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Barge Cruise: Esperance
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Cruise In The South Of France On The Canal du Midi Aboard The Ultra Deluxe Hotel-Barge ESPERANCE


BARGE CRUISES: SEVEN DAYS/SIX NIGHTS
The 6-passenger Esperance, built in 1968 to carry wines between Bordeaux and Sète, is now a deluxe contemporary hotel barge. Esperance has been redesigned as a private yacht with three large cabins, all 200 sq. ft, with queen bed or twins and ensuite bathroom with shower. The layout of the open plan salon and dining area is bright and spacious; the furniture is built of solid teak, with white wool carpets and beautiful art work. The covered wheelhouse with comfortable seating is a perfect place for viewing the scenery along the canal as is the large partially covered deck with a hot tub, dining table and lounge chairs. The captain and owner of Esperance, Mathias Gilles, and his crew, including your private chef and tour guide, will take good care of you during your cruise. We were on board on May 2019 and spent time with Mathias and were very impressed with the many upgrades he has made to the barge. The overall look and feel, especially of the salon, is stunning.

Esperance provides high-end private charter cruises exploring the inland waterways of southern France on the famous Canal du Midi. Your cruise will be organized on the basis of a half-day sailing and a half-day activities or excursions. With a schedule dedicated to your comfort and built around your interests, your cruise is guaranteed to be an outstanding holiday experience with your family or friends. Your daily excursions can include a visit to Narbonne, with its covered market and Roman ruins, the Benedictine Abbey of Frontfroide, the medieval village of Minerve and the walled city of Carcassonne, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or you can choose among the many other sites of interest in the area.


Features

  • Size of barge:100 ft x 16.5 ft
  • Number of Passengers: 6
  • Number of Cabins (all with private bath): 3
  • Crew:5
  • Air Conditioning and Central Heating:Yes
  • Salon: Salon, bar & dining area is one room with comfortable sofas, high dining able with  and 10 and chairs, 10 windows.
  • Bar:Open bar
  • Deck:Half-covered deck with dining table & chairs, lounge chairs and covered wheelhouse.
  • Spa Tub: Yes
  • Cabin Features:Three cabins 200 sq ft, all with queen bed or twin beds and ensuite bathroom with shower
  • Vehicle for Transfers/Excursions: Mercedes minivan for 7 guests.
  • Accessibility:Five steps from deck to salon. Five steps from deck to stern cabin.  No steps from salon to other two cabins.
  • Bicycles: Six bicycles of different sizes from small to large
  • WiFi: Yes (limited in some areas)
  • Meal Plan: Offers full board and half board cruises



  • Esperance's Deck Plan
    Esperance's Deck Plan





    ESPERANCE
    2021 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS
    TYPE REGULAR
    Mar 21 thru Oct 30
    Charter for 2
    $22,000
    Charter for 4
    $25,000
    Charter for 5
    $29,500
    Charter for 6
    $32,400
    Half Board Charter for 2
    $19,000
    Half Board Charter for 4
    $22,800
    Half Board Charter for 5
    $26,000
    Half Board Charter for 6
    $29,400

    ESPERANCE
    2022 SEASON PRICES in US DOLLARS
    TYPE REGULAR
    Mar 20 thru Oct 29
    Charter for 2
    $22,000
    Charter for 4
    $25,000
    Charter for 5
    $29,500
    Charter for 6
    $32,400
    Half Board Charter for 2
    $19,000
    Half Board Charter for 4
    $22,800
    Half Board Charter for 5
    $26,000
    Half Board Charter for 6
    $29,400

    What's Included

    Full Board Cruise:
    - 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in a cabin with ensuite bathroom
    - Transfers from Narbonne, or Carcassonne or Beziers depending on cruise direction, to the barge and return
    - All meals beginning with dinner on Sunday through breakfast on Saturday
    - All wines with lunches and dinners
    - Open bar
    - All escorted side-excursions (golf, etc at extra cost)
    - Use of bicycles


    Half Board Cruise:
    - 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in a cabin with ensuite bathroom
    - Transfers from Narbonne, or Carcassonne or Beziers depending on cruise direction, to the barge and return
    - All breakfasts, lunches and 2 dinners
    - All wines with lunches and dinners on board
    - Open bar
    - All escorted side-excursions (golf, etc at extra cost)
    - Use of bicycles

    What's Not Included

    Full Board Cruise:
    - Overseas air transportation to Paris and return
    - Transfers from Paris to the barge pickup point and return
    - Suggested minimum 5% gratuity for the crew, to be given to the captain in equivalent Euros
    - Trip cancellation insurance


    Half Board Cruise:
    - Overseas air transportation to Paris and return
    - 4 dinners on shore at passenger's expense
    - Transfers from Paris to the barge pickup point and return
    - Suggested minimum 5% gratuity for the crew, to be given to the captain in equivalent euros
    - Trip cancellation insurance





    Esperance
    2021 Season Cruise Schedule*
    Week Route (Or Reverse) Season
    Mar 21 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Mar 28 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Apr 4 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Apr 11 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Apr 18 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Apr 25 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 2 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    May 9 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 16 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    May 23 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 30 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jun 6 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jun 13 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jun 20 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jun 27 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jul 4 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jul 11 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jul 18 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jul 25 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Aug 1 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Aug 8 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Aug 15 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Aug 22 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Aug 29 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Sep 5 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Sep 12 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Sep 19 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Sep 26 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Oct 3 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Oct 10 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Oct 17 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Oct 24 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular

    Esperance
    2022 Season Cruise Schedule*
    Week Route (Or Reverse) Season
    Mar 20 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Mar 27 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Apr 3 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Apr 10 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Apr 17 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Apr 24 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 1 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    May 8 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 15 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    May 22 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    May 29 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jun 5 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jun 12 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jun 19 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jun 26 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jul 3 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jul 10 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jul 17 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Jul 24 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Jul 31 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Aug 7 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Aug 14 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Aug 21 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Aug 28 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Sep 4 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Sep 11 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Sep 18 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Sep 25 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Oct 2 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Oct 9 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular
    Oct 16 Beziers-Carcassonne Regular
    Oct 23 Carcassonne-Beziers Regular


    *Note: Cruise directions and sample itineraries may be in reverse and are subject to change and may depend on bookings and local navigation conditions. Alternate excursions of equal appeal are substituted when needed. For charter cruises special itineraries can be arranged.



    SAMPLE ITINERARY*
    Canal du Midi
    Béziers to Carcassonne 2023

    Sunday
    A member of the crew will welcome you at Béziers railway station at 4pm and transfer you to your beautiful barge Esperance moored in the enchanting countryside of the famous Canal du Midi. A champagne reception will be served on deck as a nice premise to your week cruise. You will then have plenty of time to discover the barge, its environment and to settle into your cabin before dinner.

    Canal du Midi
    Canal du Midi

    The Archbishop's Palace, Narbonne
    The Archbishop's Palace, Narbonne

    Fontfroide Abbey
    Fontfroide Abbey

    Carcassonne
    Carcassonne

    Monday
    After breakfast your guide will come and pick you up to go and visit Pézenas, a magical city full of art and history. The entire old town is rich with period mansions, wonderful wrought iron balconies, stone sculpture and ornate doorways. Molière is reputed to have created some of his famous characters right here in Pézenas in the barber's shop. This town is as perfect shopping place with many beautiful little shops to discover. After an afternoon cruise with many turns and loops we will find a romantic mooring in the middle of the vines and arched trees; a perfect spot in nature to enjoy a gourmet meal.

    Tuesday
    Let the world float by as the barge is moving slowly on this elegant canal. We will cruise to Le Somail, a famous local village with a fascinating antique bookshop and local potters and artists. After lunch there is a very short drive to visit the olive factory at L'Oulibo, a prize winning olive oil mill and a great place to experience an olive oil tasting. After this take a very scenic drive into the Minervois hills and Les Gorges de la Cesse to get to Minerve. This amazing medieval village is perched on a spectacular rocky outcrop formed by the rivers Cesse and Brian. Famous for its Cathar history and its wine countryside, this village is full of charm and history.

    Wednesday
    This morning a 15-minute drive will take you to Narbonne, a lively city dating back from the Roman time. This city has much to offer, like the Archbishop's Palace but one of the highlights is the beautiful and famous covered morning market. After this city tour it could be a good time to enjoy a wine tasting in this superb area already known by the Romans. The afternoon cruise will take us through a couple of typical wine villages and some tiny bridges and our goal will be to find the perfect mooring to enjoy a great evening meal under the stars in the countryside.

    Thursday
    After going through a couple of traditional locks and some double ones, the barge will cruise to Homps, a typical village where most barges used to stop to load and unload wine barrels. After lunch a short drive will give you plenty of time to discover the world famous walled medieval town of la Cité de Carcassonne. This extraordinary place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is said to be the most visited site in France. If you have already visited "the Cité," we will visit Lagrasse, an attractive village now home to numerous pottery workers and artists attracted by the place itself and the renowned natural light of the region. The two highlights of the village are perhaps the Abbey and the bridges, although the narrow medieval streets of the village itself are also very attractive and remains of the town walls can still be seen.

    Friday
    This is the perfect day to relax and enjoy your barge facilities or go bicycling. After a lazy morning cruise, we will moor in the countryside for our gourmet lunch. Your luxury barge will get back on the move in the afternoon to get to l'aiguille lock, quite an unusual place with an artist lock keeper. His art work is all around the place! What about a nice cocktail in the hot tub before your last festive dinner?

    Saturday
    After a wonderful breakfast your guide will take you to your hotel in Carcassonne or to the railway station to get to your next destination.

    Note: This is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. It runs in reverse on alternate weeks.





    Dining Aboard The Esperance:
    SAMPLE MENU



    A taste of
the gourmet cuisine served aboard the Esperance BREAKFAST
    On board the Esperance passengers can enjoy breakfast either in the dining/lounge area or outside on our spacious sun deck.

    Start your day with fresh squeezed morning juices, a selection of robust coffees, teas, hot chocolate, our buffet with an assortment of local fresh pastries, fresh fruit, yoghurts, milk, cereals, hard cheeses, meats and eggs made to order.

    LUNCHEON
    Luncheon buffet on board Esperance features hot and cold dishes, meats, salads,cheeses, fruit, dessert.

    DINNER
    Each evening enjoy a 4-course meal using fresh local, seasonal ingredients.

    WINES
    Wines served on board consist of a beautiful selection of local wines carefully selected by your host.



    Passenger Comments:

    It was an absolutely wonderful trip. The barge was extremely clean, well furnished/decorated, and very comfortable. The attention to detail was remarkable. The itinerary was very relaxing and allowed us time to enjoy the canal and scenery and see/learn about the surrounding areas, as well as rest, read, and enjoy the company of our friends and the crew. The crew was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating. The meals onboard were wonderful. The chef provided the best meals we had during our 3-week trip to France. The customer service provided by this team was second to none. They worked together extremely well and the level of service they provided exceeded all expectations.
    J&P F, D&J W, FL USA



    LINKS to Esperance Information


    Barges In France, bargesinfrance.com



    This page last updated December 25, 2023