Welcome to this new edition of The Barge Company’s ‘Barge of the Month’ feature page. This time, the ultra-luxurious ROI SOLEIL shares with us its news on the comingseason, its new route and reveals a very special offer...

EXCHANGE RATES PROTECTION

As your charter is fully inclusive with food, wines and excursions, you are fully protected from exchange rate variations as you know the full cost at the time of booking.

NEW ROUTES—A THIRD AND NEW ROUTE FOR RETURN GUESTS

Canal du Midi in Midi Pyrénées - Between Carcassonne - Castelnaudary
As many Roi Soleil guests have returned and enjoyed the 2 regular routes they offer, the barge has now introduced a third new route in the South west of France through Midi Pyrénées. To qualify, you must have already have traveled the other 2 regular routes as the barge has limited possibilities of departure through the season. And if you have already done these 3 routes with us, well, the barge has a 4th and 5th route but that's really a secret!
The third route between Carcassonne and Castelnaudary, still on the historic Canal du Midi, takes you through the Lauragais, which enjoys a Mediterranean climate with oceanic influences. Progressively the vines give way to rolling hills of farmlands. It makes for beautiful countryside , interesting gastronomy, the land of Foie Gras and wine. It is the famed 'land of plenty' of the middle ages, 'le pays de Cocagne', extremely wealthy, having cornered then the market for the 'blue Pastel dye'. So there are beautiful and vibrant towns and hill villages. Famed Toulouse, Albi - home of Toulouse-Lautrec, Mirepoix, etc... The winding Canal is very pretty as we climb high above the valley floors, through many locks, towards the 'water source' and highest point of the Canal.

Roi Soleil runs 2 regular routes through the season, each very diverse so you can return to your trusted boat and crew whilst enjoying a new experience:

1—Canal du Midi in Languedoc - Béziers to Carcassonne - on the World Heritage Listed 17th Century Canal du Midi, and
2—Provence / Camargue / Languedoc - Avignon to Béziers during the spring and fall. You will find itineraries and photography by clicking here.

'FORBES’WAS ON BOARD THE ROI SOLEIL IN 2004, hence the barge was featured in the quarterly Lifestyle Magazine FYI – FORBES - Spring 2004. Roger Kimble wrote about his personal experience during a cruise onboard the “Roi Soleil” on the ‘Canal du Midi’.

Quotes:
"The Roi Soleil ... is easily the most luxurious craft on the Canal du Midi"

"... a dining saloon where J. Paul Getty would feel at home ..."

"In 1787, Thomas Jefferson took a trip down the canal, 'Of all the methods of traveling I have ever tried', he wrote in a letter 'this is the pleasantest'. If only he had experienced the Roi Soleil".

"Fit for a Sun King".

Click here to read the Forbes article.

REGIONAL GASTRONOMY AND EVENTS IN THE LAND OF ‘ROI SOLEIL’…

GASTRONOMY -

Michelin Starred Chefs from the region - the Pourcel twins Jacques and Laurent - are world renowned for their creative Languedoc and Mediterranean gastronomic cuisine. They are now following in the footsteps of Alan Ducasse by going seriously international - last year alone, they opened restaurants in London, Shanghai, Bangkok and the Mauritius Islands. Whilst in the region, Roi Soleil recommends a visit to their flagship restaurant, "Le Jardin des Sens" in Montpellier:

SPRING EVENTS

ARLES - Guardians Feast - 2 May
A spectacular parade of elegant Camargue ladies in full traditional costume on horseback, accompanied by the guardians' (Camargue cowboys) displaying their horsemanship on their white steeds. An Arlesian Feast, that celebrates a tradition dating back over 400 years.
ST REMY DE PROVENCE - Shepherd's Feast - 15 May
The cobbled streets of St Remy de Provence are filled with festivities as the people gather to cheer the shepherds leading their herds from the lower pastures to the mountains for the summer.
Saintes MARIES de la MER - 24-26 May
Saintes Maries de la Mer is in the heart of the Camargue, and gypsies from all over Europe come on pilgrimage to this colorful, musical, spectacular event every year. Violins and guitars accompany the parade through the narrow streets from the candle lit chapel on the descent of the shrines to the sea. The Gypsies honor this Christian tradition as their patron saint, Marie-Sara, disembarked there with St Marie Jacobé and St Marie Salomé to preach to the people. The Guardians accompany the parade with displays of horse and bull games in honor of the Marquis de Baroncelli who codified their games.

ROI SOLEIL...SHARE SECRETS FROM ‘LA CUISINE’...

A RECIPE FOR SPRING IN PROVENCE...

Lamb Cutlets with Artichokes and Fresh Onions


Ingredients:

6 prime cut lamb cutlets
6 small artichoke hearts
6 fresh onions with their green stem
2 small shallots
1 soup spoon cerfeuil, scissored
soup spoon of basil, scissored
1/2 soup spoon of fresh mint, scissored
3 soup spoons of lemon juice
2 soup spoons olive oil
salt, pepper
1 liter of grape seed oil

Method:

Boil 3/4 liter of salted water in a small saucepan; add the lemon juice and the artichoke hearts, cook 5 minutes (so they remain firm) then gently remove from saucepan and drain on absorbent paper. Peel the onions and chop finely with 3cm of their green stems. Peel the shallots and chop finely. Heat the Olive Oil in a deep, heavy based saucepan; cook until transparent without browning then add the artichoke hearts cut into strips of 1/2 cm long. Season with salt & pepper. Add the herbs, turn off the heat and cover.
Heat the grape-seed oil to 180°C in a deep fryer and drop in 2 cutlets for 1 minute then remove and place on absorbent paper. Continue with the remainder of the cutlets, 2 at a time. Place the onions and artichokes in the plates, top with the cutlets and serve.