Spend an idyllic vacation in Southern France, relaxing at one of the country's top spa resorts. Avail of any number of activities from biking, beach activites, exploring the coast and interior, tasting local wines at vineyards or cocooning yourself in the sumptuous surroundings of your resort and availing of the tempting treatments on offer. Then head to Beziers to board your luxurious, privately chartered Orient Express Aloutte river barge and commence a week of culinary magic and cultural exploration. Enjoy private cooking lessons under the excellent tutelage of your gourmet chef on board. Discover beautiful medieval towns and villages in the company of a private Guide and transportation as you meander down stream towards the UNESCO designated city of Carcassonne. Upon disembarking in Carcassonne, enjoy a stay at the wonderful Hotel de la Cite - a gem of a hotel with gourmet restaurant which is located within the fortified city walls.

Dug by man under the reign of Louis XIV, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since December 1996, the beautiful Canal du Midi curves through the Languedoc countryside, connecting the Mediterranean with the Garonne and the Atlantic Ocean. The Alouette cruises the beautiful tree-lined Canal du Midi between Béziers and Carcassonne between June and October. Holding up to four passengers, and chartered exclusively on a private basis, the Alouette is an ideal barge for a family holiday, a couple or a group of friends wishing to really get into the wonderfully slow pace of rural France.

Green with vines and scented with Rosemary and Thyme, the Languedoc is an ancient and unspoilt region of blue skies and dramatic landscapes nestled along a 250 kilometre stretch of golden beaches from the Côte d'Azur to the Spanish border. The region basks in a perfect Mediterranean climate with over 300 days of sunshine annually. Fast being discovered the Languedoc offers tremendous diversity: sandy beaches, wooded mountains, ancient market towns and thriving fishing villages, vineyards of international renown and a cuisine to revitalise even the most jaded palate. With fiestas taking place seemingly every other day, the vibrancy of Languedoc life is tempered only by devotion to an unhurried pace of life that is quintessentially Mediterranean.

You will be picked up from the airport in Toulouse and transferred by private vehicle with a professional driver to Saint-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse. Driving time is approximately 1 hr and 30 mins (142 kms).

All the facilities that one would expect from an international resort are found at Les Jardins de St. Benoît. Facilities include:

* A gourmet Mediterranean restaurant

* Lounge and terrace bar with panoramic views over the surrounding countryside

* Superb Garrigae spa with indoor pool

* Jacuzzi

* Sauna and steam room and an impressive range of natural treatments

* Wi-fi throughout the estate

* A large outdoor heated swimming pool

* Terrace café

* Medieval Gardens

* A spacious village boulevard with shady plane trees, a fountain, lovely gardens, BBQs and boule courts

* The 'Kids Club'.

A welcome package with your vouchers, a city map, train tickets (if relevant) and any other touristic information that we deem you may find useful will be waiting for you upon your arrival at your first hotel on your trip.

The bar is the perfect place to have a glass while lingering around its grand terrace overlooking the pool, gardens and village beyond. A comfy setting awaits you to start or end your evening. Savour Languedoc aperitifs – cooked and sweet wines like Banyuls – or taste a selection of malt whiskeys from around the world. The estate’s gourmet restaurant serves amazing Mediterranean cuisine that aims at sustainable development by privileging local products. Enjoy a traditional bistro style ambience – casual but undeniably chic. Sample local products such as L’Écu du Pays Cathare, a fresh goat cheese, or organic cereals and vegetables. Meats, breads and oils are procured by the estate’s Chef from the region’s small producers. If you prefer to eat in your home or on your terrace, the small onsite ‘epicerie’ service offers a selection of artisan foods, cheeses and charcuterie, as well as breads fresh from Saint Laurent’s bakery and a great selection of local wines, including those from the property's own vineyard.

Superbly situated on a 20-acre riverside site, Jardins de Saint Benoît (4*) is a magnificent vineyard and spa estate in the heart of the Corbières region of the Languedoc. With its pedestrianised streets, squares and fountains, the estate is an extension of the picturesque village of St Laurent de Cabrerisse. 20 acre / 8 hectare riverside site with vineyards, olive grove and patchwork of renovated 12th Century gardens that give the site its name. 23 large holiday home “Maisons de vigneron” to rent of 3-5 bedrooms, each with private pool, terrace and large garden. 148 spacious “Maisons de village” with 1,2 & 3 bedrooms, each with private terrace and garden. Interior designed accommodation with stylish furnishings, fully-equipped with everything needed for the perfect holiday. On-site facilities including restaurant and terrace bar, spa, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, sporting facilities, shops and a children’s club. Huge range of on-site activities available, sporting and cultural.

Overnight at Jardins de Saint Benoît (4*).

If you feel like an excursion during your stay at Jardins de Saint Benoit, consider a day trip to discover the historic streets of Roman Narbonne (20 Minutes away by car), with its winding streets, traditional architecture, superb views, good restaurants and interesting markets and shops offering the best of local gastronomic and artisan produce. The surrounding area offers an impressive range of cultural and sporting activities. The region is a paradise for walkers and cyclists with horse-riding, tennis, fishing and white water rafting also available nearby. For golfers the championship courses at Carcassonne is just 30 minutes away, golden beaches and water sports facilities are around 30 minutes drive. Please speak to your Sales Advisor if you are interested in having any activity organized for you during your stay.

Overnight at Jardins de Saint Benoît (4*).

Beziers is a town in Languedoc in the southwest of France.  The long "Allée Paul Riquet" esplanade, with the Theatre at one end and the lovely Plateau des Poèts park at the other is an attractive center to the town. In the middle of the esplanade strip is a statue of Paul Riquet, the founder of the famous Canal du Mid

Sit back and relax on your private transfer between Saint Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse and Beziers and enjoy exploring the area and stopping for lunch en route. From the Camargue to the Côte Vermeille, the coastline of Languedoc-Roussillon stretches for 250 miles along the Mediterranean Sea. Explore the picturesque fishing village of Bages before stopping off in Portel-de-Corbières, where, 80 meters under the majestic vaults of the Gypsum Cathedral in the Corbières mountain range, Terra Vinea presents the culinary adventures of successive wine civilizations. This is the ideal wine cellar for exploring the best wines of Rocbère. Enjoy lunch in a local bistro en route before being brought to your destination - Beziers.

Take a train from Paris to Beziers today. Upon arrival at the train startion, you will be met by a local representative who will accompany you on the transfer to your awaiting barge.

A champagne reception welcomes you on board the luxurious Orient Express Alouette barge which is exclusively yours for the next 6 nights! Meet the crew and settle into your comfortable surroundings. During this first evening there is an opportunity to talk with the chef and discuss your cooking interests and you will discover what you will prepare during your week on board.

Enjoy your first dining experience on board. Wining and dining is a highlight of any Orient Express cruise and the five-course candlelit dinners are a special treat. The table d’hôte menus on board are of the very highest quality and include many regional specialties and hand picked wines. The meals include some of the onboard chef’s original recipes as well as regional specialties and seasonal delicacies unique to the area. Meals can be taken on the sun deck or in the comfort of the lounge.

A champagne reception welcomes you on board the luxurious Orient Express Alouette barge which is exclusively yours for the next 6 nights! Meet the crew and settle into your comfortable surroundings. During this first evening there is an opportunity to talk with the chef and discuss your cooking interests and you will discover what you will prepare during your week on board.

Enjoy your first dining experience on board. Wining and dining is a highlight of any Orient Express cruise and the five-course candlelit dinners are a special treat. The table d’hôte menus on board are of the very highest quality and include many regional specialties and hand picked wines. The meals include some of the onboard chef’s original recipes as well as regional specialties and seasonal delicacies unique to the area. Meals can be taken on the sun deck or in the comfort of the lounge.

This morning you will get the feel of the rhythm of life for the next six nights as you cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang. The Canal is one of the most beautiful in France, with many locks, bridges and tunnels. This morning we start with our first cookery lesson in the well equipped kitchen of the Alouette, and you will get to prepare lunch today and learn how to cook the classic French Quiche Lorriane and also a county style terrine, which is very popular in this area.

This morning you will get the feel of the rhythm of life for the next six nights as you cruise along the beautiful Canal du Midi to Capestang. The Canal is one of the most beautiful in France, with many locks, bridges and tunnels. This morning we start with our first cookery lesson in the well equipped kitchen of the Alouette, and you will get to prepare lunch today and learn how to cook the classic French Quiche Lorriane and also a county style terrine, which is very popular in this area.

You will have a private Guide and an air conditioned vehicle for all excursions you do off the barge for the week.

You will have a private Guide and an air conditioned vehicle for all excursions you do off the barge for the week.

This afternoon, visit Oppidum d’Enserune, a pre-Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation.

This afternoon, visit Oppidum d’Enserune, a pre-Roman hill-top settlement and one of the most important archaeological sites in the region. The top of the hill affords a panoramic view of the pond of Montady drained in 1247 and transformed into a curious pattern of cultivation.

Upon your return to the barge, if you would like to continue with the cookery lessons, why not prepare a wonderful lemon tart served with a drizzle of caramel sauce under the great tutorage of your chef - a perfect dessert that you can enjoy tonight on board after your gourmet dinner.

Upon your return to the barge, if you would like to continue with the cookery lessons, why not prepare a wonderful lemon tart served with a drizzle of caramel sauce under the great tutorage of your chef - a perfect dessert that you can enjoy tonight on board after your gourmet dinner.

The hamlet of Le Somail is located along the Canal du Midi.  In the 17th century, the town was the resting place for passengers on the mail barge operating between Toulouse and Agde.

Enjoy a relaxing breakfast as you take in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine locks, buildings and aqueducts, scarcely changed from their completion over 300 years ago

During the morning, there will be chance to return to the kitchen and prepare a summer soup – an avocado and cherry tomato gazpacho which we present in a long tall glass for maximum effect!

Wake up this morning to the sound of birds singing in the trees and near silence. Enjoy a buffet style continental breakfast as you take in the grandeur and beauty of the Canal du Midi, with its fine locks, buildings and aqueducts, scarcely changed from their completion over 300 years ago.

During the morning, there will be chance to return to the kitchen and prepare a summer soup – an avocado and cherry tomato gazpacho which we present in a long tall glass for maximum effect!

Lunches onboard typically consist of regional offerings such as pâtés, cheeses, cold meats, tarts, terrines and salad.

Lunches onboard typically consist of regional offerings such as pâtés, cheeses, cold meats, tarts, terrines and salad.

After lunch, visit l’Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century. Now privately owned, the abbey has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister. On the way back to the boat, stop at Château Auris for a wine tasting.

After lunch, visit l’Abbaye de Fontfroide, a Cistercian monastery founded in the 11th century. Now privately owned, the abbey has been lovingly restored with a well-kept garden and peaceful cloister. On the way back to the boat, stop at Château Auris for a wine tasting.

Tonight rack of lamb is on the menu. As this can be a tricky dish to cook correctly, you can learn how to marinate and prepare this dish, which will be served with a rich sauce made with red wine and tarragon that goes wonderfully with this meat.

Tonight rack of lamb is on the menu. As this can be a tricky dish to cook correctly, you can learn how to marinate and prepare this dish, which will be served with a rich sauce made with red wine and tarragon that goes wonderfully with this meat.

The small hamlet of Homps is located on the Canal du Midi in a particulaly beautiful part of the canal.  As you pass through Homps on the canal bank you will be confronted by some of the best looking views of the community as well as a series of lovely bars and restaurants that are popular in the summertime.

This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef, and help choose the ingredients for dinner tonight. The market is ablaze with colours, smells and sounds - it is a truly amazing sight! Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city playing an important role as a wine-producing centre. The municipal, military and religious architecture, the river banks of the Robine and its shaded boulevards, all contribute to its charm.

This morning, experience the wonderful covered market in Narbonne with the chef, and help choose the ingredients for dinner tonight. The market is ablaze with colours, smells and sounds - it is a truly amazing sight! Narbonne is a lively Mediterranean city playing an important role as a wine-producing centre. The municipal, military and religious architecture, the river banks of the Robine and its shaded boulevards, all contribute to its charm.

Enjoy lunch at a bistro just in front of the market, which specializes in local seafood fresh from the Mediterranean sea, just a few miles away.

Upon your return to the barge, you can sit and relax on deck and observe canal life as you drift downstream or perhaps read a few pages of a book before arriving at the port at Homps which is home for the night.

Enjoy lunch at a bistro just in front of the market, which specializes in local seafood fresh from the Mediterranean sea, just a few miles away.

Upon your return to the barge, you can sit and relax on deck and observe canal life as you drift downstream or perhaps read a few pages of a book before arriving at the port at Homps which is home for the night.

Tonight, with the fish we purchased at the market we prepare the local delicacy – Bourride, this is a stunning dish made with fresh local vegetables and finished at the last minute with the addition of monkfish and mussels and served with a garlic mayonnaise.

Tonight, with the fish we purchased at the market we prepare the local delicacy – Bourride, this is a stunning dish made with fresh local vegetables and finished at the last minute with the addition of monkfish and mussels and served with a garlic mayonnaise.

Trebes is a beautiful medieval village in the Aude department in the Languedoc Roussillon area of South-West France.

After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone cliff, which dominates the vineyards below. Its now ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of history of days gone by. On the way back to the boat stop at Peyriac-Minervois for a wine tasting.

Return to the barge for lunch and then enjoy the ever changing views from the comfort of the deck or perhaps walk or cycle along the tow path.

After breakfast, visit Minerve, an old village on a limestone cliff, which dominates the vineyards below. Its now ruined castle was once a Cathar stronghold besieged and captured by Simon de Montfort. This village is full of history of days gone by. On the way back to the boat stop at Peyriac-Minervois for a wine tasting.

Return to the barge for lunch and then enjoy the ever changing views from the comfort of the deck or perhaps walk or cycle along the tow path.

There is another cookery lesson planned this afternoon, using produce purchased from the market. Learn all about Mediterranean style cooking, with the emphasis on light fresh ingredients using olive oil, herbs and vegetables.

Enjoy a wonderful dinner this evening as the anchor is dropped in the pretty town of Trebes.

There is another cookery lesson planned this afternoon, using produce purchased from the market. Learn all about Mediterranean style cooking, with the emphasis on light fresh ingredients using olive oil, herbs and vegetables.

Enjoy a wonderful dinner this evening as the anchor is dropped in the pretty town of Trebes.

Carcassonne is a fortified French town in the former province of Languedoc. It is separated into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. The fortress, which was thoroughly restored in 1853 by the theorist and architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc, was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1997. The newer part (Ville Basse) of the city on the other side of the Aude river (which dates back from the Middle Ages, created after the crusade) manufactures shoes, rubber and textiles. It is also a base for boat cruising on the Canal du Midi.

Finish the week with a tour of Europe’s largest medieval fortress – Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are stunning. Visit the Cathedral remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts.

Carcassonne is famous for the Cassoulet dish - a casserole combining beans and sausages. You will get to visit a restaurant in the historical part of the city and the chef will explain how this dish is made before you sit down to lunch.

Enjoy your final cooking lesson of the week and learn how to make homemade pasta as your chef on board shows you some tricks of the trade as you prepare a ravioli filled with some seafood, and then prepare a white wine reduction sauce, a scattering of baby vegetable and sprinkled with fresh dill. A perfect dish to finish the week with!

Finish the week with a tour of Europe’s largest medieval fortress – Carcassonne. Explore the intricate fortifications of the two castellated walls, one inside the other, about a mile in circumference. The views from the battlements towards the Pyrenées are stunning. Visit the Cathedral remarkable for its stained glass rose windows, elegant Romanesque nave and Gothic transepts.

Carcassonne is famous for the Cassoulet dish - a casserole combining beans and sausages. You will get to visit a restaurant in the historical part of the city and the chef will explain how this dish is made before you sit down to lunch.

Enjoy your final cooking lesson of the week and learn how to make homemade pasta as your chef on board shows you some tricks of the trade as you prepare a ravioli filled with some seafood, and then prepare a white wine reduction sauce, a scattering of baby vegetable and sprinkled with fresh dill. A perfect dish to finish the week with!

What better way to celebrate the end of our culinary adventure than a great farewell gala dinner?! Bon Appetit!

What better way to celebrate the end of our culinary adventure than a great farewell gala dinner?! Bon Appetit!

After another great breakfast onboard, bid farewell to the crew and disembark the Alouette barge.

Take a train from Carcassonne to Paris this afternoon.

After another great breakfast onboard, bid farewell to the crew and disembark the Alouette barge.

You will be picked up by a private vehicle and driver from your barge and transferred to your hotel in Carcassonne.

An option for lunch today would be to dine in the sumptuous surrounds of the Hôtel de la Cité'. The hotels gastronomic reputation rests on the Michelin Star La Barbacane Restaurant which is located in the heart of the hotel, with neo-Gothic room features magnificent fireplaces, high ceilings and cathedral chairs. Throughout the hotel, the emphasis is on warmth and elegance and you are sure to be delighted by the very pleasant traditional atmosphere - whether relaxing and enjoying a meal in the informal Chez Saskia Brasserie, dining al fresco in the outdoor summer restaurant, Le Jardin de l'Evêque, or enjoying a cocktail in our Library Bar with live piano entertainment.

Enjoy a few hours today in the company of a professional English speaking guide who will accompany you as you visit local antique shops and flea markets. Your guide will take you to different antique shops in the region surrounding Carcassonne and to any flea markets that are held on the date in question. Other options are discovering the castles left behind by the Cathars from the 12th century, a guided tour of Toulouse - known as the "pink city", or a tour of Collioure, a typical port village of the Mediterranean Coast where you can visit art galleries, craft shops (specialising, for example, in espadrilles or textiles) or local producers (wines, olives and anchovies). Please speak to your Sales Advisor if any of these tours are of interest.

The Hotel de la Cité is located between the Rhône river and the Tête d'Or park, in the district known as the Cité International where you'll find a movie complex, a casino, a modern art museum as well as the Congress Center just next door to the hotel. The Old town is only 5 minutes away by taxi. The hotel, which was opened during the autumn 2006, was designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano who also worked on the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The 164 rooms are decorated in moka and cream colours and all equipped with individual air condition, LCD screen, minibar, safety box with enough space for a lap top, free wi-fi access, coffee & tea facilities and bath room with hairdryer. The restaurant, La Scène, is open for lunch and dinner and has a terrace. The hotel also has a bar, Le Backstage. For business groups, there are 2 meeting rooms which turned into one can host up to 90 people.

Overnight at De La Cite (4*).

Toulouse is a city in southwest France on the banks of the River Garonne, half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. With 1,133,000 inhabitants in 2008, the Toulouse metropolitan area is the fourth-largest in France. Toulouse is one of the centres of the European aerospace industry. Its world renowned university is one of the oldest in Europe (founded in 1229). The city is known as the Ville Rose ("Pink City") for its distinctive brick architecture. Local gastronomic specialties include Saucisses de Toulouse, a type of herb sausage, cassoulet Toulousain, a bean and pork stew, and garbure, a cabbage soup with poultry. Also, foie gras, the liver of an overfed duck or goose, is a delicacy mainly made in the Midi-Pyrénées.

Transfer by private vehicle between Carcassonne and Toulouse today in the company of a professional driver.

Kensington Tours donates a portion of proceeds to our charitable initiative www.kensingtoncares.com which supports education-based initiatives in disadvantaged communities.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport) (standard).