WHY IT RATES: What better way to show love to your Valentine than with the gift of travel? —Codie Liermann, Associate Editor
Still looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for your loved one?
How about giving the gift of travel and taking Beyond Cruises’ Romantic Provence Seven-Day Rhone River through the heart of the Provence region in France. Departure dates in 2019 begin on July 12 with the last cruise departing on October 18.
This summer, take your valentine on this seven-day Rhone River Cruise aboard the intimate 11 cabin M/S Anne-Marie Barge. The romantic journey starts in Arles and ends in Sete (and reverse) cruising through breathtaking landscapes and some of the most gorgeous villages that have made Provence itself so famous.
Charming and romantic, Provence is known for its medieval hilltop towns, plethora of olive groves, endless wine tasting and quaint markets that sell fresh olives and bunches of lavender.
Barge cruising is trending, taking guests into the heart of the destination to sight-see in places of natural beauty and authentic culture in an intimate setting. France is the most popular country for such barge cruises because of the man-made canals preserved from the seventeenth and eighteenth century.
Highlights of the Romantic Provence cruise begin in Arles (or in Sete on the reverse itinerary) with an intimate cocktail hour and dinner, spending the following day in Arles exploring its Roman ruins, followed by an inland tour of the olive oil production and local food tastings.
Afterward, guests return to the ship and spend the afternoon cruising to Gallician for a locally produced olive oil tasting.
The barge continues along the Rhône River and the Rhône à Sète Canal, where everyone will travel by wagon to discover a manade (cattle or horse breeding ranch) and the life of its herders, taking part in a bull sorting, and sampling the local products produced on the farm.
The next day is spent relaxing at the Mediterranean beach resort town of Palavas-Les-Flots and indulging in one of its famous spas. Explore Aigues-Mortes, an old fortified city with rich heritage, one of the most beautiful sites in Provence.
A visit to the picturesque medieval city of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is followed by a gala dinner aboard the barge. The cruise ends in the city of Sete, which includes wine tasting and a visit to the magnificent Étang De Thau lagoon, sampling its famous shellfish while enjoying the beauty of the basin from a terrace with one’s Valentine.
—Transfers on day 1 and 7 from and to Avignon
—Baggage handling on vessel
—Excursions as per itinerary
—6 nights aboard the M/S Anne-Marie
—All drinks on-board, including house beers, wines and spirits, are included in the cost of your cruise, except for those mentioned on the premium list. Drinks enjoyed while not on the barge are not included.
—Park Fees and Government Taxes
—Free Wi-Fi in Lounge and Bar
—All Port Fees
The vessel, the M/S Anne-Marie, has a capacity of 22 passengers in 11 spacious cabins, each with a window. Guests are well looked after by Beyond Cruises staff, well known for its one-to-two, passenger to crew ratio.
Beyond Cruises’ small-ship setting fosters socializing with an on-board community of like-minded people. On board, everything has been designed to be convivial with a lounge bar, a restaurant, a sun deck with loungers and parasols, a Jacuzzi and a barbecue deck at the front of the boat for outdoor pleasure.
For more information and reservations contact your local travel agent, visit www.beyondcruises.com or call 1-800-833-2111.
SOURCE: Beyond Cruises press release.
