Rhone - Camargue

Rhone ~ Avignon ~ Camargue ~ Mediterranean Coast

To the north, the River Rhone rises in the Swiss Alps and is joined by the Saone at Lyon becoming one of Europe’s major waterways, heading due South for the Mediterranean Sea. Voyagers along the river pass by the vineyards of the Cotes du Rhone and Chateauneuf du Pape, visiting memorable and famous towns such as Valence, Viviers (a beautiful hilltop medieval village overlooking the river), Avignon (the Bridge and the Pope’s Palace) and finally Arles (where Van Gogh created his most iconic sun-drenched paintings).

In the south, the Petit Rhone branch leaves the Rhone at Arles, part of the Camargue area that is Europe’s largest river delta; between the land and the sea the reed marshes are teeming with wildlife – including over 350 species of waterbirds, flamingos, storks, egrets, wild black bulls and the famous white Camargue horses. Not to be missed, is the fortified crusader town of Aigues Mortes, founded by the French King Saint Louis in 1242.

Heading west from Aigues-Mortes, just metres from the Mediterranean and alongside glorious sandy beaches and passing by the fabulous small city of Montpellier, runs the lock-free Rhone-Sete Canal arriving at France’s own Venetian-style seaport, Sete, and the Etang de Thau large inland lagoon, where waterborne visitors may live like kings on fresh moules marinières and bouziegues oysters, washed down with Muscat wines and Noilly Prat vermouth.

► Hotel Barges cruising in Provence-Camargue

– [below] In the region: Sete, Mediterranean, Camargue, Van Gogh/Arles, Avignon, Pont du Gard, Aigues-Mortes –

Beach ©Les Jardins de Tivoli | Avignon ©Yann de Fareins | Aigues-Mortes ©Framepool AG | Others ©FW, wikimedia, n/a

Getting to Provence-Camargue
Hotel barges often collect and return guests to a pre-agreed hotel. French international airports are located at Toulouse and Paris-Charles de Gaulle and there are European-flight airports at Carcassonne, Montpellier and Lyon. There are also TGV express train stations at Avignon, Montpellier and Toulouse; and many other towns in the region have railway connections.

Find A Barge!

Capacity: more than 6 cabins

Le PhenicienOwner Operated

  • Style: 4* Excellence
  • Capacity: more than 6 cabins
  • Cruising: Provence‑Camargue

The Rhône Croisières offered by Le Phenicien combine luxury cruising with perhaps the most varied and fascinating route of all hotel barges; great... Read more

Anne-MarieCroisiEurope

  • Style: 3* Smart
  • Capacity: more than 6 cabins
  • Cruising: Provence‑Camargue

Read more

Capacity: 6 cabins / 12 guests

NapoléonBelmond

  • Style: 5* Grand Luxe
  • Capacity: 6 cabins / 12 guests
  • Cruising: Provence‑Camargue

The Belmond Napoléon is one of the finest cruising barges in Provence and the largest of the Belmond fleet. Her three decks accommodate 12 guests in... Read more

Capacity: 4 cabins / 8 guests

Pivoine (Peony)Belmond

  • Style: 6* Supreme
  • Capacity: 4 cabins / 8 guests
  • Cruising: Provence‑Camargue

Read more

Capacity: 3 cabins / 6 guests

Roi SoleilOwner Operated

  • Style: 5* Grand Luxe
  • Capacity: 3 cabins / 6 guests
  • Cruising: Provence‑Camargue, Midi‑Herault

Roi Soleil is possibly the most distinctively elegant hotel barge - a true river yacht - cruising the French waterways. She is curvaceous on the... Read more

Capacity: 2 cabins / 4 guests

PapillonOwner Operated

  • Style: 4* Excellence
  • Capacity: 2 cabins / 4 guests
  • Cruising: North Burgundy, Nivernais, Saone‑South Burgundy, Provence‑Camargue

Imagine spending a week cruising the idyllic waterways of France on board this luxury barge. Trade a week of the hustle of everyday life for the... Read more

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Our Expertise – France, Cruising the Waterways and Hotel Barging . . .

We have explored the rivers and canals of France on our own yacht and motor boat since 2003, logging up nearly 10,000km along most waterways, in most regions, at all times of year. Independent, impartial and enthusiastic, we have personally visited and know every hotel barge, every owner-operator and fleet, published on french-waterways.com.

Advice

Friendly advice and expert guidance . . . We’re standing by to help you!

We feature information about 50 wonderful hotel barges, of various sizes and price/style levels, more than 100 individual cruises to choose from every week of the season, in 8 regions across France. Some book flexibly by the cabin, others exclusively charter the entire hotel barge. Quite a choice!

Every one of our hotel barge information pages has been carefully crafted and written by us, from our own unique first hand-hand experience – but we also understand that there’s nothing like speaking to a friendly expert to help see the wood for the trees and make the best possible decision about the vacation cruise of a lifetime.

So please, send us a Booking Enquiry form or just pick up the phone and give us a call. We love France, we love the rivers and canals of France, we love hotel barging – and we love talking about all three!