Winner of the recently awarded ‘Talent D’Or’
prize for excellence in tourism, the ’Emma’ barge is celebrating her
100th birthday this year. We at The Barge Company spent the long
weekend of 29 July—01 August on board this vision of loveliness on
the Canal du Midi. Read on for an insight into life on board and
to
view our splendid new pictures of this barge—exclusively presented
to you by
The Barge Company.
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We met up with Liz and René and the Emma in Sète,
located on the Mediterranean coast—once a small
fishing village with a very strong Greek and Roman
history, now a buzzing destination for all discerning tourists
looking for the ‘real’ France (see pictures to
left and below). Known now as the ‘little Venice of
France’ this fascinating town is criss-crossed with canals
and waterways, lined with elegant sandstone
buildings with intricate facades and rows and rows of
boats of varying colours and sizes. Nearer the Mediterranean
Sea there are very modern fishing boats to
be seen as the thriving fishing trade still exists here.
Fresh fish and seafood of all shapes and sizes
abound, and this is one of the many bonuses of a
cruise aboard the Emma. Liz, your very capable Irish
chef, has been cooking for 40 years, and it shows! If
you like seafood then she and René will share with
you the unique delights of this corner of France,
bringing the freshest of produce straight from the
clear blue sea to your plate.
After exploring the Mont Saint Clair
and it’s wonderful
views (see bottom left) along the Mediterranean
coastline, we were treated to a walk through the
heart of the smaller fishing community (see below),
where techicoloured boats were moored up everywhere
and fishing nets lay drying in the sun.
Then, back to the barge for a decadent
lunch with
gloriously chilled Picpoul le Pinet (local wine), as we
set sail across the Etang de Thau (top picture, above
right), cruising very close to her famous oyster beds.
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René took the wheel as we cruised out of Sète and into
the Etang which is a salt water lagoon. The edge of
the lagoon is encrusted with pretty little villages such as
Bouzigues and Balaruc les Bains (see below left),
which are each lovely places to step off of your luxury
floating hotel for a gentle stroll around. One of them
even has healing thermal waters which could be beneficial to
those suffering from rheumatism.
The Etang was perfectly blue as we sailed gently across (see
pics below left and right).
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Between admiring the scenery
whilst navigating the 27 km across the Etang de Thau, we
took the opportunity to
take some great shots of the cabins and their immaculate
bathrooms. There are 3 cabins—green, blue and yellow,
which can each be made into a twin configuration or a
double. See the pics of blue and yellow cabins below left.
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Having crossed the salty ‘sea’ of
the Etang de Thau (where René
stopped the barge and we swam
in clear her blue waters), we entered
the 300 year old Canal du
Midi and glided gently under the
rows of ancient poplars planted
on each side of the canal. The
tow path follows the route of the
canal so it’s great for cycling or
walking if you wish to explore
away from the barge or go ahead
to take pictures etc.
Lunch
was a relaxing and sunny
affair under the swaying trees
and we made the most of the
sunshine with wine flowing and
even a little glass of the local,
slightly sweet white Muscat wine.
Fresh produce, sumptuous
cheeses and generous wine completed
this perfect picture of
barging.
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Below, René takes the wheel
and ensures
that we gently float from port to
port in utter safety. Born in Sète on the
hill called the ‘Mont Saint Clair’, René is
an authority on the local area, traditions,
foods, wines, etc., and will be delighted
to share all of his knowledge with
you. His boating experience dates back
many years and he’s an accomplished
marine mechanic too, so you can be
sure you’re in utterly safe hands.
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Life is gentle
and carefree
when you’re
one of Liz
and René’s
guests, and
you never
know who
will drop by
for a drink
and a chat at
one of the
pretty arched
windows!
(right)
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One of the highlights of
our
cruise on the Emma was
navigating up the River
Herault which is, in theory,
in-navigable, but which we
were able to enjoy for an
hour or so before turning
back. A mosaic of wildlife
along the way, we spotted
kingfishers, herons, cormorants,
dragonflies of all colours
and sizes, and even
the odd human being, such
as this canoeist (right).
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The sunny saloon area on
the Emma, above, allows
plenty of space for Liz and
René’s collection of books,
CDs, wines, photograph albums
for guests to peruse,
maps, discreet TV and DVD
player and umpteen other
possibilities for a rainy day.
Happily, that is a very rare
occurrence but it’s always
nice to be prepared! The
large awning on the sun
deck also meant we stayed
cool and shady whilst cruising
(above left).
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What could be better
than a cool glass of fine champagne
and some tasty nibbles after the adventure of cruising
up the
River Herault? We sat under the cool awning and felt
like
royalty as Liz and René regaled us with their stories of
people
on the river and the adventures they’ve seen in their
many
years on the waterways. Life is so relaxed, and Liz and
René
so very friendly and welcoming, that you’re always sure
to
feel utterly at home, as we quickly did! (see below).
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Later on that day we swam in
the River Herault as the sun set behind the poplar trees. After
showering
and preparing for our last meal on board we joined our hosts on
deck and enjoyed a fantastic supper by
candlelight as the cicadas buzzed away all around us.
The next day we enjoyed a tour of
Agde—another ancient Greek settlement which is now very popular
centre for discerning tourists, then it was finally time toleave the gentle and welcoming Emma.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this and
would like to see more details on Emma, please
click here.
If you would like to know which cruise weeks are still available please
contact us.
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Dear Marie and Mark,
I wanted to let you know what an absolutely wonderful trip we had in May. Emma is a splendid
experience! From the moment we came on board, René and Liz, along with Megan and David,
did a superb job: as Liz put it then, "we want to make this the best week of your life," and believe
me they did. The cooking was varied, interesting, and always delectable. Liz' knowledge of
local specialties, including cheese and wine, was impressive, and we learned a great deal.
Service was warm and friendly, but impeccable, and always professional. Megan was our friendly
angel, always ready with a smile and a glass of wine or cup of tea: David was a great companion
and knowledgeable guide on our excursions. René was a wonderful, trustworthy captain
whose intimate knowledge of the canal and its ways made our cruise a truly outstanding event.
The accommodations on board were delightful: light and airy yet cozy on our one rainy day. The
living room/dining room was beautiful, the bedrooms fresh and very nicely furnished with handmade
quilts, and the bathrooms spotlessly clean and working perfectly. It was hard, however,
ever to leave the deck, with its lovely furniture, flowers, and music. And the canal itself in May
is, of course, spectacularly lovely.
TL,2005
‘Every single person on the trip agreed that it was one of the best things they
had done in years. The canal, of course, is breathtaking. The sights along the
way were wonderful. But most of all we loved our barge…..the Emma was
spectacular with its deep comfortable chairs and lovely elegance.
Best of all, however, (was) the crew. They spared no effort to make us comfortable
and pampered. Honestly, I can't praise them enough. I can certainly recommend
(this) boat. I want to say a special word about the Emma and her
crew. They were fabulous. We loved their friendliness and high standard of
both hominess and elegance.
Thanks for a great booking!!’
SC, 2005.
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