FRANCE
Provençal towns are a blend of pretty colours. Passengers aboard their barge cruise through Provence.
Explore the Pézenas market each Saturday.
Bread for sale at a market in Aix-en-Provence.
We’re promised lavender fields, paddocks of sunflowers and a flamboyance of pink flamingos: three colourful symbols that are as quintessentially Provençal as the medieval villages and market squares. We’re cruising along the canals and rivers of southeastern France, stopping to explore the off-the-beaten-tourist-trail attractions that are abundant here. The escorted cruise concept is relatively new for our host, a company better known for its guided walking and cycling tours. This year Back-Roads Touring began offering barge holidays in France: small groups cruising on CroisiEurope river vessels escorted by a guide. Our compact group of 12 travellers (half hailing from Down Under, the other half from the UK) begins our week-long
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Provence river-and-road tour in the ancient town of Arles, where intact Roman architecture tells a fascinating story of the past. There we meet Erik, our guide, and Rachel, our driver. Boarding the ship, our home for the next week, we are introduced to the crew: our captain and co-captain, our cruise director, our room attendant, our server and, arguably the most important man on the ship, our chef. His mission – to singlehandedly prepare three delicious meals a day for hungry holidaymakers – is tackled with skill and enthusiasm as he serves up dishes that include octopus pie, pan-seared scallops and braised bull. This operator likes to bill its trips as ‘organised independence’: essentials like transport, meals, accommodation and
museum entry are taken care of so that we travellers can sit back, relax and do as much – or as little – as we please. For our group, ranging in age from 40 to 80 and with varying degrees of mobility and energy, this means that on one sunny day a couple of people decide to stay on board to enjoy the open-air jacuzzi. Others join the group outing to Pont du Gard – a spectacular Roman aqueduct – and are rewarded for tackling the steep climb to the summit with an unforgettable view of the UNESCO World Heritagelisted monument. One day we visit the village of Pézenas, where having free time means we go our separate ways to explore the Saturday market, wander art galleries or simply sit and enjoy a coffee in the July sun.