Tag Archives: Le Phenicien

Rue des Tenturiers (Ave of the Dyers), Avignon France

On Saturday morning 25-Oct we got a unexpectedly early exit from Le Phenecien — when we thought that we could sleep in because we were staying local — and then checked into the Hotel de L’Horlodge located in Avignon’s city center.  We had the day to explore the city and Jessie headed us over to Rue des Tenturiers (Ave of the Dyers) where we had a great lunch seated by the small canal that parallels the pedestrian walkway.

Rue des Tenturiers (Ave of the Dyers), Avignon France

For dinner we decided to check out one of the restaurants that line the large central square, Place de L’Horloge.  I had a paella dish that was pitiful, so I recommend looking beyond this tourist trap for the better restaurants.

Domaine de Beaurnard, Chateaneuf de Pape

On Friday morning 24-Oct we were driven from Le Phenicien moored at Villeneuve Lez Avignon to Chateaneuf de Pape where we toured and sampled the Domaine de Beaurnard winery. We returned to Le Phenicien for lunch while they moved the barge the short distance to a mooring on the banks of Avignon.  That afternoon we toured the Palas des Papes in Avignon.

Winemaker at Domaine de Beaurnard, Chateaneuf de Pape

Checking quality at Domaine de Beaurnard, Chateaneuf de Pape

Part of Jessie’s order, Domaine de Beaurnard, Chateaneuf de Pape

At the Chateaneuf de Pape

Lunch on Le Phenicien

Palas des Papes, Avignon France

Interior Palas des Papes, Avignon

Central courtyard, Palas des Papes, Avignon

Art installation, Palas des Papes, Avignon

Interior Palas des Papes, Avignon

Pont D’Avignon

That evening we had a great farewell diner on Le Phenicien with our 6 traveling companions.

While moored at Villeneuve lez Avignon we visited the farmers market and the town in the morning before returning to Le Phenicien for lunch. We then had an amazing visit to the ancient Roman aqueduct, the Pont Du Gard. A very useful museum has been added and we had a most informative American guide who led us through the museum and the uppermost channel of the aqueduct itself.

Villeneuve lez Avignon

Farmers market, Villeneuve lez Avignon

Farmers market, Villeneuve lez Avignon

Fort Saint-Andre, Villeneuve lez Avignon

Pont du Gard

For Wednesday 22-Oct the highlights for the day were our travel on the windy Rhone, passage through a large lock, and our visit to Les Baux.  Everything was dominated by Le Mistral, the gusty wind that was kicking up white caps on the Rhone and nearly knocking us off the ramparts of Les Baux.

Today we’re moored on the banks of Arles, where we had a walking tour of the old city.  Arles has an extensive Roman infrastructure, including the Roman arena, the theater and an large underground tunnel system.

We spent Sunday night on Le Phenicien at Aigues Mortes then left the next morning on the first leg of our cruise along the canal.  From our first stop we were driven far into the Carmague  (a vast area of marshes & pasture land) to a ranch that raised championship bulls and the white horses that tend them. There we learned about the bull races of Provence.  When we got back to the barge John went on a bike ride along the canal.

The riverside at Aigues Mortes

Le Phenicien at Aigues Mortes

On Sunday the 19th we spent the day visiting the Roman heritage of Nimes.  We were to meet Le Phenicien crew at 5pm at the rail station.  We walked around central Nimes, skirting the (1st century) Roman amphitheater, lunching at a cafe in the Jardin de la Fontaine and next to the “Temple of Diana”, then returning to the amphitheater in time to see the festive members of the parades going into the stadium for the bull races.

We met Michele at the rail road station at 5 and were transported to Le Phenicien at Aigues-Mortes.

The symbol of Nines: a roman column and a Nile crocodile.

Maison Carree, “the Roman world’s best-preserved temple”

Temple of Diana in Jardin de la Fontaine

Aigues Mortes at night