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A grand Stay that features the elegant city of Bordeaux. a UNESCO World Heritage site. We offer a choice of two wonderful properties and daily excursions to discover the Bordeaux and Cognac vineyards. You will enjoy gourmet meals, multiple tastings after a educative "Ecole du Vin" (Wine Tasting School) lesson, and visits fascinating museums along the way. To start we offer a a nice bottle of wine and flowers in your room ... then it is time to discover!
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Arrive Bordeaux
Arrival at Bordeaux airport or station in the morning. Transfer to your Hotel. A guided walking tour of the city of Bordeaux, which has been listed in June 2007as a UNESCO World Heritage site is included today.
This elegant city boasts a wealth of Classical architecture especially some jewels of the 18th Century. Located at the opposite of the Regent Grand Hotel, you will admire one of these masterpieces: the Grand Théâtre built in 1781, which houses the National Opéra of Bordeaux. The Age of Enlightenment left an exceptional mark everywhere in the city: the Tourny’s alleys, the “Place de la Bourse” (formerly called the “Royale Square”) and the 4km long façade of the quays, with among others, the quay “des Chartrons”. Other monuments marked also the history of this city which was founded under the name of “Burdigala”: the Palais Gallien amphitheatre (4th C.), the Saint Seurin Basilica (basis dated back to the 11th C.), the Saint André Cathedral (13th C.), the Cailhau and Grosse Cloche (Great Bell Gate) arches both built during the 15th Century.
Overnight tonight in one of our carefully selected properties.
THE REGENT GRAND HOTEL - The Regent Hotel, the new Palace of Bordeaux, in the heart of the city, facing at the Grand Theatre.
Located just opposite the Grand Theatre, (National Opera of Bordeaux), The Regent Grand Hotel is reclaiming its place as the most majestic hotel in the city. The hotel has undergone a comprehensive and faithful restoration which respects its colourful history while offering a level of luxury and elegance never before experienced. With guest rooms designed by famed French designer Jacques Garcia, gourmet restaurant Le Pressoir d'Argent, you will experience the splendours of the newly revived Palace Bordelais. For dinner, we invite you at Le Pressoir d’Argent, the Regent's gastronomic restaurant (Michelin Star). This fine-dining seafood restaurant offers a world-class dining experience, in a historic atmosphere and breathtaking décor, accompanied by the best wines from the nearby Bordelais. The “cuisine” concept is finely orchestrated by the talented Chef Pascal Nibaudeau in this majestic kitchen.
THE SOURCES DE CAUDALIE - This small luxury wine resort is ideally located in the heart of the Graves vineyards, a few distances from Bordeaux city. Its architecture is a mix of traditional south west France buildings, with contemporary design, and it offers a careful service, large and cosy rooms, two restaurants with a country inn style one and a gourmet one, and a "Vinothérapie" spa. Unquestionably, the most beautiful place while staying in Bordeaux!
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Saint Emilion between Heritage and Wine
After breakfast, discovery of Saint Emilion.
Saint Emilion has been classed for ten years at the Unesco sites of the World Heritage. Known in early antiquity for the quality of its wines, which were celebrated by the Latin poet Ausonius, Saint Emilion is both a lovely medieval city and an amazing vineyard's landscape, as mentioned by the Unesco mention:
"Grape production was introduced into this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans and was intensified during the middle Ages. The area of Saint-Émilion benefited from its position on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella and several churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the XIth century onwards. It was granted its own jurisdictional status during the period of English rule in the XIIth century. This is an exceptional landscape entirely given over to grape-production and whose towns and villages are home to outstanding historic monuments".
Private guided tour of the underground monuments of the medieval town: the Emilion Hermitage, the exceptional monolithic church and its catacombs dug out of the limestone cliff between the 9th and the 11th centuries. Its 38 metre span makes it the largest such church in Europe.
In the afternoon, wine school session at "Ecole du Vin" in Saint Emilion, for an introduction to wine tasting (smells, colours, flavours…): 2 hours of pure pleasure, under the leadership of an oenologist!
Then, visit with tasting at a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé (Château Laniote, de Pressac, Franc Mayne…).
Return to Bordeaux. (B)
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Explore Cognac
After breakfast, road towards Cognac. This peaceful little town, which was the birthplace of King François I, is the cradle of the fine brandy that bears its name. The buildings around the famous cellars have been darkened over the years by the microscopic fungi that thrive on the alcohol fumes.
The town lies on the banks o the Charente River from which it draws its origin but also its prosperity.
The old part of the town offers many narrow cobbled streets surrounded by attractive houses from the 15th to 18th centuries, and a multitude of brandy maturing warehouses. In the morning, visit at the Maison Hennessy where you will discover its « Quais Hennessy ». After having crossed the Charente River, you will learn the specificities of the Cognac thanks to a sophisticated technique and a contemporary stage design. Back on the left bank of the River, you will taste a glass of Cognac coming from the prestigious Hennessy Distillery. In the afternoon, visit of the « Museum of the Arts of Cognac » which is installed near the banks of the Charente River and which is dedicated to the Art of making Cognac. You will understand its economic importance thanks to the association of various trades and techniques: wine-growing, distillation, glassmaking, cooperage…
Return to Bordeaux. (B)
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The Garonne Valley
After breakfast, departure towards the Garonne Valley, through the beautiful road which crosses the Entre Deux Mers region. The relief is hilly and the landscapes beautiful. During this discovery day, you will have the chance to admire the church and the magnificent area of Pujols, Monségur and its surprising hall made of glass and metal, which dates back to the 19th Century and located in the heart of a medieval bastide, the relics of the Blasimon abbey, the medieval castle of Rauzan, the ruins of the Sauve Majeure abbey and its ornate capitals as well as all small areas and small medieval churches which are installed along this major axis which gathered all pilgrims on their way to Compostella. Enjoy a commented visit with wine tasting at an Entre-Deux-Mers wine estate. This wine region owes its name to the fact that it is located between the Garonne and the Dordogne Rivers. It is one of the largest dry white wine appellations in France.
In the afternoon, continuation of your discovery of sweet wines. These wines are extremely elegant, smooth, and have a remarkable bouquet. The magic of Bordeaux sweet wines is the remarkable balance between sugar and acidity, which never becomes cloying. The production area of sweet white wines stretches along both sides of the Garonne, south of the city of Bordeaux.
During the course of this afternoon, you will have the chance to enjoy a visit with tasting at a Loupiac or a Cadillac wine estate. (B)
Return to Bordeaux.
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Graves & Sauternes vineyards
After breakfast, discovery of the “the Graves”, Bordeaux’s oldest vineyard. The oldest of the Bordeaux wine-producing areas is on the left bank of the Garonne, forming a belt of vines around the city, and some of the prestigious properties, such as Château Haut Brion, are now caught up in the web of the urban infrastructure. It gets its name from the “gravely” character of its soil. Protected by the forests of the Landes, the Graves vines grow on slopes along the valley of the Garonne over a distance of some thirty kilometres. The most famous properties and those nearest to Bordeaux have been grouped together under the “Pessac Léognan” appellation and produce magnificent red or dry white wines. Château Haut Brion (Premier Grand Cru listed in 1855), Château Pape Clément, Château Haut Bailly, as well as La Louvière, and many others are merely the most celebrated wines of an appellation that was active as early as the Gallo-Roman period. Some properties have very old origins, such as Château Olivier which goes back to the 12th century. Visit with tasting at a two estates such as Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Haut Bailly, Carbonnieux… Later discovery of the Sauternes area.
Small in area but famous by the name of its white wines, the Sauternes and Barsac vineyard is located along the Ciron Valley, near its confluence with the Garonne River. Its « terroir », i.e. land spreads over only 5 villages: Sauternes, Barsac, Preignac, Bommes and Fargues. The vines grow on the valley slopes, in walled vineyards, generally planted in rows at right angles to the Ciron River. Only three grapes variety are used: Sauvignon, Muscadelle and Semillon. The original feature of this vineyard is the harvesting method which is used. The grapes, once ripened, are not picked right away. They are left on the branch so as to be affected by “noble rot” or botrytis, a fungus peculiar to the district which increases the sugar content of the fruit. The “overripe” grapes can then be picked, one by one, and transported to the press with infinite care.
Visit with tasting at a Grand Cru Classé Sauternes (Château Guiraud, Arche…). Return to Bordeaux.
(B)
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Medoc vineyards
After breakfast, discovery of the "Medoc" vineyards.
The Médoc peninsula is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gironde estuary, which partly explains its temperate climate so ideally suited to vine growing. Cabernet Sauvignon is the predominant grape variety in the Médoc. Ideally suited to gravely soil, it produces a light and elegant wine full of finesse with a remarkable bouquet.
Towards the middle of the 18th century, vineyards became the predominant economy of the Médoc. The wine became more and more, a flourishing business thanks to trade agreements and the improvement o means of communication. The wine estate owners took advantage of this opportunity not only to improve the quality of their wine, but also to build themselves magnificent and often extravagant châteaux. The château represented “grandeur” and pride for each family. It was the symbol of the owner success but also a tribute to the unique character of each production with roots in various sources of inspiration.
Along the wine road, through the six famous village appellations (Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Moulis en Médoc, Listrac-Médoc, Margaux), you will appreciate the various architectural styles of these châteaux: the loveliest medieval properties, Château d’Agassac, the Renaissance Château de Lamarque, and Château Clément Pichon and ranging from the Tudor style of Cantenac Brown to the Neo-Classical at the unique architectural ensemble of the superb Château Margaux…
Among the most well known wine estates in the Médoc are four of the five “Premiers Grands Crus” of Bordeaux: Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild. On that day, visit with wine tasting at three Grands Crus Classés (one Margaux, one Pauillac and one Saint Julien). Return to Bordeaux. (B)
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Return Home
Transfer to the airport for your journey back home. (B)
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| From $8920 per person in double occupancy |
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| Departure: Daily, year-round. |
| Duration: 6 Nights, 7 Days |
Type of services: Guided services throughout with local English-speaking guides.
Travel documents: Please visit our “Visa Info” page to inquire if you need a travel visa for this tour. It is the responsibility of the traveler to obtain proper travel documents for this tour..
Inclusions: All ground transportation at the destination; lodging, meals and tours per itinerary; hotel taxes; English-speaking assistance.
Not included: International and/or domestic airfares; airport departure taxes; tips of any kind; incidentals at hotels; any meals not included in the itinerary; alcoholic beverages; souvenirs.
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It is the travelers responsibility to have all proper travel documents which can include passports and foreign visas. Learn more here: Passport & Visa Information |
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Travel Insurance is highly recommended to protect your travel investment and for any emergencies that could occur while traveling. Learn more here: Travel Insurance |
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All rates are “From Prices”
and correspond to the lowest season in the year.
Expect moderate to high increases for high season
and holiday periods. Low season dates vary from
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All rates on this website are per person and based
on double occupancy, unless otherwise indicated.
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