WINE WITH EVERYTHING:
A Taste of Bordeaux
August 31-September 6, 2014
One-day extension to Saint Emilion Sept 6, 2014
Fill your senses with the sights, sounds and tastes of Bordeaux. Enjoy breathtaking scenery, historic chateaux, boat rides on the Garonne River, architectural jewels, cooking classes, fabulous outdoor markets – and savor the wonderful wines of Bordeaux every step along the way.Join The French Travelerfor 6 glorious days in the southwest of France on our WINE WITH EVERYTHING 2014 tours!
Keeping our group small (8 maximum) ensures personalized service and attention to every detail – a specialty of The French Traveler. You’ll stay in a deluxe hotel in the heart of beautiful Bordeaux; you’ll unpack only once. Daily activities and travel arrangements are expertly planned and prepared by your guides, so you can relax and enjoy:
Wine with Everything – at least one daily visit to a local vineyard and/or wine tasting
Wine with Art – walking tours of Bordeaux with experienced bilingual guides
Wine with Shopping – open air markets and wine bars
Wine with History – trips to centuries’ old châteaux and “villages de charme”
Wine and the Sea – a trip down the Atlantic coast to a favorite seaside resort of the Bordelais
Wine with Cuisine – excellent Bordelais restaurants and an optional cooking class
Wine and Leisure – free time for golf, shopping, massage, lounging, wine tasting…
About Bordeaux
“Take Versailles, add Antwerp, and you have Bordeaux.” –Victor Hugo
The historic city of Bordeaux has been a magnet for centuries for counts, writers, kings, poets and painters of all nationalities. Enamored with its beauty, wealth and geography, eminent nobles and merchants contributed to the affluence and growth of Bordeaux throughout the ages; the English ruled it from the 12th to the 15th century; the city was in its heyday in the 18th century; its wines have found worldwide renown. Today, Bordeaux boasts a lively student population, a dynamic city center recently renovated, a beautifully preserved 18th century quartier, daily markets, world class shopping, a unique wine culture and avenues perfect for strolling and relaxing.
And of course, les vins….as great wine producers, the French understand innately that “wine with everything” goes without saying. Introduced by the Greeks in the 2nd c. BC, wine production in Bordeaux has continued for centuries. The special Atlantic climate of this region cultivates award-winning whites, rosés, and reds that reflect the special terroir*that contributes to their success. Bordeaux produces large quantities of everyday table wine as well as some of the most expensive wines in the world. Included among the latter are the area’s five premier cru (first growth) red wines (four from Médoc and one, Château Haut-Brion, from Graves), established by the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855: The first growths are: Château Lafite-Rothschild; Château Margaux; Château Latour; Château Haut-Brion; Château Mouton-Rothschild. We’ll sample some of these during our tour, as well as the upcoming “vins biodynamiques”, the new green trend in wine making. A private oenologue (wine specialist) will accompany and guide us throughout our tour.
*terroir: the unique blending of soil, sun, and personal labor that contribute to the individual characteristics of wines around the world
Need to see more?
- Get tour details
- Suggested itinerary
- Read more about Bordeaux
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Daily activities and travel arrangements are expertly planned and prepared by your guides, so you can relax and enjoy the sunshine, the landscape, and the wines!