| DEPARTURE
DATES - (sundays) |
RATE |
ROUTE |
| April
3, 10, 17, 24 |
Regular |
Provence |
| May
1, 8, 15, 22, 29 |
Regular |
Provence |
| June
5, 12, 19, 26 |
Regular |
Provence |
| July
3, 10, 17, 24, 31 |
Regular |
Provence |
| August
7, 14, 21, 28 |
Regular |
Provence |
| September
1, 11, 18, 25 |
Regular |
Provence |
| October
2, 9, 16, 23 |
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 |
Cuisine Aboard |
- 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
|
- Bisque
de tomates à
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
|
Top of Page
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.
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