France: Bike and Barge - Bike Tour Aigues-Mortes to Avignon

DAY 1: We meet at 6:30pm on board our boat, L’Estello, docked at the pier in a canal just outside the medieval walls of the ancient city of Aigues-Mortes. Our home away from home holds 20 guests. Each room has two beds and its own bathroom. After introductions to the crew and an orientation, we’ll enjoy our first dinner together on the barge. 0 miles.

DAY 2: We’ll explore the lagoons surrounding Aigues-Mortes today by bicycle, stopping for photos atop Carbonnière Tower. We’ll cycle through the small country lanes of the Camargue region between the canals, ponds, reeds, and dunes.

In the afternoon, we’ll visit an organic winery and enjoy a special wine tasting. Later, be sure to take a stroll through the old town of Aigues-Mortes, completely surrounded by stately medieval walls as if built yesterday. Dinner is on your own tonight. 28 miles ±528’.

DAY 3: We’ll start sailing this morning during breakfast up the canal to Franquevaux. From there, we’ll begin our ride on quiet back roads through rice fields and pastures. Keep your eye out for the white horses and the black bulls for which this region of Camargue is famous. We’ll meet our boat on the Rhone River in the city of Arles.

After lunch, we’ll have a guided walking tour of Arles. We’ll learn about its importance as a Roman capital during the first century and its golden age during the fifth century as an important industrial and religious center. It is perhaps best known today for the paintings that the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh produced during his one year here in the 19^th century. You can stand at the same spot where he painted the beautiful Starry Night Over the Rhône. 19 miles ±344’.

DAY 4: Today’s ride is probably the most beautiful of the week. We’ll begin by cycling to Les Baux-de-Provence, voted one of the most picturesque villages in France. When you see the narrow stone-paved alleys lined with quaint terracotta-roofed limestone buildings, you’ll certainly agree.

After a visit to the village, we’ll continue on through the beautiful limestone hills of Les Alpilles. Their rock was used for centuries to build nearby cities. We will stop for the multimedia show that takes place inside one of these hills in the vast empty caverns left over from the quarries. It’s a spectacular display you won’t forget.

From there, we’ll head to the town of St. Rémy. Van Gogh spent a year here in a convalescent home. You’ll probably cycle past some of the same fields of wheat he featured in so many of his paintings. We’ll meet our boat in the sleepy town of Vallabrègues where we’ll stay for two nights. 37 miles ±1175’.

DAY 5: Our loop ride starts in Vallabrègues, known for its traditional wicker baskets. We’ll cycle through fertile farmland dotted with apple and apricot orchards, and through the charming villages of Boulbon, Tarascon and Beaucaire, each with ruins of century old castles and ramparts.

We’ll end our day on a rail trail that takes us to the Abbey of Saint-Roman. The 5^th century monastery is carved into a limestone cave and features a minimalist but striking chapel and a gorgeous view overlooking the Rhône River. We head back to our barge to end the day with dinner together again on the boat. 22 miles ±656’.

DAY 6: After breakfast, we’ll head toward the town of Aramon where we’ll start cycling to the Pont du Gard. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the aqueduct dates from the first century. The Romans built it over the Gardon River to carry water more than 30 miles from a spring to the city of Nimes. After visiting a fascinating museum about what many consider to be the greatest bridge built in Classical times, you can take a swim in the river. We’ll bicycle back to our barge through fields of olive and almond trees in Aramon, and then we’ll sail to Avignon. 28 miles ±787’.

DAY 7: Today we will cycle across the Rhône to Île de la Barthelasse, the largest and flattest river island in France. It’s been protected from development for centuries, so it’s a cycling paradise! We’ll finish our last bike ride through vineyards and nectarine orchards on our way to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the prestigious French wine appellation.

Be sure to save some energy from the cycling to walk around Avignon. The entire city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is still surrounded by its limestone ramparts. After dinner, you’ll see the bridge made famous by the children’s nursery rhyme, Sur Le Pont d’Avignon, beautifully lit up and reflected in the water. 29 miles ±935’.

DAY 8: We’ll say our good-byes after breakfast. You can take a short taxi to the Avignon train station or airport for your return home. Bon voyage! 0 miles.