There are luxury holidays, and then there are French holidays that make you wonder whether the rest of the world has simply stopped trying.
That appears to be the philosophy behind the latest offering from French Waterways, which has elevated the venerable Canal du Midi experience from a leisurely floating holiday to a full-blown cinematic escape, complete with vintage Citroën motoring, helicopter adventures, medieval villages, vineyard tastings, and enough gourmet indulgence to make even the French nod approvingly.
The company has unveiled an exclusive 2026 itinerary aboard the elegant hotel barge Savannah, delivering guests deep into the heart of southern France with a six-night all-inclusive charter that blends old-world romance with modern luxury. Prices start from US$32,000 for four guests or US$39,000 for six guests, with departures operating between May and October.
And frankly, if there were ever a proper way to “do France”, this may well be it.
The voyage cruises the UNESCO-listed Canal du Midi between La Redorte and Bram, winding through a landscape stitched together with vineyards, wheat fields, sunflower farms and sleepy stone villages that seem permanently trapped somewhere between the 17th century and lunchtime.
The Canal du Midi itself remains one of France’s greatest engineering triumphs. Built in the 1600s, the waterway links the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and still charms travellers with its oval-shaped locks, graceful aqueducts and ancient stone bridges. It is slow travel in the best possible sense, no airport queues, no frantic schedules and certainly no budget airline announcements demanding passengers fight over overhead locker space.
Instead, guests are welcomed aboard Savannah with champagne before settling into a voyage where gourmet dining, fine regional wines and panoramic countryside views become part of the daily rhythm.
According to French Waterways CEO Rosie Mansfield, the experience has been carefully designed to feel both luxurious and deeply personal.
“A Canal du Midi voyage on the Savannah truly is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Mansfield said.
“From serene cruising amid stunning nature and engineering marvels to private wine tastings and thrilling excursions like a fun-filled drive in a vintage car and a breathtaking helicopter flight, it’s the ultimate immersive escape.
“And the itinerary can be tailored to suit your family or group of friends, making it one of the most flexible in France.”
Quite right too. Because somewhere between the helicopter flight over medieval fortresses and driving a vintage Citroën 2CV through the Languedoc countryside, guests may start wondering whether they have accidentally wandered into a particularly stylish European film.
One of the standout moments sees travellers take the wheel of the gloriously quirky Citroën 2CV, arguably the most French car ever built, for a scenic drive through the Languedoc-Roussillon region. The vehicles are maintained in pristine condition, allowing guests to bounce cheerfully along country roads as locals probably did decades ago, albeit with considerably better luggage.
Then comes the aerial spectacle.
Guests board a helicopter for sweeping views across some of southern France’s most extraordinary landmarks, including the dramatic ruins of Château de Quéribus and Château de Peyrepertuse, the fortified medieval citadel of Carcassonne, the Étang de Leucate lagoon and the imposing Salses fortress.
It is France from above, magnificent, theatrical and unapologetically romantic.
Back on the ground, privately guided excursions continue the immersion into the region’s rich culture and history.
Guests visit Minerve, often regarded as one of France’s prettiest villages, where private tastings at Minervois vineyards showcase wines that have been celebrated since Roman times. In Narbonne, founded in 118 BC, travellers explore the ancient Via Domitia and bustling local markets alongside Savannah’s chef, selecting fresh produce destined for dinner aboard the barge later that evening.
There are also visits to the medieval marvel of Carcassonne, the stately 17th-century Château de Pennautier and the charming Pyrenean foothill town of Mirepoix, famed for its half-timbered houses and lively market square.
Throughout it all, Savannah itself remains a floating sanctuary.
Designed with a vibrant Mediterranean flair, the barge features three double cabins and one single cabin, all with ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning. The spacious sun deck offers shaded dining, loungers and a spa pool because, naturally, after helicoptering across southern France, one requires a spa pool.
Transfers from Narbonne or Carcassonne are included, and for couples seeking something more intimate, French Waterways also offers Savannah’s smaller sister ship, Amour, featuring the same vintage car and helicopter experiences.
It is, in many respects, the sort of travel product the luxury market increasingly craves: immersive, experiential, deeply local and refreshingly unhurried.
And perhaps that is the real appeal here.
Not simply seeing France, but savouring it slowly.
More information is available via French Waterways.
by Bridget Gomez – (c) 2026.
Read Time: 3 minutes.
About the Author.
Bridget has never been built for stillness. Of Portuguese heritage, she began as a nurse, tending veterans at the Repatriation Hospital, listening to stories as colourful as the life she was yet to live. It was worthy, steady work, but wanderlust, as always, proved louder than routine.
So, she traded starch for a backpack and disappeared for a year, chasing trains, sunsets and the occasional regrettable glass of wine. She wrote everything down: the dust, the laughter, the missteps, the magic. Those notebooks became a travel blog, then a habit, then a calling.
Eventually, she found Global Travel Media, or perhaps it found her.
Today, Bridget writes with heart, humour and a dash of mischief, still travelling, just now with words.
