Pivoine: Avignon to Sète

You’re welcomed aboard Pivoine in Avignon by your dedicated crew and guide. Toast the start of your adventure with chilled champagne. After settling into your generous cabin, enjoy an early-evening cocktail cruise past the famous medieval bridge, Pont Saint-Bénezet (also known as the Pont d’Avignon). Later, enjoy your first gastronomic experience on board, a perfect blend of seasonal delicacies, irresistible wines and balmy views.

After a delicious breakfast of tempting pastries and local treats, step out on a walking tour of Avignon. This stunning walled city was the home of the Popes from 1309-77. Visit the magnificent Palais des Papes, the former papal palace — don’t miss the gardens with views across the river to Villeneuve-les-Avignon. Enjoy free time to shop, sit in a gorgeous square watching the world go by or sample Avignon’s café society. Return to the barge for lunch and an afternoon cruise towards Vallabrègues. From here, you enjoy an excursion to marvel at the historic Pont du Gard, a monumental, three-tiered aqueduct built by the Romans in the first century. Dinner is served on board tonight.

After breakfast, join your guide for a fascinating tour of Arles. With extraordinary Roman ruins, shady boulevards and colourful houses baking beneath the sun, Arles famously inspired the artist Van Gogh to paint hundreds of works here from 1888-9. Recently, the city skyline gained a striking, gleaming Frank Gehry tower, which houses the Luma Arles arts centre. Return to the barge for lunch and a leisurely cruise down the tranquil Canal du Rhône à Sète. Arrive at the fortified town of Aigues-Mortes and anticipate a delectable dinner on board.

This morning, your guide escorts you to Aigues-Mortes, the medieval walled town where Louis IX launched two Crusades to the Holy Land in 1248 and 1270. Drenched in fascinating history, the imposing walls, ramparts and towers also conceal a charming and lively hub of shops, markets and cafes. After exploring, return to the barge for lunch. This afternoon’s cruise takes you through the salt marshes, a spellbinding haven for pink flamingos and other wildlife. Grasp the photographic opportunities before indulging in a sumptuous dinner on board.

Continue cruising through the otherworldly scenery of the Camargue this morning, admiring the sand dunes, lagoons and salt flats. After lunch on board, discover the beautiful seaside port of Marseillan. Its maze of narrow streets and rustic two- and three-storey houses are typical of the local architecture. Marseillan is principally known for its production of Noilly Prat; a visit to the museum may give you a taste for the fine Mediterranean vermouth. Back on board, relax with an aperitif on deck before dinner is served.

Today, after a morning cruise, alight to explore Sète, whose intricate network of streets, canals and bridges has led to the town being called the ‘Venice of Languedoc’. Where fishermen spread their nets out to dry on the quays, enjoy lunch at an alfresco restaurant serving the freshest seafood. In the afternoon, board the Mansathau: an oyster boat to glide across the Étang de Thau lagoon, a vast saltwater lake renowned for its oysters and mussels, delicacies that you will be invited to sample. Back on board, your chef is busy preparing your epicurean farewell feast. Relish the enchanting ambience as you exchange stories of your extraordinary trip. 

Savour a final breakfast on board before it is time to disembark.