France settlement and a route once marched by the legionnaires. The Romans also planted the local vineyards, a snippet which whets our appetite for another degustation.
Celebrity chef Rick Stein loved his meanderings on Anjodi but we doubt that his camera crew ate or drank better than we do with our chef Lauren. A typical lunch features magret de canard, heretically eaten while communing with contented canal ducks. Closer to the sea, seafood platters make an entrance, with the freshest oysters slurped in full view of the oyster beds, washed down with a mean rosé from Faugeres. From spicy red Corbieres to quaffable Cotes du Roussillon, Captain Julian is an enthusiastic expert on Languedoc’ s vine-clad hills. Near Beziers, we enjoy a private tasting at Chateau Perdiguier, an historic wine estate belonging to the Captain’ s friends. We learn how the `disk’ of a wine reveals its age- and look for notes of spice, cassis and burnt tobacco- before definitely showing our age under the lamplight.
Near Portiragnes, we leave the vineyards and edge into the Camargue, more properly the `Petite Camargue’ wetlands. This wilderness is home to hawks and harriers, owls and buzzards, herons and pink flamingos. We don’ t see the trident-wielding Camargue cowboys herding bulls as the sun sets, but we are far from disappointed. The remoteness brings out our Captain’ s cowboy spirit:“ You are allowed a `wild mooring’ if you get here first, but interlopers can be persuaded to
GoBarging
Barging on the Canal du Midi: European Waterways offers a choice of spring / summer itineraries on their hotel barges in the lovely Canal du Midi area. Select the 8-passenger Anjodi cruises from Le Somail to Marseillan or vice versa, as described. Alternatively, try the 8-passenger Enchanté from Salleles d’ Aude to Puicheric or the Clair de Lune, a 6-passenger barge( new to the fleet), which cruises from Le Somail to Carcassonne.
All-inclusive cruising prices for Canal du Midi, 6-night, allinclusive cruises aboard Anjodi start from £ 2,385pp, including a 10 % discount on spring sailings.
What’ s included luxury barge accommodation in air-conditioned, ensuite cabins; all gourmet meals on board, including fine wines and an open bar. Also included are daily escorted shore excursions, local transfers and the use of all barge facilities, such as bicycles and spa pools.
For further information, contact: European Waterways: www. gobarging. com, tel: + 44( 0) 1753 598555; sales @ gobarging. com Flights to Montpellier: EasyJet operates flights to Montpellier from Luton and Gatwick Airports. See: www. easyjet. com Tourism: Languedoc Roussillon( region embracing Canal du Midi): www. en. sunfrance. com. Canal du Midi: www. canal-du-midi. org Carcassonne tourist board: www. carcassonne-tourisme. com Montpellier tourist board: www. ot-montpellier. fr, tel.(+ 33) 0467999674 Kayaking in Montpellier: www. montpellier-canoe-kayak. com Barging further afield: European Waterways is Europe’ s largest allinclusive luxury hotel barging company, offering vacations in nine countries. The well-established company designs, builds, owns and operates a private fleet of luxury hotel barges with cruises in France, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, England, Germany, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. This is also the only company offering barge cruises on the Venetian lagoon and the River Po.
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