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Wow, what a week. Adrien (the Capitan), Eve (the Host), Valerie (the Chef), and Marie Helen (the Tour Guide), collectively the crew of the Savannah, were incredible. We were celebrating our 30th anniversary this year and wanted to do something very special. A small river or canal cruise seemed like a great way to celebrate this special occasion. We looked at a lot of different options, but a cruise on the Savannah seemed like a great way to go. We were not disappointed. We had very high expectations for this trip and the crew of the Savannah exceeded them. The barge is astonishing. It is a floating 5 star resort. Everything is clean and very well done. The rooms are elegant and functional all at the same time. The deck is the most favored place to hang out, either while cruising, or tied up to the side of the canal. The indoor dining area (used only for breakfast as the weather was fantastic to eat outside the rest of the time) is very nice and the indoor common area well outfitted (even though we rarely used it because it was so nice outside). Adrien is an accomplished Captain and the entire staff helps to move through the locks and to tie up at night. They work together very well. The food is indescribable. Really, you have to experience the cuisine to even remotely understand it. We will try our best, but we’re sure we will fall short. Every meal is well thought out and impeccably prepared and presented. Every evening we were treated to a starter, a main course, a cheese tray, and then dessert. Every day the cuisine changed based upon the local region we were visiting. The ingredients were selected from the local markets and as you would expect in France, there was fresh bread every day. The Canal du Midi traverses some of the largest areas of vineyards in France and the variety of wines that you get to taste is impressive. The wines that were served (Eve does a great job describing each of the vintages as she presents them) were generally from the regions surrounding the canal. The wines are paired beautifully with every course. The staff does a great job looking at every detail of mealtime. There are a couple of meals off the boat. They are well done as well. The tours are amazing. The week we were on the barge we had a chance to visit Minerve, Narbonne, Rennes le Chateau, Carcassonne, Chateau de Pennautier, and do some wine tastings. Apparently there are variations in tours. We are confident that no matter where they take you it will be a great experience. It was just the right amount of time off the barge into the country side. You get a great perspective on the country as you move from East to West along the canal. In summary, we would very highly recommend this trip. It was the perfect way to celebrate our anniversary. The crew of the Savannah are, wonderful, professional, skilled, and a lot of fun to spend time with.

Mary and I selected the glamorous barge Savannah for a six night cruise on the Canal de Midi in southern France. On arrival we found the barge indeed glamorous and beautifully presented by owner – operator Adrien who was a most attentive host. His highly trained crew of chef Valery and hostess Eve provided beautiful gourmet meals and comprehensive information and selection of premium wines of the local areas from an extensive wine cellar. We had our daily land tours to towns and points of interest by an accompanying minibus driven by our guide Marie-Helene. A very memorable week which exceeded all our expectations.

We have had the absolute pleasure to have met Adrien when we were at Castelnaudary recently. Having spent time with him on the Savannah, and enjoying his company when we were taken to the most amazing locations like Rennes le Chateau, and Revel, we were very eager to book a week on the Savannah for May 2015. Our first impression of this wonderful Hotel Barge was the sheer luxury and presentation and the dedication of Adrien towards making sure his guests were indulged to the max. Well done Adrien and we certainly can't wait to see you again when we bring our friends for an amazing cruise with you.

If you want a warm, friendly, memorable vacation, you have to spend a week aboard the Savanah with Adrien and his crew. The six of us arrived on a Sunday afternoon to a Champagne reception with a crew that, from the first meeting, seemed like old friends. Each day started with a beautiful breakfast. Afterwards a trip to wonderful, fun locations with our own personal guide, who became a friend, in an air conditioned 7 person Mercedes minivan. After the trip we returned to our floating hotel to an exquisite four course lunch with all the wine you could want. Then a leisurely drift down the Canal du Midi (usually 3-4 hours before we tied up for the night). I had planned to read several books on the trip, but the views were so enticing that I never got through one book. It was a serene and leisurely trip through beautiful country and fun locks. If you love food and enjoy good wine, hand selected to fit each meal, you will not be disappointed. Every day, lunch and dinner was equal to most restaurants you would ever visit in France (Usually four courses- a different set of cheeses each meal) . Tee time at 3, cocktails at 5 and dinner at 8 with after dinner drinks to follow if you have the stamina. The crew made sure you did not want and if you asked for anything it usually was there the very next morning. Accommodations, although small (remember it is a converted barge), were clean and really well appointed with full bathrooms and stall showers. Every night there was a turn-down service and a chocolate on the pillow. Can’t ask for more. All the members of the crew (there were five for the six of us) had wonderful personalities, lots of fun, lots of laughs and became like friends which made the trip only more enjoyable. Most days we either took a walk along the Canal or rode a bike, but NEVER got bored and never stopped smiling. We had two lunches off the barge, one at a winery and one at a market. At the market we went to a fresh fish stall and each picked out the fish of our choice (seemingly right off the boat) and then the y took it in the back, cooked it to our specifications and set up a table in the middle of the marketwhere we sat and ate. The freshest fish I ever ate. I know I speak for all 6 of us when I say it is a trip not to be missed and Adrien was a fabulous “host/trip director/Captain and overall friend”.