Bordeaux & Saint-Émilion
Holiday Highlights
- Journey around the world, throughout the ages and across countless civilisations to discover more about wine at the City of Wine – a museum dedicated to the living heritage of wine.
- Wander through the sand-coloured streets of Bordeaux to see highlights such as Place de la Bourse and the famous water mirror.
- Tour a quintessential chateau and winery in the renowned Saint-Émilion for a tour and tasting.
- Venture underground in Les Cordeliers to see the impressive tunnels where their sparkling wine has been aged for centuries and taste their crémant wine.
- The Signature Tour option includes all of the above as well as:
- Enjoy a delicious lunch at a historic chateau in the Saint-Émilion region featuring fresh local produce.
- Step into the art on a visit to Bassin des Lumières, a fascinating art exhibit in an ex-submarine base.
- Taste the future of winemaking on a visit to an organic, biodynamic vintner for a tasting.
- Enjoy the more exclusive atmosphere of travelling in a small group with an average of 22 guests.
What's Included
- The price of this holiday is per person, based on two people sharing a twin room. Sole occupancy rooms are subject to availability at the relevant supplement. The price includes:
- 4 nights in four-star accommodation
- Daily breakfast
- Return standard class reserved seat on Eurostar and return coach transfer from Saint-Jean station to your hotel or return flights and transfers
- All tours as listed
- All local accommodation taxes
- The services of a Riviera Travel tour manager
Itinerary
Day 1
Those travelling by train will get to enjoy the changing scenery as you travel from London to Bordeaux. When you start to see vineyards, you'll know you're only about an hour away. And you'll arrive in Bordeaux in style too, disembarking in the magnificent Saint-Jean train station - a beautifully restored, cathedral-like building designed by the legendary Gustave Eiffel (yes, that Eiffel). However you arrive in Bordeaux - whether by train or air - we'll transfer to our hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure. Known as the "Pearl of the Aquitaine", Bordeaux is one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage sites in the world. It has a rich and varied history spanning 2,000 years. For 300 years it was ruled by England, creating an inextricable link between the city's history and our own. Most people know it for its wine-producing areas and the city is a gateway to some of the world's most famous vineyards - so you'd better believe that the wine on offer is some of the best around. However, you can't have the best wines in the world without food to match - and the gastronomy here is also top-notch. You almost can't go wrong on the hunt for dinner this evening. After dinner, you could take a star-lit stroll to the Port of the Moon - a part of the city created during the Enlightenment with so many preserved buildings it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.
Day 2
Deemed "the very essence of elegance" by Queen Elizabeth II, time in Bordeaux promises graceful streets, great food and even better drinks. Just a stroll here is a pleasure in itself. A perfume of jasmine and orange blossom settles over the city in the mornings. (Our Product Manager, Claire, claims Bordeaux is the best-smelling city she's visited - and she's very well-travelled!) The paved streets that weave through the city are lined with 18th-century, yellow-stone buildings. And yet, you'll notice there are no crumbling facades here. The buildings are pristine. That's thanks to extensive restorations carried out in the mid-1990s and the city's UNESCO World Heritage status. You won't find high-rises on the left bank of the Garonne (which splits the city in two). We wouldn't blame you for wondering if you've accidentally stepped back in time. This morning, we’ll tour the city - on foot and by coach - stopping at the riverside to admire the aristocratic grandeur of Place de la Bourse and the famous Miroir d'Eau, one of the city's main attractions. Adored by adults and children alike, this magical display rhythmically changes from a pool of water that reflects the 18th-century facades of the surrounding buildings to an eerie mist to a shallow pool - and back. As we continue on our tour, we'll stop to appreciate the colonnaded Opera House and the merchant's houses that line the riverside. And see the quayside - it's considered one of the most magnificent waterfronts in the world thanks to the beautiful historic buildings that line the river. The rest of the day is free for you to explore. Although the area is known as a wine region – there is still so much to see in the city. Its four-line tram system is made up of carriages that are 98 per cent recyclable - and with so many pedestrian-only zones, it's the quickest way to get around. There are plenty of museums to see throughout the city, including the Musée d’Aquitaine - one of the largest French regional history museums outside of Paris. Here, you can learn more about Bordeaux's history, from the three centuries it was British-owned to its complex role in France's slavery-based commerce – the darker side to the city’s maritime history – and, more recent history, with exhibits on the 20th and 21st century. Looking to do a bit of shopping? The Triangle d'Or and lined with high-end boutiques, and the trendier St. Pierre district provides options for those not up to such ambitious price tags. Signature Experience: This afternoon, we'll enjoy a wine-tasting like never before at an organic, biodynamic wine merchant. We'll taste wine at its purest - no chemical pesticides or herbicides - and learn more about the organic farming techniques that make this possible. Will this be the future of winemaking? You decide.