Avignon, Van Gogh and Pont du Gard
On some days you will be cycling through a windy area; with distances to 50 kilometers per day.
Among the wilderness of camargue and the landscapes that were so dear to Van Gogh you will cycle through delicious Provençal villages and vineyards. This stunning region, with its rich history and beautiful light, has attracted travellers for centuries. It is here that Artists such as Van Gogh and Cézanne found their inspiration.
Beautiful bike and barge trip from the famous ‘pont d’Avignon’ to the Mediterranean sea. You will visit Avignon and Arles with their cultural and architectural highlights and cycle through the landscapes that inspired Van Gogh. Along the way you will discover picturesque Provencal villages and vineyards. You will start or end your tour in the stunning nature of the Camargue. Cane fields, salt lakes, horses and flamingos will be the background of the first or second part of your week.
We welcome you aboard your new home-from-home from 5.00 p.m. onwards, and then regroup for the introductory briefing – at 6.30 p.m. – with your tour leader, skipper and crew, along with a first refreshing aperitivo. Your mooring place is in Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet.
Today you will cross the river Rhone taking the route that goes through Île de la Barthelasse, and you will ride through the typical garrigue landscape, passing by vineyards and orchards on your way to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. During the trip, you will have the opportunity to taste the famous Provençal wine. Later, you will cross the Rhône at Roquemaure and return to Villeneuve by following the river course. Free dinner in Avignon.
In the morning navigation till the town of Aramon, where you will start pedalling. The stage today will bring you to the best preserved Roman aqueduct in Europe: Pont du Gard, a very spectacular work. Overnight in Aramon with a beautiful view over the Mont Ventoux.
You start your day sailing to Vallabrègues, pretty Provençal village on the banks of the Rhône. Along country roads you will arrive to Barbentane with its castle at the confluence of the Rhone and Durance rivers. You will cycle to the magnificent Abbey of Saint Michel de Frigolet and afterwards down to the medieval village of Boulbon. Overnight in Vallabrègues.
This stage brings you to Saint Remy de Provence, birthplace of Nostradamus. This village is also famous for having hosted Van Gogh in the days of his mental illness. In the end you move onto the Alpilles, with Les-Baux-de-Provence, a village lodged in the rock itself. A landscape of limestone cliffs and olive trees accompanies your journey.
Today the whole morning is dedicated to visit Arles, the ancient capital of Gaul with beautiful Roman ruins. You will also have the opportunity to be welcomed by a professional guide, who will accompany you around the jewels of the town. . After lunch you reach Franquevaux and from there you will sail to Aigues Mortes for the overnight stay.
As you cycle through the small country lanes of Camargue, passing by canals, lagoons, and small villages, you will come across La Cailar, Marsillargues, and Saint-Laurent-d’Aigouze, which are well-known for their ancient taurine tradition. In the afternoon, you will visit an organic vineyard and enjoy a special wine tasting experience. This will allow you to immerse yourself in the beautiful landscapes of Camargue’s ponds, lagoons, reeds, and dunes while savoring the scents of warm sand, tamarisk, and pine forests.
After breakfast, end of services.
Cycling from Aigues Mortes to Avignon
Route profile
- Total length: 275 km
- Total vertical up: 620 m
- Terrain: 90% tarmac, 10% unpaved
Activity level
A week of cycling, suitable even for less experienced cyclists. The stages are mainly on back roads with little traffic, mostly flat, with a few ups and downs in northern Arles. There's only one more challenging stretch, to reach Les Baux de Provence, but the extraordinary scenery that you pass through certainly repays the effort. The rides are combined with boat rides to reach the starting points of the routes and to enjoy the views from the water.
The barge, Caprice or L’Estello, will be assigned according to availability.
Individual arrival and boarding is on Saturday from 5 p.m. in Avignon.
Your mooring place is in Quai de la Ligne next to the famous Pont St. Bénezet.
he nearest international airport is Montpellier-Méditerranée Airport (MPL). The airport is located 80 km/ 50 miles from Avignon.
There are several ways of transportation to get to the mooring place of the barge:
– Connection by shuttle bus+tramway+train: total travel time is between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. Total costs are about € 25,- per person.
– Connection by taxi + train: total travel time between 1.5 and 2 hours. Taxi costs are about € 30,- and the train ticket is € 20,-.
In Avignon there are 2 train stations: Avignon-Centre (distance to the barge is 2.5 km/ 1.5 miles) and Avignon TGV (distance to the barge is 6 km/ 3.75 miles). From Avignon Centre you can take a taxi, costs about € 30,-. Or you can take the bus, travel time about 15 minutes and a ticket costs about € 2,-.From Avignon TGV you can take a taxi, costs about € 30,-. Or you can take the bus, travel time about 1 hour. You need to change buses once. Tickets cost about € 4,-.
Avignon is easily accessible from the highway A7 Lyon-Marseille. There are several parkings where you can leave your car.
Detailed information will be included in your travel documents.
The tour ends one week later, on Saturday morning after breakfast before 9 AM in Aigues-Mortes. You will spend the night from Friday to Saturday on board.At the end of the tour, if you need to return to Avignon, you can take a train or taxi By train it takes approx. 2 hours (you need to change trains in Nimes). A one-way train ticket (2nd class) costs about € 16,-.
At the end of the tour the crew can organise (shared) taxis to the main airports and stations of the area, according to the participants’ requests. You can ask directly on board for further information.
On this tour the following barges are scheduled
The Caprice is a beautiful Dutch boat that has been in use for a little over 10 years now. On the large sundeck you can enjoy the French landscape while sailing through the canals. Read more...
The L’Estello is a 1937 Dutch barge sailed over to France. She has been refurbished to offer a high level of comfort, without compromising any of her original charm. Read more....
All rented adult bikes are equipped with:
By this tour you can rent the following bikes:
A low entry unisex frame, ideal for an upright but relaxed riding position.
Unisex low-entry frame. Bosch motor. Range: approx 90 km (flat terrain, average speed).
Imagine a floating hotel sailing to the next stage, while you are calmly pedalling along. No lugging of luggage: that is exactly what Bike & Barge is all about! In the pleasant atmosphere on board you can have a chat, go through the day with the others, and enjoy the meals prepared specially for cyclists. In the evenings you can enjoy a drink in the salon or admire the setting sun on deck. Do not expect a cruise ship with its passive luxury. The Bike & Barge Holidays are for people who really enjoy the physical activity of cycling and who value sociability more than wholesale luxury.
Free WiFi is (limited) available in lounge and on deck.
All cabins are 2-person cabins. On the Caprice there is 1x single cabin. Each cabin has two fixed portholes, air conditioning, en-suite facilities and safety box; plus ample closet space, a power socket and a full-length mirror. We recommend 1 suitcase per person. You can slide the suitcase under the bed.
The captain/skipper, the chef and your tour guide all welcome you warmly. They are prepared specifically for these trips and will provide good and safe passage, good meals, and a friendly, pleasant atmosphere. They will, of course, also give you a great deal of interesting information during and after the cycling and sailing. The skipper is responsible for the smooth running of things on board; the cook is in charge of the catering. A tour leader accompanies you during the bike ride and can assist in case of breakdowns. He/She will be your guide to point out the things of interest along the way and is multi-lingual.
Your chef is used to cook delicious meals for hungry cyclists. Besides an extensive breakfast, you will also be offered a packed lunch for on the road. It consists of different types of bread and sandwich fillings, juice, a snack and a piece of fruit. Lunch package needs to be prepared by yourself after breakfast. Dinner is different every day. There is a first course, main course and dessert The meals on board are included in the price, as are coffee and tea. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks can be obtained at a reasonable charge. When you return on board after the day’s cycling, a cup of tea or coffee with a snack will be waiting for you.
If you have special meal requirements we ask you to mention this when booking. Diets which need a special preparation or special ingredients can only be offered in limited form. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding as due to limited logistic possibilities on a barge we are not able to prepare complete specialized menus.
In case of Celiac; gluten free diet; vegan meals and lactose free diet, there is an additional charge.
One of the most attractive aspects of the Bike & Barge holidays is that you encounter an international company on board, including people from e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, France and United Kingdom. It’s a great opportunity for you to get to know various cultures at the same time! We have people of all ages, solo travelers, couples and also families with children (during the school holidays). Most groups are made up of 12 to 22 people.
Yes, but you must indicate this when booking. Diets which need a special preparation or special ingredients can only be offered in limited form. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding as due to limited logistic possibilities on a barge we are not able to prepare complete specialized menus.
On some trips, in case of a gluten-free diet/lactose-free diet/ vegan meals, a surcharge applies. This is stated per tour.
Most of the participants then wear rainwear. When the weather is so bad that cycling becomes really impossible (but that is almost never the case!), you can stay on board or your guide can organize an alternative program with, for example, cultural excursions and city tours (at your own expense).
The main countries represented by our cycling guests are: United States and Canada. We also receive guests from United Kingdom, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand. The common language on board is English.
No, the barge doesn’t take the same route as the cyclists do. Sometimes the route may be altered because of weather conditions or repairs to bridges or locks and then the guests and the guide can arrange with the skipper to be met at a different place. Naturally you can always stay on board for one or more days.