2026 Cruise Price List and Sailing Schedule for Athos’ Canal du Midi Cruises

Athos 2026 Price List and Sailing Schedule

2026 PRICES	$ USD
	VALUE	REGULAR
Stateroom per person	6250	7250
Single supplement	2300	2600
Charter for up to 6 passengers	51600	58800
Charter for up to 8 passengers	54800	62400
Charter for up to 10 passengers	58000	66000
Family discount/child	300

Value Season:

March 29-April 18, July 12-Aug 8, October 18-31

Regular Season:

April 19-July 11, Aug 16-October 17

Sailing Schedule and Availability Chart

Click the above link to request our availability chart. Find information about cruise dates, cruise direction, and the number of cabins still available on each 2023 cruise week.

Email Dannielle directly to request booking and payment details.

All about Athos 2025…

This is a quick video all about Athos in 2025. It shows some of Athos’ onboard facilities, including our big outdoor terrace with jacuzzi, hydraulic sun awning, and outdoor dining for 10.

If you’re still searching for your 2025 holiday – we’re right here!

We’ve still got some cruise dates available in Spring 2025: May 11-17, 18-24, June 1-7, and we’re taking bookings for 2026.

Check out our Price List, route and itinerary by scrolling down our Cruises Page , and then shoot us an Email to BOOK 🙂

Athos in Marseillan port — Athos moored in Marseillan Port, at the end of a week cruising on the Canal du Midi

Athos at night, her jacuzzi, deck lighting — Athos at night, with her jacuzzi and deck lighting

Joining an Athos Cruise on the Canal du Midi

Travel Tips & How to get Here.

You’ve hit the “Contact Us” button, you’ve confirmed your Canal du Midi cruise dates, you’ve booked! The next stage is travel-planning.

Athos Crew come to meet and transfer passengers to the boat on Sundays in Beziers, 15:30 – 16:30. We’ll meet you at your choice of locations: Beziers Train Station, Beziers Airport, Beziers Car Hire centres, or a Beziers hotel where you’ve stayed the night before.

This post is to help you with your airline and travel searches. It lists the closest airports, train stations and useful websites that will help you get to Athos’ Canal du Midi cruise start and end point in Beziers. Athos can recommend a few regional hotels that meet her discerning standards. And please, don’t hesitate to ask Dannielle if you’d like her to pick up the phone and make a hotel or B&B booking on your behalf. Read on!

Closest AIRPORTS to fly to:

PARIS CHARLES DE GAULLE

The largest French airport that connects internationally. To travel from Paris to Beziers, the most relaxing option is the direct and easy 4 hour high-speed train (TGV) into Beziers centre. Sunday TGVs go from: Paris Gare de Lyon 11:05 – 15:33 Beziers train station. There are also TGV’s that link Paris CDG Airport Train Terminal 09:58-15:32 Beziers *change trains at Montpellier. Alternatively, check whether your international airline offers the internal Air France connector from CDG into Montpellier.

BARCELONA EL PRAT

hosts direct international flights from North America, and also connects by train with the main line into France in just under 2.5 hours. Sunday trains from Barcelona Sants (train station) go from 14:30 – 16:35 Beziers. Rental cars can also be hired at Barcelona airport, and by autoroute, it is an easy 2.5 hours by car to Beziers. Cars can be rented at Barcelona International Airport and dropped at Beziers Vias Airport or Beziers Train Station (Europcar, Hertz).

MARSEILLE-MARIGNAN (also called Marseille-Provence)

hosts direct flights from Montreal, and is also a major European hub for flight connections. There is a train terminal at the airport and a direct train connection to Beziers on Sundays: Airport 12:06 – 14:37 arr Beziers Station.

TOULOUSE-BLAGNAC

A major international hub, Toulouse also has a 20-minute free shuttle bus that takes passengers from the Arrivals terminal into the central train station. There are multiple times connecting to Beziers, including Sundays dep TLS 14:39- arr 16:07 Beziers.

MONTPELLIER-MEDITERANÉE

Air France flights connect main European hubs to Montpellier. EasyJet also runs daily flights from London Gatwick to Montpellier. A 20-minute shuttle service connects from Montpellier Airport to Saint Roch Train station. Trains run regularly to Beziers and take 40 minutes. Athos suggests the Baudon de Mauny hotel in Montpellier in the event that you choose to stay a night, or the Hotel Le Guilhem.

How to book TRAINS

Train times and tickets from all European cities can be found online 90 days in advance of the date of departure. Trainline is an easy to use website. Tickets can be purchased online 90 days in advance of the departure date. *Hint: if it is more than 90 days in advance and you’d like to check train times, simulate the schedule by picking a later date with the same days of the week for you’ll be wanting travel. Main lines typically keep the same schedule the year around, particularly on Saturdays and Sundays. Although our favourite (most user-friendly) train website is Trainline, the direct and official French website for trains is SNCF. In the event of discrepancy between the two sites, SCNF tends to be the most accurate and updated. For example, explanations like works on lines or strike information do not appear on Trainline)

BEZIERS HOTELS we can recommend:

If you choose to spend a night in the Beziers area pre-cruise, Athos Crew will collect you from your hotel on the Sunday of your cruise departure.

Hotel Particulier Beziers

La Villa Guy

In Situ

Mention Athos when booking, or ask Dannielle info@athosdumidi.com for help.

The best holiday is just around the bend. Come cruising with Athos!

Are you looking for a special holiday?

You’ve Googled it. You’ve talked to friends and family. We here at Athos make a wager that none of the ideas you’ve stumbled on are anywhere as original as “hotel barge cruising?”

What could be a better holiday than a week-long cruise in your own luxury floating hotel in the South of France?

Does your travel wish-list include any of the below?

Experience Southern french culture and history

The great bit about exclusive travel is having your own guide-ambassador at your disposal all week. Athos’ tour guide has been given accolades over the years.

“Mathew is a gifted Tour Guide and Teacher. He shows accountability for everything”.

Taste the best of Southern France’s Food and Regional Wines

Best holidays are synonymous with best food and best wine. Athos has vetted wines from the Corbieres, Minervois, Coteaux de Languedoc and other top wine-growing terroirs in the region

Athos’ crew know the food markets and they’ve put the Chef through her paces!

You can’t go wrong when the food and wine footwork have been done for you. If you have dietary preferences or allergies, Athos has it in hand. Just let us know in advance, and we’ll sort it out without cutting corners on the best southern French gourmet experience.

We recently stumbled on two bits of passenger feedback about onboard meals that made us chuckle:

What was your favourite meal? Passenger response: “You aren’t serious. Each meal was planned and created by a Genius.”
Out of 10, rate the menu and range of dishes. Passenger response “25”.

The best holidays are at a destination that is uncrowded and original.

…especially knowing what we do about Covid. We just loved travel-writer Jaime Ditaranto’s take on this subject. She spent a week onboard Athos in September 2018. Her video link and article say it all!

Comfortable climate – neither too hot nor too cold

If it’s going to be enjoyable, the best holidays tend to involve comfortable climate. The Languedoc (or Occitanie as Southwestern France is recently ) is typically windy. The winters can howl (like today) but it means that in summer there is always a comfortable breeze. There is a reason that summers on the coastal South of France are an escape from the stifling heat of populated European cities.

Add to that, Athos is fully air-conditioned and heated. All cabins have individual air conditioning that you can leave on all night and all day. The main salon is also fully air-conditioned. The spacious upper deck has a fixed sun awning to protect cruising passengers from daytime rays. In the heat of summer, we tend to set the jacuzzi to cool, and use it more as a plunge pool than hot spa.

Proximity to the Mediterranean without the crowds

The best holidays involve enjoyable destinations minus complication. When you go barging, there’s no switching hotels each night because your luxury hotel floats with you. Your goods and your bags stay in your cosy cabin, and your guide drives you to off-the-beaten path visits. This means that if you love a beach, you can get there…but you don’t have to spend all night and day surrounded by beach-goers and beach front. Have a look at Athos’ Best of Languedoc Itinerary and each day’s suggested activities between Argeliers and the Etang de Thau at Marseillan. If you click on our interactive map and let your mouse hover, a pointer will show each day’s mooring.

If you’d like to ask about availability for your best 2025 or 2026 holiday on Athos, or request more information send us an email.

Cruising the Canal du Midi in Spring

Without a doubt, the most popular times on the Canal du Midi cruise calendar are Spring and Fall.

Why? Well, those who don’t have to travel during peak times are wise to opt for the shoulder seasons. And they do.

Canal du Midi Spring and Fall weather is typically more moderate.

Although the Canal du Midi area does experience showers in spring, they tend to be sporadic. And a sporadic shower is a fare trade off for those who wish to avoid summer heat and crowded travel, or worse, crowded destinations. Athos cruises the Canal du Midi which is deep in the countryside, and Athos takes private moorings, so crowds are never a worry. As for the busier tourist sites like Carcassonne, we try to encourage a “seize-the-day” schedule…followed by a long lunch with wine and a siesta while cruising. (It’s a steady plan).

Great things to experience along the Canal du Midi in Spring

Asparagus. Fresh, green, crisp, sweet. Best when bought by the side of the road, directly from a producer.

Wild flowers

In spring, the Canal du Midi and surrounding countryside is covered in wildflowers. Those who are more versed in botanical studies will no doubt have a longer list than this one: sage flower, thyme, rosemary, poppy fields, snapdragons, Scotch broom, freesias, thistle, wild orchids, almond blossom, cherry blossom, Judas tree, irises.

Mild 20 degree days of sunshine, clean air and clear skies.

Spring days perfectly made for wandering the Canal du Midi tow path, clicking pics of perfect wildflowers.

There are still a number of Spring cruise dates open to bookings: May 11-17 2025 and May 18-24 2025. Contact us by email and have a look at our 2025 Prices and Best of Languedoc Itinerary

A Day Onboard Athos, Cruising the Canal du Midi

Video content of Athos, cruising a typical day on the idyllic Canal du Midi.

Athos history: a lovely story and an amazing email exchange

Athos history. It’s where our business all began.

Athos is not exactly a “mainstream” business. But because we are so entrenched in all things hotel-barging, I forget that hotel barging isn’t deeply known or understood world ’round. We have lived on Athos or nearby the Canal du Midi for over 20 years now. We are in close contact with others who also run hotel barge businesses both on the Canal du Midi and in other areas of France. I write multiple daily emails explaining the how, what and why of Athos and hotel barging. I point people at FAQ links, make suggestions about how to travel to Athos’ meeting point and answer a whole variety of questions…

Last week I had a series of emails about Athos history that surprised even me. And it turned out to be a lovely story:

Jonathan Sargent, Aug 3 (5 days ago)
to me

Good afternoon,

I went to an estate sale here in the USA and purchased blueprints of the ‘Athos’ and I was curious if you could tell me more about waterline and the boats history. Thank you for your time.

Aug 4 (4 days ago)
to Jonathan

Hello Jonathan –

How amazing! …I imagine this was Mimi’s estate? Mimi was one of the original financiers and shareholders of the Athos. She and her husband Pierre Noubel undertook the makeover and project which are now your blueprints. They then set Athos up as a canal-tourism business and brought over many well-heeled Americans who would never have undertaken to see the then-back-woods of Southwestern France and the Canal du Midi!

Athos still runs as a luxury hotel barge on the Canal du Midi, and has done since her makeover as per the blueprints in 1982 — slightly changed in cabin layout and certainly in decor, but in essence as your blueprints indicate. Julian was a Captain from 1988, just after Pierre Noubel sold the barge to new owners. From 2001-2004, Julian and I leased Athos, and then by 2004 bought Athos together, and winter of 2006 gave her a massive interior makeover. We are still running it as an active business.

Previously to 1982, Athos would probably have been destined for the North African boat scrapyards. We think this is what happened to her 3 sister ships: the D’Artagnan, Portos and the Aramis. All 4 Musketeers were built in 1965 in the Marne, specifically for the Canal du Midi to be used as freighters. Canal du Midi barges have very very low wheelhouses in order to fit through the extremely low 16thC bridges. (have a look at the arch drawn in over the narrow silouette in Image 4 of the Plans!) Many of these kind of freighters would have held grain, wine, sand, or fuel. We know Athos didn’t carry fuel, but we don’t know whether she was more concentrated on grain/wine or sand. Generally speaking, 1965-built barges had (give or take) a 25-year life span. They were welded steel hulls with flat bottoms, and a maximum depth of 1.3m…not the ultra-thick black iron riveted hulls of their earlier Dutch-built counterparts.

Alas, Athos’ lifespan technically should have been up by now, but she is drydocked annually, re-treated (and even re-bottomed in this past 15 years), and has constant and ongoing maintenance, improvements and tweaks.

In fact, we’d be hugely grateful for a copy if you are able to either .pdf or post to us in France? I’m not sure how big the plans are? We seem to only have the electrics blueprint in our collection, and we still work around the water-tight bulkheads and fire doors indicated in the original copy.

Hope the above is of some interest and use to you.

Kind regards,

Dannielle & Julian FARRANT

Jonathan Sargent
Aug 4 (4 days ago)
to me

Let me start by saying thank you so much for the Athos history and for all of the information. My wife and I just started going to estate sales and this is truly a wonderful find indeed. I have pictures as the blueprints are very large in size. Wow… I am just in amazement. This is really neat to find on the other side of the world. Let me see what I can do. Would pictures work?

P.s. When we started looking at these, my wife immediately said, “There has to be a three musketeers connection.”

Sent from my iPhone

Jonathan Sargent
Aug 5 (3 days ago)
to me

Dannielle,

I miss-spoke and called them blueprints but they are actually schematics from the 1980’s. I had intentions of selling these to make something back but after talking about it with my wife, we would like to send what we have to you and Julian. We just feel like this belongs with the two of you. Let me know where we can send them to and I will let you know when they are sent. The history that you shared was more than what we ever anticipated. Thank you for sharing that with us, as we will never forget it.

-Cheers-

The Sargent’s

Dannielle Farrant <info@athosdumidi.com>
Aug 5 (3 days ago)
to Jonathan

Wow Johnathan – this is incredibly gracious of you! We are of course delighted to share Athos history with anyone who wants to listen and we are so grateful that you have pieced together some of her missing artifacts!

Lastly, I am so tickled by our exchange that I wanted to ask if I could post our emails as part of a Blog post on Athos’ website, linking it to some of the write-up about Athos history?

Best regards, Dannielle & Julian

Sent from my iPhone

Jonathan Sargent
Aug 5 (3 days ago)
to me

Oh wow! That would be so cool. Maybe one day when we are in Paris, we can stop by to say hello. I will put them in the mail tomorrow. Please let me know when you have received them. That way we know they made it home. 🙂

From our home with love, Jonathan & Ashley Sargent, Gulfport, MS

For the record, Johnathan & Ashley – if ever you’re keen to pop by and see Athos, you know where to find us! Truly, Thank-you.

A selection of Athos’ historical Plans, found by Johnathan & Ashley Sargent, Gulfport, MS

And if you’re interested…here’s a bit more on Athos history

Best of Languedoc Wine List, Athos Canal du Midi 2016

Athos has a trusted core of acclaimed Languedoc Chateaux and Domaines that have produced consistently acclaimed wines each year.

This is a look at Athos’ 2016 onboard Wine List.

Domaine La Colombette

A father and son team of vignerons who were the first to introduce plastic corks and screw top corks in the otherwise staunchly traditional wine trade of the South of France. They’ve also been on international wine-scouting trips to learn about wine technology abroad, including alcohol-reducing techniques that have permitted them to produce their alcohol-light rosé, “La Plume”. Colombette’s wines have been part of Athos’ Canal du Midi cruises for many years.

2015 Sauvignon Blanc Vin de Pays d’Herault
2015 Grenache rosé Vin de Pays d’Herault
2015 La Plume Rosé Vin de Pays d’Herault
2014 Lledoner Pelut Vin de Coteaux Libron

Cave Pierre Cros

Pierre Cros is a well-known and well-recognised producer, based closer to Carcassonne than to the cruise route for Athos Canal du Midi. He describes himself as a “Vigneron Militant”! His passion is for reviving traditional grape varieties that have been forgotten or worked out of the current AOC guidelines. His wines tend to sell out from year to year and so Athos gets there early!

2015 Les Costes, AOC Minervois Blanc
2013Les Vielles Vignes, AOC Minervois Rouge
2014 Les Aspres, AOC Minervois Rouge
2015 La Partouse, Vin de France Rosé

Les Costières de Pomerols, Cave Co-operative

The cave co-operatives across the Languedoc are responsible for much of the huge volume of wine produced in the region. Traditionally, the huge volume did not necessarily represent refined wines. Happily this has changed dramatically over the past 20 years and many Cave Co-ops are producing some excellent wines across the region. This is one of Athos’ Canal du Midi cruising favourites and it matches up perfectly with the oysters and seafood of the terroir!

2015 Hugues de Beauvignac, AOC Coteaux de Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet

Domaine les Murettes

Mme. Bellido of Domaine les Murettes has long been a force to contend with as is her Viognier. It also sells out annually, and with reason: this is a true dry white wine that speaks of pure Languedoc peach and apricot orchards. Quaffable and friendly with food. A perfect wine for cruising with on the Canal du Midi.

2015 Viognier, Vin Blanc Biologique

Chateau la Negly

Based at Fleury d’Aude, overlooking the Gruissan and Narbonne plage area, the vineyards around Fleury grow in the salty Med breeze – never too cold in winter, never too dry in summer. Chateau la Negly are internationally recognised for their quality and also have a large production destined for international export.

2015 La Brise Marine, AOC La Clape Blanc
2014 La Falaise, AOC Coteaux de Languedoc

La Voulte Gasparets

Athos has carried La Voulte Gasparets Corbieres wines onboard for the past 20 years, a testament to their quality and consistency. Typical to Corbieres grape varieties and depth of fruit and character, these wines have always been crowd pleasers with passengers who cruise Athos Canal du Midi.

Cuvée Romain Pauc, 2013 AOC Corbieres rouge
Blanc 2015 AOC Corbieres
Rosé 2015 AOC Corbieres

Domaine d’Antech

Onboard bubbly – important for special occasions on board, and well, just because you can.

Cuvée Eugénie, AOC Crémant de Limoux
Cuvée Émotion, Cremant de Limoux

Chateau Mire l’Etang

This is another of the wine producers that Athos has worked with nearing 20 years. Again based on the Fleury d’Aude side, bordering the Med, Mire l’Etang’s wines benefit from the softening effects of the salty med air. Named for the historical Duchess de Fleury, Aimée de Coigny blanc is a crisp and delicate blend of Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Grenache Blanc. The Ducs de Fleury red is an oaked combination of traditional Languedoc grapes Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre noir.

Aimée de Coigny, 2015 AOC La Clape blanc
Ducs de Fleury, 2014 AOC La Clape rouge
Gris, 2015 AOC La Clape rosé.

Why a Canal du Midi Cruise on Luxury Hotel Boat Athos should be on your bucket list.

A Canal du Midi Cruise on Athos is a South of France experience that is a once in a lifetime, must-do holiday. Here’s why:

Athos makes your Canal du Midi cruise exclusive and personalised. VIP is the only class and service option.

Athos carries a maximum of 10 passengers on board in any given week and her 5 full time crew members ensure that they are given every attention and comfort. Athos and her crew are all about making your special Canal du Midi holiday the lifetime trip to remember. With the option of chartering the entire boat for up to 10 passengers, you can choose your own group of preferred travellers. If you’d like to stay away from the crowds, Athos’ crew can arrange that.

It’s not JUST a luxury Canal du Midi Cruise.

Inclusive shore excursions mean that you’ll See & Experience More on hotel barge Athos. Because Athos’ experienced crew will look after the complicated travel questions of Where-to…? How-to…? and What’s-on-the-menu… we make it possible for you to do far more than an independent traveller in the South of France.

During a week onboard, Athos’ Canal du Midi cruise activities include:

cruising the Canal du Midi by historical hotel barge and exploring the surrounding area.
tasting and travelling your way through the vast wine region,
delighting your palate with the onboard Chef’s repertoire (tweaked to your preferences of course)
walking & bicycling the surrounding countryside
sitting back and enjoy the flavours, fun and experiences without losing time figuring it all out.

Have a look at our detailed suggestions on the Best of Languedoc itinerary.

Outdoor Luxury

Athos offers magical days seeing the South of France that way it is best appreciated – from outdoors. What other form of hotel offers the comforts of a hotel that floats and moves with you on your journey, taking luxury into the countryside from her generous top deck? The Languedoc’s Mediterranean climate and landscapes are warm, rustic, charming – and all able to be experienced from your comfortable lounge chair on the Athos deck. Here’s a little photo selection and a link to historical and practical information about the Canal du Midi to whet your appetite!

Click here to Drop us an email to ask questions, dates and details.

Athos 2015 Wine List, a Languedoc Adventure starting at Chateau la Negly

Building the annual onboard wine list is always an adventure. From year to year, we follow our palates, and the trusty advice of friend & Master of Wine, Juliet Bruce-Jones. Most years Athos keeps to many of the tried and true Languedoc wineries, although we occasionally switch up for something new and interesting.

Last weekend saw a quick tasting at Chateau La Negly. La Negly is one of the tried and true Languedoc producers, and a must-taste for wino’s and cruisers of the Languedoc. Here’s what we bought to add to our 2015 list –

La Natice – an exceptional diversion from the region’s many good dry & fruity Languedoc roses. Although crisp and dry, La Natice delivers a fragrant, almost perfume-y strawberry nose. Elegant. And it’s a posh bottle.

La Natice, perfectly elegant rosé.

La Brise Marine – la Negly sits directly on the coastline between Vendres and Narbonne Plage and so is directly exposed to the ocean air, or “brise marine” and its clay mineral soil. Made from 70% Bourboulenc and 30% Roussanne grapes, giving notes of peaches, mango and almonds, this is a perfect pairing for seafood.

La Brise Marine, AOC Coteaux de Languedoc

La Falaise 2011 Coteaux de Languedoc: In fact, sold out. But Negly have pulled out all the stops and gone digging in their cellars to come out with enough of the 2011 for Athos’ 2015 season. Here’s what Curious Wines said about it: “This deep ruby red Syrah (50%), Grenache (40%) and Mourvèdre (10%) blend shows raspberry and blackberry fruit with undertones of chocolate and black olives on the nose. Hints of liqourice and roasted coffee beans mingle with dark fruit on the palate, where the wine displays ripe, smooth tannins and a long, savoury finish.” Cheers!

Tuna with Red Onion and Sweet Vinegar

(Serves 4)

6 tbsp of olive oil

2 garlic cloves, cut into fine matchsticks

3 red onions (about 400g) sliced chinese-style

4 fresh bay leaes

600g fresh tuna loin or monkfish cut in 3cm cubes

2 tsp chopped fresh oregano

350g cherry tomatoes blanched, peeled, quartered & seeded

300g drained cooked judion beans (150g dry weight) or use cooked butter beans or cannellini beans

1 tbsp of sweet red wine vinegar (or any good-quality red wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar)

Sautee the garlic matchsticks in olive oil until golden brown (but not burnt), then remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside
Add the onions and bay leaves to the still-hot pan with a good pinch of salt & increase to med heat. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened and beginning to brown. Set aside
Minutes before you are ready to serve, place a very wide pan over a high heat until smoking. Season the tuna with salt & pepper. Add the remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and sear the tuna briskly on both sides. They will only need a minute or two per side.
Add the cooked onions, half the oregano, the tomatoes, beans and vinegar and sauté for a minute more, until everything is warmed through (the tuna should be quite pink in the middle).
Transfer to a warm serving dish, sprinkle over the remaining oregano and crispy garlic and serve immediately.

Tuna and Red Onion with Sweet Vinegar

A Languedoc Tradition: Picpoul and Oysters at Christmas

Much like the rest of Europe, the French in the Languedoc celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, or La Reveillon, which translates to “the awakening of Christ”. Many typical families begin their Christmas with evening Mass at the local church. Once they return home from Mass, the celebrations begin. Father Christmas will have visited while everyone was out, and in the French way, eating and drinking also begins. No doubt you’ll remember the famous oysters & Picpoul from your own experience on the Etang de Thau while onboard Athos? Mais oui, the well-known Languedoc combination of Picpoul de Pinet and oysters is the plat du soir!