| DEPARTURE DATES - (sundays) |
RATE |
ROUTE |
| April
4, 11, 18, 25 |
Regular |
Provence |
| May
2, 9, 16, 23, 30 |
Regular |
Provence |
| June
6, 13, 20, 27 |
Regular |
Provence |
| July
4, 11, 18, 25 |
Regular |
Provence |
| August
1, 8, 15, 22, 29 |
Regular |
Provence |
| September
2, 12, 19, 26 |
Regular |
Provence |
| October
3, 10, 17, 24 |
Regular |
Provence |
Napoleon
Barge Information
The
12 passenger Napoléon is a magnificent river cruiser,
combining all the amenities of a luxury hotel with the
friendly ambience of a country inn. She is beautifully
appointed with large picture windows that provide unsurpassed
views of the countryside.
was converted from the hull of a commercial
freight-carrying barge built in Belgium in 1963. She was
one of the last commercial barges to have been built. The
hull was purchased in Belgium and converted in a small
shipyard in Bruges, in the north of Belgium. The woodwork
was carried out by British ship's carpenters in Belgium.
The various systems incorporated in the ship come from
several European countries.
Napoléon
cruises the Rhône between Arles and Tain l’Hermitage/Tournon;
sun-drenched landscapes that inspired the great canvases
of Cézanne and Van Gogh.
A region full of sophisticated architecture dating back
to the Roman civilization and ruins of fortifications,
arenas and aqueducts that continue to amaze modern engineers.
The endless vistas of tiled roofs, lavender fields and
olive groves are synonymous with Provence.
Excursions are
arranged to the wine region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape
and the story book towns of Orange, Avignon, Arles, St
Rémy, birthplace of Nostradamus and the ancient
Roman and Greek ruins of Pont-du-Gard and Glanum.
Napoleon is owned and operated by Afloat in France (part
of the Orient-Express collection).
| Cruise
Highlights |
- All-inclusive
open bar, free
wines,gourmet cuisine, entry
fees to excursions
- Avignon,
the Pope's Palace,
Chateauneuf du Pape wine
tasting
- Walking
tour of Van Gogh's
Arles
- The
Theatre Antique
d'Orange and the Arc de
Triomphe.
- Visit
to lavender distillery
- Truffle
tasting
|
| Cuisine
Aboard |
- Bisque
de tomatesà la crème d’avocat.
- Cordon
de truite Farci
d’épinard et d’aneth.
- Sauté de
pintade, Mousse de
carottes à l’estragon Haricots verts aux amandes
- Salade
et fromages
- Melon
et sorbet au citron vert et framboise
- Café,
thé et chocolats
- Accompanied
by wines from the main
wine regions of France
|
ITINERARY
Sunday
- VALLABRÈGUES to ARLES
Guests
will be met at a designated meeting point in Avignon on
Sunday afternoon and transferred to Napoleon for the cruise
along the River Rhône. A champagne reception will
give you the chance to meet the crew, followed by a late
afternoon cruise from Vallabrègues to Arles for
your first taste of River Rhône cruising. After dinner
aboard, take a walking tour of Arles, where Van Gogh spent
much of 1888 and 1889 painting some of his finest works.
Monday - ARLES to AVIGNON
Today,
visit a traditional 18th century “Provencal Bastide” in
St. Rémy for an olive oil tasting. Lunch aboard.
Relax during the afternoon cruise to Avignon and watch
the scenery of the Rhône Valley drift by. Cruise
past Le Pont St. Bénézet (the famous Pont
d'Avignon) before mooring-up at the quay facing the gate
to the walled city. Visit the Pont du Gard, part of the
Roman aqueduct that transported spring water from Uzès
to Nîmes. Dinner aboard.
Tuesday - AVIGNON to ST. ETIENNE DES SORTS
A
walking tour introduces you to the walled city of Avignon,
home of the Popes from 1309-77. A guided tour of the Palace
of the Popes is followed by some time at leisure. Return
to the barge where lunch awaits and another relaxing afternoon
cruise. Then there is a visit to Châteauneuf du Pape
for a wine tasting before continuing the cruise to St.
Etienne des Sorts. Dinner aboard.
Wednesday - ST. ETIENNE DES SORTS to VIVIERS
This
morning your guide takes you on a tour of Orange, an important
Roman city dating back to 100 B.C. The historical town
contains two of the finest Roman monuments in Europe -
The Theatre Antique d'Orange and the Arc de Triomphe. Lunch
back on board and we continue the cruise to our evening
mooring at Viviers. There's time for a leisurely stroll
around this charming medieval town before dinner aboard.
Thursday - VIVIERS to LA VOULTE
Today's
visit is to the typical Provencal village of Nyons, to
see a working lavender distillery and tour an ancient XVIII
century olive mill. Lunch is taken at a local restaurant
in the very scenic village of Grignan. In the afternoon,
we visit a truffle farm to learn all about the black diamond
and taste this expensive and unusual mushroom. After rejoining
the barge at La Pouzin, we continue our cruise to La Voulte.
Dinner aboard.
Friday - LA VOULTE to TAIN
This
morning, our chef takes you to discover a traditional French
market in La Voulte followed by a leisurely lunch on board.
During this part of the cruise the river valley is flanked
by the vineyards of the Côte du Rhône, offering
a completely different perspective. Later in the day, after
mooring in Tain or Tournon you are escorted to Mr Ferraton's
winery for your last dégustation. Farewell gala
dinner aboard.
Saturday - TAIN
After
breakfast, guests disembark and are transferred to the
local railway station.
This
is a sample itinerary and is subject to change. On alternate
weeks the cruise is in the reverse direction.
|
