I nearly fell out of my chair when I looked at today’s dollar-to-euro exchange rates. For the past few weeks, I’ve been writing about the plunging euro and the value that it presents for travelers to Europe. Today’s low, however, caught even me by surprise: A euro is now worth a measly US$1.07. I had predicted that we’d reach parity with the euro by the end of April, but parity is much closer at hand, and that is good news for U.S. travelers to Europe.
The euro’s weakness (or perhaps it’s the U.S. dollar’s strength) has produced some bargains in Europe. The lower rates also have allowed me to bring an even better value for those joining me on my June barge cruise from Arles, France (where Vincent Van Gogh lived) to Sete, France.
Our base price for the barge trip is $3,625 per person. We’re now adding two pre-cruise hotel nights in a five-star hotel in Arles and one post-cruise hotel night in a four-star in Montpelier for $3,990 per person.
The package includes:
- Six nights/Seven days of all-inclusive barging from Arles to Sete*
- Tours included everyday of the barge trip.
- PLUS two pre-hotel nights in a five-star hotel in Arles, including breakfast**
- PLUS one post-hotel night in a four-star hotel in Montpelier, including breakfast**
- PLUS three additional exclusive tours: Avignon, Pont du Gard & Chateauneuf du Pape, Sete Gourmet Markets Tour & Montpelier Tour
- For only $3,990 per person ***
* Transfers to Arles at the beginning of the trip and from Montpelier at the end of the trip are not included ** Note that a few lunches and dinners are not included for the pre/post days *** If you choose to book your own hotel nights, the rate is $3,625 per person
Compare that to any other barge trip, which nearly always starts at more than $4,000 per person. And those are the beginning prices for the barge portion only. We’re adding three extra nights at four- and five-star hotels, plus special tours. All for $3,990 per person.
Here’s what you will get:
- An evening stroll through Arles, all 24 of us! See my story, In Search of Van Gogh, Ashore In Arles
- A special all-day tour of Avignon, Chateauneuf du Pape and Pont du Gard with tastings and lunch in a vineyard restaurant See my story, Pont du Gard, A Must See
- Seven days of barge cruising with all meals and beverages included (with the exception of a few premium-brand beverages). Fine wines, French ones, of course, are included as are cocktails, beer, speciality coffees, mineral water and more.
- Free WiFi on board the barge
- Tours and other activities are included each day of the barge cruise.
- Plus, a special just-for-our-group Gourmet Markets Walking Tour in Sete. I’ve done it, it’s great. National Geopraphic featured it in “Best of the World” and the tour was awarded a “Certificate of Excellence by TripAdvisor.”
SOLD OUT. Plus, we’re adding a Mediterranean Lunch Workshop so that all of us can have fun while learning to cook up a Mediterranean lunch.
Our Mediterranean Lunch Workshop on June 25 has sold out! The tour can only accommodate eight people, and those eight spots have been spoken for already. We have arranged an INCLUDED alternate tour. Here are the details of the alternate tour on June 25.
- Alternate Tour on June 25: Our favorite Montpelier guide will be waiting to take us for a historical tour of the Montpelier city center. The New York Times listed Montpelier as one of the top destinations to visit in 2014. We’re only a year late! The tour includes a private visit to a 13th-century Mikve, a ritual bath used for the Jewish rite of purification. The tour will end in a private mansion overlooking Montpellier. We will be given a private tour by the owner who is an aristocrat (a friend of ours) and then will head to the rooftop for a glass of champagne. The guide will then take us to our hotel after the tour or we can arrange a group lunch (optional) and then head back to the hotel.
On board the barge, we will have bikes, jacuzzi, sun deck, free WiFI, great service, fine French cuisine. It is going to be a lot of fun.
I’ve chosen All-Travel to handle bookings for me. If you’re ready to book now, call 1-866-347-3033 or request more information online. I also have photos and videos and many more details about the trip posted here.
We only have a few spots left, so if you want to travel with me through one of my favorite parts of France, please let us know as quickly as possible.
I hope to see you there during a year when you can leverage the strength of the dollar to get the most from a luxury barge experience in France. — Ralph Grizzle
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