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Saturday
Arrival at Clair de Lune around 4:30 pm. After settling in a
Captain's Champagne Reception' will be served along with
introducing the crew and outlining your cruise. A short cruise
to the first evenings mooring in Villeneuve-les-Beziers
will follow.
Sunday
During the morning the barge cruises up the canal to meet the
prearranged rendezvous to ascend the seven-locks of Foncerannes in Beziers. Shortly afterwards
lunch will be served.
The afternoons
cruise involves picturesque views of the tree-lined canal as
well as the canal's only tunnel at Malpas.
You can enjoy the Jacuzzi and sundeck or perhaps cycle or walk
at your leisure. If there is enough time after mooring then
perhaps a private wine-tasting at a chateau or a visit to the Oppidum d'Enserune,
a two-thousand year old hilltop archeological city-site located
near the evenings mooring at the farm of Regismont
le Haut.
Monday
Today will begin with either a visit to the Oppidum
or wine-tasting - if no time was available the previous day -
followed by cruising to the village of Capestang where you can enjoy
lunch on deck with a lovely view of the 13th century church.
The afternoon involves lots of cruising along the meandering
canal until the evenings mooring near the village of Argeliers. Perhaps an active
guest may desire an invigorating cycle along little vineyard
tracks up to the village of Quarante
to view its thousand year old Romanesque church, a true gem of
the Languedoc region.
Tuesday
After breakfast we are off to the open-air street market in Olonzac which offers a wide variety of
foods, fresh produce and numerous merchants selling Provencal
fabrics, books, music, hardware, clothing and other dry-goods.
Depending upon the time you may want to visit the Oulibo Olive cooperative for a quick
tasting and shop in their regional products boutique or drive
up to the picturesque village of Minerve perched upon its cliff
top. It was here that during the Cathar
crusade at the beginning of the 13th century Catholic Knights
from the north burned-alive 150 Cathar
heretic priests (known as Perfects) because of their
differing faith.
Return to the
Clair de Lune for lunch followed by
cruising to near the village of Homps with stop-over in the
picturesque hamlet of Le Somail to
visit its famous used and rare bookshop and other artisan
boutiques.
Wednesday
Highlights of a morning visit to Narbonne,
founded in 118 B.C. by the Romans as their Capital in Gaul,
include the towering 13th century Gothic Cathedral and the
100-year-old covered market with its wonderful selection of
fresh seafood, fruit, vegetables, cheese and many other
delicious delicacies. There are also the chariot-rutted paving
stones of the Roman road Via Domitia
in the central square where one can enjoy an espresso or
cappuccino or visit the impressive Archaeological museum, the
Fine Arts museum or shop and browse the boutiques along the
quaint pedestrian streets.
Return to the
barge for lunch followed by cruising up through the locks to
near the village of Puicheric where we will moor for
the night.
Thursday
A morning visit to the fortified medieval town of Carcassonne. 1700 years of history
await you with its impressive double walls and 52 towers, the
Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral with its gorgeous 13th century
rose windows and the winding cobbled streets lined with
boutiques.
Lunch will be
back onboard Clair de Lune following
which you'll continue cruising up through the locks and through
the green cathedral' of overhanging trees to our mooring near
the village of Trebes.
Friday
After breakfast, disembark Clair de Lune
to be transferred to departure point for the next leg of your
travels.
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