Alegria
Welcome aboard beautiful french hotel barge Alegria. An exclusive all inclusive vacation on the Canal du Mid in the South of France. Imagine yourself relaxing on the top deck and being pampered by your crew… An exclusive, boutique hotel barge on the Canal du Midi. Alegria offers a week of relaxation, gastronomy, excellent wines, fascinating culture and magnificent landscape. Two bedrooms / accommodation for up to four guests.
Trip Highlights
- Wander through typical French villages
- Visit Malpas Tunnel, the first tunnel built in the world for a canal
- Explore Le Sommail, one of the most charming villages along the Canal. Visit a wine farm or olive Mill nearby
- Join the Captain for the Captain’s Dinner in a local auberge. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of a French restaurant!
- Wander through the bustling French market in Olonzac
- See the spectacular hilltop village of Minerve
- Tour Carcassonne – the most complete medieval fortified city in existence
Features
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![Capacity]()
Accommodates up to 4
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![Rooms]()
2 cabins with King beds (or 2 singles on request) and ensuites
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![Feature]()
Heated pool on deck
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![Kitchen]()
All meals included and prepared by your chef
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![Heating / Cooling]()
Central heating/airconditioning.
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![Bikes]()
4 x bikes
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![WiFi]()
Wi-fi Connection
Gallery
On Board
Itinerary
Saturday
We have the pleasure of welcoming you at the airport or at the railway station (from 4pm) and transfering you to Alegria, moored in Poilhes, 10 miles from Béziers. After the crew is introduced to you and after you settle down, you are served a welcome Champagne drink while we start cruising slowly along the Canal. After a u-turn we come back to the mooring of Poilhes. You can slowly stroll through this lovely village of less than 500 inhabitants before you are proposed some apéritifs… We serve your first dinner onboard and spend the night in Poilhes, our “home mooring”.
Sunday
On this Sunday morning our guide proposes you a “multi-site” excursion: the City of Béziers, the famous “stair case” of the Nine Locks of Fonsérane, the archeological (6th century BC) site of the Oppidum of Ensérune, and the Malpas Tunnel, the first tunner built in the world for a canal. After the lunch (or during lunch… depending on the weather conditions) you cruise to La Croisade and pass underneath the lowest bridge on the Canal: the famous bridge of Capestang. Mind you head! This 18km cruise is typical with its numerous meanders: yes the Canal actually looks like a River! After this four-hour cruise the dinner is served onboard and you spend the night in a restful place, a stone’s throw away from … an old 17th century stone bridge.
Monday
In the morning we cruise slowly to Le Sommail, one of the most charming villages along the Canal. Should you need a book for the week you can buy one from a unique book shop that has approximately 50 000 second-hand books in stock … in many different languages! In the afternoon you may chose to relax on the barge, roam around, cycle, etc but we also propose you to visit a wine farm or an olive mill nearby, or any other site that might suit your wishes. At the end of the day you are invited for the Captain’s Dinner in a local auberge. It’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere of a French restaurant!
Tuesday
In the morning you go to one of the best market in the region, in Olonzac. Youcan look and buy anything you wish, from a provençal table cloth to special olives locally grown (well… we have some on board too!). Then the guide takes you to Minerve, a fascinating site and a previously fortified village in a very special rocky environment. Minerve was attacked in 1210 by the terrible army led by Simon de Montfort: the right time for us to tell you everything about the Crusade of the Albigeois in the 13th Century, one of the harshest stories of our past … The afternoon cruise takes you to the typical Minervois village of Roubia for the overnight mooring. The dinner is served onboard.
Wednesday
In the morning you visit a beautiful town, Narbonne. Narbonne is full of Roman history and includes the “Palace of the Archbishop”. You will love its Mediterranean and Gothic style. And … you will be offered lunch there in a typical restaurant that has some fish specialties. After lunch you are driven back to the barge for the afternoon cruise. You pass your first lock after Roubia and we cruise to the port of Homps, one of the busiest harbors in the old times of the Canal commercial era.
Thursday
In the morning you visit the great City of Carcassonne, the biggest medieval City in Europe. You are just fascinated by the size of the walls and the narrow streets inside. You are right there in the middle of French history! There also many shops where you can buy typical souvenirs to bring back to friends or children. After lunch you embark on the last leg of the cruise for the week, from Homps to the area of Puichéric. You pass the last lock of the cruise and you can admire the wooden and iron sculptures made by the most famous lock-keeper on the Canal. The barge is moored just on top of this most beautiful lock. You spend your last night onboard Alegria after the Farewell Dinner prepared by our Chef.
Friday
After your breakfast, it is unfortunately time to conclude this unforgettable cruise. We transfer you back to the airport or railway station … so that you can continue your adventure in Europe or wherever!!!
Rate Includes
- Transfer from the railway station or the nearest airport and return.
- Accommodation in a cabin fitted with a king size bed or two single beds.
- Service in the cabin, the use of a bar-fridge and the complimentary drinks inside, a kettle and tray with teas and coffee.
- All meals served both on board Alegria and in outside restaurants (two meals with the Week Cruise; one with the Discovery Cruise). All the pre-drinks and beverages with the meals.
- Open bar : all drinks offered on board Alegria.
- Excursions as mentioned above, including the guide and the entrance fees. The use of a computer with internet connections, free of charge, through a 3G+ USB modem.
- The use of bicycles and stand-up paddle.
Does not Include
- Any insurance.
- Personal expenses.
- The gratuities to the crew (we recommend between 5 and 10% of the cruise rate depending on your level of satisfaction, payable in Euros to the Captain and then shared between all).
- Your own dry laundry or ironing.
- Telephone calls apart from the internet connections.
| Alegria - Value Season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Value Season | Start | End |
| Dates | 13 April 2019 | 3 May 2019 |
| Dates | 13 July 2019 | 9 August 2019 |
| Dates | 12 October 2019 | 25 October 2017 |
| Booking Type | Total Cost | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 2 Guests | 15600€ | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 3 Guests | 16000€ | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 4 Guests | 16400€ | |
| Alegria - High Season | ||
|---|---|---|
| High Season | Start | End |
| Dates | 4 May 2019 | 12 July 2019 |
| Dates | 10 August 2019 | 11 October 2019 |
| Booking Type | Total Cost | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 2 Guests | 17600€ | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 3 Guests | 18100€ | |
| Week Cruise/Exclusive Charter for 4 Guests | 18600€ |
Payment Terms
- Deposit of 25% of the cost of the cruise for confirming the booking.
- The balance of 75% has to be paid 90 days prior the departure date of the cruise.
- The payment of the deposit means that these conditions have been accepted
Contact us for further information. We would love to use our experience to help you plan the Canal du Midi barge holiday to remember!
Alegria Availability
- Available
- Booked
