Provence Camargue (Aigues-Mortes)

‘Bienvenue à Aigues-Mortes’
Our barge is moored in Aigues-Mortes, a medieval town and ancient military and commercial port on the Mediterranean. Your cabin will be available at 6 p.m.. Aigues–Mortes is a historic city in the middle of one of the most beautiful spots of Provence, the Camargue. In 1240 Saint Louis decided to build a city close to his kingdom in order to have direct access to the Mediterranean Sea. Seven hundred years later the fortifications still dominate the Camargue. You can admire the original city ramparts with six prestigious towers and ten gates as you walk around the town walls (about 1.5 km) before entering the charming and narrow streets of this wonderful Mediterranean town. After dinner on the boat, we’ll preview the week’s highlights and cycling itinerary.

Going through small country lanes of the Camargue between canals, lagoons and small villages you will have the chance to see the famous black bulls and the white horses typical of this region, as well as the pink flamingos. In the afternoon you will reach the charming fishermen’s village Le Grau-du-Roi. Possibility of a refreshing bath on the beach.

We will sail for a couple of hours up to Franquevaux and then cycle to today’s destination: Arles, a Roman capital in the time of Julius Caesar and a major religious center in the Middle Ages. You’ll have the option of taking a guided tour of the city or exploring on your own. You can visit the remains of the Roman Amphitheatre, dating from the end of the first century, and the slightly more damaged Roman Theatre. The magnificent Cloister and Church of St. Trophime are two gems of Romanesque art dating from the Middle Ages. On the Place du Forum inside the old city walls you’ll find Van Gogh’s famous “Night Café.” Vincent van Gogh came to Arles in 1888 and rented a small house on the Place Lamartine that, unfortunately, has been destroyed. The Provencal countryside and the peculiar light inspired Van Gogh and he painted here non-stop.

This is a breathtaking stage of our tour, which will bring us to the Alpilles with the haunting medieval village of Les Baux de Provence – one of the most visited tourist sites in all France, and justifiably so. If you prefer to skip the hills, you can take a van up to Les Baux instead (you will bike after the visit to Les Baux). Definitely visit the Chateaux de Baux for a spectacular view on the surrounding Alpilles Mountains. We’ll then glide down to Saint Rémy de Provence. St. Rémy is the birthplace of Nostradamus but it’s better known as the place where Vincent van Gogh stayed in a sanitarium for more than a year, producing an incredible 150 paintings. We’ll travel through a landscape of limestone cliffs and olive trees. In the evening we will moor in Vallabrègues, a pretty village on the banks of the Rhône.

Today we’ll take lovely country roads to Barbentane with its castle at the confluence of the Rhone and Durance rivers. We will cycle to the magnificent Abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet and afterwards go down to the medieval village of Boulbon. In the afternoon, we’ll make our way to Aramon where we’ll spend the night and enjoy its beautiful view over the Mont Ventoux.

Today we’ll discover the best preserved Roman aqueduct in Europe: Pont du Gard, a three-tiered aqueduct over 2,000 years old. Heading back to Aramon in the afternoon, we will then sail to Avignon, the City of the Popes. We’ll moor here for the night at the Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet. Tonight we have dinner on our own.

Today we’ll get to the other side of the river Rhone by crossing the island Ile de la Barthelasse, and we’ll ride in the typical garrigue landscape, between vineyards and orchards. Before going back we’ll visit Villeneuve Les Avignon, once known to be the town of the cardinals. In the afternoon a guided visit will let us discover the historic city of Avignon.

After breakfast, we’ll part ways.