Oysters, Wine and Spirits: discover the legendary

Come to Bordeaux, the worldwide capital of wine, for an unforgettable experience. Whether you arrive at Bordeaux Mérignac airport or by TGV at Bordeaux Saint Jean station, our bilingual English speaking chauffeur will be waiting for you to board a luxury private vehicle, before taking you to your **** Luxury Hotel, situated right in the heart of Bordeaux.

At the end of the afternoon, you can take the opportunity to stroll around the town, and discover the architectural gems of the 18th century.Don’t forget to wander along the banks of the Garonne with its amazing façades, listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites. The recent development of the riverbanks has given this area an art de vivre where you can go to relax, dream, and get caught up in its magic.

Here you can admire the Grand Théâtre, one of Bordeaux’s most beautiful sites, as well as the Hôtel de Ville district where the Cathedral Saint-André stands, as well as the historic pedestrian district with its numerous restaurants and cafés. These brighten up the area and give you the opportunity to stop for a delicious bite to eat, or just to enjoy their sunny terraces.There are many guided tours of Bordeaux available through our agency.

For shopping lovers, Bordeaux has many luxury boutiques in an area which the people from Bordeaux call “The Golden Triangle”, where you can find top brands such as Cartier, Kenzo, Hermès, etc. You can also go down rue Sainte-Catherine, the longest pedestrian road in Europe, where you will be amazed by the wide range of boutiques.

We will provide you with a list of restaurants for your evening meal, which have been carefully selected and which we are happy to reserve for you at your request.
In the evening, meet over a glass of Bordeaux wine in a magical place. You can discover the flavours of a new ‘cru’, be advised on its appellation, and you will be given the choice of a vintage wine or a red, dry or sweet white, rosé, Clairets, in a setting specially designed to take you on a voyage of discovery of Bordeaux wines.

Start the day with a big breakfast before leaving for Bassin d’Arcachon, a huge bay covering 1500 hectares, with the beautiful colours of the lagoon surrounding fine yellow sand. Boasting an incomparable maritime heritage, the Bassin d’Arachon became an extremely important oyster-farming area due to the quality of its water. Since last century, many generations of parqueurs and fishermen have given life to lovingly maintained oyster-farming districts, listed as graded sites. They represent a unique and outstanding architectural heritage of more than 500 cabins, 280 oysters storehouses ’a trier’ and 200 homes. Today, the oyster parks cover 2000 hectares all around the Bassin and the Banc d’Arguin.

During a unique stroll, which will take you through the pretty little oyster-farming ports, you will have the opportunity to talk to some oyster farmers, who will share their passion for their job and their life between the cabins and the parks with you. Lovers of authenticity will thoroughly enjoy their guided visit of the oyster parks and a quick oyster tasting session over a glass of fresh white wine. You will then leave on a private boat for a commentated cruise towards the Ile aux Oiseaux to admire the famous “tchanquées-style” cabins, the symbol of the Bassin d’Arcachon and, depending on the tides, the oyster parks of the Bassin. This wild island is home to 300 species of sedentary and migratory birds.

During your sea ride, you will have the opportunity to admire the famous Dune of Pilat, the highest sand dune in Europe, at 114 metres tall.This listed heritage site, located in La Teste de Buch attracts millions of tourists every year.

We advise you to go here for a strenuous climb to the top of this sand dune. During peak season, a staircase of 154 steps allows you to get to the top more easily. You will not be disappointed by the view which awaits you. It’s an unforgettably beautiful view of the ocean, of Bassin d’Arcachon, of the islands and of the Landes forest.

You can have your evening meal in a famous Arcachon restaurant, which will delight seafood lovers, before going back to your hotel in the evening.

After breakfast, your chauffeur will take you along the “Route des Châteaux”, where you will find some legendary wine-making areas - of which the names alone will make your mouth water. You will pass by Châteaux Margaux, Latour, Mouton-Rothschild.

You will have the privilege of being welcomed into 2 famous 1855 "Grand Crus Classé" (officially classed by Napoléon III). These Châteaux will open the doors of their wine storehouses for you to discover the winemaking and maturing techniques. A wine tasting session will give you the opportunity to get to know all the elegance and delicacy of these famous crus which have such a big reputation.

You will learn the stages and the vocabulary of wine tasting in an initiation lesson led by professionals before heading off to a famous Michelin star restaurant.

At the heart of the Medoc vineyards, you will enter into a mythical world of fine cuisine. You can sample some of the amazing creations of its chef, voted chef of the year by the Gault Millau Guide in 2005.

After breakfast, you are invited for a visit of the vineyard which dominates the Gironde estuary. You can start to better understand the importance of their land, what happens to the grapevines and learn winemaking techniques through a visit to the fermenting room and the barrel storehouse. You will have the opportunity to taste 2 wines from one of the Pauillac appellation’s most unforgettable products.

Then, fine wine lovers will have the pleasure of discovering some of the secrets of a prestigious Cru Classé. On your arrival, you will be amazed by the château’s architecture, which is one of the treasures of the Médoc, and has been highly sought after by powerful families since it was built in the 17th century.
You will visit the technical installations and when it comes to your wine tasting session, you will get to know the aromas of the wine which will caress your palate.

At the end of the afternoon, another renowned Château will open its doors to you and you will be offered its complete attention. We will have organised a private visit for you, giving you the opportunity to really get to know this property which covers 90 hectares and really captures the spirit of its creators. You will stay for dinner where you will enjoy an incredible meal, blending food and wine perfectly, in a private room of the château.

After breakfast, your chauffeur will drive you 40km North East of Bordeaux, to the heart of the Libournais vineyards, where the main winery, Saint-Émilion, famous for its art and its history, was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1999. This wine region, where the majority of the estates are no bigger than 10 hectares, is home to a large number of legendary wines such as Pétrus, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, to name but a few.

You can then enjoy an exclusive visit of Saint-Émilion’s First Classified Growths and of the widely renowned and prestigious appellation Pomerol châteaux, which is home to the most famous of all crus, Pétrus. You will visit a fabulous 18th Century chartreuse (bourgeois country house, very popular during the 18th and 19th century in Bordeaux vineyards). The Guggenheim family fell in love with it and ordered a 1930s American architect to reproduce it for them in Long Island. This area, which covers 20 hectares, produces numerous wines of a distinguished quality using specialised guides.

You will then be welcomed into a family vineyard, thought to be one of the top 5 Classified Growth of Saint-Émilion appellation in 1868. This area kindly opens its doors to you for an exclusive visit of its installations. For food lovers who want to experience the perfect blend of food and wine and create unforgettable memories, we can reserve a table for you in a prestigious restaurant, boasting 2 Michelin stars.

After lunch, you are free to guide yourself around the city of Saint-Émilion, founded by a monk at the beginning of the Middle Ages. You can visit the grotto which sheltered Saint-Émilion for 17 years and the monolithic church, entirely carved out of rock between the 9th and 11th century by Benedictine monks. From the bell tower, after 198 steps, the brave among you can admire a beautiful view of the village, its monuments and the vineyard. Your tour will take you to the Trinity Chapel, the collegiate church and its cloister, the “Tour du Roi”, where you can enjoy an incredible view from the top. Another unmissable architectural gem, the Cordeliers cloister, built in the 14th century.

Before you leave Saint-Emilion, you will experience an incredible visit to a listed château. In the same family since the 13th century, its owners will open their doors to you and talk passionately to you about their incredible land and wine making methods, which are always in keeping with their love of perfection.

After these incredible moments, we can reserve a table for you in a restaurant of fine French cuisine.

After breakfast, you will leave for Cognac, worldwide capital of a renowned business. On your arrival, in the heart of the vineyards which brought about the famous Cognac VSOP, XO, and even Napoléon and Louis XIII appellations, you will get settled in a 19th century castel circled with a park of 2.5 hectares, where the owner will welcome you.

Come to Charente, truly mean to discover the secrets of how Cognac is made, this eau-de-vie which is exported to more than 160 countries worldwide. This bordered region is home to the large Cognac Houses which have a global reputation, supplied by a large part of some 5900 businesses, provides the Cognac wine and even the eau-de-vie itself.

We offer you first of all the opportunity to go inside the world of a famous Cognac House's distiller. At the heart of one of the most modern installations, you will discover how these eaux-de-vie are made and the hidden secrets of its craft.
If you wish to get into the heart of the action, remember that the distillation season starts in November and finishes at the beginning of March !

For lunch, you will enjoy one of the finest tables in the region. In a room with a hushed atmosphere or on a terrace in an enchanted setting, you will have the opportunity to taste the food of a talented young chef “who knows how to make the best of regional products, with elegance and thoughtfulness”, praises Madame Figaro, to quote just her.

You will then begin your private visit to a large Cognac House, where you are invited to discover their secular traditions of producing exceptional cognacs. You will get to know the very skilful work behind the selection and assembly which falls to the Master of the Wine Storehouse and which defines the character of the cognacs of his House.

François I was born in Cognac and you are invited to visit the famous château which carries his name and is now home to another large Cognac House. You can stroll up and down the alleyways of the old town, which will take you back to the gates of Saint-Jacques and lead you on to François I Place.

At the end of the day, we will send you the address of a restaurant where you can enjoy some local French cuisine or organise a dinner at your hotel.

After breakfast you will leave for La Rochelle, situated on the Atlantic coast of Charente Maritime. You will settle into your 3* hotel, situated between the historic town centre and the new port, not far from its famous towers which date back to the 14th and 15th centuries. La Rochelle has always been a maritime city and is one of the biggest French ports for economy and tourism. Chosen specifically by cruise lovers, La Rochelle is the Atlantic stopover for large cruise ships and a prerequisite for your stay on the Atlantic.
We suggest you start your visit by a tour of the harbour to discover its marina, its fishing port and its business port.

At lunchtime, we can reserve a table for you in one of La Rochelle’s finest restaurants, or you can simply hand the guide our selection of local and foreign cuisine, which you can enjoy on a sun-soaked terrace.

In the afternoon you can explore the shopping area of the Saint-Sauveur district. These typical streets with their arcades give the old town a great deal of charm and make this area unforgettable. You will admire the houses from the Middle Ages, the richness of the 16th and 17th century sculpted rock façades, the nobility of the 18th century shipowner’s hotels. Your stroll will lead you to the Hôtel de ville, the most visited monument in La Rochelle, which you can get to know over the course of a guided visit.
Other guided visits of the old town are available at your agency.

In the morning, after breakfast, you are invited to discover the oyster-farming basin of Marennes-Oléron, the most important in Europe, with 6000 hectares of parks and oyster pits. You will fall in love with the very typical Charente marshland, dotted with charming little traditional cabins, generally made of wood, painted in vivid colours and with tiled rooves, built alongside the channels.
You will be welcomed by a very reputable oyster-farmer who will talk to you about his job and his knowledge which has been handed down from generation to generation. You will discover how the oysters are ripened in their oyster pits, and old salt marshes, where their colour and flavour are finalised.
Then depending to the tides, between the Ile d’Oléron and the continent, we will take you to the Basin of Marennes Oléron, its oyster parks, the multi-coloured oyster farming cabins and the maturing marshlands with its coastal flora and fauna.
Eaten hot or cold, plain or flavoured with lemon or a vinager and shallot sauce, here the oyster is seen as the ambassador of fine cuisine. Which is why, at lunchtime, we have reserved a table for you in one of the best restaurants on the Ile d’Oléron where you can taste fleshy and tasty oysters, raw or grilled, matured in the purest respect to ancient methods « la Rolls de l’huître » according to the Gault Millau.

On board a boat, you will head for the impressive Fort Boyard, which you will approach after a few hundred metres. Built in 1801 under Napoleon to defend the Charente estuary, it served as a prison at the end of the 19th century and today is the setting for a television gameshow.
You will then make a stop at the Ile d’Aix, which you will appreciate for its complete absence of traffic. You will tour the island by foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage. Whatever your choice, you will be struck by the beauty of its landscapes.
If you have time leftover, you could visit the house which was built for Napoleon, which has today been transformed into a Napoleonic museum.

For dinner, you are invited to taste some regional cuisine in one of the best restaurants in La Rochelle !

Whatever your itinerary, take time to enjoy your breakfast at your hotel, after which, your guide will take care of your transfer to the station in La Rochelle or to Bordeaux airport.