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. In the afternoon, your guide takes you to the small village of Le Cailar, where you board a traditional horse-drawn carriage for a deeper exploration of the Camargue. From the comfort of your seat, try to spot the pink flamingos, famous black bulls or elusive bee-eaters, dazzling in their green and yellow plumage. Return to Pivoine for an enchanting dinner on board.

Today, we glide away from the canal and join the Petit Rhône, followed by the majestic River Rhône. After lunch on board, stride out on a walking 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, including The Night Café and The Starry Night. Recently, the city skyline gained a striking, gleaming Frank Gehry tower, which houses the Luma Arles arts centre. After your fascinating visit, return to the barge for a delicious dinner, expertly crafted by your chef. 

This morning, embrace Provençal life in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, an enchanting town that has inspired artists, writers and musicians through the ages. Return to the boat for lunch and a cruise to Avignon. Alight for a guided tour of the magnificent Palais des Papes, the former papal palace, and enjoy free time to shop, sit in a gorgeous square watching the world go by or sample Avignon’s café society. Back on board, Chef is curating 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.