3 days of river cruise to discover the Camargue
For a long time I had heard about the expansion of this new, original and unusual form of tourism, which allows you to discover a region from a new perspective. Until now, I had a rather «old-fashioned» and «family-like» image of river cruising.. These few days spent with friends at the Discovering the Camargue by boat They completely change my mind!
On the occasion of a boy's initiation ceremony, I was looking for a quirky idea for a stay, one that sort of the ordinary. That’s when we contacted them. Leboat.fr, the specialist in boat and canoe rental and river tourism in Europe, who invited us to test his services and experience a An unforgettable experience.
From the very first contact, it is clear that we are dealing with a structured and well-organized company where customer service is highly emphasized. You feel accompanied at every stage of your journey. From booking with valuable advice, practical guides, automatic reminders, to the end of the stay with the quality survey, through the warm welcome at the starting point in Saint Gilles, in the Camargue, EVERYTHING was perfect. Let's go into more detail about this wonderful stay the Rhone canal in Sète.
Since there were about a dozen friends participating in the event, we chose the largest boat., The Grand Classic, a length of about fifteen meters, equipped with five cabins (two seats each), three bathrooms, of one Spacious living room, of one Fully equipped kitchen, a large upper deck with a large table and an umbrella, and an area at the front of the boat for relaxing in the sun. To my great surprise, the booking service Leboat.fr informs me that there is no need to have a «boat license» and that The piloting of this modern boat is child's play. The opportunity to be his own captain! It seems silly, but I loved the concept, we have a sense of freedom unparalleled, which cannot be found in other forms of tourism.
Virtual tour of our boat: «Grand Classique»
Click on the photo
We arrived at the small port around 3:00 p.m. Saint Gilles, a charming, relaxing and pleasant town located about twenty kilometers from Arles, in the heart of the Camargue. We met Corinne, the manager of the local agency Leboat.fr, who booked us a very warm welcome. We knew each other before, since I had called him several times before the departure to ask him for a Lots of advice (routes, tourist attractions, must-see spots, and even addresses for nightclubs!) but also to complete our reservation by adding options like a barbecue, bikes, mobile lamps for our long evenings, etc… Of course we had time to get to know each other well! Corinne took the time to explain everything to us, and after filling out and signing the administrative formalities, it was Marc’s turn to introduce us to our beautiful boat and explain in detail its operation (very easy!). We were given a comprehensive guide as well as a first-aid kit if needed. Once again, The support and follow-up are of high quality!
After packing our bags, we set off towards Aigues Mortes, Located 3 hours by boat from the base of Saint Gilles. The takeover of the boat was very quick and we really appreciate these first hours of navigation, taking advantage of the exceptional landscapes The perfect opportunity to prepare an aperitif and to have some fun music thanks to the hi-fi channel as well as the USB port, and of all of us to pose on the upper deck to admire a beautiful sunset in a beautiful setting. We could see the bulls in their vast prairies and a little further on one could see some horses and of Pink Flemish… What a spectacle, we couldn’t get over it! We were sailing at a low speed, which allowed us to have total control of the boat and to enjoy every moment of this beautiful cruise.
We were pleasantly surprised by the capital of sympathy of a river cruise with friends, because whenever we crossed paths with other vacationers who had also rented a boat, we would greet each other and help each other out if needed. The same was true of the passersby located on the banks of the canal who were fishing or jogging. We all kept pleasant memories of it!
Once we arrived at the port, we rushed to complete the arrival formalities at the captaincy, and within a few minutes everything was sorted out! We took the opportunity to explore the area. Aigues Mortes, a beautiful little town with crazy charm surrounded by its towers and its beautiful fortifications. The next morning, we went early to the heart of the old town to soak up the local atmosphere and the peacefulness of the place. We had a hearty breakfast together on the terrace of a bar in the main square, in the shade of a plane tree; the setting was pleasant and The atmosphere is top-notch We do some shopping before we leave, a stop at the market to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables, a detour to the «press» to buy the Equipe, we stock up on pastries and baguette at the bakery, and off we go, we’re leaving Aigues Mortes at the end of the morning to go to Palavas les Flots.
Under a radiant sun, we set off again, taking advantage, as always, of the exceptional scenery and breathtaking landscapes. On the way, we decided to stop along the canal to have a picnic. picnic in the shade of a tree. Throughout the entire stay, at every important maneuver, the entire crew is present on deck to intervene and help! One person handles the rudder and maneuvers with precision while others jump onto the shore to attach the rope to a stake. After this hearty lunch, we all get 2 hours of sleep lying on the bow deck of the boat, at listening to music and enjoying the beauty of the places. It was the sound of a shepherd with his huge herd of several hundred sheep along the canal bank that woke us up, offering us this breathtaking spectacle. At that moment, It seems like time stops, You feel truly alone in the world and forget everything else, leaving only room for rest and relaxation…
We arrive at Palavas les Flots in the middle of the afternoon and the atmosphere was electric. The city center and the port were packed with people on the occasion of the Spring madness, an important event where many traditional activities take place, including bull and horse races in the city center, for the greatest delight of the spectators! The perfect opportunity to get your eyes wide open and then party in the lively streets of Palavas! Friends staying in a Ibis In Montpellier, we were joined at the end of the day to enjoy the big evening in the city center.
The next day (Saturday) we set off in the early morning from Palavas les Flots to get closer to the starting point in Saint Gilles so that we wouldn't have to do much navigation on Sunday morning.
We had three extraordinary days with friends, «totally disconnected from the rest of civilization,» in harmony with nature. The opportunity to discover this exceptional wilderness from a new perspective. The cruise went perfectly, we had no problems at all! We were all convinced and enthusiastic about the concept of river cruising and renting a boat for holidays, and there is a good chance that we will repeat the experience as a couple or family in the near future. Many thanks to Leboat for allowing us to experience this fantastic adventure!
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