Guests are met in Toulouse and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Rosa. Following a champagne welcome, there is time for a tour of the beautiful old town of Montauban, set on the River Tarn, before returning for your first dinner on board.

This morning Rosa meanders up the flight of nine locks on the beautiful, recently restored branch canal skirting the Forest of Agre and moors in the heart of the little town of Montech. In the afternoon you will head into the Côtes du Frontonnais wine region in the minibus for a wine tasting at the renowned Château Bellevue la Fôret. Your introduction to the outstanding cuvée ‘Optimum’ is in the skilled hands of Diane Germain, the Boston-educated daughter of the house. Dinner on board.

After breakfast, there is a guided tour of the remarkable inclined Water Plane, an amazing feat of engineering that by-passes five locks and, when back in service in the near future, will lower vessels 43 feet all in one go. Then, following a relaxing morning cruise to Castelsarrasin, you will take a short drive to the Abbaye de Belleperche, where you will be able to see the fascinating “Les Arts de la Table” exhibition spanning from the Middle Ages right through to the 20th century Art Nouveau period. Dinner on board.

This morning you will cross the River Tarn via the 1,000-foot long aqueduct, the Pont Canal du Cacor, then descend towards Moissac through a staircase of delightful locks and moor for lunch on the River Tarn below the old watermill. Then you will cruise downstream to St. Livrade for an optional afternoon’s swimming or canoeing, and visit the UNESCO-classified 7th century Abbaye St-Pierre de Moissac with its wonderfully preserved cloisters and chapel. This evening, perhaps after a game of boules, you can stroll ashore to savor regional specialties at the excellent restaurant ‘Le Florentin’, in front of the spectacular entrance portal of the abbey.

You will visit Castelsarrasin’s morning market this morning before starting your cruise when Rosa will rise up from the Tarn and turns west on the brick-lined canal through Moissac. After navigating the swing bridge, you will cruise between the placidly-flowing waters of Garonne and the foothills of the Quercy massif, before mooring at Pommevic. After lunch, you will be able to visit the 11th-century Château de Goudourville before a drive to Auvillar, a 15th-century village perched high on the side of a gorge above the River Garonne.  Before returning to Rosa you will visit Valence d’Agen and enjoy a tour of this old “Bastide” town with its Palladian canalside public wash-house and arcaded marketplace. Dinner on board.

A leisurely morning cruise through the bucolic countryside to our final mooring at Boé. After lunch, you will visit Domaine de Lapeyrade for a guided tour and private tastings of their esteemed Armagnac and Floc du Gascogne wines in delightful surroundings, before visiting the medieval town of Nérac and its castle, once home to Henry IV of France. Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Toulouse.