My barge trip from Arles to Sete took place on CroisiEurope’s Anne-Marie June 17 through June 26, with pre- and post-trip overnights and activities. This post picks up on day nine of our adventure, June 25, when we enjoyed a cooking class in Sete and explored Montpelier.

This morning we said our farewells to the crew of Anne-Marie. I can’t praise them enough for all that they did for us, from welcoming us on board, to preparing delicious meals for us, to taking care of our rooms, to preparing the bicycles when we felt like pedaling. They were present and engaged, and, as often happens, among us there was some discussion about gratuities. How could we show our appreciation of the crew? We agreed on 10 euros per day per person, which we placed in individual envelopes at left at the bar. Zoltan had told us the evening before that the gratuities are shared evenly among the crew.

Today, we will head back into Sete for a Mediterranean Lunch Workshop before heading to Montpelier, where we will tour a mansion and toast the end of our trip with a glass of champagne.

Mediterranean Lunch Workshop At L’Épicerie

Not far from the markets that we toured yesterday, we stepped into a small shop and restaurant known as L’Épicerie. In the well-equipped kitchen, we’d learn to make a starter, main course and dessert with master chef Sebastien Terron.

Montpelier Mansion

After lunch, we headed to Montpelier for a visit to a private mansion rarely open to the public. The owner gave us a tour, and afterward, we enjoyed a glass of champagne before heading to our hotel, where we will overnight before leaving tomorrow.