We will use our unique
in-depth experience
to find you your
perfect barge cruise
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Summary
A traditional Dutch barge from the late 1920’s Saraphina has been delightfully converted to convey four guests on a graceful and relaxing cruise in southern France. She offers a full board 6 night cruise and also a self-catering option for your week’s vacation on the delightful Canal du Midi.
Saraphina has one queen-sized double cabin in traditional style at the aft and one queen sized double or twin-bedded cabin in modern style to the fore. Both are around 160 sq ft with en-suite bathrooms and are heated and air-conditioned. This barge is ideal for two couples or a small family vacation.
Hotel barge Saraphina is privately owned and operated by Finnegan and Emily Campfens, both highly experienced and talented hosts. You’ll be warmly welcomed and your needs and interests will be ably met throughout your vacation aboard.
Key Features
- Premier class (3*)
- Portiragnes Plage (Beziers) to Carcassonne, Canal du Midi or, exceptionally, Beziers to Avignon on the Rhone river
- Charter bookings only, 6 or 5 night cruises, April to October
- Full board, inclusive of 4 lunches at local restaurants
- Self catering charters: April, July, August and October
- 4 guests / 2 suites
- Air conditioning and heating throughout
- Sun deck with loungers
The Classic Cruise — Saraphina
Classic Cruise Itinerary
| Route | Between Portiragnes Plage (Beziers) and Homps (Carcassonne), Canal du Midi |
| Pick-up | Pick-up at local hotel or train station in Beziers, Narbonne or Carcassonne, 4pm |
| Dining | Classic cruise: All inclusive: 6 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners on board. 4 lunches at local restaurants |
Classic Cruise Highlights
- Excursion to the medieval fortress of Carcassonne
- Visit to the pre-Roman city of Narbonne
- Delicious wine-tasting at Languedoc vineyard
- Explore Beziers and Minerve and discover the Cathar history
- Delight in the canal-side village charm of Homps
Alternative cruise options
Shorter 5 nights cruises are also available. Also, self-catering cruises in the shoulder months where:
- Captain takes care of navigation and the hostess/host services your cabins each day
- Full concierge services are included
- 6 nights’ accommodation in two air conditioned cabins plus 3 – 4 hours of cruising each day
- Bicycles, towels, bathrobes, hairdryer
- 2 trips to the local supermarket
Please enquire.
Day 1 — Sunday
Arrival at Portiragnes Plage
Pick-up from your hotel, train station or a local airport for private minibus transfer to barge Saraphina. After a Champagne welcome and settling in to your quarters enjoy a short early evening cruise before your first dinner is served aboard.
Day 2 — Monday
Cruise to Fonserannes | Excursion to Pezenas | Lunch in Beziers
After breakfast, Saraphina’s tour guide will take you via minibus to explore the historic streets of renaissance Pezenas. As well as wonderful views and ancient buildings to admire, this fascinating town has a lively ambience with arts, crafts and antique shops to explore. Then, take lunch in a typical bistro in Beziers and experience the authentic dining out atmosphere with the locals. Then the much renowned cruise over the Beziers aqueduct to climb the majestic flight of locks at Fonserannes, one of the marvels of this ancient canal. Another lovely dinner on board tonight.
Day 3 — Tuesday
Cruise to countryside mooring | Excursion to Minerve and Oulibo | Lunch at local restaurant
This morning, an excursion to explore the medieval Cathar village of Minerve, a vital stronghold with a tragic history. You will learn about its history and how its hilltop position and panorama was vital to its survival. Then, to the famous olive oil factory, Oulibo, to discover the regions olives and have a taste. Lunch is taken at a local restaurant with stunning views across the countryside, before continuing the cruise as the canal meanders to the mooring for the night and dinner on board.
Day 4 — Wednesday
Cruise to countryside mooring | Excursion to Narbonne with lunch
This morning’s visit is to the ancient, and also very modern, city of Narbonne. Known for the archbishop’s palace and its Gothic cathedral, this ancient city has history, architecture and culture to offer – but there’s also time for shopping and browsing the famous covered food market, where you will enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant. Cruise on through the afternoon to another stunning mooring for the night and dinner on board.
Day 5 — Thursday
Cruise to Homps | Excursion to Fontfroide
Visit to the Cistercian abbey of Fontfroide, an important religious site dating back to the 11th century and part of Narbonne’s turbulent history. Then return to Saraphina for lunch on board (on deck if the weather permits) whilst cruising to the delightful waterside town of Homps. Moor for the night, browse around the village and stop for a delicious wine tasting before dinner on board.
Day 6 — Friday
Cruise to Homps near Carcassonne | Explore the City | Lunch at local restaurant
A visit to the extraordinary medieval city of Carcassonne is a highlight of the week. Take a guided tour around Europe’s largest medieval fortified town, walk the ramparts and soak up the historical significance of this UNESCO protected treasure. Lunch is taken is a local restaurant and then the final cruise to the mooring at Carcassonne and the Captain’s farewell dinner on board.
Day 7 — Saturday
Departure from Homps
After breakfast at around 9am transfer to the train station, hotel or local airport for onward journey.
This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. The itinerary is in reverse direction on alternate weeks.
Please note: Hotel barge Saraphina also offers 5 night cruises and (when available) self-catering cruises. Enquire for more details.
“Hello Christina
We, and our friends, spent a wonderful week on the Barge Sersphina. Finn, Emily, Alan and Rex all combined to ensure that we were transported, fed, educated and entertained superbly. We could not praise them highly enough.”
P.C AUS Sept 2023
“A life long dream fulfilled and expectations exceeded! The perfect match for this family from Vermont. Finn, Emily, Andras, Rex, Penny & Lula made this vacation one that this little family will be talking about forever. They made us feel so very welcome and seemed to know just what to do to make every moment as relaxing and pleasant as possible.
Our teenagers especially learned so much from this experience. History lessons came alive (with a comical twist when taught by our guide Rex! So much fun to hang out with!), food & wine was beautifully prepared and presented in a gourmet style. Emily, is so talented, a cuisine artist! who uses many ingredients from her garden & eggs from her chickens creating exquisite plates which we all took photos of at every meal. Andras’ knowledge of wine & cheese and the history of the region is impressive! As well as his skills working as co pilot. Finn navigated the canal so expertly on his beautifully restored boat and educated us on the canal’s history and how it works.
The crew of the Sarafina created a 1st class experience with a homestyle, family feel which has given us just the balance of rest and adventure that we needed.”
AR & family, June 2022, USA
Accommodations and Facilities
- Dimensions: 82ft (25m) x 12ft (4m)
- Cabin Ysée (fore cabin) is 135 sq feet (12.5m2), the bathroom about 32 sq feet (3m2). It has a queen-size double or twin beds and more contemporary decor
- Cabin Iona (aft cabin) is 125 sq feet (11.5 m2), the bathroom about 22 sq feet (2m2). It has a fixed queen size bed and original 1924 features
- Bathrooms have showers, hand basin and WC, toiletries, towels, bathrobes and hairdryer
- Both suites are individually air-conditioned
Other items on board
- Expert and professional English-speaking crew of 4
- Fully stocked bar with a selection of cocktails, digestives and soft drinks
- Small library of books and games
- Wifi (limited in some places)
- Lounge and dining area with stereo system
- DVD player and DVDs
- 4 bicycles
- Air conditioned luxury VW multi-van for private transfers and excursions
Facilities At A Glance
Fine Wines — Fine Dining
All meals on board Saraphina are freshly prepared by your hosts using produce from local suppliers. They are served either in the dining area or up on deck in the wheelhouse for all weather dining and great views. The galley is open so that guests can watch meals being prepared.
All meals are accompanied by carefully matched wines from the region. Vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan and non-allergenic dishes can be arranged given at least 8 weeks notice prior to departure. Meals on shore are taken in carefully chosen restaurants to provide guests with excellent dishes with the local ambience.
If you love good food as much as your hosts do, you’ll love our guide to French Food Books too.
Typical menu
Sous vide dill-infused salmon on guacamole
Macon Village
~
Pork cheeks cooked for 24 hours in a fennel and Noilly Prat Amber sauce with celeriac purée and courgette poppers
Red Sancerre
~
Cheese – Camembert and 36-month old Comté
~
Baked lemon cheese cake, strawberry coulis and lemoncello
Photo Gallery
Hotel Barge Saraphina cruises on the Canal du Midi, southern France
– [below] In the region: Minervois, Minerve, Canal du Midi, Beziers, Narbonne, Carcassonne –
Minerve ©Ian Cameron | Others ©FW, wikimedia, n/a
Classic cruise rates and dates
All rates and prices will be confirmed at time of booking. Special Offers are available from time to time – contact us
6 nights accommodation
Return transfer from pick-up point
All meals and drinks as per cruise contract
Excursions as per cruise contract
Not included
Air fares and travel to the pick-up
Travel, medical and cancellation insurance
Crew gratuities (5-10% suggested)
Personal expenses
2023
Charter only bookings
Sunday to Saturday
Rates and dates
Full-board rate weeks (6 nights)
Appreciate the full French experience this year with 5 meals ashore in selected local restaurants (4 lunches and 1 dinner) included in the price.
April 2, 9, 16, 23
May 7, 14, 21
June 4, 11, 18, 25
July 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
August 6, 13, 20, 27
September 3, 10, 17, 24
October 1, 8
Charter for 4 guests: 19,500 USD
5-night full-board cruises – please enquire
Self-catering cruises
6 nights only
2 – 4 guest charter: 7,450 USD
EUR prices on request
2024
Charter only bookings
Sunday to Saturday
Rates and dates
Full-board rate weeks (6 nights)
Appreciate the full French experience this year with 5 meals ashore in selected local restaurants (4 lunches and 1 dinner) included in the price.
April 14, 21
May 5, 12, 19
June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
July 7, 16, 21, 28
August 4, 11, 18, 25
September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
October 6, 13, 20
Charter for 4 guests: 21,800 USD / 20,200 EUR
Charter for 3 guests:19,800 USD / 18,300 EUR
Charter for 2 guests:17,800 USD / 16,400 EUR
5-night full-board cruises – please enquire
Self-catering cruises – 6 nights only
1 – 4 guest charter: 8450 USD or 7450 EUR
Hotel Barge Enquiry
Booking a luxury barge vacation isn’t the kind of thing one does with just a mouse-click or two. It takes a little research, thought and understanding, and we hope that our pages have provided you with all the information and inspiration you need to take this next step.
Why should you book with us? Because…
We’ve explored the waterways of France on our own boat since 2003 and know each of the barges and their routes.
We’re independent, impartial and enthusiastic – and we are the only France cruising specialist that can offer you the benefits of our own in-depth cruising knowledge and experience.
We love France, we love the rivers and canals of France, we love hotel barging – and we love talking about all three!
There’s nothing like speaking to a friendly expert to help you see the wood for the trees and to make the best possible decision about the vacation cruise of a lifetime. Get in touch – we’re here to help.
We will use our unique
in-depth experience
to find you your
perfect barge cruise
