Pivoine: Sète to Avignon

Board Pivoine in the beautiful seaside port of Sète, on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. Toast the start of your adventure with chilled champagne as you meet your dedicated crew and guide. After settling into your airy cabin, enjoy your first taste of life on the water with a cocktail cruise. Soon, Chef serves your first sumptuous dinner of the week, a perfect blend of seasonal delicacies, irresistible wines and balmy views.

After a delicious local breakfast, alight with your guide to explore Sète. The intricate network of streets, canals and bridges has led to the town being called the ‘Venice of Languedoc’. 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. Lunch is served on the barge, setting you up for a relaxing afternoon of cruising towards tonight’s mooring. Sip a refreshing aperitif to whet your appetite for tonight’s sublime dinner, followed by a convivial evening on board.

This morning’s cruise takes you on an exceptionally scenic route that will give you a true feel for the Camargue. Grasp the photographic opportunities as you cruise through the salt marshes, a spellbinding haven for pink flamingos and other wildlife. After lunch on board, disembark with your guide for a tour of Aigues-Mortes, 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. Tonight, enjoy dinner at a charming restaurant on shore.

Relax during the morning’s picturesque cruise and linger over lunch on board. From the comfort of the front deck, spot pink flamingos, black bulls or elusive bee-eaters in the landscape beyond. Disembark at Arles for a walking tour of the extraordinary Roman ruins, shady boulevards and colourful houses. Arles famously inspired the artist Van Gogh to paint hundreds of works here from 1888-9, including The Night Café and The Starry Night. Return to Pivoine for dinner on board.

Today, we glide away from the canal and join the Petit Rhône and the River Rhône. During your cruise, admire two spectacular fortresses in Beaucaire and Tarascon, which sit either side of the River Rhône. Arrive at our mooring in Vallabrègues and step ashore for an excursion to Châteauneuf du Pape, summer home of the Avignon Popes but equally famous for its stunning wines. Enjoy a tour and a delicious tasting at a prestigious winery. After your visit, return to the barge for a divine dinner, expertly crafted by your chef.

This morning, witness our spectacular arrival into Avignon from the deck of Pivoine. Mid-morning, disembark for a guided tour of the magnificent Palais des Papes, the 14th-century seat of papal power and the largest Gothic palace ever built. After your visit, sit down to lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy free time to shop or simply sit in a picturesque square and watch the world go by before rejoining the boat for the final cruise to Roquemaure. Meanwhile, Chef is creating 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.