Group Travel Tour Operator and DMC for Bordeaux, France

Depart the UK

Take the ferry from Dover to Calais and continue to Rouen for an overnight stop.  Dinner will be at the hotel this evening.

Travel to Bordeaux via the Loire Valley

Depart after breakfast and continue the journey to Bordeaux which will be our base for the next 4 nights.  En-route, stop at the stunning Château Chenonceaux for a self-guided tour, with time for lunch (optional and not included).

The Château of Chenonceaux is arguably the most impressive and memorable of all the chateaux in the Loire Valley and a jewel of French historical monuments. Visit the different rooms, bedrooms and lounges which were loved, administered and protected by women such as Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici.  The first château was a medieval château dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, of which only the dungeon remains: the Tour des Marques. The château in its current form was built between 1513 and 1517, by Thomas Bohier and above all his wife, Catherine Briçonnet.

Dinner will be at the hotel this evening.

Bordeaux Old Town and Cite de Vin

Meet up with a local guide for a walking tour to discover Bordeaux’s exceptional architecture, art and places of worship.  The city of Bordeaux is among France’s most exciting, vibrant and dynamic cities. It’s beautiful neoclassical architecture has been restored while world-class architects have designed a bevy of striking new buildings. Furthermore, half the city is UNESCO-listed. It is therefore the largest urban World Heritage site! Steeped in history, and famed for its unique art de vivre, Bordeaux boasts a rich heritage and houses numerous historic and modern monuments. See the Opera house, the pride and joy of the city, the Pey-Berland Tower, the Saint-André Cathedral, the Porte Cailhau, and the Place de la Bourse.  The vibrant district of Bassins à Flot symbolises the Bordeaux of tomorrow. It stretches opposite the Chaban Delmas lift bridge, the city’s new iconic landmark.  After the tour, lunch will be taken in a local restaurant.

Bordeaux is surrounded by France’s largest area of vineyards and the city’s famed wine-making tradition has produced more fine wine than any other region in the world. Cutting through the heart of this city is the River Garonne, the lifeline of Bordeaux that has seen the city develop from a medieval wine trader to a strategic port city.  Visit La Cite du Vin, a unique cultural centre dedicated to the universal, living heritage of wine, offering a spectacular journey around the world.

Return to the hotel for dinner and an evening at leisure.

Famous Sand Dunes, Fisherman Lunch and Cruise

Drive to Dunes of Pilat situated at the entrance of the Bay of Arcachon, opposite the Point of Cap Ferret, the biggest sand formation of Europe. Measuring 105 meters high, 2700 meters long, 500 meters wide and with a volume of 20 million cubic meters of sand, the “Big Dune” is the most visited spot of the coastal area.

Continue to Arcachon and meet up with a local guide for a tour of the town’s medieval centre.  Stroll through the  charming “Ville d’Hiver” district, where well-known architects left their impressive traces by building extravagant villas.  Enjoy lunch together in a local fisherman’s restaurant with an optional Oyster tasting before embarking on a 2 hour bay cruise to observe the nature reserve and fishing huts on stilts.

Return to the hotel for dinner.

Wines and Châteaux of Saint-Émilion

Visits will be made of two local châteaux to explore the renowned French reds and whites of the region with and tour and tasting,  before heading to Saint-Emilion for a guided tour.

Meet up with a local guide for a walking tour of the medieval town of Saint-Émilion, awarded UNESCO world heritage status in 1999.  The town is small but perfectly formed and built in a natural ampitheatre on top of a limestone hill.  It offers visitors the ideal mix of history and excellent food and drink.  A lot of the town is underground and optional guided tours of the catacombs are also available.   Walk up the Bell Tower for beautiful views of the hills and play king of the castle at the King’s Tower, which dates back to the 13th Century. However, it is the ‘nectar of the gods’ as said by Louis XIV when describing the wines of this area, which are deeply-coloured and full-bodied which draws most visitors to the town.

Return to the hotel for a final evening and dinner.

Depart Bordeaux – drive to Rouen

It’s time to leave Bordeaux behind, but you can always take some wine with you!  Drive to Rouen for an overnight stop enjoying some free time before settling into the hotel.  Landmarks include the Gothic Cathedrale Notre-Dame de Rouen which has the highest spire in France.

Dinner is at the hotel this evening.

Return to UK

Depart after breakfast and drive to Calais for the ferry crossing to the UK