Day 2-Monday: Leaving Béziers in the morning, and cruising to Agde

• We will be leaving Béziers in the morning. You can either decide to keep sleeping and will, therefore wake up while the barge will already be cruising on the canal. We go for a 4 hours navigation, while you relax on deck, start cooking, and enjoy the views. 
• In the afternoon, we will arrive at Agde. Agde has a history dating back at least to Greek times, although the main feature of historical interest that you will see in the town now is the fortified cathedral. Standing on the banks of the river, the 12th-century Cathedral of Saint-Etienne is very sombre in appearance (both in color and style) and is dominated by a large square tower, added two centuries later.
• There are also several less imposing religious monuments in Agde including the Church of Saint-André on Place Gambetta and the Church of Saint-Sever, and parts of the 12th century defensive walls can be seen.

Day 3-Tuesday: Cruise to Frontignan and the Pond of Thau, the biggest lake of Occitan region

• In order to reach Frontignan, we will be leaving the famous "Canal du Midi" and cruise through the Thau pond. Again here, we will do 4 hours navigation, while cruising through an amazing scene of wildlife, when maritime and river ecosystems mingle and reproduce.
• This 7500-hectare basin is the biggest pond in the Languedoc region and measures 19 kilometers in length in certain places. This mixture of landscapes and varied lifestyles, a real multicolored mosaic, is famed for its oysters but also for its water sports.

Day 4-Wednesday: Cruise to Villeneuve les Maguelonnes and discovering its wildlife

• Leaving the Pond of Thau at our back, we will softly cruise in the morning, to reach the little town of Villeneuve les Maguelonnes. Known for being Montpelliers's inhabitants' leisure destination, you will find there both influences from the sea (beaches, snorkeling, etc) and from the countryside (farms, good products, wines).
• 10 km south of Montpellier lies Villeneuve-lès-Maguelone, it is a little coastal town with a rich and exceptional natural heritage and preserved wild nature. The Saint Pierre of Maguelone Cathedral is a place at the same time historical and magical. To discover.

Day 5-Thursday: Cruise to Palavas-les-Flots, its beaches, and Montpellier

• After a morning cruise of fewer than three hours, we will reach les-Flots, and its kilometers of beach. You can also visit Montpellier, enjoy its art and nightlife by taking a ten minutes taxi ride to the city center. We will have many options for places to visit to propose to you then!
• The main center of Palavas-les-Flots lies along the edges of the River Lez on a canalized section just before it enters the sea. This splits the town into Rive Gauche and Rive Droit and along the edges of the canal are a selection of bars and restaurants making it a pleasant spot to stop for lunch or take a coffee.
• In the center of the town is the distinctive 'lighthouse of the Mediterranean' with its revolving restaurant and, next to this, the church of Saint Pierre and its attractive garden.
• The beach is a good stretch of sandy beach and the town's harbor is attractive. There is a concrete pier from which you get some good views of Palavas-les-Flots and out across the bay to La Grande Motte - easy to recognize for its whacky triangular-shaped buildings.
• Palavas-les-Flots has seven kilometers of beach and with this all the water-related sports activities you could wish for. On the other side of Palavas are lots of natural ponds which attract an interesting selection of wildlife and there are various walks you can do to see these. The flocks of flamingoes that live here make a visit to the ponds a real treat.
• Palavas-les-Flots has morning markets on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and there is a museum of Albert Dubout's paintings and cartoons.

Day 6-Friday: Cruise to Aigues-Mortes and visit of the medieval town

• Here we start our last stretch of navigation, four final hours to observe the canal, the sea, its wildlife and relax on the barge while it cruises. All that aiming at reaching Aigues-Mortes
• On arriving at Aigues-Mortes you can park outside the medieval walls then walk along part of the outside before entering to explore the town. Outside the walls, there is little to hold your attention - mostly the 'newer' town of Aigues-Mortes and salt plains - and your visit will focus on the old town within the walls.
• The 1600 meters of fortified walls were constructed later in the 13th century by Phillippe III and Phillippe IV and completely surround the town, interrupted at regular intervals by towers that had various functions - salt storage, munitions, etc.
• Entering into the town center, all streets lead to the pretty Place Saint Louis which is the center of old Aigues-Mortes. Here you can see the Town Hall, a church, a statue of the venerable Saint Louis and a good selection of cafes and restaurants.
• The Church of Notre-Dame-des-Sablons was built in the gothic style in the 13th century, so it predates the fortifications.
• The surrounding streets that radiate off the square will entice you to explore further, where you will find many beautifully preserved medieval houses. The further you get from the center, the less touristic (and less attractive) the town becomes.
• Spend your evening there, either having dinner and drinks on board at our mooring, either picking up one of the best restaurants in the town, that we will help you to chose and book.

Day 7-Saturday: Aigues-Mortes mooring and day of departure

• Unfortunately, that is already the end of our cruise. While you quietly wake up, you still have time to enjoy a good breakfast on board, and look at the amazing views from the deck.
• Depending on where you need to go, we can help you arrange departure to train stations or airports (Montpellier, Béziers or even Marseille at 130 km away).
• While our barge prepares itself to turn around to cruise towards Béziers with its next guests, we hope that you enjoyed your stay with us and the sentiment of freedom that cruising gave to your holiday!