Cruise in France on the Rhone River and Canal du Rhone a Sete in Provence and the Camargue on the Deluxe Hotel-Barge LE PHENICIEN

SEVEN DAYS / SIX NIGHTS

The 18-passenger "Le Phénicien," combines the best of the Provence region -- cruising the Rhône River between Avignon and Aigues-Mortes -- with tranquil cruising on the Rhône-Sete canal amidst the marvelous natural beauty of the Camargue region. Le Phénicien's unique route allows it to meander through the Provence and the Languedoc-Roussillon regions, with thousands of years of culture, world-renowned wines, gastronomic food, glorious weather, and in surroundings of unspoiled nature.

Le Phenicien blends the spaciousness of a larger river cruiser with the intimacy of a well-designed and decorated canal barge. There are three cabins with twin beds and six cabins with a queen bed, all with ensuite bathroom with shower. The 1000-foot salon offers plenty of comfortable seating along with a dining area, all with large picture windows. While cruising, you can have a drink at the bar or take a comfortable seat at the lounges and relax with friends, play chess, read a book, listen to music, or do nothing else but enjoy the sights through the large windows.

Your meals will be specially prepared by our Chef from selected local ingredients. Breakfast and Lunch usually consist of a buffet while dinner is a more traditional gourmet meal served at table. You will discover a wide variety of local traditional specialties accompanied by great local wines, Champagne and other sparkling wines. We think that even connoisseurs will be surprised.

Between 2 to 6 hours a day are dedicated to cruising. One or two excursions a day are organized especially for you. Of course you will also visit some monuments famous worldwide, but we usually try to organize the visits of these sites out of the rush hours or out of the high season. Bicycle riding is very pleasant and easy in the region; you may want to ride a bike in the evening and discover by yourself the surroundings of our port of call.

Bike and Barge Program
Le Phenicien offers a special bike and barge program on selected cruise weeks, at no additional charge, for a minimum of six participating passengers. The program includes all meals, wines with lunches and dinners and open bar. Custom bicycles and helmets are provided as well as route maps and suggested itineraries. The daily average bike ride is about 35 km but serious bikers may opt for up to an 80 km route daily. The routes are mostly flat or reasonably hilly and are ideal for bikers with experience with similar rides.

Features

• Size of barge: 127 ft. by 16.5 ft.
• Number of Passengers: 18
• Number of Cabins (all with private bath): 9
• Crew: 5-6
• Air Conditioning and Central Heating: Yes
• Salon: The salon is 1,000 sq. ft. with a dining area, bar, and lounge area with sofas, chairs, flat screen TV and panoramic windows.
• Bar: Open bar
• Deck: Teak sundeck with chairs, tables, and umbrellas for shade.
• Spa Tub: No
• Cabin Features: Three cabins have twin beds and six cabins have a queen bed, all about 107 sq ft with ensuite bathroom with shower.
• Vehicle for Transfers/Excursions: Private van with seating for 18-passengers for excursions, and a larger bus for transfers
• Accessibility: Steps to cabins only.
• Bicycles: 4 men's and 4 women's adult bicycles
• Bike and barge program: Special itinerary applies, bicycles custom ordered, and route book provided at no extra cost
• Themed Cruises: Culinary or Wine themed cruise weeks available for charter groups upon request  at extra cost

Phenicien's Deck Plan

Passenger Comments:

Meals were way above what we expected. Thierry is a superb chef. His food was well prepared, well presented and he was always ready to give an explanation of how a dish was prepared. He had an open door policy to the kitchen which I enjoyed several times. We have eaten in some of the finest restaurants all over the globe and his food was as good as any that we've had anywhere. The wines were all good and plentiful.
-- K & N G., North Carolina USA, August 2010

Cabin accommodations are small but very comfortable. Fantastic food and wine. There was always something for everyone. Thierry had a fantastic imagination, everything he produced was delicious. The lunches were well received with the mix of hot and colds and the cheese all yummy and desserts - well the chocolate mousse was the best (and I make a good one too). Wines were all great, in fact Michel gave me the list so we may be able to hunt some of them down ourselves. The route was great, the places we stopped to see were lovely villages and towns. The actual cruising was very peaceful. A very relaxing cruise and the crew went out of their way to be helpful.
-- J.C., Bermuda, April 2010

We liked the barge route very much. We had never traveled on a barge or in this part of France. We were delighted at all we saw. Our highlights included having a front row seat to see the fireworks in Arles on Bastille Day, it was awesome. The Roman aqueduct, Le Pont du Gard, was very interesting and walking through it gave us a real sense of history. Our cabin was compact, but very manageable. The bed was quite comfortable.
-- R & J B., Pennsylvania, USA, July 2010

Le Phenicien was a great introduction to small boat cruising. If you have never taken a cruise, take this one, it has all the elements for a great holiday, good weather, gourmet food, fine French wines, wonderful service, interesting stops and a relaxing pace.
-- Ken L., British Columbia, Canada, May 2010

It was tres manifique! The barge itself was very nice, the food fantastic, the staff friendly and helpful and the daily off-barge trips were terrific. The ranch visit to the Carmarge and the trip to the Pont du Gard were both just wonderful.As for the meals and wines- Oh, my! Both were fantastic! I found out that French rose is a wonderful wine and nothing like the pink stuff here in the States. The lunches and dinners were dining experiences and great fun. The excursions were just enough, but not too much; interesting; informative; and a few were off the beaten path (the chocolate factory, the winery, the Carmarge ranch) and not full of other tourists.
-- T.H., Virginia, USA

The service was fantastic. There was no need un-met. Everyone should go on this trip at least once in their lifetime. It was beautiful.
-- J.K.

Our trip was wonderful, the accommodations, the service, the food and the sight seeing. I cannot compliment the staff enough. Thank you for all the hard work you did in setting up the trip.
-- E.K., USA

The Le Phenicien's routes through Provence, from Avignon to Aigues Mortes. For a more detailed look at the cruise route, view our map of the Rhone River and the Canal du Rhone a Sete.

*Note: Cruise directions and sample itineraries may be in reverse and are subject to change and may depend on bookings and local navigation conditions. Alternate excursions of equal appeal are substituted when needed. For charter cruises special itineraries can be arranged.

- 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in cabins with private bath
- Transfers from Avignon or Nimes to the barge and return
- All meals beginning with dinner on Sunday, through breakfast on Saturday
- All wines with lunches and dinners
- Open bar
- All escorted side-excursions (hot air ballooning, golf etc at extra cost)
- Use of bicycles

For Bike and Barge Program (no extra cost, minimum of 12 passengers):
- 7 days and 6 nights on the barge in cabins with private bath
- Transfers from Avignon or Nimes to the barge and return
- All meals beginning with dinner on Sunday, through breakfast on Saturday
- All wines with lunches and dinners
- Open bar
- Bicycles are custom ordered; passengers must provide their measurements (weight, height and inseam)
- attendees are provided a road book with suggested cycle routes; each itinerary is an average 35-50km trek. For serious cyclists, a longer 50-80km extension itinerary is offered.
- Bicycle helmets, repair tools, tubes, pump and a small case fixed on the bike to carry a picnic lunch and a bottle of water.

What's Not Included

- Overseas air transportation to Paris and return
- Transportation from Paris to Nimes/Avignon and return
- Optional gratuity for the crew; we suggest a minimum of 5 % to be given to the manager in equivalent euros

For Bike and Barge Program:
- Overseas air transportation to Paris and return
- Transportation from Paris to Nimes/Avignon and return
- Optional gratuity for the crew; we suggest a minimum of 5 % to be given to the manager in equivalent euros
- Guided land excursion
-if Bicycle Guide is requested, there is an additional USD $3,600.00 fee.

Special Places Travel, LLC "Barges in France (and the rest of Europe) ... for the experience of a lifetime!" ™ For booking information, Phone (toll-free): 1-877-64-BARGE (1-877-642-2743) Outside of the U.S.: 001.443.321.3614 or E-mail: info@specialplacestravel.com

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