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Easy cycling in lovely Southern France
Wild Camargue nature, see bulls & horses
Provence landscape and Rhone Valley
Barges with max. 21 passengers
A wonderful boat & bike tour through the wild Camargue nature with its bulls and horses: from the medieval fortress of Aigues Mortes you’ll cycle gradually towards Arles. After that you’ll visit the most typical Provence landscape, including the Rhone Valley, Van Gogh’s Provence and the Roman Pont du Gard.
Easy cycling in mostly flat areas, with only few short climbs and descents. Little effort required, suitable for most people.
In this tour you have the possibility to explore by bike the southern part of France. Historically, Provence was important to the Celts, Greeks and Romans, which added to the layers of Provencal life, while in more modern times the Provence landscape inspired artists like Van Gogh and Cézanne. You will cycle along quiet roads with breathtaking scenery and discover many delightful hilltop villages, among vineyards and orchards. Then you will enter the Camargue region, a dramatic river delta, home to flamingos, wild horses and countless bird species. You will find it difficult not to fall in love with these landscapes!
The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You’ll receive a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking.
Parts that are printed in italics parts will be covered by the ship.
All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours.
When guests prefer a day of rest, they can stay on board while cruising to the next town.
The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.
Day 1: Embarkation: Avignon
Individual arrival and boarding after 6 p.m. in Avignon. Your mooring place is in Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet.
Day 2: Avignon, round tour (Approx. 30 km/ 18 mi.)
Today you’ll get to the other side of the river Rhone by crossing the island Île de la Barthelasse, and we’ll ride in the typical garrigue landscape, between vineyards and orchards. Before going back you’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 center of Avignon.
Simple circuit along peaceful country roads through the island Île de la Barthelasse. You will find some short climbs before Villeneuve Les Avignon.
Day 3: Avignon – Aramon | Aramon (Approx. 40 km/24 mi.)
In the morning navigation till the town of Aramon, where you will start pedalling. The stage today will bring you to the best preserved Roman aqueduct in Europe: Pont du Gard, a very spectacular work. Overnight in Aramon with a beautiful view over the Mont Ventoux.
After leaving the village of Aramon the itinerary will bring you between rolling hills covered with fine vineyards and ancient villages before reaching the front of the majestic Pont du Gard, a masterpiece of Roman engineering. In the first part of the stage you will face short slopes. Navigation: about 2 hours from Avignon to Aramon.
Day 4: Aramon – Vallabrègues | round tour Vallabrègues (Approx. 35 km/21 mi.)
You start your day sailing to Vallabrègues, a pretty Provençal village on the banks of the Rhône. Along country roads you will arrive to Barbentane with its castle at the confluence of the Rhone and Durance rivers. You will cycle to the magnificent Abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet and afterwards down to the medieval village of Boulbon. Overnight in Vallabrègues.
After leaving Vallabrègues, you come up the course of the Rhone to the medieval village of Barbentane, from which you start the climb to reach the abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet. After relaxing in the quietness of the place a descent of 4 km and a pleasant country road are waiting for you before arriving in Boulbon, now a few kilometers from Vallabrègues.
Navigation: about 1 hour from Aramon to Vallabrègues.
Day 5: Vallabrègues – Arles (Approx. 55 km/33 mi.)
This stage brings you to Saint Remy de Provence, birthplace of Nostradamus. This village is also famous for having hosted Van Gogh in the days of his mental illness. In the end you move onto the Alpilles, with Les-Baux-de-Provence, a village lodged in the rock itself. A landscape of limestone cliffs and olive trees accompanies your journey.
When you have just left Vallabrègues, you will have to pay attention to the traffic along the wide road that runs to Tarascon. The rest of the stage goes along peaceful country roads. Today’s itinerary is the only one that has a real elevation up in ascent: 4 km ascent from St. Remy to Les Baux de Provence. But after Les Baux a beautiful 4 km downhill to the village of Paradou waits for you!
Day 6: Arles – Aigues Mortes (Approx. 25 km/15 mi.)
Today the whole morning is dedicated to visit Arles, the ancient capital of Gaul with beautiful Roman ruins. You will also have the opportunity to be welcomed by a professional guide, who will accompany you around the jewels of the town. After lunch you reach the lock of Saint Gilles and from there you will sail to Aigues Mortes for the overnight stay.
Today’s stage is a short “transfer” tour leading you through “Tête de la Camargue”, an area in the south-west of Arles delimited by the Petit Rhône. A cycle trip traversing cultivated fields, reed beds and bull farms as far as the the lock of St-Gilles.
Navigation: 3 hours from St-Gilles to Aigues Mortes.
Day 7: Aigues Mortes, round tour (Approx. 55 km/33 mi.)
Going through small country lanes of Camargue between canals, lagoons and small villages you will reach in the afternoon the charming fishermen’s village Le Grau-du-Roi. Possibility of a refreshing bath on the beach.
This stage is dedicated to the exploration of the Camargue area, with its canals, villages and lagoons. In the afternoon you will reach the seaside town of Le Graudu-Roi where you can have a bath in the Mediterranean Sea and relax on the sand. Do not miss the opportunity to observe small groups of pink flamingos along the Canal du Rhône à Sète and on its ponds at the edge of the Salins du
Midi.
Day 8: Disembarkation: Aigues Mortes
After breakfast: disembarkation and end of the tour.
For individual bookings the barge, Caprice or L’Estello, will be assigned by the tour operator according to availability.
Tour program variations
The program has been planned to feature navigation along the Rhone River and Rhone-Sète Canal. Due to organisational reasons, weather conditions or provisions issued by local authorities, the itinerary may be subject to some changes before and/or during the holiday. Issues with high and low water, as well as logistic obstacles such as officially ordered – previously not announced – repair work on locks or bridges can modify some of the daily stretches or overnight stays and may even request a transfer by bus. These decisions are only taken by the barge’s captain.
Route profile
Total length: 240 km
Total vertical up: 620 m
Terrain: 95% tarmac, 5% unpaved
The tour is totally in the lowlands during the two stages in Camargue, while the stages north of Arles present some ups and downs, which are however easy to overcome. There is just one more demanding slope towards Les Baux de Provence, but you will be fully repaid with an extraordinary landscape. The itinerary is mostly on secondary roads with low traffic; some short stretches on more busy roads are however inevitable. There will also be a couple of navigation stretches to make the stage more enjoyable.
Activity level
Easy cycling in mostly flat areas, with only few short climbs and descents. Little effort required, suitable for most people.
Tour leader
Our tour leaders are carefully selected and rigorously trained. They are all multi-lingual, and speak at least English and German. Smart, entertaining, caring and endlessly enthusiastic, they have a true passion for sharing their love of the outdoors, people, culture and local food. Thanks to a deep knowledge of the territory, they can give you useful hints and help you appreciate the place you are visiting. Of course they love cycling and will be happy to give you some advice about how to correctly use the bicycle gears and whenever necessary they can fix your flat tire. As we like to say, our tour leaders are CDO (Controlled Designation of Origin), a real traveler’s ticket to discover the land with ease and to live an unforgettable active travel experience.
Parts that are printed in italics parts will be covered by the ship.
All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours.
When guests prefer a day of rest, they can stay on board while cruising to the next town.
The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.
Parts that are printed in italics parts will be covered by the ship.
All distances are “approximate distances” of recommended bike tours.
When guests prefer a day of rest, they can stay on board while cruising to the next town.
The tour details are barring changes, a.o. as a result of nautical, technical or meteorological reasons.
Day 1: Embarkation: Aigues-Mortes
Individual arrival and boarding after 6 p.m. in Aigues-Mortes, medieval town, ancient military and commercial port on the Mediterranean.
Day 2: Aigues-Mortes, round tour (Approx. 55 km/31 mi.)
Going through small country lanes of 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 in the afternoon the charming fishermen’s village Le Grau-du-Roi. Possibility of a refreshing bath on the beach.
This stage is dedicated to the exploration of the Camargue area, with its canals, villages and lagoons. In the afternoon you will reach the seaside town of Le Graudu-Roi where you can have a bath in the Mediterranean Sea and relax on the sand. Do not miss the opportunity to observe small groups of pink flamingos along the Canal du Rhône à Sète and on its ponds at the edge of the Salins du Midi.
Day 3: Aigues Mortes– Saint Gilles | Saint Gilles – Arles (bike tour approx. 25 km/15 mi.)
You will sail for a couple of hours up to Saint Gilles and then cycle to today’s destination: Arles, known for the richness of its antique and Roman patrimony. The city fascinates you with its hidden treasures. Getting lost among its small alleys will be like entering a picture by Van Gogh. In the afternoon you will also have the opportunity to be welcomed by a professional guide, who will accompany you around the jewels of the town.
Today’s stage is a short “transfer” tour leading you through “Tête de la Camargue”, an area in the south-west of Arles delimited by the Petit Rhône. A cycle trip traversing cultivated fields, reed beds and bull farms as far as the town of Arles.
Navigation: about 2,5 hours from Aigues Mortes to St-Gilles.
Day 4: Arles–Vallabreguès (bike tour approx. 55 km/31 mi.)
This is a breathtaking stage, which brings you to the Alpilles, with the perched village of Les-Baux-de-Provence and then to Saint Rémy de Provence. A landscape of limestone cliffs and olive trees will accompany the trip. In the evening you will moor in Vallabrègues, pretty Provençal village on the banks of the Rhône.
The stage goes along quiet country roads: you will only have to pay attention to the traffic leaving Arles and along the road that leads you from Tarascon to Vallabrègues. Today’s stage is the only one that has a real elevation up in ascent: 4 km ascent from the village of Paradou to Les Baux de Provence. But after Les Baux a beautiful 4 km downhill to St. Remy waits for you.
Day 5: Vallabrègues (round tour approx. 35 km/21 mi.) | Vallabrègues –Aramon
Along country roads you will arrive to Barbentane with its castle at the confluence of the Rhone and Durance rivers. You will cycle to the magnificent Abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet and after-wards down to the medieval village of Boulbon. In the afternoon navigation to Aramon for the overnight with a beautiful view over the Mont Ventoux.
After leaving Vallabrègues, you come up the course of the Rhone to the medieval village of Barbentane, from which you start the climb to reach the abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet. After relaxing in the quietness of the place a descent of 4 km and a pleasant country road are waiting for you before arriving in Boulbon.
Navigation: about 1 hour from Vallabrègues to Aramon.
Day 6: Aramon (round approx. 40 km/24 mi.)| Aramon–Avignon
The stage today will bring you to the best preserved Roman aqueduct in Europe: Pont du Gard, a very spectacular work. Back to Aramon in the afternoon you will sail to Avignon, the city of the Popes. Your mooring place is in Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet.
After leaving the village of Aramon the itinerary will bring you between rolling hills covered with fine vineyards and ancient villages before reaching the front of the majestic Pont du Gard, a masterpiece of Roman engineering. In this first part there are some short slopes.
Navigation: about 2 hours from Aramon to Avignon.
Day 7: Avignon, round tour (approx. 30 km/18 mi.)
Today you’ll get to the other side of the river Rhone by crossing the island Île de la Barthelasse, and we’ll ride in the typical garrigue landscape, between vineyards and orchards. Before going back you’ll visit Villeneuve Les Avignon, once known to be the town of the cardinals. In the afternoon a guided visit will let you discover the historic center of Avignon.
Simple circuit along peaceful country roads through the island Île de la Barthelasse. You will find some short climbs before Villeneuve Les Avignon
Day 8: Disembarkation: Avignon
After breakfast: disembarkation and end of the tour.
Below you see an overview of the available (blue) dates; the yellow dot means that this date has 2 or less cabins available, orange is ‘on request’ and red means that on this date there aren’t any cabins available. Then click on the preferred date. After this, choose your ship (some tours have only one ship, and therefore there is no choice), the number of cabins in the required (and available) category, any desired additional products, and ‘local costs’ (such as special dietary needs, which you usually pay for onboard). On the right side, you’ll find the ‘Booking Summary.’ After completing your preferences and necessary information click ‘Book now’ to finalize your booking.
The schedule was always clear and followed in a timely manner. Our guides and crew were caring and responsive. The berths were “cozy” but clean. The biking itineraries were chosen to enjoy the best of the beautiful French countryside and also some of its inimitable culture and architecture. Last but not least, the cuisine was delicious, with authentic dishes given…
This was our first biking and boat tour. It was amazing. We went with a big group of 10 nurses and 10 spouses. Biking was not difficult. It felt good biking around in France. We saw many things that we wouldn’t if we were driving. We are thankful for that. The guide Carlos and the crew Filippo, Josef, Marco and…
This was a very enjoyable tour with an efficient and comfortable boat, good quality bicycles, a varied and interesting group of fellow travellers and a very competent, friendly and helpful crew. Our Captain led his team with easy efficiency, our Steward looked after all our on-board needs with care and a ready smile, our Chef provided tasty and interesting meals…
The cycling was good. Good bikes. Nice scenery. Appropriate level of difficulty except some less experienced cyclists had difficulty in traffic circles. The dinners were inconsistent. Some were fabulous and a few were inedible. A greater wine selection would be good. The rooms were okay but the smell of mold was a problem. Also the beds were too short for…
Panoramic windows
Library
Cozy lounge area
Individually controlled air conditioning
Free coffee and tea 24/7
Openable windows
Restaurant with separate lounge
Individually controlled air conditioning
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