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Le Roi Soleil
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Provence / Camargue / Languedoc route: Avignon - Béziers |
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The Provence
route enters a region of diverse culture,
history and nature. Cruising along the
rivers of the Rhone through Provence,
"Roi Soleil" glides along a tributary of the
Rhone through wild nature, then onto the
Lagoon of Thau dotted with sailing boats
and oyster beds and eventually along the
Canal du Midi - which opens the doors to
the wilderness of the Camargue and
takes you to the shores of the
Mediterranean.
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A
warm welcome onboard "Roi Soleil" and the barge cruise
begins ...
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In Avignon,
what better way to appreciate the rich golden
hues of Provence whilst cruising on a luxury
barge past the ancient ramparts of the 14th
Century Palace of the Popes, a glass of
Chateauneuf du Pape in hand! |
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“Roi Soleil”
glides before the majestic 15th Century castles
of Tarascon and Beaucaire that
tower over the Rhone River! |
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For art
lovers, entering the city of Arles
evokes images depicted by Van Gogh,
Cezanne and scores of artists, drawn
here by the extraordinary light and golden
pastel hues of Provence.
Meandering
the cobbled streets by foot, your guide can
direct you through this bastion of
Provençale culture and history that was
founded by the Greeks in VI BC.
You can
even have a drink in the Van Gogh Café,
where art meets reality!
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A pause after
lunch, in the sunshine, on deck and let's
see what choices we have for the afternoon
excursion
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Let your personal English /
French speaking guide help you follow your quest
in the heart of the Gard and Vaucluse - be it in
the antique houses of Isle sur Sorgues,
local arts and crafts in picturesque villages of
St. Quentin la Potterie, Uzès and
St. Remy or tranquility at the Fontaines
de Vaucluse. |
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Take in the
sweeping views of the ancient town of Beaux
de Provence, or a leisurely stroll across
the 40AD Roman aqueduct of Pont du Gard -
or for the
adventurous, see it all from a Hot-air-balloon
or an airplane. |
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The lines are
cast, “Roi Soleil” pulls in for the evening and
we step off the boat to find ourselves in a
fortified village – Aigues Mortes (still
waters).
Before the Gypsy
Kings sang their ballades in the local cafés and
restaurants of this quaint village, the
crusaders of King St Louis embarked from the
banks of the city in the 13th Century. |
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Whenever
the urge takes you, there is, of course,
the wine - let yourself be guided
through some of the best vineyards in
the South West of France - "Roi Soleil"
has special privileges that open doors
for private tastings with the winemakers
themselves.
Be
prepared for some exciting new
discoveries! |
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Why not let
yourself be swept into the atmosphere of one of
the many cultural events of the season ... apart
from the festivals with bulls and horses,
parades in the streets of chariots and the local
men and women dressed in traditional silks and
lace - you can join the country folk for a
village feast and celebrate with them their
colourful history and folklore.
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The canal barge
meanders into the fishing port of Sète
where pastel coloured houses with wrought iron
balconies overlook the canal.
Colourful fishing
boats line the canals, their nets drying on the
docks by the seafood terrace restaurants. |
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“Roi Soleil”
crosses the large lagoon of Thau, dodging
the oyster beds and the little sailing yachts to
rejoin the Canal du Midi by Agde,
named by Marco Polo as “the black pearl of the
Mediterranean” due to its black lava
architecture |
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As the sun sets
once again on the changing landscape, cocktails
are served on deck, appetising aromas drift from
the galley and we coast into the closing of
another day full of unexpected pleasures ...
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