My Athos Barge Cruise Review – Exploring Southern France’s Canal du Midi in Style

Last Updated on 08/20/26 by Rose Palmer

The Canal du Midi is the only one of France’s 3000 miles of canals that is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Built in 1661, the canal connects to the Canal du Garonne and provides a continuous, controlled waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean.

I’ve wanted to cruise the Canal du Midi for a long time, so I was especially pleased when the ladies at French Waterways booked me on a weeklong cruise on the deluxe Athos barge.

My Athos barge cruise review

The Athos barge

The locks on the Canal du Midi are narrower than the locks on the other French canals I have cruised before. This meant that the barges also needed to be smaller.

The Athos was specifically designed and built for the Canal du Midi and began life as a commercial sand, grain, and wine barge in 1962. She was one of four sister ships, all named after the Musketeers: Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D’Artagnan.

Sadly, the other ships are no more, and she is all that remains. In 1982, the Athos was rebuilt and changed careers to become a first-class hotel barge ideally sized for the narrower locks of the Canal du Midi. Since then, she has undergone other refurbishments to keep her up to date with modern travelers’ expectations.

There is no denying that the Athos was compact, though with only four cabins, or a maximum of eight passengers, the indoor and outdoor spaces were quite adequate. On my cruise, there were only five guests with five crew members taking care of all our needs.

When I was on board the boat, I spent most of my time on the sun deck.  We ate lunch and dinner al fresco and enjoyed drinks or a soak in the not-so-hot tub while cruising along the canal. The hydraulic-powered awning provided plenty of shade and easily moved up and down so that we could fit under the low, 17th-century bridges.

The large hot tub was actually not hot and was very refreshing when the temperatures soared. The Athos also had bikes for those who wanted to cycle on the adjacent towpaths.

From the upper deck, stairs led down to the lower deck, where the indoor lounge spaces and the cabins were located. Couches, a large dining table, a stocked bookshelf, and a bar, combined with large windows, created a bright and homey feel.

The classic wood-paneled interior made the room feel warm and cozy. This air-conditioned space was a pleasant retreat when the outside temperatures became just a little too hot to handle.

The four guest cabins made up the other half of the lower deck. I will admit that my cabin was on the petite side, but it had everything I needed: a queen-sized bed which could also be converted to two twins, closet storage, an ensuite bathroom, outlets for charging electronics, and the all-important air conditioning. My empty luggage fit easily under the bed.

Other than showering and sleeping, I didn’t spend much time in my cabin. The bathroom was also compact, but I have had smaller ones on bigger ships, and I was happy to have the en suite facilities, especially for those middle-of-the-night nature calls.

A week of Cruising the Canal du Midi

Our days quickly took on a gentle rhythm. After an early morning breakfast, an excursion took us to nearby sights of interest. We were back on board in time for lunch on deck and a relaxing afternoon cruise along the canal to our next mooring location.

Once moored for the evening, there was time for a walk or another quick excursion before a delicious dinner followed by evening drinks as we watched the sunset. This was indeed a very pleasant way to while away the days.

My cruise on the Athos was at the end of May, when the weather is usually quite pleasant. However, the area experienced an unusual heat wave during part of my week, with temperatures in the upper 90s by late afternoon. Morning temperatures were comfortable, and this was when we did our excursions.

While cruising in the afternoons, the shade from the awning, along with the slight breeze created by the boat’s motion, made the temperature very bearable. Dips in the cool “hot tub” also cooled us off, plus it was relaxing to watch the canal slip by while lazing in the water (with a drink was even better). My cruise started in Marseillan and ended in Argeliers, but the opposite itinerary is done on alternate weeks.

Sunday – Day 1 on the Athos – at Marseillan

An easy train ride from the Marseille airport took me to Béziers. The pick-up at the Béziers train station, followed by the 45-minute ride to Marseillan, where the Athos was docked, went very smoothly. I was excited to see my home for the next week and to meet the crew and the other guests.

After a quick unpacking, I went for a stretch of the legs before dinner around the lovely Marseillan harbor. The cafes, bars, and ice cream shops that lined the waterway were filled as locals and visitors alike enjoyed the cooling evening breeze. Even though dinner was not far off, I was easily tempted by the colorful flavors in one of the ice cream cases.

Back on the boat, I got to know the other guests and the staff over a champagne toast and nibbles. Pilot/captain Pierre Yves (PY) guided us safely down the canal and under the many low bridges. Hosts Bella and Finn took care of all our needs and our rooms all week; guide/manager Matthew shared his expertise during each day’s excursion, and chef Sylvan created magic in the kitchen every day.

The day ended with the first of Chef Sylvan’s masterpiece meals, as the sunset cast a gentle pink glow over the harbour and our boat.

Dinner:

Entreé

Warm goat cheese salad with honey and almonds,.

Served with Domaine Morin Langaran ADP Picpul de Pinet 2023.

Plat

Turbot steak with bell pepper cream, black rice, and broccoli.

Served with La Liquiere AOP Faugeres

Cheese

Ossau Iraty and Camembert

Dessert

Caramelised Tate Tatin

Monday – Day 2 on the Athos – Marseillan to Portiragnes 

From a colorful sunrise in Marseillan to a rosy sunset docked within sight of a vineyard, my first full day on the Athos barge on the Canal Du Midi was memorable and relaxing.

The day started with a visit and tasting at the renowned La Maison Noilly Prat vermouth house and ended with a dip in the Mediterranean at the Portiragnes beach. In between, we had a leisurely cruise as we entered the Canal du Midi, with nap time, hot tub time, and punctuated by some excellent food and wine.

A tour of the Noilly Prat vermouth house

After a leisurely breakfast, we took a short walk along the harbor to the nearby historic Noilly Prat Vermouth distillery. Our private tour and tasting took us through their complete vermouth production process.

Noilly Prat was founded in 1813 as the first French dry vermouth company, and the process used today is much like the one developed in the mid-1800s. Noilly Prat came to prominence in the US when one of the first recorded recipes for a classic dry martini was made at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York City in 1911 by bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia (shaken or stirred?).

We learned that the vermouth starts by making wine from local white grapes. The wine is matured in large oak barrels for 8 months before being transferred to smaller oak barrels to age outdoors for another year.

Back inside in different oak barrels, the now amber colored, aged wine is macerated with a mixture of herbs and spices that give the Noilly Pratt vermouth its distinctive flavor. A special tasting allowed us to compare different recipes used to make the finished product.

Entering the Canal du Midi

Marseillan is situated on a lagoon that is on the Mediterranean coast. However, the entrance (or exit) to the Canal du Midi was not far. Back on board, we started cruising across the Étang de Thau lagoon toward the entrance of the Canal du Midi. While we sailed, our chef served up a delicious lunch, perfect for a hot summer day.

Lunch:

Fresh, local oyster starter

Roasted ham with Madere sauce

Asian style tabouleh with fresh mint

Carrot salad with garlic, chives, and orange juice

Lamb lettuce with mustard cream

Strawberry panacotta

Served with Domaine de la Colombette 2023

Our first afternoon of cruising was pleasant and relaxing, and set the tone for the rest of the week. Reading a book, taking a nap, or just watching the scenery go by were the activities of choice. A few hours later, we reached our scenic mooring spot in Portiragnes.

Surrounded by large trees with views of a vineyard across the road, it was idyllic and peaceful. Since we weren’t far from the coast, our guide Matthew offered us some beach time for a refreshing swim. No one turned him down! It was a cooling distraction before another delicious meal.

Dinner:

Entreé

Escargot served on a puff pastry with mushroom cream sauce

Served with Chateau Mire d’Etang AOP LaClape

Plat

Fillet of veal, crisp of salsify, roasted celeriac with mustard sauce

Served with Pierre Cros

Cheese

Roquefort and Beaufort

Served with Barrubio Muscat de St-Jean de Minervois

Dessert

Crêpe Suzette flambée au Grand Marnier

Tuesday – Day 3 on the Athos – Portiragnes to Fonserannes

A visit to Pézenas

A quick half-hour drive from our mooring spot took us to the medieval center of Pézenas. We went early, before the stores opened and the heat kicked in. As a result, we had the narrow, medieval streets to ourselves as Matthew took us around and explained some of the historic sights.

After Pézenas became the political seat of the Languedoc region, the wealthy built huge mansions called “Hotels”. One of the prettiest and easiest to visit was the Hotel de Lacoste with its beautiful stone arched entryway and carved stone staircase.

Another evocative area was the Jewish quarter with its well-preserved streets and buildings. In fact, Pezenas has one of the best-preserved historic old towns in the South of France, which has given it protected status.

Pezenas has long been associated with artisanal craftsmanship, and this is still the case today. Shops and boutiques carried a variety of beautiful items that seriously tempted my pocketbook.

Back on the boat, lunch was another treat for the taste buds. Lunch:

Chicken fillet with two mustard sauces

Potato salad with shallots, parsley, and cider vinegar

White cabbage with roasted almonds, chives, and mayonnaise

Salad with fresh herbs, wild asparagus, and French dressing

Saint Nectaire cheese

Served with Mire d’Etang AOP Languedoc

The Orb Aqueduct and the Fonseranes locks

This afternoon’s cruise was both scenic and historic, as we passed through two of the Canal du Midi’s unique engineering structures designed to manage the steep elevation change.

When we reached the city of Béziers in the afternoon, a couple of locks raised us to the level of the Orb aqueduct. The aqueduct was built in the mid 1800s as a way to bypass crossing via the Orb River, which was unpredictable and sometimes dangerous.

From the aqueduct, we entered the most impressive engineering feat on the Canal du Midi, the Fonserannes Locks. This set of seven oval-shaped staircase locks raises a boat by a huge 71 feet.

Going through the locks was fascinating, as the process took us up through two consecutive locks at a time. Once the gates were closed in front of and behind us, the water gushed into the lock with tremendous force until the water level reached the level of the next lock.

Going through all seven locks took about 90 minutes, after which we reached the canal’s higher water level. We docked nearby for the night with views of the Béziers skyline and within an easy walk of the Fonserannes Locks.

Dinner was another lovely and delicious al fresco event as the sun set over the canal.

Dinner:

Entreé

Tartar of tomatoes with Burratina and tarragon dressing

Served with Chateau Grezan IGP Pays d’Oc Chardonnay

Plat

Fillet of lamb with thyme juice, Mediterranean vegetables, polenta, and fresh herbs

Served with Chateau Voulte Gasparets AOP Corbieres-Boutenac

Cheese

Cantal and Saint-Maure de Touraine

Dessert

Financier with red berries

Wednesday – Day 4 on the Athos – Fonserannes to Capestang

Discovering Roquebrune

One of the things I love about a barge cruise is the flexibility it offers for excursions based on a group’s interests. Our schedule today was supposed to take us to the seaside town of Narbonne. However, it was going to be another hot day, and our group on board was more interested in quiet, out-of-the-way spots rather than cities. So we drove to the quiet hillside village of Roquebrune instead.

Sitting on the Orb River and punctuated by a medieval tower, Roquebrune was picturesque and very quiet indeed.  Our guide Matthew found a parking spot in front of the church, and from there it was a short, uphill walk to the entrance of the Mediterranean Garden, which has been planted around the thousand-year-old tower.

A circular loop took us uphill through the garden and then back down. The mild microclimate in this area has allowed the garden to grow over 400 warm-weather plant species from both the New World and the Old. From the garden, the views down into the valley were even more spectacular.

After exploring the gardens, Matthew drove us back down to the riverside beach for a cooling dip in the river. This was a popular recreation site with kayakers and swimmers alike. The water was a bit on the chilly side, but very refreshing.

We also enjoyed a delicious lunch here at the Auberge St. Hubert restaurant. Both the starters and the entrees were very generous portions and were delicious. I really loved the foie gras and the baked brie starters.

Looking over the Étang de Montady

Back on the boat, we cruised for a few more relaxing hours. Once we docked, a short drive took us to the overlook for Étang de Montady, another uniquely historic French engineering project built by monks in the 13th century.

To drain a large marshy area so that the land could be used for farming, the monks built a set of radiating canals in a circular pattern, with the center drained by 16 deep shafts to an underground culvert that flows beneath the Malpas hill and beneath the Canal du Midi.

Tasting French olive oil

Discovering Minerve

The Tunnel le Malpas

This afternoon’s cruise was especially scenic as the canal sat higher than the surrounding countryside, which allowed us to look down into the pastoral valleys.

Wine tasting at Saliés Winery

Back home on the barge, Chef Sylvan had another delicious meal waiting for us.

Exploring Carcassone

Entreé

Smoked salmon rolls

Served with Château La Negly AOP La Clape La Bris Marine

Plat

Quail cooked two ways with peas, baby purple carrots, and roast potatoes

Served with Château La Negly AOP La Clape La Falaise

Cheese

Brie de Meaux

Dessert

Signature profiteroles

Luxury hotel barges offer a slower way to explore southern France – FoodDrinkLife.com and syndicated to the Associated Press, where it was picked up by 79 news outlets, MSN, and Yahoo Publisher

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