Luxury Barge Cruise on European Waterways

www.Gobarging.com is how I learned about one of the finest adventures my husband and I have ever experienced, bar none! I had heard about Barge Trips in many different locations in Europe, but I never knew what to expect from a river barge. I am from the south and the barges I am familiar with are moving slowly down the Mississippi River. I would never have been able to imagine the ultimate luxury, elegance, comfort and hospitality I was going to experience on this trip. I will start from the beginning.

After an overnight flight from Atlanta we finally arrived in Paris. After spending a few days in Paris we took a train to Béziers, located in the south of France near the Mediterranean Sea. Of course you can drive or fly but train travel in Europe is not only practical, but timely, relaxing and economical. I highly recommend getting a Euro Pass when traveling anywhere in Europe, go to www.RailEurope.com where there is easy access to travel information and a place to purchase Euro Passes online.

After our short four-hour trip to Béziers, we loaded into a taxi, which took us to the Chateau de Lignan Hotel, a former castle and our designated meeting spot for the barge pick-up. Since we arrived a little early we enjoyed our first gourmet meal at the hotel and had the opportunity to meet the two other couples, Frank and Becky from Oregon and Joe and Barbara from Pennsylvania, our barge mates. Promptly at 4:00 pm, as arranged, we were met by our Captain, Rupert, in a very comfortable 8 passenger air conditioned van and transported to the Anjodi (An-jo-dee), our home away from home for the next seven days. This is where our ultimate luxury adventure begins.

Our trip on the Anjodi was about to take us along a portion of the Canal du Midi located in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. The Languedoc area is sometimes referred to as France’s “second Mediterranean” stretching along the coast west from the Rhone to the Pyrenees Mountains. The Roussillon area is a small region forming the Pyrenees Orientales department, which is the “East Pyrenees” region.

After a short drive to the coast we arrived at the location where the Anjodi and crew were awaiting our arrival. Boarding the barge we were greeted with Champagne and tasty appetizers to entice our taste buds for the gourmet meals we would be treated to for the remainder of our journey. We were also introduced to our crew, who all spoke English fluently. James our tour guide and wine coinsurer, Grace, our hostess and cheese expert; Toni, our chef and, of course, Rupert our captain, who was very well versed in the history and wines of the region. We were then escorted to our cabins to familiarize and get settled into our living quarters. Our cabin was extremely modern, clean and comfortable with all the amenities including air conditioning, excellent drawer storage space and a private bathroom with shower. No TV or telephone necessary. After all, we were here for the wine, food and the view! The cruise on the Anjodi focuses on regional wine, cheese and food pairings as well as educating guests on the history of the area. Since my husband Kevin is a wine collector and enthusiast and I love to eat, we were in euphoria. Once the luggage was stowed and the guests were ready to explore the Captain set out for Sète, only a short distance away. Sète is a very quaint seaside resort and one of the largest ports on the French Mediterranean coast. Once we arrived, dinner was not scheduled until 8:30pm, we decided to take a stroll to admire the beautiful architecture and visit some of the local shops. By the way, all of those stories you may have heard about the French people not being very friendly are simply not true. No matter where we went or to whom we spoke, everyone went out of his or her way to help. So leave the notions of the haughty French at home. Upon our return we found our barge mates on deck taking in the spectacular sunset and sipping local wines. The dining table was elegantly set with china, silver and candlelight. It was large enough to seat 8-10 comfortably and still have room for service. Each evening James presented local wines and gave a brief description and background of the wine that accompanied each course. Toni had prepared a gourmet meal with fresh produce and ingredients normally purchased that morning at the local market and always included delicious French bread and pastries. Our meal always ended with an artisanal of cheeses from various areas of Europe including a very informative narration from Grace about the history and composition of each cheese. After a brief visit topside with our new friends and a vista of the moon upon the water, we decided to turn in and rest up for the next day’s adventure.

We awoke early with full anticipation of what was ahead. Once showered and shaved we ascended to the dining room where we found fresh squeezed orange juice and the aroma of coffee in the air. Toni and Grace were just returning from la patisserie with fresh baked goods, fruits and other goodies. It was a glorious day! The weather was perfect, about 70°, with clear skies. Soon everyone was up and ready to get the day started. We enjoyed a delightful continental breakfast, including chocolate croissants, where James briefed us about the activities planned for the day. We gathered our cameras, hats, put on our walking shoes and headed for the van for some sightseeing. James is 24 years old, with British parents but a native of the area and extremely knowledgeable about its history. We drove up the mountain to Le Mont Saint-Clair, approximately 607 ft. high and composed of limestone, with a panoramic view of the port of Sète, the oyster beds, the Etang de Thau and on this clear day, the Cèvennes to the Pyrenees. We stopped on our way back in Sète where we wandered through the streets and fresh markets for shopping. Along the canal that runs through the town we saw water jousting boats, a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages that takes place every August 25^th, the French celebrated holiday, St. Louis Day. This was a fight between married men and bachelors in front of an enthusiastic crowd. The winner was considered a celebrity in their village for the next year. What a beautiful village, however, it was time to head back to the boat for lunch, where Toni prepared a feast of the freshest ingredients: Fresh oysters prepared three ways, steamed mussels and fresh salad served buffet style was on the menu. Rupert presented us with a Rosé wine from the region with a full explanation of its origin.

Once fed we got ready for our cruise through The Etang du Thau, which is 11 miles long by 3 miles wide and is like an inland sea where we passed very closely to the oyster beds, an amazing sight in itself. We headed for the village of Marseillan, where we toured the Noilly Prat cellars; explored the area and docked for the night before we cruised up the Canal du Midi. The next morning we awoke to another clear crisp day and I couldn’t leave the south of France without swimming in the Mediterranean, or at least an inlet to the sea. This was also apparently a tradition with our crew. Toni, the ultimate chef, is from South Africa, she too is only 24, very accomplished and talented. Toni had also trained in swimming for the Olympics at one time. So the race was on. Toni, Grace, James, Kevin, Frank and I all dove in headed for the buoy. Needless to say, after about 30 minutes of swimming and still less than half the way there, Kevin and I let the others go on while we floated and savored the moment of being in the Mediterranean. After a typical French breakfast of fresh pastries, fruit and coffee we got ready for our next adventure traveling up the Canal du Midi, to the village of Portiragnes. As we headed up the canal we begin to realize the size of the barge in comparison to the size of the canal. The Anjodi is 100 feet long and one of the largest vessels specifically designed to navigate the 300-year-old canal. A classic Dutch design, the Anjodi was very tastefully refurbished with rich hardwood paneling; polished brass fixtures with comfortable furnishings to make her guests feel at home. The sun deck is very spacious and perfect for cruising and sight seeing with a teak wood table, padded chairs and large sun umbrellas. There is also a full-size, heated, sunken Jacuzzi and 8 touring bikes for our leisure.

As we cruised, we got a real feel for the countryside and culture of the area. The French people love life. They take time to enjoy their surroundings and spend time with their family and love ones. We constantly encountered families biking along the towpath beside the canal, couples young and old strolling hand in hand and children waving as we passed by. We passed under several bridges that were barely wide enough or high enough for the Anjodi to pass through. There were some areas where we had to lay down the sun umbrellas and Rupert even had to remove the steering wheel to clear the bridge arch. It was along this route we encountered a three-door lock with a turntable connecting The Canal du Midi with the Canal de Béziers. As we continued along we were taken with the continuous fields of grape vines that stretch across the horizon. Once we passed Libron and the series of overflow channels that are designed to isolate the canal in the event of a flood, we reached an area with a canopy of plane trees and paused for lunch. After another superb lunch it was time to head on to Portirangnes approximately 5 miles away. Rupert mentioned that this would be a good time to go biking if we were interested. Since the speed limit on the canal was between 3-5 miles and hour we would have plenty of time for sight-seeing along the way. Frank, Becky, Kevin and I decided we were up for the task while the others decided to relax and enjoy the sights from the barge. The path along the canal was well maintained and easy to navigate since it is flat most of the way. We arrived before the barge so we had an opportunity to explore. Kevin and I found a wine co-op, which is a wholesale store that represents several wineries. We were able to sample several wines and make some purchases. We joined Becky and Frank, found a café along the canal, and enjoyed a drink while we waited for the Anjodi to arrive, what a great afternoon we had! We watched as the Anjodi drifted by and as we caught up on the other side of the bridge, they were pulling in to our stop for the night. GoBarging has a great relationship with businesses along the canal, as well as the lockmasters. They have established locations where there are electrical hook-ups so we didn’t have to depend on the generator each night for power. Prior to dinner we enjoyed a glass of wine from the area, a few light appetizers and lively conversation with our barge mates. We all adjourned to the dining room for another one of Toni’s culinary experiences, which included a presentation from James about our wines for the evening. Grace our charming hostess, is a Jack-of-all-trades. She was there each morning for breakfast service and while we dined she would sneak into our staterooms to clean and there were many times she would step in as first mate to Captain Rupert and help out at the locks and even navigation. However, Grace was the master of my favorite course at dinner, the cheese course, which is served at the end of each meal. Gracie, as I called her, was the youngest member of the crew at 21, from Perth, Wales, England and very well versed in cheeses of Europe. After dinner, we decided to relax in the Jacuzzi, enjoy an aperitif and the full moon above before turning in.

Everyone was excited this morning because James was taking us to Carcassonne, a fortified medieval city, which is said to have provided Walt Disney with his vision for Sleeping Beauty’s castle. The origins of Carcassonne date back to the 4^th Century BC and in the 19^th Century, the city was saved by Prosper Mérrimée and restored by the architect Viollet-le-Duc. The ramparts, a broad embankment raised as a fortification and usually surmounted by a parapet, cover a total of 2 miles, with 52 towers and drawbridges can all be visited by foot. Upon arrival, we took a tour of the towers and The Cathedral of Saint-Nazaire consecrated in 1096 with stain glass windows from the 13^th century. After the tour we all split up and ventured out on our own for shopping and sight seeing. Kevin and I happened upon the Hotel De Le Cite, a quaint and beautiful hotel within the walls of Carcassonne and a member of Leading Small Hotels of the World. It was time to meet up with the rest of the gang, and we had no idea how to get back to our meeting spot so we started to wander. Within minutes we came to the square and found our group relaxing at a sidewalk café enjoying a refreshing beverage. We also had the opportunity to see a beautiful owl, a pet of one of the residents. While we were out venturing, Rupert and the crew moved the barge into position to ascend the Locks of Fontsèranes the next morning. There are designated times each day that barge traffic can ascend or descend the series of 8 locks which transported the 100 foot barge up approximately 83 feet. The Locks of Fontséranes attract people from all over to watch in awe as the boats and barges go through a process that takes approximately one hour from entrance to exit. Once through the series of locks we enjoyed a leisure morning cruise, this portion of the canal was very peaceful, with the beautiful plane trees lining the bank providing shade as we cruised. Napoleon Bonaparte was credited for commissioning the planting of 40,000 plane trees along the canal. We soon approached Béziers, the wine-trading capital of the region, where we passed through the Aqueduc de l’Orb built in 1854, which is a canal going over a river. Here we had a bird’s eye view of the Cathedral of Saint-Nazaire. From here we found a good spot along the canal where we would have lunch and stay for the evening. In the afternoon we enjoyed some free time to do some shopping, sightseeing, relaxing or simply people watch from the deck of the barge. For a change, we had dinner at La Raffinerie, a restaurant in Béziers, located on the banks of the Canal du Midi. La Raffinerie, a sulphur refinery at one time, which is a prime element for wine growers. This gave the staff a night off to do some shopping and preparations for the following week as well as our farewell dinner our last night.

Our last day, we woke up a little sad realizing we did not want the adventure to end. We savored the morning, lingering over breakfast, before going out on another educational experience with James. Loading into the van we headed for the hills to Colombiers, to explore l’Oppidum D`Enserune, a pre-Roman settlement dating from 600 B.C. From there, was a spectacular view of Montady Lake, which was drained a few centuries ago for farming and is visible from space. We spent some time browsing the Archeological Museum before James rounded us up to head back to the barge for lunch. Once we returned to the barge, I decided to take a peek at what special surprise Toni had planned for us. I was totally amazed at the meals that came from this tiny kitchen; it took someone very organized and creative to be able to produce the culinary delights that we experienced during our stay. Once wined and dined, Captain Rupert cast off and headed for Poilhes where we later spent the night.

Before reaching the village of Poilhes, we went through the Malpas tunnel, the world’s oldest canal tunnel and considered to be one of the most impressive engineering feats of the canal of its time. At 577 feet long, the tunnel was very primitively dug through sandstone. After a short time we arrived at our final destination, but James had one more adventure up his sleeve for us. Before our farewell dinner we were treated to a wine tasting at the Domain de Guery. We had the pleasure of meeting the proprietor who gave us a very informative tour including a demonstration of an antique belt driven grape crushing machine. We purchased several bottles of his wine and he even autographed one for me. What a charming place and a very charming man. When we returned to the barge, Toni and Grace had prepared some delicious appetizers, so we all made a toast to the crew and reminisced about our week on the Canal du Midi. Rupert joined us for dinner making it was a very special evening for all. When the meal ended, James, Toni and Grace joined us on deck for a nightcap and some lively conversation.

Morning came early and there was packing to do before breakfast. We enjoyed one of Toni’s famous breakfasts, said our good-byes, and loaded into the van to be taken to the train station for our trip back to Paris. It was hard to believe our time was over, but we all vowed to do this again.

There are so many places in Europe we want to explore and there is no other way we would want to go than Go Barging with European Waterways. Au revoir! (Good bye)

Go Barging not only has trips all over France, but Italy, Germany, Scotland, England, Ireland and even combination trips. Their rates are very affordable with all-inclusive packages. All accommodations are first-class with the comfort, luxury and attention you will not forget. Send for your brochure today and go to www.gobarging.com and start planning an adventure of a lifetime.