Canal
du Midi cruise
4
day / 3 night cruise on the legendary Canal du Midi from
the fairytale citadel of Carcassonne to the ramparts of
Béziers. Full-board, guesthouse accommodation and
transfers included.
The
seventeenth century Canal du Midi which links the Atlantic
ocean to the Mediterranean Sea was the brainchild of Pierre-Paul
Riquet, an architect from Béziers, who spent a lot
of his life and much of his own money in realising his
dream. The Sun King, Louis XIV, took the credit.
Our trip
is a four day cruise along the most interesting and picturesque
part of the Canal: from the walled citadel of Carcassonne
through the vineyards of Minervois and Corbières
to the architect's birthplace, Béziers.
The boat
is no luxury fibreglass hulk but a genuine wooden river
boat - une Gabare - traditionally used on the
navigable rivers of Dordogne, Aveyron and Tarn. These flat-bottomed
craft were equipped with a sail for the upstream journey
... and a lot of courage for the downstream! No such problems
on the Canal where this boat is seen a remarkable vessel
among the small plastic craft of the holiday-makers. 
The
programme:
day 1: arrival
in Carcassonne; settle into
your room at the magnificent
Art Deco hotel, The Terminus,
over-looking the Canal du
Midi. Visit to the Citadel
of Carcassonne, the 13th
century turreted masterpiece
which dominates the town.
Dinner in town, overnight at the 3* hotel.
Day 2: After breakfast all aboard 'La Capitane',
docked just below your hotel. First stop at the lock at Trebes,
wine village: lunch at a canalside restaurant. We are now
among the vines, the Mont Alaric to the south and the dark
hills of the Montagne Noir to the north. Overnight in a guesthouse
on an old wine estate near Marseillette.
Day 3: Breakfast on terra firma
before casting off for a full day's boating to
Le Somail, bijou village on the canal with everything
much as it was at the canal's inception in 1681,
including the beautiful old arched stone bridge
and the ancient post house where travellers spent
the night and the horses changed. Lunch at a quayside
restaurant in La Redorte, dinner at a very french
establishment in Somail before retiring for the
night in a local guesthouse.
Day 4: cast-off after
breakfast at 9.30 for a run through
the vineyards to Capestang, final restaurant
lunch with Captain and crew before
transfer back to Carcassonne airport.
DATES:
from Carcassonne to
Béziers or from
Béziers to Carcassonne ASK
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Accommodation:
Hotel Terminus 3* in Carcassonne, guesthouses en route, Hotel 2*
in Béziers: base double room sharing. In guesthouses
4 bed 'family' rooms may be available.
Your
hotel in Carcassonne is beside the station. Take the city
bus from the airport which leaves you at the hotel. About
15 minutes.
You
may wish to hire a bicycle with which to stretch your legs
as the gabare advances. This is an optional extra, payable
on site, but which should be reserved as soon as you book.
Cost: 15€ a day.
Price
includes:
full-board from day 2
drinks with meals
transfer of baggage at each halt
captain and crew
transfer by taxi Capdestang > Carcassonne
Does
not include:
dinner on first and fourth day
transfer airport - station - airport
personal expenses
travel insurance
This
programme has been temporarily suspended as of 1st May
2007. Sorry!
2007
PRICES : ENQUIRE
What
our customers say:
"It
was a great pleasure to find that it was not all English
people on the holiday - in fact all the others were
French and we had an excellent time, with good company,
plenty of laughs and the joy of seeing lots of France." CT
(London)
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