Cook on a Luxury Barge: Cooking Vacation in France

Cook on a Luxury Barge
Béziers to Carcassonne or Carcassonne to Béziers

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About the location: Traverse southwest France’s famous Languedoc region from Béziers to Carcassonne (or vice versa), a trip of about 100 kilometers, aboard a luxury barge on the famed Canal du Midi. The Canal du Midi was built in the 17th century and was an engineering marvel for its time. Now a World Heritage Site, highlights of this area include Carcassonne, the most complete medieval fortified city in existence.


You will cruise the Canal du Midi on board the luxury barge “Alouette,” which was built in 1908 in the Netherlands, was converted into a luxurious passenger-carrying barge in the mid-80’s, and in 2008 underwent a complete refurbishing. It is 30.48 meters in length and 4.85 meters beam, small enough to navigate the wondeful Canal du Midi and large enough to comfortably house a group of 4. The Alouette has two well-appointed cabins located well above the water line. The state rooms both have en suite baths with shower. The Alouette’s sun-deck provides the perfect place to relax and enjoy the passing scenery while cruising through the renowned Canal du Midi.

About the cooking lessons: Your cooking classes will be on board the Alouette with your private chef. Guests will be taught basic knife skills, food handling and the importance of presentation of the dishes prepared as you delve into the regional cuisine along the Canal du Midi.

A sample itinerary follows, but the week can be tailored to fit the desires of the individual group.

Cook on a Luxury Barge Itinerary

Day 1

  • Meet the barge in Béziers. A champagne reception welcomes you on board and gives you a chance to meet the crew.
  • You will have an opportunity to talk with the chef and discuss your cooking interests and what you will prepare during your week on board.
  • Welcome dinner on board.

Day 2

  • A morning cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang. The Canal is one of the most beautiful in all of France, with many locks, bridges and tunnels.
  • This morning you will have your first cooking lesson in the well-equipped kitchen of the Alouette. Prepare lunch and learn how to cook the classic French Quiche Lorriane and also a country-style terrine, which is very popular in the area.
  • In the afternoon, visit Oppidum d’Enserune, a pre-Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady, drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation.
  • Return to the barge and continue with the cooking lesson. This afternoon you will prepare a wonderful lemon tart served with a drizzle of caramel sauce, perfect for your dessert tonight following your dinner.

Day 3

  • Enjoy a relaxing breakfast as you take in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine locks, buildings and aqueducts, which have barely changed since their completion over 300 years ago.
  • In the morning you can return to the kitchen to prepare a summer soup—an avocado and cherry tomato gazpacho, presented in a long tall glass for maximum effect!
  • After lunch, visit l’Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the eleventh century. Now privately owned, the abbey has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister.
  • On the way back to the boat, stop at Château Auris for a wine tasting.
  • Tonight’s dinner features rack of lamb. It can be a tricky dish to cook correctly, and you will learn how to marinate and prepare it, along with a rich sauce made with red wine and tarragon that goes wonderfully with this meat.
  • Dinner to follow.

Day 4

  • This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef and help choose tonight’s dinner ingredients. The market is alive with the colors, scents and sounds of France—a truly amazing sight. Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city that plays an important role in wine production. The municipal, military and religious architecture, the banks of the Robine river, and the shaded boulevards all contribute to its charm.
  • Enjoy lunch at a bistro just in front of the market, which specializes in local seafood fresh from the nearby Mediterranean Sea.
  • Return to the barge for an afternoon’s cruise to the port at Homps. Tonight, prepare the local delicacy—Bourride—with the fish purchased at the market. Bourride is a stunning dish made with fresh local vegetables and finished at the last minute with the addition of monkfish and mussels and served with a garlic mayonnaise.
  • Dinner to follow.

Day 5

  • After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone cliff, which dominates the vineyards below. The castle ruins were once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of the history of days gone by.
  • On the way back to the boat, stop at Peyriac-Minervois for a wine tasting.
  • After the wine tasting, return to the barge for lunch and enjoy the ever changing views from the comfort of the deck, or you may decide to walk or cycle along the tow path.
  • There is another cooking lesson scheduled for the afternoon utilizing the produce purchased from the market. You will learn all about Mediterranean-style cooking, with an emphasis on fresh, light ingredients using olive oil, herbs and vegetables.
  • Dinner to follow.
  • Tonight, moor in the pretty town of Trebes.

Day 6

  • End the week with a tour of Europe’s largest medieval fortress – Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, extending about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are absolutely stunning.
  • Next, visit the Cathedral, known for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts.
  • Carcassonne is famous for Casssolet, a casserole combining beans and sausages. You will visit a restaurant in the old Cite where the chef will explain how this dish is made before you enjoy lunch at the restaurant.
  • Meanwhile, the chef on board will prepare your final cooking lesson, featuring homemade pasta. Pasta is an amazing dish, versatile and easy to prepare. You will make ravioli filled with seafood, topped with a white wine reduction sauce, a scattering of baby vegetable and sprinkled with fresh dill — a perfect dish with which to finish the week.
  • Farewell gala dinner on board.

Day 7

  • After breakfast, disembark and transfer to the Carcassonne train station. (If you wish to make alternative transfer arrangements, please discuss your requirements at the time of booking.)

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