My journey aboard The Athos was nothing short of magical—filled with incredible service, unforgettable meals, and some of the most breathtaking scenery in France. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-time visitor, here’s why a Canal du Midi barge cruise should be on your list this summer.
Five Reasons to Enjoy a Luxury Barge Cruise This Summer
1. The Superb Service
I like people. I meet them easily, enjoy socializing in new situations, and am not afraid of traveling alone or meeting new people. Yet, I learned something new about being in the hospitality business. The Athos crew was so natural. They greeted us warmly and genuinely and made us feel special, but they didn’t overdo it. Plenty of laughter, joking, and banter while professionally respecting our need for time and space.
2. Amazing Food and Wine
Our meals were simply sublime. I was unprepared for how good it was going to be, meal after inspired meal. Part of the French cuisine scene is that they don’t serve overly large portions. Despite the fact that we did have sit-down four-course meals twice a day, I didn’t really feel “stuffed.”
I asked Emma, our chef, how she kept emerging from the tiny galley with inspired meals, one after another. So typical of this barge’s staff, she just smiled and said, “I don’t really know. I just wake up and head for the market and an idea emerges.”
To whet your appetite, take a look at this menu:
- Entrée: Fennel, apple, walnut & Roquefort salad
- Plat Principal: Toulouse sausage with tomato, red onion & parsley
- Fromage: Morbiers, Bress Bleu
- Dessert: Brioche pudding with apricot & orange
- Wine Pairing: Château La Voulte Gasparet, Corbières, 2013
Learning about French wine & cheese on the Canal du Midi barge cruise
3. Sightseeing & Activities
I must admit to being a reluctant tour guide traveler. It conjures up visions of large buses of elderly tourists being shepherded in and out of towns, snapping photos. Not so, not so, not so for our visits!
In our case, Mathieu, our bilingual tour guide, was just a hoot. We learned to distinguish Roman from Gothic architecture and, after much prompting, could even remember some of the more important historical players (like Paul Richet, who more or less single-handedly built the Canal du Midi). But there was also plenty of teasing and a neck-to-neck pétanque competition on our final day.
4. Slow Travel
International Property Shares is really about the slow travel lifestyle, isn’t it? Relationships with your community, your town or village, living more in the moment… When you sail from Argeliers to Marseillan, a distance of 50 km, and it takes six days, you do slow down. You smell the roses; savor the rain, the sun, the emerging grapevines, and the experience.
5. Knowledge & Connection to France
After spending a week learning more about the history of Carcassonne, the Via Domitia de Narbonne, the doors of Pézenas, and the dedication it takes for the Capestang vintners, Château de Vanho, to stake their claim to really good wine, it all becomes part of the fabric of why I love France. The reason I come here year after year.
After this barge trip, I am grateful for knowing more about the food, the wine, the history, the rhythms of this, my second home.
The Barging Experience: What’s It Really Like?
As I stepped aboard The Athos barge, I looked forward to visiting the Minervois region of southern France again but in the slower, more luxurious way that a barge cruise offers—one lazy bend of the canal after another. My family always thinks of this corner of the world as “home” since we spent a year here in 2003 so that our children could really master speaking French.
Life on the Canal du Midi
You may know that life in the Languedoc very much follows the seasons. As April sunshine warms the vines and new green buds appear, the barge boats that have been dry-docked since the fall begin preparing for the summer season. All the woodwork is sanded and varnished, the interiors freshly painted, and the hull gets cleaned, sorted, and readied for the barging season.
The Athos is 30 meters long with five en-suite cabins, a central open dining area/salon with large windows offering plenty of light. It also has a full kitchen, living quarters for the crew, and, of course, the deck, where we lounged about a good deal of time.
As we entered to drop off our bags, I could appreciate all the special touches: fresh flowers in each cabin, specialty chocolates and toiletries, champagne chilling on the bar with candles lit for our first meal together.
“Hmm—this is going to be fun!” I thought.
The Scenic Way to See the Canal du Midi
Each of our meals was paired with French wines and cheeses, and either Mariana or Joueja, our two hostesses, explained their features and why they were chosen.
For the first evening, a Château La Voulte Gasparet was paired with the scallop entrée, followed by a Château Ollieux Romanis, Cuvée Classique 2012.
Visiting various sights each day with our light-hearted and knowledgeable tour guide was one of the Athos barge highlights. Every evening, Mathieu would show up after cocktails to tell us about the program for the following day. Of course, we were always free to lounge on the deck of our barge, watching walkers go by, other boats heading our direction, while enjoying our slow journey through narrow bridges and along endless vineyards.
Around the next bend… another lock keeper waiting to help our crew tie up and navigate our way to a lower waterway.
The South of France is Steeped in History
Some of our must-see visits included:
- Spending the morning at the Castle of Carcassonne, where Mathieu retold the story of its role during the 13th century when the Papal army forced its citizens to surrender.
- A lazy day in Capestang, visiting St. Etienne Cathedral and admiring the many boats (péniches) moored quayside.
- The famous site of a 10-week siege by Simon de Montfort during the Cathar Crusades, set in an astonishingly beautiful landscape.
- A lively morning in Narbonne, where we explored the Via Domitia, shopped, and watched a chef shout out his meat orders to the butchers, who then tossed the wrapped meat across the aisle.
- A visit to the Noilly Prat Vermouth factory in Marseillan, where we learned how sun exposure naturally deepens the flavor of the wine.
- A cruise past the estuaries of the “Petit Camargue”, enjoying fresh mussels and oysters on board.
Barge Lady Cruises: Your Go-To Barge Experts
Barge Lady Cruises are my go-to people for super service and really good vibes. They also bring over 25 years of barging experience into the fold.
Trust me, you can count on them! Be sure to tell them that Ginny sent you.
