On the roads of the South
On appelle Midi, le sud de la France. Il y a le Midi gascon, le Midi provençal, le Midi de Bordeaux, de Toulouse, de Marseille, le Midi périgourdin, auvergnat, ariégeois, ardéchois, pyrénéen…
Personnellement, j’ai un faible pour le Midi Provençal et je me propose de vous conduire vers quelques-unes de mes destinations préférées : Arles, Avignon, Marseille et les Baux-de-Provence, par exemple. Et cette année, j’ai aussi eu envie de vous faire découvrir au-delà de la Provence, quelques coups de cœur. De Nîmes dans le Gard, à la Côte d’Azur de Nice et de St-Tropez, des merveilleuses Cévennes aux impressionnantes gorges de l’Ardèche…
L’expérience
Confortablement installés dans ma berline, porté par ma conduite souple, vous pouvez vous laisser aller et vous consacrer à la découverte de la route et des paysages. Je mets à votre dispositions des guides de voyages et des rafraîchissements pour votre confort.
Nulle contrainte, ce voyage sera le vôtre, pour le choix des itinéraires et des pauses, pour la sélection musicale ou le réglage de la climatisation !
Quand ?
Le Midi se découvre et s’apprécie toute l’année ! Bien sûr si vous être amateurs de plage, la période de juin à septembre sera idéale. Pour les descentes en canoë dans les gorges de l’Ardèche, je vous recommande les mois d’avril, mai et octobre pendant lesquels la rivière bénéficie d'un bon niveau d'eau avec une météo particulièrement agréable. Les mois d’été, le Midi devient terre de festivals… Quant à nos villes, elles sont belles 12 mois sur 12 !
Comment ça marche ?
C’est vous qui décidez ! Première possibilité : vous choisissez une ou plusieurs destinations parmi celles proposées ci-après. Deuxième possibilité : nous bâtissons ensemble un projet sur-mesure. Dans les deux cas le devis sera personnalisé.
Vous êtes une famille en vacances, un petit groupe d'amis, un couple, une entreprise désireuse de surprendre agréablement ses clients… Appelez-moi Charles saura satisfaire vos envies de liberté, de découverte et de détente.
La Camargue entre sel et terre
Si comme moi, vous aimez la nature à l'état sauvage, la Camargue est faite pour vous. En plus, elle dissimule de magnifiques plages de sable …
La Camargue abrite deux petites villes remarquables. Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, à découvrir l’été pour son animation et la feria du cheval en juillet et le reste de l’année pour ses événements parmi lesquels mon préféré : le festival d’Abrivado (photo ci-contre) de novembre avec 200 gardians et 1000 chevaux rassemblés sur les plages.
A seulement 30 km, Aigues-Mortes la ville de St-Louis est saisissante derrière ses remparts et ses tours. A proximité, visite de la zone de production de sel des Salins du Midi.
Le Gard, terre romaine
La Maison Carrée et les arènes de Nîmes m’impressionnent toujours autant c’est pourquoi je propose cette destination aux amateurs d’architecture romaine. Dans la même journée je vous conduis au pont du Gard pour une vision à couper le souffle. Construit au 1er siècle après JC, c’est le pont aqueduc romain le plus haut du monde ! Entre ses piles coulent le Gard dans lequel vous pourrez vous baigner en famille.
Les Causses et les Cévennes, authentiques
Les Causses et les Cévennes, valent vraiment le détour ! Un paysage peu transformé par l’homme, et des pratiques agricoles qui viennent de la nuit des temps : il est classé au patrimoine mondial de l' UNESCO. Quelques coups de cœur : le Larzac pour son histoire, ses paysages lunaires, ses fromages : le cirque de Navacelles, plus grand canyon d’Europe : la cascade de la Vis, incontournable et le spectaculaire viaduc de Millau !
Arles and Aix-en-Provence cherished by painters
Arles and Aix-en-Provence are two cities where three renowned painters lived and painted legendary pictures. I can take you where these artists used to work and find inspiration.
In Arles, Van Gogh painted le Jardin de la Maison de santé (see the attached file), the café on Place du Forum, the Langlois Brigde and the bull-fighting arena...
Deeply in love with the Montagne Sainte-Victoire near Aix-en-Provence, Cézanne drew 87 paintings about this place. In Aix, you can also visit Cézanne's workshop and enjoy a panoramic view of the hill of the Lauves, the very place where the artist used to paint.
To end the trip, I will make you discover Vauvenargues castle where Pablo Picasso lived for many years. It is also the place he was buried. You can lengthen your visit by eating a gourmet meal on the most beautiful terrace in the area (bookings necessary) !
Arles and Avignon, the most acclaimed festivals
With Arles Photography festival and Avignon theatre festival, art is round the corner, along streets, in palaces, in picturesque squares and gardens, etc. Feel free to wander around both cities, go to some exhibitions or to some off theatre shows, enjoy a bull stew or taste a mouth-watering Chateauneuf-du-Pape red wine while admiring the world-famous Avignon bridge. Give it a try !
Marseille and the mediterranean way-of-life
" To make a good bouillabaisse, one has to get up very early " used to sing Jean Sablon, a popular 1930s french artist. Marseille is the true shrine of the bouillabaisse, a local and typical thick fish soup made from prime quality fish, vegetable and spices.
What about spending a whole day in Marseille ? Here are the sites I am suggesting visiting : the old harbour and Saint Jean Fort, the If Castle and the isles of Frioul.
To end the day out, you can indulge yourself to an aperitif in one of the most beautiful calanques, some rocky inlets of the Mediterranean coast in the setting sun.
Wonderful Baux-de-Provence!
Baux-de-Provence is a breathtaking place which must be on top of your visit. perched on a rocky cliff, the village dominates the Alpilles mountain range and is name after the Baux stone, a slightly calcareous limestone, usually white or blond in colour. I recommend starting your daytrip early in the morning to enjoy a hassle-free visit and then head for the magical sound and light show at the Carrières de Lumière, a converted old quarry. What's on in 2018 ? Picasso and the spanish masters. Before leaving les Baux-de-Provence, you will be able to taste olive oil. The one produced in the village itself is really savoury.
The French Riviera is glittering !
More desire to stand out ? The French Riviera is unarguably the place to be ! The 71th Cannes Film Festival starts on May 8th. From Cannes you can also hop to Nice. Every month, the capital city of the French Riviera hosts between two and four festivals on average. Feeling a little peckish ? Why don't you try pesto soup, stuffed porchetta à la Niçoise, courgette fritters and petits farcis (Provence stuffed baked vegetables). And to help you digest, take a stroll on the Promenade des Anglais or along Saint-Paul-de-Vence lanes and stop by art galleries. If you have extra free time, I can take you to other famous spots of the french riviera like Saint-Tropez port.
Hérault is full of surprises
In Hérault, you cannot miss visiting Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, one of the most picturesque villages in France. In Pézenas, you will be able to follow Molière's footsteps. You can also visit Lérab Ling, the Tibetan Buddhist Retreat Centre, located near Lodève. Lac Salagou and the grotte de Clamouse (one of the most beautiful caves in Languedoc) are outstanding natural settings and unique leisure sites.
The Cathar Country !
You will have to walk for a while, go up some steep slopes but the journey to the cathar Country is worth starting. You will undoubtedly be grasped by emotion when visiting Montségur (Ariège) and Quéribus (Aude) castles. You will enjoy the dizzying beauty of the countryside landscapes and learn why these castles served as places of refuge and resistance for exiled lords and Cathar heretics. Other sites like the Archaeological Museum in the village of Montsegur or the viewpoint over the Lastours mountain ridge and its for castles are more reachable.
There are so many monuments, historic sites, amazing cities and towns such as Foix, Carcassonne, Mirepoix to explore in Aude and Ariège. And you can also enjoy local cuisine, good restaurants, traditional products and robust dishes like rouzole and azinat - a meat and vegetable dish -, taillous and mounjetado - a bean and duck wings stew.
Quote/booking
Please contact me :
1-By phone
2-By email
3-Avec le formulaire ci-dessous
Any request will be dealt with as quickly as possible. Thanks for your custom.
Payment terms :
- We accept cash, credit transfer and credit cards (Visa, Vpay, Mastercard, Maestro, American Express).
- Invoices are delivered at the end of the ride or sent by Email.
- Our fares are fixed. We handle luggage free of charge.
Onboard facilities
Available with no charge
For your well-being
Spring water, paracetamol tablets, refreshing wipes, tissues.
Always dapper
An umbrella, polish, shoe laces.
Wifi access
Tablet available, shortcuts, to national, international, economic and sport press.
Universal charger.
Safely
Booster, baby seat.
Documentation
Michelin guide, "le Routard" guide, tourist brochures.
Who am I ?
As a young man, I studied English at the university, obtained a degree then carried out stays in England and in the United-States during which I built up my skills. Then I worked for the FNAC, one of the largest book and CD seller in France. These experiences allowed me to meet people from various environments, to identify the needs of the customers and enjoy satisfying them.
Then, I was caught up by my passion for boats. I became a naval maintenance technician and worked in Saint-Malo, Cap d'Agde and La Rochelle. The economic circumstances nevertheless forced me to get another job. The newly emerging job of private chauffeur offered me the opportunity to meet different people and travel all across France, with a real involvement in quality.
This job really appealed to me and I created "Appelez-moi Charles".
Jean-Philippe Charles
The headquarters of Appelez-moi Charles are located at Montpellier 34090.
It is registered under number 034170014 in the chauffeur-driven car register.
My skills :
- PSC1 (first aid qualification))
- Professional VTC (private car with chauffeur)
- English degree
- Clean full driving licence
- Boating : Licence for boating on the coastal zone