Barging on the Canal du Midi...

Beziers to Carcassonne...
My wife Colleen and I created this little web site to give our friends and family a better idea of what barging in France is all about. This was our second trip aboard the River Yacht Roi Soleil. Three years ago, we cruised in Provence from Avignon to Sete. This time, we decided to continue further west on the Canal du Midi, going from Beziers to Humps and then, onward by land, to Carcassonne. Both times, we were accompanied by two couples we had known for some time. The trip was a voyage of a lifetime…we only hope that the little snippets we have chosen to share give you an idea of what it was like aboard “The Sun King,” Roi Soleil!!

To see the videos, just click the links highlighted below each day's recap.

Click for a recap of the trip. Enjoy!

Montpellier

We start in Montpellier…
A picturesque yet cosmopolitan city of 250,000, Montpellier is a convenient 3 hour TGV train ride from Paris. We booked ourselves into the ultra-swank Jardin de Sens hotel…and had made dinner reservations at the hotel’s Guide Michelin-starred restaurant. Before dinner, I explored the 1600-year old-town on foot. Our meal that night started out in the courtyard, where our hostess explained our menu selections over champagne, scotch and martinis. We ordered our meal, and then adjourned to the dining room. Four hours later, we staggered out of the restaurant…having been treated to one of the most outstanding…and most expensive…gastronomic experiences of our lives!
Click for Montpellier video

Day 1

We board the Roi Soleil.
Guillaume de Perthuis picked us up promptly at 4 pm in his new 8-seater mini van. It was like old home week. We had become quite close to “Skippy” on our previous cruise…and we had kept in touch with him over the intervening years. We caught up on the news of each other’s families…and enjoyed a short half-hour drive to Beziers.
We ducked down a little alley, rounded a bend, and there she was, Roi Soleil, shining in all her glory as she rocked gently in the current. As all of the staterooms are the same size, we drew straws for room selections…and after meeting our crew… settled into our accommodations. Just as we remembered…plenty of closet room and lots of space under the bed for luggage. Captain Finnegan announced that we would be shoving off soon…as we had to go though two locks before the lockkeepers went home for the night. We amused ourselves watching Guillaume and Finnegan guide the 100-foot long craft into the narrow lock openings…and before we knew it, Karen presented us with the first of Chef Dean’s gastronomic creations: hot appetizers served on the foredeck. It was a special moment…made all the more so by the anticipation of adventures to come.

Click for Day 1 video

Day 2

Beziers to Colombiers.
On the morning’s agenda was a trip up the 7 locks of Fonseranes…which move the Canal up a vertical distance of around 60 feet. Dean helped me unload one of the barge’s six bicycles…and I set off to explore the Canal ahead and to pick the best vantage point to film all the action! After an easy 5 mile bike ride down the canal’s tow path, I returned to the locks just in time to see Finnegan maneuver Roi Soleil’s bow into the first basin. A crowd had gathered to see the action…and it was fun to listen to their excited chatter as the boat moved progressively up…up and up…until we were once again on level ground, with the Canal unfolding ahead of us. After lunch, I once again decided to head out on my bike…and eventually rejoined Roi Soleil in the town of Colombiers where we settled down for the night. That evening, Dean pulled out all the stops, as we dined under the stars on a feast of roasted quail and strawberry soufflé.

Click for video of Day Two

Day 3

Life in the slow lane!
The next day, Helen and I decided to stay behind in Colombiers while Guillaume took the others on an excursion. We were “anchored” immediately past a little bridge that we had squeezed under the night before. All morning, we watched as tiny tractors pulled little carts overflowing with red grapes into town. We hopped up onto the bridge and followed the slippery “grape trail” into town. Here, we found the town’s wine cooperative…where local farmers bring their harvest to be turned into basic red table wine. After sampling some of their wares, we made our way back to the Roi Soleil, just as the van-groupies were unloading. We chattered excitedly, each of us recounting our morning’s adventures, while Dame Karen served us another delicious luncheon on the aft-deck.
We spent the rest of the day relaxing, as Finnegan deftly guided us down the Canal. The girls had a cooking lesson from Dean and enjoyed watching the scenery float by from the elevated vantage point of the aft-deck’s hot tub! Later in the day, Fin even let me take the wheel…a nerve-wracking job if there ever was one. That night found us nestled along the bank on the outskirts of Capestang, a quaint village of 3000.

Click for Day 3 video

Day 4

A trip to town.
Today was market day! Shopping list in hand, Guillaume led us on an adventure to the huge food market in Narbonne. Here, we split up and went in search of the ingredients for the evening’s meal: David, John and I were in charge of finding a suitable fish…while the women were tasked with selecting cheese and vegetables. Guillaume’s job was to arrange for oysters. The market was a colorful affair…and after an hour or so, we all met back at the van to display our purchases. Mission accomplished! Back at Roi Soleil, I decided to head out in the country side astride my trusty bike, while the rest of the crew languished on board. Guillaume had told me in confidence that he had a surprise in store for everyone later in the day. He admonished me to be sure to rejoin the boat at a certain point along the canal… as some traveling minstrels were going to be joining us for an evening concert. The duo provided a fun interlude with their delightful mixture of café and gypsy songs. That evening, Dean created a meal worth remembering as he expertly crafted a dinner from the fresh ingredients we had purchased earlier. We may have felt we had a “hand” in dinner…but the end result was all of Dean’s making.

Click for Day 4 video

Day 5

Day 5. We venture to Minervois.
After a gentle cruise in the morning, we stopped at the charming river town of Somail to sightsee and shop. While Sandie and Helen visited an amazing antique bookstore, David and I once again donned our helmets and set off on a 10 mile bike ride to the town of Minervois, a walled city nestled high in the foothills. The ride was challenging for flatlanders like David and me…but we eventually huffed and puffed our way up the hills…just in time to meet Guillaume, John and Colleen who had driven up in the van.
During the Cathar Crusades, the city was laid siege to in the 1210 AD…and finally succumbed when the attackers poisoned the low-lying water supply. We spent some time getting the feel of the place…then loaded the bikes into the back of the van for the 30 minute drive back to the Canal. Another of Dean’s creations awaited us.

Click for Day 5 video

Day 6

Day 6. We bid farewell.
We awoke on Day 6 to the realization that this would be our last day aboard our floating home. We were truly saddened by the prospect of returning to reality. Our time aboard had been memorable. We set out to make the last day one of our best... and vowed not to venture far from our water-borne home. We took a short stroll alongside the Canal…relaxed on deck…enjoyed more of Dean’s cuisine…and regrettably began packing our bags for the journey to Carcassonne where we would end our trip. That evening, we invited the crew to dine with us…and as is our custom, each couple read a poem or sang a song that commemorated the cruise. We laughed until we cried…and then it was time for Dean’s culinary crowning glory…a crème puff tower covered with honey that somehow he had managed to build during the afternoon without us seeing it! What fun! The next morning, we exchanged hugs and email addresses with Dean, Fin and Karen…and Guillaume took us by car to Carcassonne. From there, we went our separate ways…awash in the afterglow a time well spent.

Click for Day 6 video