Alouette: BÉZIERS TO CARCASSONNE

Board Alouette and prepare to be exquisitely cocooned on a relaxing, intimate adventure. Champagne is served as you meet your personal crew and guide. Take in the 360-degree views on deck and the picturesque tree-lined Canal du Midi. Your chef is busy preparing your first feast of the cruise, a spread of vibrant dishes crafted from intensely flavourful ingredients, tailored to your tastes. As delicious wines are uncorked, raise a toast to the start of a sublime vacation.

Awake to a beautiful day on the water and a breakfast of freshly baked pastries, local juices and artisan produce. Spend your first morning relaxing as you cruise along the Canal du Midi, one of the most stunning waterways in France. Lined with willows, irises and plane trees that tower over the water, its banks abound in wildlife. After a lunch that’s both rustic and refined, disembark from the barge to visit Fontfroide Abbey with your guide. This 11th -century Cistercian monastery, now privately owned, delights with its tranquil chapter hall, refectory, cloister and beautifully maintained rose garden. Back on board, enjoy a sumptuous dinner.

This morning’s cruise brings you to Le Somail, where we will spend the next two nights. This scenic mooring is in an achingly pretty canal-side port, where ivy-covered walls, humpback bridges and umbrella pines create a feast for the eyes. After lunch, your guide takes you to visit Minerve, a medieval village perched on a limestone cliff, overlooking the gorges below. Its now-ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold, besieged and captured by the infamous Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort. Return to the barge for aperitifs, dinner and captivating conversations.

This morning, visit the wonderful covered market in Narbonne, which last year was voted the most beautiful in France. Choose ingredients for your dinner and let the colours and fragrances transport you to true foodie heaven. Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city and an important wine-producing centre. The historic architecture, shady boulevards and location on the banks of the Canal de la Robine all contribute to its charm. Enjoy a traditional lunch at a bistro near the market. En route back to the Alouette in Le Somail, stop at local olive mill, where you can uncover the secrets of the nutritious oil with a private demonstration and tasting. Alternatively, visit a local winery and sample its delectable wines. Dinner is served on board.

After breakfast, relax and soak up the ever-changing views from the comfort of the deck, or perhaps walk or cycle along the towpath. During lunch on board, arrive on the outskirts of the picturesque town of Homps. This afternoon, your guide takes you to Lagrasse, considered one of the prettiest villages in France. Nestled in the foothills of the Corbières mountains with the Orbieu River snaking through it, Lagrasse has managed to preserve the treasures of its past. A magnificent Benedictine abbey, founded in the 8th century, lies beyond a 12th -century humpbacked bridge. Inside the city walls, a maze of quaint alleyways leads past artists’ galleries and gems of medieval architecture. Returning from your tour, dinner is served at a charming local restaurant.

Relax on board as you navigate your final stretch of canal this week. Admire the beautiful scenery along the Canal du Midi from the deck. After lunch, alight to tour one of Europe's largest medieval fortresses, Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, stretching about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenees are stunning. Visit the cathedral, remarkable for its stained-glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts. Back on board, your chef is preparing your farewell gala dinner. Sit out on the balmy deck and share stories as you savour seasonal delicacies.

Please check out this morning by 09:00. 

After breakfast, your crew bids you farewell as you disembark for your onward travel arrangements. We look forward to welcoming you back on board soon. 

Please note, in exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to alter the route without prior notice.