Classic France River Cruise – Gascony

Description

Gascony is a peaceful region with bold colours and flavours, making for an incredibly beautiful holiday destination. With orchards and vineyards alike to visit, you’ll get a taste of the real France when you book your hotel barge in Gascony. There are many stunning locations to visit when you get off of the beaten track and instead take to the rivers and canals of Gascony.
The “Canal des Deux Mers”, comprising the Canal de Garonne and the Canal du Midi, links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. This gives the region of L’Occitanie stunning colours and scenery, with fields of sunflowers and more to enjoy.
You’ll cruise through Gascony along the Canal du Garonne, exploring medieval fortified ‘bastides’ like Valance d’Agen, before heading to the quaint villages and farms of the region to sample local produce. Take the 1,000-foot aqueduct over the River Tarn and sail under weeping willows. It will make for an incredible journey, so book your Gascony river cruise now for the holiday of a lifetime.
Gascony Cruise Highlights
The Rosa classic cruise in Gascony is a classic for a reason. She will take you to some of the most amazing locations, and we are always updating our itinerary to ensure you get the best experience. The direction of the cruise will vary on alternate weeks, but you’ll still experience the best that Gascony has to offer.
Starting in Montauban, close to the beginning of the Canal de Garonne, you’ll visit an artisanal dairy farm at Ramier with a tour and delicious tasting. From here, you’ll cruise to Montech and enjoy dinner on board. A trip to Castelsarrasin to visit an organic winery in the Brulhois wine region will finish off Day 3 of your Gascony river trip nicely.
Looking to explore the rich history of the area? We’ll take you to the UNESCO-classified 7th-century Abbaye St-Pierre de Moissac. Enjoy a tour and lunch at its excellent restaurant, located in front of the abbey entrance for an unforgettable meal. From here, you’ll cruise the River Tarn along the 1,000-foot aqueduct, the Pont Canal du Cacor.
Our next stop takes us to Pommevic, where we’ll visit the 18th-century Château de la Motte and receive a tour by the resident Countess. After tea with the Countess in the private apartments and a history lesson in the family’s association with the Kings of France, we’ll travel to the hillside village of Auvillar. This 15th-century village sits atop a gorge and makes for some incredible sights.
One of the final mooring points will be at Boé, with a guided tour and private tastings at Domaine de Lapeyrade. Sample Armagnac and Floc du Gascogne before taking a trip to the medieval town of Nérac. There are so many incredible places to visit on your tour of the region, with plenty of Gascony excursions you can book to enhance your trip.

Trip Name

Classic France River Cruise – Gascony

Days

Overview

Vessel Type: Hotel Barge Length: 98 feet Passenger Capacity: 8 Rosa is an old Dutch “Klipper” barge that was built early in the last century to carry different cargoes on the offshore waterways of Holland. Now, as a charming hotel barge, she navigates the calmer canals of southwest France. The prettily decorated saloon is particularly welcoming and features attractive wood panelling, comfortable seating, dining area and a cosy bar. The four cosy staterooms accommodating 8 passengers have individually controlled air-conditioning and heating, and full en suite facilities. Two staterooms have double beds, the other two staterooms have twin beds. Outside there is a spacious sun deck with a dining area and parasols for enjoying an alfresco prepared by your chef. Comfortable loungers are also there to relax in as you take in the passing countryside on your sedate cruise along the Canal de Garonne. Eight bikes are available for your use if you wish to perhaps venture into the next village along the towpath. Rosa also featured with Anjodi in the successful television series, Rick Stein’s French Odyssey and you are sure to enjoy your own personal ‘odyssey’ through this colourful, captivating part of southwest France.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Sunday, Day 1 Montauban

Guests are met in Toulouse and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Rosa for a champagne welcome. Dinner on board.

Day 2 - Monday, Day 2 Montauban to Montech

This morning take a short drive to an artisanal dairy farm at Ramier, where we experience the entire cheese-making process, culminating in a delicious tasting with the opportunity to purchase a few slices to take home! Following lunch on board, we head to old Montauban for a short stroll around this charming redbrick town on the banks of the River Tarn. Back on board, Rosa will then meander up the flight of nine locks on the beautiful, recently restored branch canal skirting the Forest of Agre and moors in the heart of the little town of Montech. Dinner on board.

Day 3 - Tuesday, Day 3 Montech to Castelsarrasin

After breakfast, we head into the Côtes du Frontonnais wine region for a wine tasting at the renowned Château Bellevue la Fôret. Lunch on board is followed by a guided tour of an inclined Water Plane, an amazing feat of engineering that bypasses five locks and, when back in service in the future, will lower vessels 43 feet all in one go. An afternoon cruise to Castelsarrasin before dinner on board.

Day 4 - Wednesday, Day 4 Castelsarrasin to Moissac

This morning we visit the UNESCO-classified 7th century Abbaye St-Pierre de Moissac for a private tour and lunch at its excellent restaurant, ‘Le Florentin’, situated in front of the spectacular entrance of the abbey. Later, we cruise the river Tarn via the 1,000-foot-long aqueduct, the Pont Canal du Cacor, then descend towards Moissac through a staircase of delightful locks. Dinner on board.

Day 5 - Thursday, Day 5 Moissac to Pommevic

We visit Castelsarrasin’s market for breakfast this morning before starting our cruise, when Rosa rises up from the Tarn and turns west on the brick-lined canal through Moissac. After negotiating the swing bridge, we cruise between the placidly-flowing waters of the Garonne and the foothills of the Quercy massif, before mooring at Pommevic. After lunch, we visit the 18th century Château de Lamotte-Bardigues, where we are given a private guided tour by the resident Countess. At the end of the tour we are even invited to take tea with her in the private apartments, as she explains to us her family’s famous association with the Kings of France. Before returning to Rosa we will see the 15th century hillside village of Auvillar, a 15th century village atop a gorge above the River Garonne. Dinner on board.

Day 6 - Friday, Day 6 Pommevic to Boé

A leisurely morning cruise through the bucolic countryside to our final mooring at Boé. After lunch, we visit Domaine de Lapeyrade for a guided tour and private tastings of their esteemed Armagnac and Floc du Gascogne wines in delightful surroundings, before visiting the medieval town of Nérac and its castle, once home to Henry IV of France. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

Day 7 - Saturday, Day 7 Boé

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Toulouse.

Day 8 - Please Note:

This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change.On alternate weeks, the cruise will be in the reverse direction.

Trip Dates

Start	End	Price From	Room Type

Inclusions

The first-class 8-passenger old Dutch “Klipper” barge, Rosa, is one of the most popular of our hotel barges, taking you on a tour of Gascony between April and August