A trip to admire the beautiful scenery of the Rhône valley (port-to-port cruise)

Included in tour package:<ul><li>Avignon and the Papal Palace</li><li>Arles</li><li>The Camargue</li><li>The Baux de Provence</li><li>The Vercors</li></ul>

Departure on foot for the guided tour of Arles. Arles with its two thousand years of history has preserved an exceptional monumental heritage, making the city a veritable open-air museum. Welcome to one of the most important tourist and cultural sites in France. During the course of this guided tour you will see the Roman Amphitheatre (the &quot;Ar&egrave;nes&quot;), the Ancient Roman Theatre, Place St Trophime with its cloister and church, which are part of the Arles route, one of the three pilgrimage routes leading to Santiago de Compostela. We will continue our visit with Place du Forum and finally, the Thermae of Constantine. Free time. Return to the boat on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
</ul>

Guided walking tour of Arles

You will set out on foot for the guided tour of the old town of Avignon. With the Pope&#39;s Palace, classed as a world heritage site by UNESCO and a testimony to the city&#39;s past when it was known as the capital of Christianity back in the Middle-Ages, Avignon offers an impressive array of monuments. Along the Passage de l&#39;Oratoire, you&#39;ll be able to admire the exteriors of the chapel, classified as a historic monument, where many events take place during the famous Avignon Festival. We&#39;ll move on to St Agricol street where you&#39;ll get to see the diocesan Church, the oldest in the city. We&#39;ll then stop by the Place de l&#39;Horloge, which has always been the beating heart of Avignon. Caf&eacute;s and restaurant terraces are now spread out where the Roman forum once stood. Right across, you will see the walls of the Town Hall and the theater that was built in the 19th century. We&#39;ll continue to the Place du Palais. This square is roughly 800 ft long and 160 ft wide. To the East stands the Pope&#39;s Palace which faces the baroque sculptures of the Papal mint. A large golden Virgin seems to be watching the Notre Dame des Doms cathedral while the elegant Renaissance inspiration on the outside walls of the Petit Palais are showing further back. Then, discover the Pope&#39;s Palace, the most important monument in the city. It&#39;s made of two parts: the old Palais of Pope Benedict XII (1334 - 1342), and the new Palais of his successor Pope Clement VI (1342 - 1352). Our visit will take you through the staterooms where numerous ceremonies and feasts took place, the chapels, the Pope&#39;s private apartments and the terraces which offer a wonderful panorama on Avignon and the Rh&ocirc;ne river. Return on board on foot.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>It is forbidden to take pictures inside the Pope&#39;s Palace.</li>
	<li>It is necessary to climb up 500 steps inside the Pope&#39;s Palace.</li>
	<li>Bags would be left in the luggage office.</li>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
</ul>

Avignon and the Pope&#39;s Palace

Enjoy a panoramic guided tour of the Camargue. Sit back and admire the rivers, marshes, ponds, pink flamingoes, black bulls and the famous, indigenous Camargue horses. Discover the salt and rice fields that make the area so well known. We&#39;ll visit a manade (bull breeding farm) and learn about the work of a manadier as we watch a demonstration of how they work with the animals they raise. Our visit will include a cocktail on the patio. At the end of our visit, we&#39;ll return to the ship in Arles.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Touring the Camargue and visiting a manade

Meet up with your guide and set off on a guided tour of Les Baux de Provence, one of the most beautiful villages in France. Located at the heart of the Alpilles on a rocky plateau, the village overlooks breath-taking landscapes over Arles, the Camargue and the Alpilles. This gorgeous and impressive stone fortress is definitely a must-see. 
Tourism developed in this region after World War II with the arrival of Raymond Thuillier who contributed to the worldwide popularity of the Baux with the opening of the gastronomic restaurant &quot;Oustau de Baumani&egrave;re&rdquo; where celebrities and political figures would often dine. In 1966, Andr&eacute; Malraux issued a decree putting the village under protection of the Ministry of Culture and the Environment. A prosperous era then started for the Baux which had been left aside since the Revolution. The restoration of the city led to its being listed as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France in 1998. Return on board by coach.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Good walking shoes are recommended : Les Baux de Provence is paved and sloped.</li>
	<li>The order of the visits can change.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
</ul>

Guided tour of the Baux de Provence

Departure by coach from La Voulte towards Die. Carved out in limestone, the Vercors Regional Nature Park extends over 186,000 hectares between the Is&egrave;re Valley to the North and the Diois to the South. Water has shaped deep gorges in the cliffs, majestic cirques, caves and chasms among the most famous in Europe. Wooded plateaux and valleys shaped by agriculture are home to a remarkable fauna and flora. 
We&#39;ll stop at the cellars of Die Jaillance to discover a true love story between men and the vines and enjoy a wine tasting session.* Afterwards, we will continue by coach for a panoramic view of the Rousset Pass located in the heart of the Vercors and reaching an altitude of over 1400 meters. The belvedere culminates at a height of 1245 meters and from this point of view the scenery is outstanding: arid escarpments and a road with hairpin bends down the hill, which accentuates the overall impression of depth. We&#39;ll move on towards Vassieux-en-Vercors, La Chapelle-en-Vercors and Pont-en-Royans where you&#39;ll get to see the suspended houses, whose daring architecture dates as far back as the perched village itself, built in the 15th century. Last, we&#39;ll drive through Romans-sur-Is&egrave;re well known for its shoe industry before returning by coach to Tain l&#39;Hermitage to board our ship.

PLEASE NOTE

<ul>
	<li>Roads are sinuous, beware of travel sickness.</li>
	<li>The order of visits can be modified.</li>
	<li>Times are approximate.</li>
	<li>*Alcohol can be harmful to your health. Please drink in moderation.</li>
</ul>

Excursion into the Vercors

Image slider

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

Included in tour package: Avignon and the Papal Palace Arles The Camargue The Baux de Provence The Vercors

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

CLASSIC EXCURSIONS PACKAGE

Cruises

A trip to admire the beautiful scenery of the Rhône valley (port-to-port cruise)

CUSTOMERS

PROFESSIONNALS

CUSTOMERS

PROFESSIONNALS