L'Impressionniste - All inclusive French luxury barge cruise vacation holidays aboard L'Impressionniste cruising the Rhone River and the Carmargue, Provence France

L'IMPRESSIONNISTE - WINE CRUISE

Luxury barge vacation cruises in Provence France
along the Rhone River and the Carmargue

You will be met at 16.00 at The Grand Hotel in Avignon and escorted by minibus to the L'Impressionniste for a Champagne Welcome. After settling into your cabin our wine guide will outline the weeks program before introducing you to your first wines and dinner. Spend the night onboard in Avignon.

This morning, in the minibus we drive just to the north of Avignon, to visit the pebble-strewn vineyards of Chateau Neuf de Pape. A tour of a family run winery is completed with an exclusive cellar tasting of these legendry wines. We return to the barge for lunch then set sail down the mighty Rhone River to Arles, passing the intriguing citadel of King René at Tarascon and the foothills of the Alpilles. Dinner on board.

This morning we explore Arles, the Roman Arena, St. Trophime’s Basilica and the Museum of Provencal life. We visit some of Vincent van Gogh's haunts on foot through the heart of this old capital of the Camargue. Following lunch we cruise down the Petit Rhone and on to the Canal de Rhone a Sete. While passing herds of Camargue bulls and flocks of Egrets our wine guide introduces some of the regions little known white wines during a late afternoon on board wine tasting. We moor at the medieval fortified town of Aigues Mortes. Dinner on board.

Stroll from our mooring outside the Aigues Mortes town walls to visit the Tour de Constance, built in 1248 as a lighthouse for the returning 13th century Crusaders. While in town we visit the Bruel family, who has been making delicious country wines here for 5 generations. In the afternoon, we cruise the Canal du Rhone à Sete through the Camargue National Park with its wild horses, abundant sea bird life and flocks of pink flamingos, to the hamlet of Les Arsquiers where we are 200 yards from the Mediterranean. Dinner on board.

An early start to pass under the lifting Bridge at Frontignan, then we sail out onto the Etang de Thau, a large, inland salt water lagoon full of oyster beds. Mid-morning we stop briefly at Bouzigues to visit the Museum of the lake with its exhibition on oyster culture, which is the main activity of the many local fishermen. Following lunch, we take the minibus for a short drive through unspoilt wild countryside to the highly acclaimed winery of Saint Martin de la Garrigue. A tour of the Domaine's cellars is completed with a tasting of a selection of their excellent wines. Returning to the barge, we have an afternoon cruise on the lake to the port of Marseillan, where we stroll into the marketplace for dinner ashore. This gives you a chance to taste many of the local seafood delicacies.

A morning drive to the beautiful town of Pezenas to wander its medieval streets, much loved by Moliere. A popular base for local artists, it is also situated in one of Languedoc's most dynamic wine producing regions. On our return to the barge we stop for an outdoor wine tasting with Roch Anglade surrounded by his vineyards. Then an afternoon cruise on the Canal du Midi, through the renowned round lock and finishing our voyage on the River Herault. We will be moored in the shadow of the Cathedral of the fishing town of Agde, built of lava blocks from the nearby Black Mountains. Captains Dinner on board.

Depart the barge by minibus, after a last leisurely breakfast onboard. Transfer to The Metropole Hotel in Montpellier, Montpellier Airport or Montpellier TGV train station by about 11am.

On alternative weeks the cruise direction is reversed and pickup will be from The Metropole Hotel in Montpellier and transfer at the end of the cruise will be to Avignon. This itinerary is subject to change.

Theme cruises are typically for private charters and not for cabin cruise weeks, unless otherwise noted.