Cruise In The South Of France On The Canal du Midi And In Southern Burgundy/Provence Aboard The Ultra-Deluxe Hotel-Barge ALOUETTE
SEVEN DAYS / SIX NIGHTS
The 4-Passenger Alouette offers private charters aboard one of the most luxurious barges currently cruising the Canal du Midi.The beautiful tree-lined canal was built in the 17th century and was an engineering marvel for its time. Highlights of this area include Carcassonne, the most complete medieval, fortified city in existence. Excursions to fortified villages, castles and market towns plus a sophisticated gourmet and service tradition on board the Alouette create the ingredients for an exceptionally memorable barge cruise.
The barge itself offers elegant Provencal decor throughout and has two large and very comfortable staterooms, each with its own private ensuite bathroom with shower. There are large windows that open well above the waterline for you to enjoy the sights as the barge floats by. The spacious living/dining salon with large picture windows has a library area, writing desk, stereo, games, satellite TV and internet access. The sundeck with lounge chairs and sheltering umbrellas is perfect for soaking up the sun while enjoyg the scenery during the day.
The Alouette cruises from Southern Burgundy to Provence in early April before moving to the historic Canal du Midi for the summer to cruise between Béziers and Carcassonne. In late October it returns back to Burgundy via Provence.
One day you may decide to bicycle through the countryside to visit Roman ruins, travel in your own air-conditioned mini-bus to an out of the way vineyard, or visit a local market or the historic towns and villages of the region. Then, at the end of a glorious day, you return to your floating "country home" where your crew has been preparing an evening feast ... an elegant five course gourmet dinner graced by fine wines and cheeses unknown outside France. A sense of comradery seems to prevail as you share the day's adventures with old and new friends ...reliving memories that will carry your conversations for years to come.
Features
- Size of barge: 98 ft by 16 ft
- Number of Passengers: 4
- Number of Cabins (all with private bath): 2
- Crew: 4
- Air Conditioning and Central Heating: Yes
- Salon: Comfortable sofas, writing desk, internet, DVD, satellite TV, sofa bed, and dining area with picture windows
- Bar: Open bar
- Deck: Sundeck with lounge chairs and umbrellas
- Spa Tub: No
- Cabin Features: Two twin or queen bed cabins, 270 sq ft and 205 sq ft each, with satellite TV, DVD player, phone intercom and bathroom
- Vehicle for Transfers/Excursions: Air-conditioned 8 seater mini-bus
- Accessibility: Steps to salon/cabins
- Bicycles: Yes
Alouette's Deck Plan
Dining Aboard The Alouette:
SAMPLE MENU
Dining on board the Alouette is among the highlights of the cruise. Our five-course candlelit dinners are a particularly special treat. The table d’hôte menus onboard the Amaryllis are of the very highest quality and include many regional specialties and fine wines.
Each week's menu includes some of the Chef's original recipes as well as regional specialties and seasonal delicacies unique to the particular area of the country you are cruising.
You will enjoy a buffet style continental breakfast, large lunch including pâtés, cheeses, cold meats, tarts, terrines and salad. Dinners are always plated with at least four courses and complementary wines.
Meal times may vary to fit in with excursions but are generally:
Breakfast between 8:00 am to 10:00 am
Lunch between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm
Dinner at 7:30 - 8:00 pm
LUNCH
- Moule mariniere shrimp and celeriac remoulade with watercress, frisse, fennel and orange salad
- Grilled vegetables
- Artichoke and ricotta tart with fruit chutney
- Insalata Caprese with mozzarella, basil, tomato, spanish onion & vinaigrette
DINNER
- Amuse-bouches of
foie gras on pain d'epices
- Entree: Roast sweetcorn soup with lobster and spiced butter
- Main: Crispy skinned sea bass fillet on pea and mint puree with a truffle beurre blanc and watercress salad
- Dessert: Sticky date pudding with whisky toffee sauce and creme fraiche
Passenger Comments:
Our crew were just outstanding. From the moment we arrived at the train station to the moment we left, we felt like royalty. A barge cruise is slow food for the mind and body. My husband describes it as floating through an Impressionist painting while dining at a Michelin quality restaurant. The barge was gorgeous, the staff and service were outstanding, and the Canal du Midi mesmerizing. The emphasis on local food, local wine and visiting quirky local museums and vineyards made this holiday a highlight of our trip to Europe. It was a family trip and thoroughly enjoyed by all, irrespective of age.
C.S., Australia September 2011
Absolutely wonderful trip. Could not have enjoyed it more. Cabin accommodations were terrific, as good as a high quality hotel. Crew service was exceptional, both on and off the boat. Unbelievable meals and wines. Sam is a gifted chef and created unbelievably perfect menus for our group. The wine pairings by Sarah and Alice were also exceptional and we felt as if their education about the specific wines really added to our enjoyment of them. I would recommend it to anyone.
B.B., CA, USA, August 2010
What a trip!
B.R., NY, USA, October 2008
SAMPLE ITINERARY*
Canal du Midi
Beziers to Carcassonne 2013
Sunday - Béziers.
A champagne reception welcomes you on board and gives you a chance to meet the crew. Time permitting, enjoy your first cruising experience to the pretty village of Colombieres. Later that evening, enjoy your first dining experience on board.
Monday - Visit Abbaye de Fontfroide. Cruise to Capestang.
This morning 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. Return to the barge for lunch and then an afternoon cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang.
Tuesday - Tour Oppidum d'Enserune. Cruise to Le Somail.
After breakfast enjoy a visit to 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. On the way back to the boat we stop off at local wine producer for a tasting. Return to the barge for lunch followed by a relaxing afternoon taking 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.
Wednesday - Visit Narbonne and the market. Cruise 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 - Visit Minerve. Cruise 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 - Cruise to Carcassonne. Visit 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 is a typical cruise. However, on any one cruise, the moorings may change and the places visited may vary depending on the season and guest preferences.
Alouette
2013 Season Cruise Schedule* |
| Week |
Route |
Season |
| Mar 31 |
St. Jean-Lyon |
Regular
|
| Apr 7 |
Lyon-Avignon |
Regular
|
| Apr 14 |
Avignon-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Apr 21 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Apr 28 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| May 5 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| May 12 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| May 19 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| May 26 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 2 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jun 9 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 16 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jun 23 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 30 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jul 7 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
|
| Cruise Schedule* ... continued |
| Week |
Route |
Season |
| Jul 14 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jul 21 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jul 28 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Aug 4 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Aug 11 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Aug 18 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Aug 25 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Sep 1 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Sep 8 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Sep 15 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Sep 22 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Sep 29 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Oct 6 |
Beziers-Avignon |
Regular
|
| Oct 13 |
Avignon-Lyon |
Regular
|
| Oct 20 |
Lyon-St. Jean |
Regular
|
| Oct 27 |
St. Jean-Lyon |
Regular
|
|
Alouette
2014 Season Cruise Schedule* |
| Week |
Route |
Season |
| Mar 30 |
St. Jean-Lyon |
Regular
|
| Apr 6 |
Lyon-Avignon |
Regular
|
| Apr 13 |
Avignon-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Apr 20 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Apr 27 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| May 4 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| May 11 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| May 18 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| May 25 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 1 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jun 8 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 15 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jun 22 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jun 29 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Jul 6 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jul 13 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
|
| Cruise Schedule* ... continued |
| Week |
Route |
Season |
| Jul 20 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Jul 27 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Aug 3 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Aug 10 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Aug 17 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Aug 24 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Aug 31 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Sep 7 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Sep 14 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Sep 21 |
Beziers-Carcassonne |
Regular
|
| Sep 28 |
Carcassonne-Beziers |
Regular
|
| Oct 5 |
Beziers-Avignon |
Regular
|
| Oct 12 |
Avignon-Lyon |
Regular
|
| Oct 19 |
Lyon-St. Jean |
Regular
|
| Oct 26 |
St. Jean-Lyon |
Regular
|
|
The Alouette's route through the south of France, from Carcassonne to Beziers on the Canal du Midi. For a more detailed look at the cruise route, view our map of the Canal du Midi.
*Note: Cruise directions and sample itineraries may be in reverse and are subject to change and may depend on bookings and local navigation conditions. Alternate excursions of equal appeal are substituted when needed. For charter cruises special itineraries can be arranged.
ALOUETTE
2013 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS |
| ACCOMMODATION |
REGULAR
Mar 31 thru Nov 2 |
|
Charter for 2 |
$23,800 |
|
Charter for 3 |
$26,200 |
|
Charter for 4 |
$28,600 |
ALOUETTE
2014 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS |
| ACCOMMODATION |
REGULAR [2013 RATES] *
Mar 30 thru Nov 1 |
|
Charter for 2 |
$23,800 |
|
Charter for 3 |
$26,200 |
|
Charter for 4 |
$28,600 |
*2013 rates will be honored for 2014 bookings placed before the announcement of 2014 prices (expected in late Spring 2013).
What's Included for 2013 & 2014 Cruises
- 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in a cabin with private bath
- Transfers from Paris to the barge and return via first class train
- All meals beginning with dinner on Sunday through breakfast on Saturday
- All wines with lunches and dinners
- All escorted side-excursions (hot air balloon not available in Canal du Midi area)
- Use of bicycles
What's Not Included for 2013 & 2014 Cruises
- Overseas air transportation to Paris and return
- Suggested minimum 5% gratuity for the crew, to be paid to the captain in equivalent euros
| Please visit our Special Offers page to see potential discounts for this barge or many others. |
 |
Special Places Travel, LLC
"Barges in France (and the rest of Europe) ... for the experience of a lifetime!" ™
For booking information,
Phone (toll-free): 1-877-64-BARGE (1-877-642-2743)
Outside of the U.S.: 001.443.321.3614
or E-mail: info@specialplacestravel.com
|
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Last Update: March 28, 2013
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