Bonjour! A Family Fun Charter on Athos

Barging isn’t just for grown-ups — it can be great family fun. A family cruise on Athos has the makings of perfect peace. Remove yourself from the hustle and demands of the work & school programme, hand over the making of family meals to a talented Chef. Let your Tour Guide work out the logistics of site-seeing and getting you where your group wants to go. Athos and her trusty crew make it all possible, no matter the differences in age or interests.

FAQ’s – Facts and Questions about a Family Fun Cruise onboard Athos

family canal cruise Carcassonne
kids activities in Carcassonne

Will there be activities to keep children busy?

Athos’ Family Fun Cruise Itinerary includes activities and a daily plan that has something for the whole family. There is flexibility built in so that your group can tailor your own interests (some families have signed up for a morning horseback riding, others hit the beach or the waterslide park, some go for kayaking…). The options are yours and require a simple request to Athos’ expert Tour Guide. He’ll figure it all out for you.

Family horseback riding
Family trail ride at the Fount del Bosc, Argeliers

A 4 month old baby will be part of our family group. Do you have a car seat, baby cot and high chair?

Yes. Athos has a collection of appropriate baby car seats from the rear-facing newborn variety all the way to appropriate booster-seats for children under 36kgs. Just let us know the approximate weight/age of babies, toddlers and children pre-arrival. We’ll have it ready and installed in cars for the week.

Athos also has travel cots or roll-guards for baby or younger children’s beds. Depending on the numbers of your group and how you wish to distribute cabins amongst family members, Athos is happy to make suggestions on which cabins would be most conveniently used for which equipment.

High chairs, baby bicycle seats, even a bicycle-trailer are all available. Just say the word!

We are a multigenerational group. Grandparents are unlikely to want to kayak. Can they wine-taste instead?

The options are endless! In short, yes. Athos runs two Chrysler minivans, which means that as long as family members can agree to a 6/6 split or 6/4 split etc…there is no reason why one crew member can’t take kids and one adult to the beach, while the Tour Guide heads off wine tasting with Grandma, Grandpa and few others. Also, Athos crew are good at making use of the whole day – so while some family members may wish to just chill onboard for the morning, lunch, cruising…all is not wasted. Your Guide will have further plans; for example, a game of petanque on arrival to the evening’s mooring spot, or a quick swim at the river around the corner before family dinner on deck.

We are a family of 3 and we’d like to join a Family Bike/Barge Cruise on the Canal du Midi?

Athos runs the Family Fun cruise for whole boat Charter groups only. Your group can be as small as 2 or as large as 12. We won’t, however, mix families with children on individual cabin-booking weeks because we have an idea that wine tasting, history and foie gras aren’t everything to keep kids interested over their hols!

Family Charter Athos Canal cruise
Diesel the Ship’s Dog was invited along by this family during their week onboard Athos!
Have a read about Ciao Bambino’s family week onboard Athos.