Canal du Midi Cruises » Emma
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info@boutiquehotelbarges.com
info@boutiquehotelbarges.com
Emma offers their guests a family atmosphere. Their crew have been with them for many seasons, a testament to the conviviality onboard. Lovingly designed by the owners, this barge has a perfect holiday layout with a comfortable saloon and three lovely cabins, and a covered sun deck the length of the barge for relaxing and dining.
Emma's owners, Rene and Liz Jacquot, make a perfect team. Rene excels as ship master while Liz's talent lies in taking the freshest produce and turning it into delicious regional cuisine. She happily shares her recipes and invites guests into her galley. Her vivacious Irish personality animates the day by day cruise experience.
Emma is privately owned and operated by Liz & René Jacquot, which means that each cruise can be tailor made to suit your needs and interests.
René, Emma's French pilot with the ready smile and amazing technical know how was born locally in Sete, the 'Little Venice ' of the Midi, from a long line of boat people. René's wife Liz is Emma's chef. Originally from Ireland, Liz has embraced the Mediterranean cuisine with enthusiasm. Emma has built her reputation on the excellence of the food and wines served aboard. Liz loves sharing recipes and ideas with her guests over a glass of wine and her kitchen is always open.
The other 2 crew members are Amanda, Emma's hostess, who looks after passenger's needs aboard. Amanda is a wine expert and will delight in sharing her knowledge and expertise of the wines served aboard Emma. Rosy, a British history graduate, is Emma's tour guide. She has lived in the region for the last 20 years and knows all the local folklore and culture.
The atmosphere on board Emma is relaxed and friendly. "Treated like Royalty but felt like family" is how one guest put it.
There are 3 air conditioned cabins, two of which can be either a queen bed or 2 single beds and the third which is a fixed double. Each cabin has a fully equipped bathroom with full sized shower. Beautiful French linens and handmade Irish quilts add to the luxury of your cabin.
The air conditioned salon and dining room were designed for conviviality. You will find a fully equipped bar, a well stocked library, a selection of DVD's and CD's, a station for your I pod and also a connection Internet for keeping in touch. Large picture windows make it very bright and airy.
The outside deck is where you will spend the most of your time, just watching the beautiful countryside float by. Emma has one of the biggest decks on the canal. There is ample room for dining, a covered area for shade on those hot sunny days, and an area for enjoying your aperitifs while dinner is being prepared. There is a canopy which covers the deck when Emma is moored up to give shade during your meal times on deck.
Emma offers 3 cruise routes:
The Béziers to Aigues Mortes route is ideal in the summer months. The Canal du Midi runs alongside the Mediterranean so there are ample opportunities for swimming. This cruise takes you through tothe Carmargue region of France famous for the pink flamingoes, the white horsed, the black bulls and the wondeful sunsets.
Visits on this trip include the port of Sète (home town of Captain René) Pézenas, famous for its archictecture and quaint shops, St Guilhem le Desert set in the stunning scenery of the gorges of Herault and Montpellier, the capital of the region.
The Béziers to Puicheric is usually the first choice route for people booking a luxury barge cruise. The Canal du Midi winds its way through the renowned vinyards of the Languedoc, under tiny bridges, round hairpin bends, through numerous little villages and hamlets.
Visits on this trip include, the Cathar village of Minerve, the Roman town of Narbonne with its fabulous indoor covered market and the medieaval fortified city of Carcassonne.
The Puicheric to Castelnaudary route is the calmest of the 3 cruises Emma has to offer. There are a lot of locks for the barge along this route and the nighttime stops are often out in the wilds of the beautiful Lauragais countryside with its views of the Pyrenees in the distance. The tow path here is great for cyclists.
Visits on this route include, the walled City of Carcassonne, Lagrasse in the heart of the Corbières with its arty boutiques and potteries and the fabulous monastry, Mirepoix with its amazing outdoor market and wooden structured arched quare and of course Revel and the Lac St Férreol, the birthplace of the Canal du Midi.
Please contact Boutique Hotel Barges for more information on Emma's cruise itinerary.
When you start to plan a holiday in France, food plays a big part of it. It is no wonder that France is the gastronomic centre of the world as the cuisine is so regional and so varied. The Mediterranean diet is renowned for being the healthiest, but you don't have to sacrifice flavor for health as you will find out aboard Emma. All dietary requirements can be catered for and as Liz tells her guests on the first day, "if there is something that you would really like to try, let me know and I will do my best."
We are so lucky living in the Midi that we have easy access to fresh fruit and vegetables all year round. We have a selection of fish, meats, charcuterie second to none. During your week aboard you will be treated to the best. Just to whet your appetite!
Breakfast is waking up to the smell of coffee, warm croissants and pastries, fresh baguette, fresh fruit, yoghurts, cereals, juice, homemade jam, and having the time to sit and enjoy it all and listen to the birds.
Lunch is a mouthwatering display of colorful salads, pâtés, quiches, tarts, cheeses, homemade pickles and preserves and all washed down with a few bottles of nicely chilled rosé wine from the vineyard you have just cruised through.
Sample Dinner Menu
Velouté of asparagus and wild salmon with roast asparagus and lime mousseline sauce
Roast saddle of lamb stuffed with garlic and rosemary served with a chiffonade of spring cabbage and a minced herb roll
Cheese: Roquefort served with a glass of Muscat St Jean de Minervois and Muscat grapes
Panna Cotta with a raspberry coulis and fresh fruit
Coffee and liquers
Need Emma Floorplan
Emma offers the choice of either a 7 day/6 night cruise or a 6 day /5 night cruise Your pick up will be on a Saturday afternoon between 4 and 5pm at either your hotel, railway,airport or car hire depot. Your drop off will be either the following Thursday or Friday morning depending on the length of cruise you have chosen. On the 6 night cruise you can have a choice of full or half board. The half board cruise includes 4 evening meals and 2 lunches aboard and the other meals are taken ashore at a restaurant of your choice and at your expense
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6 NIGHTS FULL BOARD |
6 NIGHTS HALF BOARD |
5 NIGHTS |
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Charter 6 persons |
$30000* |
$27000 |
$25000* |
|
Charter 5 persons |
$27000* |
$24300 |
$23000* |
|
Charter 4 persons |
$25000* |
$22500 |
$22000* |
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Cabin P/Pers sharing |
$5500* |
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$5000 |
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Single person supplement |
$1500* |
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$1000 |
Included in the price