Luxury Hotel Barge Cruise on France's Canal du Midi

The Canal du Midi: A Historic Waterway

• 🏞️ The Canal du Midi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a 360 km canal in southern France connecting the Atlantic to the Mediterranean.
• 🏗️ Considered a major industrial accomplishment of the 1600s, it features 328 locks, aqueducts, and tunnels, originally for freight and now for tourists.
• 💧 Water for the canal is supplied by a reservoir near Carcassonne, and it has been in continuous operation since its completion in 1681.

Luxury Hotel Barge Experience

• 🚢 The Al Chante is a luxury hotel barge offering a unique way to experience the canal, distinct from smaller European barges or English narrowboats.
• 🛠️ This barge was originally a freight barge, cut in half and shortened to fit the canal's locks, and is so large it requires a shade to be lowered to pass under bridges.
• 🛌 Accommodations include four spacious passenger cabins with en-suite bathrooms, a comfortable lounge area, and a dining room with an open kitchen.

Daily Life and Excursions

• ⏰ Canal operations have specific hours, with locks opening at 9:00 AM, closing for lunch, and reopening until 5:30 PM, requiring careful scheduling for all boats.
• 🚴 Foldable bikes are available on deck for passengers to explore the areas where the barge moors, which can be for a few hours or overnight.
• 🍽️ Meals are a highlight, with a three-course lunch and a four-course dinner prepared by an onboard chef, featuring local produce and wines.

Exploring the Region and History

• 🏰 The cruise includes excursions to historical sites such as Carcassonne, a remarkably preserved medieval walled fortress with Roman origins.
• ✝️ The region's history includes the Cathars, a group considered heretical, and the Albigensian Crusade, with significant sites like the besieged town of Minerve.
• 🍇 Excursions also feature local produce, including olive oil tasting at a cooperative and visits to vineyards for wine tasting, highlighting the region's agricultural richness.

Unique Aspects of Canal Cruising

• 🌳 The canal was originally lined with plane trees for shade to prevent water loss, though many have succumbed to fungus, leading to more sunny conditions and the necessity of onboard sunshades.
• 💡 The canal influenced the construction of the Erie Canal in the US, with Thomas Jefferson touring the Canal du Midi and sharing information.
• 🔄 A memorable event was watching the 100-foot barge being turned around in a narrow section of the canal by maneuvering its nose into a small stream, a testament to the crew's skill.