Athos - Family Cruise

Argeliers to Marseillan

Day 1, Sunday
Meet at the designated meeting point and transferred to where the Athos awaits you at her moorings in Argeliers. Crew welcome aboard, including an introduction to the ship’s dog, Jill. Toasting with either Champagne or soft drinks, the Chef will offer a selection of Mediterranean canapés fit for children and adults alike. Once you are settled into your cabin, we enjoy our first dinner on board.

Day 2, Monday
While coffee is available at any time from the bar, continental-style breakfast is served, at your leisure, beginning at 8:30am. A breakfast buffet offers a selection to please everyone: cereals, juices, yogurts, cold meats and cheese, and of course fresh pastries and bread from the local boulangerie! Your guide suggests an excursion to the famous medieval double-walled city of Carcassonne, which will include the legendary tales of Dame Carcas and a visit to the tombstone of Simon de Montfort. Time also to browse the shops before returning to the barge. During the cruise to Capestang the Chef serves lunch while the whole family relaxes on the sunny deck. If exercise and a swim are in order, cycling enthusiasts might like to hop off with bicycles and Jill the dog. Alternatively, a quick drive to the swimming hole at the Cesse River under the 17th century Canal Bridge for a swim. Dinner on board al fresco, under the shade of the plain trees.

Day 3, Tuesday
After breakfast, we begin cruising through the sprawling, surrounding vineyards with plenty of time for a cycle ride. Once moored we enjoy a game of Pétanque. After lunch, we continue our cruise. In the afternoon we visit the local organic Goat’s cheese farm at Combebelle. We then drive for 30 minutes into the Minervois hillside and visit the petting zoo in Combebelle, where everyone can watch the goats being milked, learn how the cheese is made, taste the products and of course, bring some back to Athos to eat! On the way back, your guide stops at Bize Minervois, where the locals swim in the river – a refreshing cool-down at the end of a busy day! Dinner on board.

Day 4, Wednesday
After breakfast, your guide invites enthusiastic swimmers and paddlers on an excursion into the Cevennes mountains, where large, wide kayaks float down the River Orb! After the scenic drive into the hills, everyone is handed a helmet and lifejacket, then set off in kayaking groups to navigate the mostly-shallow river bed. Chef has packed a superb picnic lunch to be served by crew members who have accompanied the trip. For those more enthusiastic about relaxing than kayaking, the captain invites you to stay on board for a leisurely cruise, lunch on deck, and a quiet time under the parasol. When kayakers return, cruising gets under way once again, making the way towards Fonserannes. This evening's mooring is the breath-taking view-point at the Fonserannes. Perhaps a little bicycle ride down to the staircase locks and the Canal Bridge before dinner on board.

Day 5, Thursday
After breakfast, we enjoy a trip to the weekly morning market in Narbonne. Even for non-shoppers, Narbonne offers much entertainment on a Thursday morning! Explore an excavated portion of the original Roman road, the Via Domitia, or browse through the well-compiled Roman Museum and discover the beauty of St. Juste Cathedral, sit and relax in one of the many cafés. Return to the barge and enjoy lunch during the cruise through the staircase locks. This 17th Century feat of engineering, the Neuf Ecluses (or staircase locks), is sure to impress! The crew expertly tie her up in each lock, and wait for the gates to close safely behind her before the water levels empty out and allow her to pass one locks into the next. But it's not over yet! Coming up next is the 18th Century Canal Bridge which will carry the barge over the Orb River. The paved tow path and the many locks leading to this village make it an ideal afternoon for walking or cycling alongside the barge. When we arrive at the evening's mooring just outside the small village of Portiragnes, your guide invites swimmers for a quick trip to the beach and a swim in the Mediterranean! Dinner on board

Day 6, Friday
After breakfast, the barge starts to cruise. Active family members may like to take the bicycles back to the beach for a quick swim and then return to Athos as she makes her way under the Portiragnes bridge. A spectacular seafood lunch arrives as you enter the open-waters of the Etang de Thau. The Etang hosts Europe's largest mussel and oyster park. The crew’s favourite swimming pool is the Etang! Join them and jump in to cool off! As Athos comes to moor in the port at Marseillan, you will notice the enclosure of the Noillly Prat Vermouth distillery. End a perfect day with a walking visit of the village, a romp around the seaside play park which is a stone’s throw from Athos’ mooring, or a leisurely cycle ride down the promenade. Captains Farewell Dinner on board.

Day 7, Saturday
After breakfast, transfer to the designated drop off point.