Biarritz & Bordeaux Cruise

Your vacation begins today as you meet the Tour Manager and your travel group at London St. Pancras. Together, we take our Eurostar Plus seats and travel to Paris, enjoying a light meal served at our seats. From Paris, we continue by First Class rail to the stylish city of Biarritz on the Atlantic Coast, where we check into our hotel for three nights.    

Set proudly along the Basque Coast of southwest France, this stylish Belle Époque city overlooks rugged cliffs, sandy beaches and an impressive ocean promenade. Biarritz was once a favorite getaway for European nobility, evident in its grand hotels and historic landmarks. Besides its luxurious hotels, such as the Hotel du Palais, built for the Empress Eugénie around 1855, the town is known for its Art Deco casino and a relaxed surfing culture. This evening, you are free to dine independently, and you may like to choose one of several highly-rated restaurants set along the bay, which offer stunning views of the coastline. Overnight Biarritz.

• Eurostar Light Meal

 Your first day in Biarritz is free to explore at your own pace. With its sweeping promenade and vast beaches, the coastal resort offers a range of activities. You could pass the day strolling along golden beaches and stopping to savor Basque cuisine at a local café.  

  Alternatively, you could walk along to the town's lighthouse or visit the beautiful historic casino on the bay. You might be tempted to sip a glass of wine on the casino's terrace, which has stunning views over the town's "Grand Plage." A popular walk is the path from the town's atmospheric Old Port to Rocher de la Vierge - a statue believed to protect local fishermen located on a rocky headland, which is now connected to the town by a footbridge.    

Tonight, you dine independently, and Biarritz offers a diverse range of eateries, from simple bistros to fine dining restaurants. Some of the most authentic places are at the Port des Pecheurs, where small boats and yachts are moored and restaurants that were once fishermens' cottages serve Basque-style tapas and seafood dishes. Overnight Biarritz.

• Breakfast

 On today's excursion, we travel by coach to Col de Saint-Ignace, where we connect with the Le Petit Train de la Rhune. This classic rack-and-pinion railway takes us through the dramatic Atlantic Pyrenees in restored wooden carriages. The route takes us through steep-sided rocky valleys, with a fabulous panorama over the Basque region's rolling meadows and foothills. The summit of La Rhune marks the border between France and Spain, and, at 3,000 feet above sea level, offers a magnificent panorama over the Bay of Biscay.   

After time to admire the views, we descend the mountain and continue to the charming village of Ascain. Here, we enjoy a three-course lunch with cider in a local restaurant, accompanied by a short film about cider production. We then return to Biarritz, where the rest of your day is at leisure. Overnight Biarritz.

• Breakfast, Lunch

A free morning gives us the chance to continue sightseeing or relaxing in Biarritz. After having breakfast at the hotel, you could wander down to the beach for a final glimpse at the Atlantic or shop for souvenirs along the historic streets. After lunch, a coach transfer takes us to the station, where we board the First Class train to Bordeaux. One of the world's oldest and most renowned wine regions, this city is brimming with 18th-century grandeur and 21st-century energy. On arrival in Bordeaux, we are transferred to our floating hotel for six nights, the MS Cyrano de Bergerac.   

  After time to settle into our cabins, we are greeted with a welcome cocktail before tonight's three-course dinner is served, accompanied by free-flowing wine and followed by an evening of entertainment onboard. Overnight ship.  

*Please note: Due to navigational considerations and tidal influence, the order of today's itinerary may change. 

• Breakfast, Dinner

 This morning is yours to get to know the UNESCO-listed city of Bordeaux independently or relax on our ship, with breakfast and lunch served onboard and views of the Garonne River. We delve into the local attractions this afternoon on a walking tour with a local guide. The city brims with 18th-century grandeur and 21st-century energy, and our tour guide gives us an insight into Bordeaux's rich history. However, you may instead choose to continue exploring the city's sites on your own.  

  As the world's largest urban World Heritage site due to its outstanding architecture and importance as a wine trading center, Bordeaux features magnificent classical and neoclassical buildings, welcoming boulevards and an Old Town with cobbled squares. One of the city's most beautiful areas is the Quais des Chartrons, which has exquisite buildings, stylish boutiques, coffee bars and pastry shops. The city also has excellent museums to explore.   

Back on board this early evening, we enjoy a wine-tasting before dinner, which includes drinks and entertainment. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Setting off on our first cruise, we sail to Libourne, a port along the Dordogne River. We arrive after lunch onboard our ship and, stepping ashore, travel to St. Émilion for a guided coach tour of another stunning UNESCO-listed city.    

According to legend, a Benedictine monk named Émilion sought refuge in one of the natural caves in the area to escape the celebrity status bestowed on him for performing a miracle. On our tour, we see this very cave as well as the largest monolithic church in Europe. Built in the 11th century, the Saint-Émilion church is carved entirely out of a limestone cliff. This is one of Europe's largest underground churches and is known for its fascinating catacombs.      

After getting to know the city, we visit a family-run vineyard and indulge in a tasting of some popular local wines before returning to our ship. We continue cruising to the small town of Cussac during dinner and moor here for the night. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Waking in Cussac, a sleepy village on the banks of the Gironde River, we set out after an early breakfast. Today's excursion takes us along the celebrated Médoc wine route, where we are treated to a tasting of the region's esteemed wines at a classic vineyard along the picturesque Route des Châteaux. The combination of Mediterranean climate and a gravel-based soil is believed to enhance Médoc wines. The region is known for its red wines, particularly the following varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carménère.      

Returning to our ship for lunch onboard, we then sail from Cussac to Royan, where we moor for the night. You may enjoy relaxing on deck as the route unfolds this afternoon, watching the passing scenery before tonight's three-course dinner with drinks and onboard entertainment. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 After breakfast, we disembark in Royan and board our coach to Rochefort, an ancient maritime city on the banks of the Charente River. During a morning tour, which takes us back into the city's intriguing past, we visit the Corderie Royale, a historic rope-making factory which supplied the French Navy for centuries.   

We continue to one of the most historically important seaports on the European Atlantic coast, La Rochelle. After lunch at a local restaurant, we tour this stunning sandstone city, seeing its three defensive towers and the beautiful medieval buildings of the Old Quarter behind the historic harbor. There is time at leisure in La Rochelle to explore independently, and you may like to visit one of the city's many museums. 

  Returning to our ship, enjoy time to unwind before dinner with drinks, during which time we begin cruising back toward the city of Bordeaux, where we moor tonight. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Early this morning, our ship sails to the fortified 13th-century town of Cadillac on the banks of the Garonne, where you have a choice of two morning excursions. You could decide to tour the medieval Roquetaillade Château, named after the troglodyte caves that are underneath. Built in 1306 as the last English castle in France, this castle is still privately owned by the Roquetaillade family, who have resided here since it was constructed. First opened to the public in 1956, there is a working farm with Bazadais cattle and a vineyard that produces the famous white wine, Chateaufort de Roquetaillade.   

Alternatively, you could join a guided walking tour of Cadillac to uncover the attractions of this medieval town. With sunbaked streets of limestone buildings, Cadillac's focal point is its stately 15th-century Ducal Château. We return to our ship for lunch on board and set sail back to Bordeaux. This evening, we enjoy the captain's gala dinner, the perfect end to our indulgent cruise experience. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 This scenic tour and cruise vacation has taken us to picturesque locations, from the Belle Époque city of Biarritz on France's Basque Coast to the beautiful wine region of Bordeaux. We took a heritage rail trip to the summit of La Rhune in the western Pyrenees before exploring one of Europe's most renowned wine regions by river. Sailing along the Garonne and the Dordogne, we have indulged in wine tastings and toured the acclaimed Médoc wine route, uncovered medieval cities, and explored the maritime seaports of Rochefort and La Rochelle.    

After a final breakfast onboard our ship, a coach transfer takes us to the station to begin the journey home. We board the train to Paris in First Class, and on arrival, we join the Eurostar Plus back to London St. Pancras with a light meal served at our seats. Our vacation draws to a close in London, and you can make your way home. 

•  Breakfast, Eurostar Light Meal