There are about 60 boutique hotel barges that cruise along the peaceful and beautiful canals and rivers of France. They vary in size, comfort level and price – and they can be found in all the most attractive regions of France. Some can be booked by cabin (room) others are chartered complete by groups and families. Whatever the details of any particular barge, they all come complete with captain and crew who look after navigation; and professional chef and hostess to care for guests.
People often say that they feel they have been treated ‘like royalty’ and this is a very unique experience. Here is just one example of what that fabulous luxury hotel barge cruise in France is like:
Hotel Barge Alouette
Belmond Alouette Cruise: Canal du Midi, southern France, Carcassonne to Beziers
The secluded elegance of Alouette is unparalleled. Operated by the Belmond group, whose name has become synonymous with the luxury associated with hotels such as the Cipriani in Venice, she offers sanctuary to just four guests in two exquisite en-suite staterooms of up to 260 square feet. Light and airy, the French country décor of the public areas is restful and inviting. On deck you have the option of shade or sun, loungers in which to unwind and there is an expert crew of four to attend to your every need.
The Canal du Midi has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its 17th century architect Pierre-Paul Riquet’s feat in linking the Étang du Thau in the south east with the River Garonne in Toulouse, making it possible to convey goods – and holiday makers – from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. This unforgettable waterway wanders between the vineyards of Corbières to the south and the Minervois to the north and Riquet’s audacity in engineering can be seen in the flight of nine characteristically oval-shaped locks at Fonserannes. If UNESCO sites are your thing, you can tick off two in Carcassonne, where the canal passes close to the ancient citadel that forms one of the most memorable skylines in the country.
Your most difficult decision will be whether to lounge on deck all morning sipping the occasional cool drink and watching the world go by, or to stroll along the dappled towpath mingling with the occasional pilgrim on their way to Compostella, or perhaps to hop on a bicycle and ride along lanes flanked by fields of sunflowers. In the afternoons you might be lured away by a trip to a local attraction – perhaps an excursion to Narbonne which dates back to Roman times and has a covered market supplied by local producers that is a kind of foodie heaven.
Cordon Bleu cooking comes as standard. Alouette’s talented chef sources fresh local ingredients with which to prepare delicious meals that are served either in the dining room or up on deck, complimented by the finest wines the region has to offer. Vegetarian, pescatarian, vegan and non-allergenic dishes can be arranged given at least 8 weeks’ notice prior to departure.
A champagne reception against the background of one of the most iconic skylines in France, the UNESCO listed town of Carcassonne, is a fitting start to a fabulous week in the south. The following morning there is the opportunity to explore the bustling citadel before a relaxing cruise to Trèbes, your night time mooring. Continuing on to Homps, the excursion for the next day is to Minerve which was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort and is now a major centre for viticulture, where you can enjoy a wine-tasting at Peyriac-Minervois. On Day Four, after a trip to Narbonne to sample the delights of its wonderful covered food market and explore its connections to ancient Rome, you can sit back and relax as you cruise to Le Somail, one of the prettiest ports on the whole canal. The Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century, and the vineyard of Château Auris provide the highlights for the following day, although the real treat is gliding along the canal to your penultimate mooring at Capestang. En route to Beziers on your final day you’ll have the chance to see the Oppidum d’Ensérune, a pre-Roman hilltop settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. This life-enhancing voyage is rounded off by the Captain’s Farewell Gala Dinner back on board.
These lazy days on Alouette, drifting through some of the most languidly beautiful landscapes and offset with just the right amount of cultural stimulation, will surely work their magic and leave you feeling renewed and replenished. The countryside, the culture and the cuisine really are the stuff of which dreams are made and when you surface at the end of a memorable week, you will probably find yourself wanting to dream again.
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Canal du Midi
Cruise one of the oldest canals in the world; the Canal du Midi is unique and breathtakingly beautiful, earning the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site. By self-drive boat or hotel barge, it offers a variety of cruising vistas – from sea-scapes and hillside views to tiny villages and the stunning medieval castle at Carcassonne.
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Our Unique Expertise – France, Cruising the Waterways and Hotel Barging
We have explored the rivers and canals of France on our own boat since 2003, logging up over 10,000km along most waterways, in most regions, at all times of year.
Independent, impartial and enthusiastic, we have personally visited and know every hotel barge, every owner-operator and fleet, published here.
