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.
A delightful bike and boat vacation in the South of France, following the landscapes that inspired Van Gogh. Cycle through peaceful Provençal countryside, vineyards and stone villages, and enjoy the wild beauty of the Camargue with its salt lakes, horses and flamingos. You visit Avignon and Arles, rich in culture and history, before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. Each evening your comfortable riverboat awaits with good food, wine and a relaxed atmosphere.
From 5.00 p.m. onwards we welcome you aboard your new home‑from‑home, moored at Quai de la Ligne, right beside the iconic Pont St. Bénezet. As guests settle in and the ship comes to life, you already feel the charm of Avignon around you. At 6.30 p.m. we regroup for the introductory briefing with your tour leader, skipper and crew, the perfect moment to meet your fellow travellers and enjoy a first refreshing aperitivo. It’s the start of a week filled with discovery, conviviality and Provençal atmosphere.
Today you cross the Rhône via Île de la Barthelasse, a peaceful green island just outside Avignon. The route leads through the fragrant garrigue landscape, with vineyards and orchards accompanying you on your way to Châteauneuf‑du‑Pape. Here you can enjoy a tasting of the region’s renowned Provençal wines. Later you cross the river again at Roquemaure and follow its gentle course back to Villeneuve, enjoying wide views over the valley. The day ends in Avignon, where dinner is at your own cost.
In the morning the boat navigates to Aramon, where today’s ride begins. From here you pedal through quiet Provençal countryside towards one of Europe’s most impressive Roman monuments: the Pont du Gard, a beautifully preserved aqueduct and a spectacular highlight of the week. You return to Aramon for the night, with a wide and atmospheric view over Mont Ventoux in the distance.
You start from Vallabrègues, the village of wicker basket makers, and cross the fertile countryside dotted with orchards to reach the ancient village of Boulbon, where the ruins of a mighty 15th-century castle offer magnificent views over the Rhône valley. From here, you continue to Tarascon, where Provence’s most beautiful castle stands on the banks of the Rhône. At Beaucaire you find another castle with sections of the rampart walk still accessible. The cycle path on the old railway line to Remoulins leads you then to the foot of the troglodyte abbey of St. Romain, an impressive fortified convent entirely carved into the rock. Overnight in Vallabrègues
Today you ride to Saint‑Rémy‑de‑Provence, birthplace of Nostradamus and known for Van Gogh’s stay here. The route continues into the Alpilles, a limestone landscape dotted with olive trees, before reaching Les‑Baux‑de‑Provence, a striking village carved into the rock.
This morning is dedicated to discovering Arles, the former capital of Gaul with its remarkable Roman monuments. A professional guide will welcome you and lead you through the town’s most beautiful highlights. After lunch you reach the lock of Franquevaux, where the boat awaits to sail towards 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 it is time to say goodbye. The crew assists you as you disembark, and you leave the boat with the memories of a week filled with landscapes, villages and shared moments along the rivers of Provence and the Camargue.
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 that require special preparation or specific ingredients can only be accommodated to a limited extent. We will do our best to meet your needs, but we also ask for your understanding: due to the limited logistical possibilities on a barge, we are not able to provide fully specialized menus. On some tours, a surcharge applies for gluten‑free, lactose‑free, or vegan meals. This is stated per tour.
Most participants simply put on their rain gear and try to make the best out of it, unfortunately the weather cannot be controlled. If the weather becomes so bad that cycling is truly impossible, which almost never happens, you can stay on board or your guide can arrange an alternative program, such as cultural excursions or 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 does not follow the same route as the cyclists. Sometimes the route may need to be adjusted due to weather conditions or repairs to bridges or locks. In those cases, the guests and the guide can coordinate with the skipper to meet at a different location. Of course, you can always choose to stay on board for one or more days.
We have a variety of tours that differ in cycling level. All of the levels require basic cycling skills. Most cycling holidays we offer are cycling level 1 or 2. These holidays are appropriate for anyone with average physical condition and basic cycling skills. More information about cycling levels and safety can be found here.