FRANCE - Deluxe Canal Yacht “Roi Soleil”

Cruise through Provence or on the Canal du Midi and be pampered aboard this beautifully restored and much upgraded river Yacht, offering the following.

Ø Full boat charter for up to 6 passengers.

Ø 5 star comfort and style of a luxury motor yacht.

Ø Highest rated and largest boat on the Canal du Midi.

Ø Accommodation on two levels for optimal comfort and panoramic views.

Ø 3 spacious (160sq feet), bright & airy staterooms with opening skylights.

Ø Queen-sized beds in each with en-suite bathrooms.

Ø Fully air conditioned throughout.

Ø Spa pool, Bose sound system, DVD library, bicycles, even a fireplace ...

Ø Innovative gourmet cuisine, with cooking demonstrations.

Ø Bilingual French/Anglo-Saxon crew of 4 - chef, guide, hostess and pilot.

Deck plans

Being 98 feet in length and 16.5 feet wide she has ample space for the six guests. Both the areas in which the “Roi Soleil” cruises are World Heritage sites, and there will always be something of interest that you can visit, and with the assistance from the boats hosts, you will be given lots of options. To see more of the boat and the area, please see http://riveryacht.online.fr where more information is available.

The “Roi Soleil” can be found on either the Canal du Midi, or on the Rhone river as she slowly carries her cosseted guests to many places of interest and through many experiences such as wine tasting and visits to wonderful chateaux. Being on charter means that you can tailor the excursions according to your party’s special interests. This allows you to fully indulge your interests and not be rushed by keeping to a timetable. Being fully air conditioned, you will not need to worry about the southern European temperatures.

The saloon of the “Roi Solieil” with its large windows and skylights giving an airy open feel.

“Roi Soleil” takes turns on which waters to cruise through the season. Below are the highlights for each.

For the sailing dates please see bottom of this page.

P r o v e n c e – C a m a r g u e – L a n g u e d o c

Al fresco dining aboard the “Roi Soleil” with the Hot tub for relaxing.

Provence, throughout the Roman Empire, has been praised as the “fairest of all provinces” - so rich - so varied – a land of hedonists.

“Roi Soleil” offers you a unique vantage point as we sail down the ancient border between the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire of Charlemagne, the river Rhone. When we step ashore to discover the land within, the richness of culture, history, architecture, arts and crafts begins to reveal itself. “Roi Soleil” will then follow a tributary of the Rhône, to enter into the mysterious region of the Camargue …

Historic Tours & Architecture

In Avignon (Pictured left) you may see the rich architectural influence of each of the 8 Popes who resided in the Palais des Papes, from medieval to the Renaissance time. The Palais des Papes presents a magnificent image, as we sail by the Pont de Bénézet (famous for the song:“…sur le pont d’Avignon…”) in the pastel colors of the Provencal sunset. Another architectural beauty is the aqueduct, the Pont du Gard, a prodigy of the Romans and one of the wonders of the ancient world. Then there is the Roman arena, the antique theatre, some impressive medieval architecture in Arles, once capital of the whole of the Gaul’s plus the sites of picturesque St Remy de Provence. As an option, you can even participate in a dig on a private site with a top local archeologist. Take in the magnificent setting of the little town of Uzès that was the prime Duchy of France, where in the 17^th Century, the Duke and the Bishop of Uzés competed in erecting architectural monuments.

A breathtaking site from the panorama of the fortified village of les Beaux de Provence, also renowned for it’s ancient cobbled streets and picturesque charm and whose history develops around the rebel barons who defied the King!

You can walk along the fortified walls that completely surround the little medieval city of Aigues-Mortes, built on in the marshes as King St Louis sought a safe harbor to embark his crusaders on the route to Jerusalem.

Pézenas is a jewel for lovers of art and literature, where Molière and his theatre troop found refuge in the 17^th Century, under the protection of the Governor and Prince de Conti.

View the cabins, the green the red and the yellow, each distinctly different, with en-suite facilities.

Local Culture, Arts, Crafts and Antiques

The whole of Provence has always been particularly rich in arts and crafts due to its prime position on the trade routes. Since the 19^th Century, Provence artists were most successful in preserving local identity and tradition, in defiance of the inroads of industrialization. You can see this at the rich Arletan Museum of Arles,

For any occasion, the Arlesian woman will don their typical costumes with hand-made laces that have been passed preciously down from mother to daughter throughout the generations, and the Guardians will dance and defy each other in games in the bull rings, inspired by their medieval troubadour ancestors.

In Arles you can also personally experience the sites depicted in the paintings of Van Gogh.

Throughout the year there are colorful festivals in all the cities & villages, where the locals proudly present their talents that have been passed on to them from generation to generation. We can introduce you to local artisans, fabricating by hand, basket weaving, figurines, chairs and furniture, provençal fabrics and “boutis”, paintings and pottery. Some of whose work is now much sought after internationally. The Camargue region is particularly rich in guardian feasts in honor of the bulls and their prized white horses.

The Carmargue wild horses being herded.

In Sète you could witness the fishermen jostling in teams – a spectacle on water…

You can get involved by sponsoring the daredevil “raséteurs” fighting the bulls in the village arena or simply taking part in the local game of bowls “petanque” from a terrace café in the typical village of Fontveille.

For the connoisseurs interested in antiques … there is a haven of antique treasures in L’Isle sur la Sorgue where no less than 160 antique dealers are presenting their finds.

Natural sites and The Camargue

Beautiful panoramas unfold amongst the hill villages and across the cool waters and gorges as may be seen in Fontaines de Vaucluse. From the tranquil river of the Petit Rhone, we enter into the secret of the Camargue where fresh and salt sea water make up the marshlands - the refuge of hundreds of migratory birds. There we will also see the guardians mounted on their white horses tending their prize bulls for the bullrings.

Gourmet Traveler

The provençal market is a total feast to the senses where you can delve into the stalls of local artifacts, and amongst the bouquets of lavender and thyme. There are branches of artichokes, pyramids of olives in hues of pastel greens to rich black, and hand pressed A.O.C. olive oils … freshly farmed goats cheeses… Tapenades and olive breads. For the sweet tooth, there are delicious almond sweets, Calissons from Aix en Provence, and the sumptuous miniature preserved fruits. … and then there are the vineyards!! The Rhone valley with its varied terroir and private tastings, beckons the senses – Chateauneuf du Pape - Gigondas – Lirac – Muscat of Beaumes de Venise, and for the new and rewarding discovery - the Languedoc region is making its mark on sommeliers around the world.

Activities – For the Young Family

Apart from simply taking a walk through the waterside villages or bicycling along banks of the canal, there are scores of activities to choose from: Ballooning – horse riding or 4 x wheel driving in Camargue – attending the bull races or village processions – bird spotting in the Camargue reserve – an eagle watching spectacle in the Castle of Beaucaire- white water rafting or gentle canoeing - caves to explore … tell us your fantasy and we’ll follow your dream.

C A N A L du M I D I

The walls of the medieval city of Carcassonne.

The main highlight on the Canal du Midi is the 17^th Century marvel of the Canal du Midi, itself! With its 328 works and 45 000 trees linking the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean – traversing a remote, unspoilt, countryside of the pristine Languedoc region, now world famous for its sophisticated wines - and then there are many more highlights …

Historic Tours & Architecture

Follow the path of civilisation – the prehistoric sites and caves; the Grecco-Iberian sites such as the Oppidum of Enserune; the Galls and their Dolmens; the Roman presence in Narbonne (their first colony outside of Rome); the medieval architecture with its hill villages; bastides and magnificent abbeys such as Fontfroide and Lagrasse. The Cathare Castles, witness to religious wars and the expansion of the king of France – Carcassonne as the proudest medieval city. The wine and its domains which, from the 17^th Century, gave the Languedoc its final aspect.

Art, History and Antiques

Narbonne concentrates some very fine art treasures from its Cathedral; to the archaeological museum with some of the finest Roman wall paintings; the art museum with its 17^th and 18^th Century masters and its Oriental collection of the 19^th Century. We can round it up by visiting a friendly antique dealer whose friendliness is on par with his impeccable taste.

Gourmet Traveller

Olives – wine – Muscat. This is a hedonist trilogy from the olives to be sampled at the Olibo Olive Oil Mill (one of the most prized in France) to the wines of Languedoc, now a force on the international scene. Languedoc, since Roman times, has intertwined its history with wine making - the landscape of the entire region is modelled by it. We will visit top vineyards in the company of their owners taking in the Corbières, the Minervois and the St Chinian from grand domains to no less deserving smaller wine makers This will be rounded up with the Muscat Petit Grain of St Jean de Minervois, the prime Muscat in France with Beaumes de Venise from Provence.

Natural Sites and Village Life

The geography is very rich and extremely diverse with spectacular sites varying from the Mediterranean to the inland mountains with deep gorges as in Minerve, which is dotted in vineyards or hidden valleys such as St Chinian and Roquebrun. The village life follows the rhythm of the vine and harvest and the traditional, open-air markets.

Activities – For the Young Family

If walking along the Canal or bicycling on our top-of-the-range hybrid bikes is not enough, there are scores of activities to choose from. : swimming on the Mediterranean beaches or river gorges - scenic flights over medieval castles - Ballooning – country horse riding or rounding up the bulls on horseback – hiking on nature trails - white-water rafting – four-wheel driving on Paris Dakhar ralley training tracks – eagle watching show in Carcassonne – visiting spectacular caves & prehistoric museums – windsurfing – African wildlife reserve …

Cooking Demonstrations (for all the cruises)

Did we mention that our chef is an authentic provençal food artist, eager to share his secrets in the open-plan galley of “Roi Soleil” for cooking demonstrations?

Cooking demonstration given aboard the “Roi Soleil” by the gourmet chef.

Below is a typical menu for a meal on board

DINNER MENU for River Yacht “ROI SOLEIL”

Petits Canapés aux Œufs de Cailles

Quail Egg Canapés

Aperitif :

Muscat de Baumes de Venise, Domaine de Bernadin

Tatin de Coquilles St Jacques sur un lit de chicorée,

Fumet d’Orange et Basilique

Roasted Scallop & Chicory Tartlet’s, Orange & Basil Fumet

White Wine:

Domaine de La Jeanne, Cuvée Pistral, 1998

Sauvignon Chardonnay Viognier – a complex aromatic white wine

Agneau Braisé et Farcie aux Petits Légumes de Luberon

Braised, de-boned Lamb,

Stuffed with miniature vegetables from the Luberon Valley

Red Wine:

Chateauneuf-du-Pape – Château Mont-Redon 1995

St Marcelin Rôti, Salade à l’Huile de Noix

A local Soft Cheese Roasted in the oven & served with Walnut Oil

Soufflé aux Fraises, servi chaud avec sa Glace aux Amandes Grillés

Hot Strawberry Soufflé with Roasted Almond Ice Cream

Dessert Wine:

Maury, 1998 Vintage Mas Amiel

Naturally sweet dessert wine, Grenache from Languedoc

Coffee - Fine Chocolates from St Remy de Provence - Fine Liqueurs

Pictures of the “Ro Soleil” and guests, as she gently plies the tranquil canals and rivers of France.

COSTS

The cost for a full week charter of this vessel is Euros 28,000.

This is for the yacht which can sleep six in perfect comfort and includes all meals and the services of a crew to navigate the boat and assist you in whatever way they can.

2008 Charter Schedule

Voyage Dates	Voy. No	Route	Pick-up Place     -      Drop-off Place Always 4.00 PM  -     Always 10.00 AM
30 March - 5 April          *	13	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
6 - 12 April                      *	14	Canal du Midi	Béziers ou Carcassonne or Montpellier
13 - 19 April                    *	15	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
20 - 26 April                   *	16	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
27 April -3 May              *	17	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
4 - 10 May                      *	18	Provence Route	Béziers                                Avignon
11 - 17May	19	Provence Route	Avignon                               Béziers
18 - 24 May	20	Provence Route	Béziers                                Avignon
25 - 31 May	21	Provence Route	Avignon                               Béziers
1 - 7 June	22	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
8 - 14 June	23	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
15 - 21 June	24	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
22 - 28 June	25	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
29  June -  5 July	26	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
6 – 12  July	27	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
13 - 19 July                     *	28	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
20 - 26 July                    *	29	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
27 July - 2 August          *	30	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
3 - 9 August                   *	31	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
10 - 16 August                *	32	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
17 - 23 August               *	33	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
24 - 30 August              *	34	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
31 August - 6 September	35	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
7 - 13 September	36	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
14 - 20 September	37	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
21 - 27 September	38	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
28 September - 4 October	39	Canal du Midi	Béziers or Carcassonne or Montpellier
5 - 11 October	40	Provence Route