'L'ETOILE'

Pick up: Avignon, drop off Montpellier
Route: River Rhone, Petit Rhone, Canal du Rhone à Sète
Highlights: Visit of Pont du Gard, Avignon, les Baux de Provence, Arles, Aigues Mortes, Maguelone Abbey Church

Sunday: You will be met at the location of your choice in Avignon, which is easily accessible by TGV train from Paris or Nice, or as a rental car return point. You will be transferred to your charming barge home, moored in the nearby port of Villeneuve-les-Avignon/Beaucaire. You will be welcomed aboard with a champagne toast and the first of many gourmet dinners.

Monday: A full day of sightseeing. A whole day out in fabulous Provence! In the morning we are off to visit the impressive Roman aqueduct the ‘Pont du Gard’, then back to the barge to have lunch. Next, you will have the opportunity to tour the largest gothic palace in Europe, the Palais du Pape in Avignon and a possible wine tasting before returning to the barge. Dinner is back at your cosy home, still moored in Villeneuve-les-Avignon / Beaucaire.

Tuesday: This morning you begin the cruising! We float on the scenic river Rhone /canal du Rhone a Sete to moor in Vallabrègues / Bellegarde, a typical, charming provençal village. After lunch you will visit the famous and enchanting hilltop village of Les Beaux, known for its gorgeous views over the provencal landscape and its artisans colony. Dinner on board / with a view of the river will be memorable.

Wednesday: A morning cruise on the ‘petit Rhone’ to our mooring in the picturesque village of St. Gilles. After lunch you will have an opportunity to visit Arles, where van Gogh fell in love with the lights and colors of this fascinating countryside. Heading to the heart of town we will see les Arenes, a roman amphitheater built in the first century AD. Dinner back on board rounds out a wonderful day.

Thursday: We start our day cruising on the canal du Rhône a Sète through the stunningly beautiful Camargue National Park, home to various wildlife including black bulls and the beautiful white Camargue horses. We moor at the gates of the amazing 13th century walled town of Aigues-Mortes, an embarkation port for the crusades. There are many historical sites to visit and there will be time to walk along the walls, shop for souvenirs or relax in one of the many outdoor cafés. A relaxing gourmet dinner awaits you back on board.

Friday: We set out this morning to the most peaceful and romantic mooring of this cruise located at the 6th century Maguelone cathédral on a peninsula, with the canal on one side and the beautiful blue of the mediterranean on the other! Lunch will be served during the cruise. Spend your afternoon walking or biking to this cathédral, observing flamingos and other wildlife, lounging away the afternoon at the beach. You will enjoy your final gourmet dinner on board.

Saturday: You'll say "Au Revoir" and depart after breakfast for transfer to Montpellier. There are TGV train departures to Paris and Nice. If you prefer, you may also be transferred to the airport, rental car office, or hotel of your choice.

Please Note: On alternate weeks this itinerary will be cruised in reverse direction. Depending on your date, this cruise will start near Avignon/Beaucaire and end near Montpellier, or start near Montpellier and end near Avignon/ Beaucaire. The sightseeing schedule is flexible and can be customized to reflect your interests on charter cruises. Occasionally an itinerary will be changed due to canal closures or inclement weather. The Captain will substitute an equally interesting route. Change in itinerary will not be accepted as a cause for cancelling your cruise.

Sunday: You will be met at the location of your choice in Avignon, which is easily accessible by TGV train from Paris or as a rental car return point. You will be transferred to your charming barge home, moored in Villeneuve-les-Avignon.

Monday: A full day of shopping and sightseeing. A whole day in fabulous Provence! In the morning we visit the ancient town of Avignon where we can tour the Palais du Pape. We can wander the narrow streets inside the fortified walls, visiting the many little shops where French treasures are awaiting you. Provencal fabrics for table cloths, place mats, lavender scent in pot pourri, cicada pottery….We return to the barge for lunch. In the afternoon we go to Gordes, one of the most beautiful villages in France. It has narrow cobbled streets (sensible shoes required) threading their way between tall houses, and is built against the rock. We can visit Le Moulin des Bouillons, located in a typical "bastide" on a roman site, the oldest intact olive-oil mill in France. Dinner is back at the barge, still moored in Villeneuve-les- Avignon.

Tuesday: This morning we go to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, a charming provencal town 25km from Avignon. The numerous canals and branches of the Sorgue have given the town the nickname of the Venice of Provence. The town centre with the church is surrounded by cafés and shops, the many streets radiating out from this centre have a wide variety of shops of all kinds with window displays. You will find nearly 300 permanent antique dealers and second hand shops! After lunch on the barge we begin our cruise and float down the river Rhone to Vallabrègues, a typical provencal village. Dinner on board with a view of the river.

Wednesday: This morning we go to Arles, where van Gogh fell in love with the lights and colors of this fascinating countryside. We start with a stroll through the huge and colorful open-air market. Heading to the heart this sophisticated town we will see Les Arenes, a Roman amphitheater built in the 1C AD and other roman monuments. Lunch will be served on the barge. After lunch we go to the enchanting hilltop village of Les Beaux, known for gorgeous views over the provençal landscape. St Rémy, the home to princess Caroline of Monaco and other celebrities has shops with regional pottery, including beautiful sunflower plates, no doubt influenced by van Gogh. Dinner on board rounds off a wonderful day.

Thursday: A morning cruise on the River Rhone and the 'petit Rhone', and we pass several locks. After the second lock, we continue our cruise on the Canal du Rhone a Sète. Lunch will be served during the cruise and in the afternoon we will arrive in the town of St. Gilles. This afternoon we go to the Musée des Arômes et de Parfum in Graveson, housed in a lovely 19th-century farmhouse, where you can explore a whole world of delicate scents, the essential oils and products associated with aromatherapy. There is also a shop where you can buy a little something to make you smell and feel good. This evening we dine out in a restaurant where you can try some specialties from this region.

Friday: In the morning we continue our cruise on the Canal du Rhône a Sète through the stunningly beautiful Camargue National Park. During this cruise we can observe the wild Camargue horses, troops of bulls and see lots of birds. We moor right at the gates of the amazing 13th century walled town of Aigues-Mortes, an embarkation port for the crusades. After lunch there will be time to walk along the ramparts if liked. You also have one more opportunity to shop for souvenirs in this gorgeous boutiquefilled fortified town! There will be time to relax in one of the many outdoor cafés. Tonight's festive farewell dinner in this quaint setting ends the cruise in grand style.

Saturday: You'll say "Au Revoir" and depart after breakfast for transfer to Montpellier. There are TGV train departures to Paris and Nice. You may also be transferred to the airport, rental car office, or hotel.

Please Note: On alternate weeks this itinerary will be cruised in reverse direction.