SEVEN DAYS / SIX NIGHTS
The 6-passenger Saint Louis welcomes you aboard for a cruise through the beautiful heartland of southwest France. It is a key part of our style on board to arrange the cruise and the excursions to suit your own personal preferences. We have the flexibility to make modifications, even at short notice, to fit in with your wishes and interests.
The facilities on board the Saint Louis are all designed to make your time with us as comfortable and interesting as possible. The three large cabins can be configured with twin beds or a queen bed and all have ensuite bathrooms. There is a comfortable salon and dining area with large picture windows for viewing the passing scenery and a small library, with a range of reference and fiction books, and a selection of indoor games for those rare rainy days.
We cruise on the canal and river system between Bordeaux and Toulouse. This is the first part of the route taken by Rick Stein on his barge trip joining the Canal du Midi at Toulouse, when he filmed the British TV series "French Odyssey." It is a region of rural calm, mediaeval villages, Roman art, some of the finest fruit in Europe, and of course in the Bordeaux area many of the finest vineyards in the world. We can guide you to these places and help you enjoy a wide range of activities on-board and on-shore; we can take you to wine tastings at some of the best vineyards in France, or you can simply sit back and relax on the terrace deck watching the world slip slowly by.
Let us take you to some of the more interesting places in this part of France. One of our favorites is Moissac, "City of Roman Art." The area abounds in other Roman works - bridges, washhouses, cloisters, etc. There are scores of Bastides (mediaeval fortified towns), many in a superb state of preservation as well as more recent chateaux and churches. There are also some impressive examples of canal engineering -- such as the water-slope at Montech, and the aqueducts at Moissac and Agen. Man's history in southwest France for the last 2,000 years, sometimes surprising and often turbulent, has left a rich legacy of architecture. If you find this particularly interesting, we can always arrange for a specialized history guide to join us for part of the cruise. We can also introduce you to a wide variety of cultural events, ranging from country markets to classical concerts as well as summer festivals. There is also a collection of Goya masterpieces on display in Agen. Perhaps you are interested in museums -- there is even a Cadillac museum, a Prune museum, and a Foie Gras museum!
For the more active, the Saint Louis offers a range of options. We carry six bicycles on board, for leisurely rides along the towpath or for exploring local villages. Tennis is a possibility - we have racquets on board, and we have made arrangements to play at various tennis clubs en-route. There are several golf courses in the area, and you can choose between taking the occasional game of golf or coming on one of our specialized Golf Cruises. If you want to do other things, let us know, it's your holiday! We carry equipment on board for the French game of Petanque. Or perhaps walking is your passion - this part of France is crossed by the main pilgrim's route of Santiago de Compostela, which since the 9th century has been one of the most important pilgrim routes in Christendom.
Many of our guests would consider a holiday in this area incomplete without savoring some of the really excellent wines produced here. We can take you to tastings in top-quality vineyards of world renown, or we can offer you a special Wine Cruise. The wines from South West France include traditional production areas such as Gaillac, Fronton, Cahors, Saint Sardos, and Buzet. Most of these areas were established in Roman times, and Gaillac is France’s second oldest wine area. For the most part, wine producers in this area are small, artisan-type producers, who do not have large marketing budgets. However, wine experts around the world are becoming increasingly interested in these previously little known wine areas. We select for our guests a fine selection of wines that are the best of South West France.
The superb food on board will very largely be based on traditional recipes from this region of France, with ingredients obtained fresh from local suppliers on a daily basis. Magret, foie gras and seafood will thus be among the basics of our cuisine. The food and the ambiance will be added to with a twist of our native Scotland. Dietary wishes, and special dietary needs, will always be well catered for. All meals will be served with quality wines. The bar will be stocked with a range of excellent aperitifs, as well as some superb malt whiskies from Scotland.
We had a wonderful time on the barge. The crew was fabulous. This is our fifth trip so we may not be the "average" barge tripper. Anyway we thoroughly enjoyed seeing a different part of France. We were on this barge in 2001. The new owners have done a wonderful job of decorating the boat. We enjoyed the informality of the Wylie crew. Barbara's son, Fraser, entertained us with an evening of guitar playing and put up with our attempt at singing some favorites. We were very happy with Alisdair's choice of wines. We supplemented it with some bottles we bought from a local winemaker which we happened upon on a bike ride. Barbara's cooking was great - simple yet very tasty.
--C.S.
Feedback from an agent following their clients' cruise:
"They had a marvelous time. They came back to their travel agent with a glowing report of their week with you. It looks like, as always, you and Alasdair went 'above and beyond' and provided them with everything possible! They loved your meals and all the sightseeing excursions. They were wowed with everything —- especially your personal touch."
Email from a guest on board last year, just recently received:
"We do miss you all and have the loveliest memories of that heavenly trip with you."
Feedback from an agent following their clients' cruise:
"She said this was the experience of a lifetime. She was amazed at the level of service and catering that Alasdair and Barbara provided to her family ... She thought Barbara's cooking was fabulous, and she loved the excursions."
Visitors’ Book entry, summer 2009:
"The cruise was perfect! It was exactly what we were hoping for."
Saturday
We meet around 3 pm, often in Toulouse, and we travel by car to the Saint Louis. We pass through Granade and Grisolles on the way, and admire the central market square in both villages. On arrival at Saint Louis' home port, you are greeted with a champagne reception on board. After unpacking, the options include a visit to the local Artisan Distillery (making renowned aqua vita and liqueurs from local fruits), or a stroll around the charming town of Montech, or maybe a game of petanque (boules) beside the boat.
Sunday
After breakfast, we take the car for an excursion around Montauban, city of art and culture. We see statues by local artist Bourdelle, Along the Canal de Garronewe explore cobbled streets leading to the gorgeous central square, and we admire the 13th century Pont Vieux (Old Bridge) with its superb garrison building. We return to the boat, and have lunch under way as we head to Montech, passing through one lock before joining the main Canal de Garonne. At Montech, we pass down the extraordinary Montech Water Slope, an engineering marvel that is unique in the world. After cruising for the afternoon, we moor in the beautiful port of Castelsarrasin.
Monday
We head off down the canal after breakfast, and after descending four locks we cross over the River Tarn by means of an amazing brick-built aqueduct, 30 meters over the river. A few more locks and we arrive in the port of Moissac. After lunch, you are taken to one of the highlights of the trip - Moissac Abbey with its Cloisters that are said to be the finest in the world, and the 13th century church which contains a 10th century organ.
Tuesday
We have breakfast on deck, while passing through the swing-bridge of Moissac emerging into lovely countryside, with rolling hills to the right and the River Garonne to the left. In time for lunch we moor at the peaceful port of Pommevic - normally we expect to be the only boat in the port! During the morning we could pass numerous pilgrims making their way on Christendom's third most important pilgrimage route to the burial site of Saint James at Santiago di Compostella, which is still 1200 km away at this point. In the afternoon, we go in the car to nearby Auvillar, listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France. This village has a history in which the manufacture and export of china and quills (for writing) were of major importance - as so often we see the influence that the River Garonne had as a trade artery in the world of commerce of yesteryear.
Wednesday
We head off in the morning, having breakfast on the deck under the plane trees. We pass through Valence, and moor for lunch at Lamagistere, surrounded by nothing but views and peace. In the afternoon, we go to nearby Donzac, where there is an amazing museum dedicated to the ancient trades of this corner of France - this is a world class display, put together with professionalism and humour. Later, we visit the ancient Bastide village of Dunes, with lovely half-timbered houses and historical wall plaques.
Thursday
In the morning, we go in the car to nearby Clermont-Soubiran, where we have views over the whole Valley of the Garonne, and where a walk around the outside of the chateau never fails to impress. We then return to the boat, and cruise down into the provincial city of Agen, where we moor beside well-tended lawns under the houses of some of the city's big merchants. If time permits, we visit the Museum of Fine Arts, right in the middle of old Agen, which has an amazing collection that includes a number of Goyas, and a fine Egyptian and Levant collection.
Friday
After a leisurely breakfast on the Saint Louis, you are taken by car back to your connection in Toulouse, passing through deep rural countryside with fruit orchards, sunflowers and vineyards.
Other possible visits include:
--A wine tasting at a Fronton vineyard - one of south west France's hidden secrets.
--The Abbey de Belleperche, just beside the mighty River Garonne.
--A genuine Roman bridge - hidden away and not part of any tourist route.
--The Bastide town of Lauzerte - full of history and surprises.
--The 11th century church at Lachappelle - modified in a baroque style and unique in France.
--A working goat farm, where you can see a commercial herd of goats being milked, and the milk made into cheese.
--A museum to Lamothe-Cadillac, in the house of his birth - this is the man who founded Detroit and whose name and coat of arms appears on many cars today.
--A visit to an extraordinary winery in Cotes de Brulhois, that has been in the same family for 300 years and where innovative wines from the early 1700's are once again being produced.
Note: This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. It runs in reverse on alternate weeks. Saint Louis will make every effort to tailor a cruise to the interests and wishes of the guests on board. There will always be the opportunity to walk or cycle along the towpath, to stroll around local villages, to fish, to play petanque, or just to lie back and do nothing! Equally, we can always arrange wine tastings at some of the fine local vineyards, or excursions to other places of interest.
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*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.
| SAINT LOUIS 2012 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS | |
|---|---|
| ACCOMMODATION | REGULAR Apr 7 thru Oct 19 |
| Cabin (per person, double occupancy) |
$4,189 |
| Single Occupancy Supplement |
$1,257 |
| Charter for 4 |
$21,156 |
| Charter for 5 |
$22,572 |
| Charter for 6 |
$23,994 |
What's Included
- 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in cabins with private baths
- Transfers from Toulouse to the barge and return
- All meals beginning with dinner on Saturday through breakfast on Friday, including any meals on shore with wine as selected by the captain.
- Wines with lunches and dinners on board
- Open bar
- All escorted side-excursions
- Use of bicycles and other on-board equipment
What's Not Included
- Overseas air transportation to Paris and return or from Paris to the Toulouse area and return.
- Suggested minimum 5% gratuity for the crew, to be paid to the captain in equivalent Euros
- Travel or health insurance
- Personal items and purchases on shore
- Optional excursions such as golf, etc.
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