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Imboden'sEurope for Visitors europeforvisitors.com |
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News
ABOVE: Passengers cycle along the towpath with Fandango behind them. INSET BELOW: The Van Gogh cabin on Tango. Canals of France offers a Da Vinci Code barge cruise
This best-selling thriller has spurred a new type of literary travel to France, mostly comprised of following the footsteps of the book's hero Robert Langdon to famous Parisian landmarks. But much of the book's thesis rests on legends and histories in and around Southern France. The story of Mary Magdalene, the suppression of heretical thought by the Catholic Church, the crusades of the Knights of the Templar - these subjects are crucial to Da Vinci Code lore and can really best be explored in the lovely Languedoc. This is the deep history behind the book and is a must-see for anyone who wants to dig deeper into the Da Vinci Code mystery. The adventure starts in Paris, whose churches and museums serve as the main stage for The Da Vinci Code. Your guide will introduce you to sites mentioned in the book and related to the Holy Grail and the mysterious Priory of Sion. The next day, a TGV train-ride to the cruising area in the Languedoc of Southern France will then bring you to your barge and closer to the actual sites connected to heart of the controversy: the followers of the cult of Mary Magdalene and the confrontation with the Catholic Church. Visit villages linked to the Cathars heresy, see towns which were key points in the battle with Church and centers for Knights of the Templar. The highlight of your cruise week is a day-long excursion to the famous Rennes-le-Chateau, where it is rumored that the actual grail was found by a solitary priest in the 19th century. Your home, the elegant Tango or Fandango, is a fully-equipped restored canal barge, suitable for up to six passengers. Enjoy cabins with en-suite baths, beautifully decorated interiors, spacious decks, hot-tubs and on-board bicycles. The boats' gourmet kitchens turn out exquisite local specialties and feature the fine local wines of this prominent wine area. The Da Vinci Code Barge Cruises are for eight days/seven nights, Saturday to Saturday between from April through October, 2005. The price is $4,500 per person based on double occupancy with a minimum of two cabins being booked. Special pricing is available for groups of 6 to 12. The price includes 1 night accommodations in a 4-star Parisian hotel, 1st-class round trip TGV rail tickets from Paris to the cruising area, guided-chauffeured sightseeing throughout the tour, entrance fees to all sights, 6 nights accommodations on a deluxe barge, all meals during the barge cruise including 2 meals off-shore at local restaurants, all wine with barge meals, open bar during the barge cruise and transfer to a local TGV station at the end of the cruise. The price does not include any meals during the first day of the trip in Paris as well as alcoholic beverages for the two on-shore meals during the barge cruise. For more information on the Da Vinci Code Barge Cruises, including day-to-day itineraries, call 866-550-3447 or go to http://www.canalsoffrance.com/davincicodetour.htm. |
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Canals
of France, owners of two luxury hotel barges in Southern France, have combined
their traditional luxury barge cruise on the Canal du Midi with a week long
itinerary devoted to bringing to life the astounding story put forth in The
Da Vinci Code. 