Your choice of bases Beaucaire The Camargue & Canal du Rhne Ste Capestang Canal du mid Castelnaudary Canal du midi Homps Canal du midi Capestang Canal du mid Castelnaudary Canal du midi
The wonderfully evocative South of France is justifiably famous for its climate, and for offering great food, fine wines and a wonderfully relaxing lifestyle.
The Camargue & Canal du Rhne Ste Pick up your cruiser in Beaucaire or St Gilles, and take a leisurely trip along the coastline, past beaches and fishing villages and surrounded by the diverse wildlife of Camargue, whose brush and marshlands are home to wild bulls, white horses and the iconic flamingo. This fascinating region is steeped in history, take a visit to the walled town of Aigues Mortes on the route of the ancient Crusades (where you can also take a horseback trek into the countryside), and be sure to explore the important trading town of Beaucaire with its rich legacies of art and architecture.
Canal du Midi The spectacular Canal du Midi was created by Pierre Paul Riquet and his 12,000-strong workforce between 1667 and 1681. It stretches along 240 tree-lined kilometres to connect Toulouse and Ste, on the Etang de Thau, a large salt-water lake famous for its mouth-watering oysters. The Canal du Midi was recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1996, and justifies all the superlatives used to describe it. From any of our bases you are perfectly-placed to explore and enjoy the spectacular route of the canal, where it passes under rustic stone bridges, through staircase locks and across stunning aqueducts, as you cruise serenely past vineyards and charming villages.
There is endless history in this Languedoc-Roussillon region; Roman monuments, Greek ruins, medieval castles and ancient villages are set amidst a patchwork of vineyards, farmlands, mountains and plateaux. Carcassonne is the largest and most impressive medieval walled town in Europe, with many well preserved towers and dungeons to explore.
Canal de la Robine The canal follows an abandoned course of Aude river meadering past wild lagoons to reach the Mediterranean coast. Travelling in the other direction it passes through nine locks to reach the Canal du Midi.
Canal Lateral a la Garonne This is an area rich in history with ever changing scenery. As you relax and cruise the canal take time to marvel at the medieval villages along the route. Magnificant scenery dotted with abbeys and cathedrals. Visit one of the lively farmers' markets or enjoy a glass of wine from a local vineyard.
Regional food and drink The cuisine of the region is pure Provenal, with its garlic and olive oil influences, smoked sausages and hams. The regional oysters are superb, and the 'bourride' fish soup is also well worth a try. There is no shortage of great wine to accompany your meal, from the complex Minervois, Fitou and Corbires reds to the sweet Muscats.
