TANGO
Luxury
French barge cruises in the south of France,
along the Canal du Midi, and also Provence & Camargue
Canal du Midi
The
magnificent tree-lined Canal du Midi is Paul Riquet's engineering
wonder, completed in 1681 to link the Mediterranean to the Atlantic
Ocean bypassing the long passage around Spain. To preserve the beauty
of this masterpiece, UNESCO designated it a World Heritage Site in
1996. From the barges' sundecks you can appreciate the graceful
olive-shaped locks, unique to this canal, which enable us to climb up
and down the hilly terrain of the Languedoc-Roussillon. All along the
canal, impressive stone bridges and aqueducts reflect the handsome
Versailles architectural style of Louis XIV, the Sun King.
The
barges cruise the entire length of the Canal du Midi from the ancient
Phoenician seaport town of Agde on the Mediterranean to the beautiful
'Ville Rose' of Toulouse. The most popular stretch is between Beziers
and Carcassonne where the canal serpentines past villages and
vineyards. In mid-Summer the Carcassonne to Toulouse route offers
cruising in the shaded avenues of the famous sycamore trees, colorful
vistas of sunflower fields in full bloom and quiet back-road visits to
farmer's markets.
Provence and the
Camargue
The
majestic Rhone river is host to the sun drenched historical Provençal
riverside towns of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Avignon, Tarascon, and Arles.
The vistas of cypress and olive groves of Van Gogh's paintings come to
life as we cruise through the Camargue on the Petit Rhône river and the
Canal du Rhône-à-Sète. Wild white horses, black bulls of bullfighting
tradition and pink flamingoes wander free totally unconcerned by our
presence as we glide through France's largest wildlife reserve. The
ancient fortified town of Aigues-Mortes, and the Mediterranean fishing
ports of Sète, and Marseillan, where we are treated to mouthwatering
fresh seafood, have colorful outdoor markets and Provencal boutiques
such as Soleido. One of the most spectacular and exciting days of this
cruise is sailing alongside the Mediterranean coast on the inland salt
lake of Etang de Thau, entering the Canal du Midi at Les Onglous.
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