Péniche Provençale - 2024

Day 1 Travel by Eurostar and TGV from London via Lille to Avignon, and transfer to Arles to board the MS Péniche Anne-Marie for your six-night barge cruise; beginning with a Jules Verne welcome drinks party and an introduction to the crew. (D)

Day 2 Combining the ancient Roman arena and theatre, with 17th century townhouses, and the ultra-modern ‘twisted tower’ in the LUMA cultural complex, the UNESCO listed city of Arles provided the inspiration, and the locations, for hundreds of paintings by Vincent Van Gogh. A walking tour of the town today lets you view the well-preserved Roman sites and the 16th century Espace Van Gogh, the former hospital (now library and exhibition centre) where the artist was treated after severing his earlobe. Afternoon sailing on the Rhône and Rhône à Sète canals to Gallician. (B, L, D)

Day 3 A morning excursion takes you first to the Pont du Gard. The country’s most visited ancient monument, and a UNESCO World Heritage site, this multi-arched marvel of antiquity was built in the 1st century AD as an aqueduct to carry water to Nîmes, the second setting of the tour. Known as ‘the Rome of southern France’, its 2,000-year-old monuments include the Temple of Diana and the Arena, still used as an events venue. Afternoon sail to atmospheric Aigues-Mortes, mooring by the fortified city walls, with a walking tour of the beautiful medieval town. (B, L, D)

Day 4 Traverse the Camargue Natural Park, renowned for its wild wetlands, salt flats and lagoons, and visit the region’s capital, the fishing village of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, a Mediterranean resort with a medieval church which looks more like a fortress. Continue cruising to Villeneuve les Maguelone, for time at leisure to enjoy the beaches, cafés and easy tempo of the seaside and spa town. (B, L, D)

Day 5 A morning tour visits Montpellier, just 14km from our Villeneuve les Maguelone mooring. The capital of the Languedoc Roussillon, it is a modern metropolis with a medieval heart, where sandstone buildings line shady streets and pretty squares in the pedestrianised Old Town. Sail for an early evening arrival at Sète, its many canals earning it the epithet of ‘the Venice of the Languedoc’, set between the sea and the salt-water lake, and boasting glorious views from its Mount Saint-Clair hilltop. (B, L, D)

Day 6 A morning tour takes us into the hills to the gorgeous village of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert. Squeezed into a rocky gorge on the ‘Way of St. James’ pilgrimage route, the village surrounds a fountain square, and focuses on its UNESCO listed Gellone Abbey. In the afternoon discover Étang de Thau, France’s second largest lake at 21km long and 8km wide, and famous for its oyster farms and mussel beds; with a tasting of these local specialities during a visit to the lake’s museum, which provides an insight into the age-old skills and traditional techniques of shell-fish farming. Jules Verne farewell drinks party and Gala Dinner on board this evening. (B, L, D)

Day 7 Disembark in Sète and transfer to Avignon, the 14th century seat of Catholic popes. A sightseeing tour of the city shows you the Palais des Papes, the world’s largest gothic monument; and the arches of the St. Benezet Bridge (Pont d’Avignon); before boarding the TGV and later Eurostar for the return journey to London via Lille. (B)

• Key
• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner