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I G H L I G H T S & E X C U R S I O N S
P R O V E N C E – C A M A R
G U E – L A N G U E D O C
Provence, throughout the Roman Empire has been praised
as the “fairest of all provinces” - so
rich - so varied – a land of hedonists.
“Roi Soleil” offers you a unique vantage
point as we sail down the ancient border between the
Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne,
the river Rhone. When we step ashore to discover the
land within, the richness of culture, history, architecture,
arts and crafts begins to reveal itself. “Roi
Soleil” will then follow a tributary of the
Rhône, to enter into the mysterious region of
the Camargue …
HIGHLIGHTS: Avignon, city of the Popes – Roman
ruins and the Pont du Gard – Château Neuf
du Pape wines – Duchy of Uzés –
Arles – St Remy de Provence – Les Beaux
de Provence – Hill Villages – Petit Rhone
river – Aigues Mortes and Camargue – Sète
Port – Lagoon of Thau – Agde – Béziers.
Being on charter means that you can tailor the excursions
according to your party’s special interests.
For example:
Historic Tours & Architecture:
In Avignon you may see the rich architectural influence
of each of the 8 Popes who resided in the Palais des
Papes, from medieval to the Renaissance time. The
Palais des Papes presents a magnificent image, as
we sail by the Pont de Bénézet (famous
for the song:“…sur le pont d’Avignon…”)
in the pastel colors of the Provencal sunset. Another
architectural beauty to see, is the aqueduct of the
Pont du Gard, a prodigy of the Romans and one of the
wonders of the ancient world. Then there is the Roman
arena, the antique theatre, some impressive medieval
architecture in Arles, once capital of the whole of
the Gaul’s plus the sites of picturesque St
Remy de Provence. As an option, you can even participate
in a dig on a private site with a top local archeologist.
Take the magnificent setting of the little town of
Uzès which was the prime Duchy of France, where
in the 17th Century, the Duke and the Bishop of Uzés
competed in erecting architectural monuments.
A breathtaking site from the panorama of the fortified
village of les Beaux de Provence, also renowned for
it’s ancient cobbled streets and picturesque
charm and whose history develops around the rebel
barons who defied the King!
You can walk along the fortified walls that completely
surround the little medieval city of Aigues-Mortes,
built on in the marshes as King St Louis sought a
safe harbor to embark his crusaders on the route to
Jerusalem.
Pézenas is a jewel for lovers of art and literature,
where Molière and his theatre troop found refuge
in the 17th Century, under the protection of the Governor
and Prince de Conti.
Local Culture, Arts, Crafts and Antiques:
The whole of Provence has always been particularly
rich in arts and crafts as you may see through the
rich Arletan Museum of Arles, due to its prime position
on the trade routes. Since the 19th Century, Provence
artists were most successful in preserving local identity
and tradition, in defiance of the inroads of industrialization.
For any occasion, the Arlesian woman will don their
typical costumes with hand-made laces that have been
passed preciously down from mother to daughter throughout
the generations, and the Guardians will dance and
defy each other in games in the bull rings, inspired
by their medieval troubadour ancestors. In Arles you
can also personally experience the sites depicted
in the paintings of Van Gogh.
Throughout the year there are colorful festivals in
all the cities & villages, where the locals proudly
present their talents which have been passed on to
them from generation to generation. We can introduce
you to local artisans, fabricating by hand, basket
weaving, figurines, chairs and furniture, provençal
fabrics and “boutis”, paintings and pottery,
some of whose work is now sought after internationally.
The Camargue region is particularly rich in guardian
feasts in honor of the bulls and their prized white
horses. In Sète you could witness the fishermen
jostling in teams – a spectacle on water…
You can be as involved as sponsoring the daredevil
“raséteurs” fighting the bulls
in the village arena or simply taking in the local
game of bowls “petanque” from a terrace
café in the typical village of Fontveille.
For the connoisseurs interested in antiques …
there is a haven of antique treasures in L’Isle
sur la Sorgue where no less than 160 antique dealers
are presenting their finds.
Natural sites and The Camargue
Beautiful panoramas unfold amongst the hill villages
and across the cool waters and gorges as may be seen
in Fontaines de Vaucluse. From the tranquil river
of the Petit Rhone, we enter into the secret of the
Camargue where fresh and salt sea water make up the
marshlands – the refuge of hundreds of migratory
birds. There we will also see the guardians mounted
on their white horses tending their prize bulls for
the bull rings.
Gourmet Traveler
The provençal market is a total feast to
the senses where you can delve into the stalls of
local artifacts, and amongst the bouquets of lavender
and thyme there are branches of artichokes, pyramids
of olives in hues of pastel greens to rich black,
and hand pressed A.O.C. olive oils … freshly
farmed goats cheeses… Tapenades and olive breads.
For the sweet tooth, there are delicious almond sweets,
Calissons from Aix en Provence, and the sumptuous
miniature preserved fruits from Apt.
… and then there are the vineyards!! The Rhone
valley with its varied terroir and private tastings,
beckons the senses – Chateauneuf du Pape –
Gigondas – Lirac – Muscat of Beaumes de
Venise, and for the new and rewarding discovery -
the Languedoc region is making its mark on the sommeliers
around the world.
Cooking Demonstrations
Did we mentions that our chef is an authentic provençal
food artist, eager to share his secrets in the open
plan galley of “Roi Soleil” for cooking
demonstrations? Pour yourself a glass of wine –
and enjoy the show.
Activities – The Young Family
Apart from simply taking a walk through the waterside
villages or bicycling along banks of the canal, there
are scores of activities to choose from: Ballooning
– horse riding or 4 x wheel driving in Camargue
– attending the bull races or village processions
– bird spotting in the Camargue reserve –
an eagle watching spectacle in the Castle of Beaucaire–
white water rafting or gentle canoeing - caves to
explore … tell us your fantasy and we’ll
follow your dream.
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