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ALOUETTE
| Luxury barge cruise vacations on the French hotel barge ALOUETTE cruising the Canal du Midi in the South of France |  |
STANDARD CRUISE : Beziers to Carcassonne
Canal du Midi, South of France
Sunday – Béziers
A champagne reception welcomes you on board and gives you a chance to meet the crew. Later that evening, enjoy your first dining experience on board.
Monday – Beziers to Capestang
A morning cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang. The Canal is one of the most beautiful in France and has over 328 locks, bridges and tunnels. In the afternoon, visit Oppidum d'Enserune, a pre-Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation.
Tuesday – Capestang to Le Somail
Enjoy a relaxing breakfast as you take in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine locks, buildings and aqueducts, scarcely changed from their completion over 300 years ago. After lunch, visit l'Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century. Now privately owned, the abbey has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister. On the way back to the boat, stop at Château Auris for a wine tasting.
Wednesday – Le Somail to Homps
This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef and help choose what is on the menu for dinner! Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city playing an important role as a wine-producing centre. The municipal, military and religious architecture, the river banks of the Robine and its shaded boulevards, all contribute to its charm. Enjoy lunch at a bistro just in front of the market and then return to the barge for an afternoon's cruise to the port at Homps.
Thursday – Homps to Trebes
After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone cliff, which dominates the vineyards below. Its now ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of history of days gone by. On the way back to the boat stop at Peyriac-Minervois for wine tasting. Return to the barge for lunch and then enjoy the ever changing views from the comfort of the deck, or perhaps walk or cycle along the tow path. Tonight we moor in the pretty town of Trebes.
Friday – Trebes to Carcassonne
Finish the week with a tour of Europe's largest medieval fortress - Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are stunning. Visit the Cathedral remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts. Meanwhile the chef is busy preparing your farewell gala dinner on board.
Saturday – Carcassonne
After breakfast disembark the boat for your onward travel arrangements.
Note: The day to day itinerary described above is a typical cruise. However, on any one cruise, the moorings may change and the places visited may vary depending on the season.
ALOUETTE HOME > Itineraries > Standard Cruise
Canal du Midi, South of France
Sunday – Béziers
A champagne reception welcomes you on board and gives you a chance to meet the crew. Later that evening, enjoy your first dining experience on board.
Monday – Beziers to Capestang
A morning cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang. The Canal is one of the most beautiful in France and has over 328 locks, bridges and tunnels. In the afternoon, visit Oppidum d'Enserune, a pre-Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation.
Tuesday – Capestang to Le Somail
Enjoy a relaxing breakfast as you take in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine locks, buildings and aqueducts, scarcely changed from their completion over 300 years ago. After lunch, visit l'Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century. Now privately owned, the abbey has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister. On the way back to the boat, stop at Château Auris for a wine tasting.
Wednesday – Le Somail to Homps
This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef and help choose what is on the menu for dinner! Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city playing an important role as a wine-producing centre. The municipal, military and religious architecture, the river banks of the Robine and its shaded boulevards, all contribute to its charm. Enjoy lunch at a bistro just in front of the market and then return to the barge for an afternoon's cruise to the port at Homps.
Thursday – Homps to Trebes
After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone cliff, which dominates the vineyards below. Its now ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of history of days gone by. On the way back to the boat stop at Peyriac-Minervois for wine tasting. Return to the barge for lunch and then enjoy the ever changing views from the comfort of the deck, or perhaps walk or cycle along the tow path. Tonight we moor in the pretty town of Trebes.
Friday – Trebes to Carcassonne
Finish the week with a tour of Europe's largest medieval fortress - Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are stunning. Visit the Cathedral remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts. Meanwhile the chef is busy preparing your farewell gala dinner on board.
Saturday – Carcassonne
After breakfast disembark the boat for your onward travel arrangements.
Note: The day to day itinerary described above is a typical cruise. However, on any one cruise, the moorings may change and the places visited may vary depending on the season.
ALOUETTE HOME > Itineraries > Standard Cruise