Carcassonne on board the exclusive barge Belmond Alouette

Guests board the exclusive Belmond Alouette barge, where the crew welcomes them with champagne. When they set off for Colombières, a luxurious tour of Occitania begins. When evening comes, the chef invites you for dinner, which consists of delicious local specialties.

Guests visit the Cistercian Abbey of Fontfroide, founded in 1093 by Emeric I, Viscount of Narbonne. Initially, the abbey was little known and fell into such decline that it was once again founded by Ermenegard in 1157, granting it significant local estates, which secured its future. In 1144, the abbey adopted the Cistercian rule, and in the 1901th century it participated in the brutal crusade of Pope Innocent III against the heretical doctrine of the Cathars living in Occitania. Legal changes in France in 1908 finally forced the monks to leave the country, and the abbey buildings themselves, which had great historical value, passed into private hands in XNUMX, when they were purchased by the artists Gustave and Madelaine Fayet d'Andoque. It remains private property to this day. Wines from the AOC Corbières appellation are produced here. After lunch, the barge continues its cruise along the beautiful South Canal (Canal du Midi) to Capestang. In the evening, dinner is served on board.

Guests will visit Oppidum d'Ensérune, a hilltop settlement built before the times of the Roman Empire. The settlement was continuously inhabited between the 6th century BC and the 1st century AD. From the hill there is a view of the extraordinary fields of Montada - former swamps that were drained using radial drainage channels, connecting centrally in an oval depression, from where pipes laid in the 13th century and still operational, the water is discharged several kilometers south. Guests will also stop at a local winery for a tasting.

Lunch is served on board, and then the afternoon passes lazily while guests can admire the charm of the South Canal along which the exclusive Belmond Alouette barge sails. When evening comes, the chef invites you to a delicious dinner.

Guests will visit the colorful morning market in Narbonne to choose ingredients for dinner together with the chef. At the same time, they can admire the city's architecture, shaded boulevards and the riverfront. Narbonne was founded in 118 BC by the Romans as the Colony of Narbo Martius. Narbo was located at the intersection of the Roman Via Domitia and Via Aquitania. In addition, the Aude River flowed through the city. The riders of Julius Caesar's 759th Legion received lands near Narbonne, which wanted to support the development of the city as a port competing with Marseille, which supported Pompey. After the fall of Rome, Narbonne was the capital of Septimania, the only Gallic territory to resist the Frankish invasion. In XNUMX, it was recaptured from the Muslims by Pepin the Short. In the XNUMXth century, the court of Ermenegarde of Narbonne became the center of cultural events and it was here that troubadours and the idea of ​​courtly love appeared. Unfortunately, in the XNUMXth century, the city was hit by a plague, and in addition, the course of the Aude River changed and Narbonne rapidly lost its importance. This is best seen in the extraordinary monument that is the Narbonne Cathedral. The ambitious project to build one of the tallest and largest cathedrals in France was never completed. In Narbonne, city walls from the XNUMXth century, predating the Visigoths, have been preserved.

We invite guests to dine at a fantastic seafood restaurant right next to the markets. Then we continue to Homps. When evening comes, the chef invites you to dinner on board.

After breakfast, guests drive to Minerve, an ancient village perched on a cliff above the vineyards. Here they will discover the ruins of a castle once conquered by Simon de Montfort. Here, 140 Cathars refused to convert to Catholicism and were burned at the stake on July 22, 1210. Guests will later stop in Peyriac-Minervois for a wine tasting.

For dinner, the guests return to their luxurious barge. They can then either relax on deck or go for a walk or bike ride along the barge towing path. The Belmond Alouette will dock in the charming village of Trèbes, where the chef will serve a delicious dinner on board.

Guests have time to explore Carcassonne, the largest medieval fortress in Europe. From its walls there are wonderful views of the Pyrenees. Guests will visit the cathedral with magnificent stained glass windows, a Romanesque nave and a Gothic transept. After returning on board, a farewell gala dinner awaits them.

In the morning, guests enjoy a final breakfast aboard the exclusive Belmod Alouette barge, before the crew bids them farewell at the end of their luxurious journey.