Luxury Barge Cruise Through Provence

Pick-Up: Avignon TGV Station

Your journey begins in Avignon, where your private driver will be waiting to welcome you on arrival at the TGV station. With easy rail connections from major cities across France, the journey into Provence is both simple and scenic. From here, you will be transferred to our mooring in Villeneuve les Avignon, where your week on the water begins. Once aboard, settle into the relaxed rhythm of life on board with a chilled Champagne reception and time to unwind in the comfort of your cabin. As evening draws in, enjoy your first moments aboard in the welcoming salon or out on deck, before your private chef prepares the first of many memorable dinners.

Travel: Roquemaure to Villeneuve les Avignon

The morning begins with an excursion to one of the ancient world's most breathtaking engineering achievements: the Pont du Gard. This remarkably preserved Roman aqueduct, rising in three tiers above the Gardon River, is as awe-inspiring up close as it is from a distance. There is time to walk across its ancient stones, explore the surrounding landscape, and reflect on the extraordinary ambition of the civilisation that built it.

Returning to Grand Victoria, lunch is served on board as the barge sets off on a gentle cruise along the Rhône past Avignon — weather permitting, a truly memorable way to enjoy the midday meal. From the water, the city reveals itself in its finest light: the towering façade of the Palais des Papes rising above the rooftops, and the graceful arches of the Pont Saint-Bénézet stretching out into the river — sights that few visitors are fortunate enough to see from this perspective. The afternoon then takes you inland to one of the Rhône Valley's most celebrated wine appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape. A private château tasting reveals the character, heritage, and elegance of wines shaped by this singular terroir — ancient stones, Mediterranean sun, and generations of dedicated craft.

That evening, guests return to the warm elegance of Grand Victoria for cocktails followed by a beautifully presented dinner on board, created by your private chef and paired with carefully selected wines — a refined close to a day of history, vineyards, and unforgettable views.

Travel: Villeneuve les Avignon to Aramon

The morning is devoted to Avignon, the city that once stood at the very heart of papal power. A guided visit to the remarkable Palais des Papes reveals the scale and splendour of one of Europe's most important Gothic monuments, before time in the old town invites you to browse its boutiques, pause in lively squares, and soak in the atmosphere of this storied riverside city.

Lunch follows at a Michelin-rated restaurant, offering a refined and memorable expression of Provençal cuisine that brings together regional flavour and a strong sense of place. The afternoon is then yours to explore further at leisure — a final wander through the streets and shops before returning to Grand Victoria. With guests back on board, the barge sets off on a gentle cruise south along the Rhône toward Aramon. Settle into the peaceful rhythm of the river from the deck or salon as the landscapes gradually soften around you and the pace of the day slows to match the current. That evening, with Grand Victoria moored quietly at Aramon, guests are welcomed for cocktails before dinner — freshly prepared by your chef and served with fine wines in the calm, convivial atmosphere that defines life aboard

Travel: Aramon to Vallabregues

The morning's excursion leads into the dramatic limestone landscape of the Alpilles, to Les Baux-de-Provence — one of the most captivating villages in the south of France. Perched high above the surrounding plains, its ancient stone lanes, ruined citadel, and sweeping views across the garrigue make it a place of singular beauty and atmosphere, well worth the winding road that leads there. Just below the village, the Carrières des Lumières offers an experience of an entirely different kind. Set within a vast former limestone quarry, its towering walls, floors, and ceilings become the canvas for a breathtaking immersive exhibition — art, music, and light combining on a monumental scale to create something that stays with you long after you leave.

Lunch is enjoyed at a local bistro before returning to Grand Victoria, where the afternoon passes at a gentler pace as the barge sets off on a relaxed cruise toward the small halte nautique at Vallabrègues. The day draws to a quiet close with time to gather for apéritifs in the bar, the salon, or out on deck, before your chef brings another memorable evening to the table — dinner served with wines chosen to complement the evening's menu.

Travel: Vallabregues to Gallician

An early start brings one of the most scenic cruising days of the week. As Grand Victoria heads south, the castles of Tarascon and Beaucaire come into view, their stone silhouettes rising proudly above opposite riverbanks in a display that has defined this stretch of the Rhône for centuries. From here, the route continues along the Rhône before threading into the Petite Rhône and onward along the Canal du Rhône à Sète, as the landscape gradually transforms on the approach to the Camargue. Lunch is served on board as the barge makes her way to Gallician, on the edge of this remarkable wetlands region.

In the afternoon, a short drive takes you to a local lavender farm nestled in the Provençal countryside. Here, you will discover the remarkable diversity of lavender varieties cultivated in the region, learn how their essential oils are extracted, and tour the working distillery where raw blooms are transformed into their precious essence. The visit concludes with a hands-on opportunity to blend your own essential oil — a personal and fragrant memento to take home. Returning to Grand Victoria in Gallician, the evening invites you to unwind with apéritifs on deck or in the bar as the light fades softly over the wetlands, before your chef brings another memorable day to a close with dinner on board

Travel: Gallician to Aigues-Mortes

Fresh croissants and breakfast on board accompany a gentle final morning cruise to Aigues-Mortes — a town quite unlike any other in the south of France. Built from scratch in the thirteenth century by Louis IX as France's first Mediterranean port, its extraordinary grid of streets and near-perfectly intact ramparts survive today exactly as they were conceived: a royal vision in stone, rising improbably from the flat marshlands of the Camargue. Approaching its medieval walls by water provides a striking and memorable finale to the journey, the town seemingly unchanged from the age that created it. Lunch is enjoyed on board, with the ancient walls forming a dramatic backdrop, before the afternoon is devoted to exploring Aigues-Mortes itself. There is time to walk the ramparts for sweeping views across the wetlands, wander the narrow streets below, and pause in one of the shaded squares for a final coffee or a browse through the town's boutiques and local shops.

Back on board, the final evening brings everyone together once more for cocktails and time to savour the quiet atmosphere of Grand Victoria, before a memorable farewell dinner — paired with the finest wines and prepared with the care and elegance that have defined the week.

Travel: Transfer from Aigues Mortes

After one last breakfast on board, it is time to say goodbye to Grand Victoria and her crew. At 9:00 AM, your private chauffeur will transfer you to Avignon TGV Station, where first-class tickets will be provided for your onward journey to Paris Gare de Lyon. You leave with more than memories of the places visited: the flavours of the region, the stillness of the waterways, and the distinct character of Provence, from Avignon to the Camargue.

À bientôt — until we meet again.

*The itinerary above is an illustrative Itinerary. Routes and excursions may vary according to local river conditions and local closures - Itinerary may run in reverse.