Beautiful Bordeaux, the Dordogne & La Rochelle

 Your vacation begins today at London St. Pancras, where you meet the Tour Manager and your group of fellow travelers, ready to board the Eurostar to Paris. Stepping off the train in the French capital, we travel by coach and rail through the French countryside to Bordeaux, where we board our ship on the banks of the Garonne River.    

Take some time to settle into your cabin, explore the ship's inviting lounges or the open deck, and get acquainted with the onboard amenities. There are plenty of lovely places to take in Bordeaux's riverside scenery. This evening, we enjoy a welcome cocktail before our first dinner, accompanied by an evening of entertainment. Overnight ship.

• Dinner

 Following breakfast onboard, we begin delving into this famous wine town's allures on a guided tour. Beautiful Bordeaux brims with 18th-century grandeur and 21st-century energy. As the world's largest urban World Heritage site - with diverse architecture, welcoming boulevards and a quaint Old Town - Bordeaux is also the heart of one of the world's most renowned wine regions.  

  Famous for its exceptional vintages, the city offers an excellent choice of wine bars and museums dedicated to its rich wine-making heritage. This sets the perfect stage for our upcoming journey along the Médoc wine route, where we will discover some of the region's most prestigious vineyards and châteaux. 

Returning to the ship this evening, we enjoy a wine tasting to sample Bordeaux's bold and flavorful wines and then settle in for dinner. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 This morning, we set off on our first cruise on the Dordogne to Libourne. Stepping ashore this afternoon, we travel by coach to St. Émilion for a guided coach tour of this 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. We see this very cave on our tour, as well as the largest monolithic church in Europe and other sites that tell the story of this medieval commune.

  Visiting a family-run vineyard next, we have our first tasting of some popular local wines before returning to our ship, where we sail to Cussac during dinner, mooring overnight. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 We wake today in Cussac, a sleepy village on the banks of the Gironde River. On a guided tour through the celebrated Médoc wine route, we're treated to our second tasting at a vineyard along the Route des Châteaux, famous for its collection of medieval castles and wine estates stretching from the south to the north of the Alsace region. We learn about the unique blend of soil, climate and tradition that contributes to the rich flavors of the renowned wines produced in this region.    

Following lunch, we spend the afternoon on our ship sailing from Cussac to Royan, a coastal town with beautiful beaches, a seaside promenade and Art Deco architecture. We moor here for the night and have dinner this evening alongside some entertainment. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 After breakfast, we travel by coach to Rochefort, an ancient maritime city on the banks of the Charente River. Our city tour takes us back into Rochefort's intriguing past, and we visit the Corderie Royale, a historic rope-making factory that supplied the French navy for centuries. 

  We then continue to La Rochelle, one of the most historically important seaports on the European Atlantic coast. After lunch at a local restaurant, we tour the natural and man-made architecture that makes this destination so unique. You then have time at leisure in La Rochelle to explore the Old Town and harbor, or you could visit one of the city's many museums. 

Our coach takes us back to the ship this evening, where we have dinner while setting sail for Bordeaux. Overnight ship.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Setting sail again early this morning, our ship moors in the fortified 13th-century town of Cadillac on the banks of la Garonne. With two excursions today, we begin with a tour of the medieval Roquetaillade Château, named after the troglodyte caves underneath. Built in 1306 as the last English castle in France, it is has been owned by the same family for 700 years. It was opened to the public in 1956 and there's a working farm with Bazadais cattle, as well as a vineyard that produces the famous white wine, Chateaufort de Roquetaillade. 

  Later, we enjoy a short guided walking tour of Cadillac to uncover this medieval town. With streets of limestone buildings, Cadillac's focal point is its stately 15th-century Ducal Château. We return to our ship and set sail for Bordeaux. This evening, we enjoy a gala dinner, a memorable conclusion to our cruise. Overnight ship. 

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

 Our vacation comes to an end this morning with our final breakfast onboard. The castles, towns and vineyards of the Bordeaux region have set an incredible backdrop for our adventure. We explored the city's 18th-century architecture, tasted local wines on the Médoc wine route, and set out for excursions that highlighted Rochefort, La Rochelle, Roquetaillade Château and Cadillac.  

As we step off the ship for the final time in Bordeaux and say goodbye to our crew, we head to the station by coach to board the train to Paris. We switch trains here and connect with the Eurostar to London St. Pancras, where, on arrival, you are free to continue your travels home.

• Breakfast