Full Itinerary and Tour details for

Bordeaux Castets en Dorthe-Libourne 8-day Bike & Barge Tour (B)

Prices starting from. Trip Duration. Max Passengers. 1090 € 8 days 80

Start and Finish. Activity Level. /Libourne 2

Experience. Tour Code. Bike & Barge Tours Europe #B1/2500 Bordeaux Castets en Dorthe-Libourne 8-day Bike & Barge Tour (B)

Tour Details and Description

During this unique tour of the Bordeaux region you will explore one of the most beautiful, famous and beloved parts of . The region of Bordeaux, located in sun drenched, south-western part of France, is the perfect setting for a bike and boat tour. Set at the confluence of the Garonne and rivers and the estuary, it is one of the most prolific and famous wine growing regions in the world. Caressed by Atlantic breezes, the vineyards that cover the rolling hills of the region have for centuries produced France’s most remarkable wines. Appellations such as Saint-Émilion, , Sauternes, Médoc and Margaux have made Bordeaux wines world famous.

During daily cycling tours through six famous wine regions you will visit these areas, see many châteaux

and wine estates and you will probably taste various excellent wines. The Bordeaux area does not only offer magnificent wines; it is also home to some of the finest, most scrumptious and distinctive tasting culinary specialties. The cuisine on board is great and menus will include regional specialties, prepared with fresh ingredients. The bar on board offers a wide variety of excellent local wines to enjoy during dinner or simply to taste them during your personal “cocktail hour"

At the region’s heart, the city of Bordeaux is the cultural centre. Once known as the Sleeping Beauty, the UNESCO World Heritage Site stretches along the Garonne river banks, inviting visitors to savour it's grand architecture, tempting cafés, shops and superb museums. It is probably the most bicycle-friendly French city that sleeps no more! Cruise the Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde Rivers and cycle through the vineyards on carefully chosen routes and experience this region in a unique way. Do yourself a

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favour and book now!. • Special diets on request / surcharges (max. approx. € 50 may apply) Included in the Bike and Barge Tour: If you would like to rent a bike (85 EUR) or e-bike (175 EUR), please contact our office when • Tour and accommodation on board in the booked booking: [email protected] cabin category during 8 days / 7 nights (Sat.-Sat.) • Full board: 7 x breakfast, 6 x picnic lunch during Bus transfers: Sat. at 02:00 PM from meeting point bike tours, 7 x three course dinner Gare St. Jean train station in center of Bordeaux to • Use of bed linen and towels (change of towels ship (Castets-en-Dorthe/Libourne/Fronsac, daily possible); daily cleaning of the cabin respectively) and return on next Sat. at 09:00 AM • Welcome cocktail, presentation of ship + crew and from ship to meeting point in Bordeaux (transfer time: briefing on the first evening 1 hr. each); roundtrip: €50 p.p • Basic package “semi-guided cycling”: tour leader Package fully guided bike tours (English spoken, (English and French speaking) with daily briefings group min 8 pers. / max. 20 persons, daily guided of the bike tours; individual cycling: tour leader is cycling): € 180 not guiding the group, but cycling in the area and can be contacted during bike tours by mobile Upper deck and junior suite cabins available. 3 x phone in case of questions, problems or cabins available for solo travellers at reduced rates. emergencies (package fully guided cycling as option / surcharge: see below) • Printed instructions and detailed maps for individual daily bike tours, 1 set/cabin • Complimentary coffee and tea on board all day Not included in the tour: • Transfers from/to Bordeaux to/from the docking places in Castets-en-Dorthe and Libourne/Fronsac (50 EUR p.p.) • Package guided cycling (150 EUR) • On board, GPS-devices can be rented with all GPX-tracks for recommended cycling tours (rent € 15 to be paid on board/deposit € 100) • Rental bicycle/E-Bike • Other transfers • Parking fees • Entrance fees & excursions & wine tastings • Drinks on board • Personal insurances

• Gratuities (at your discretion)

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Itinerary Day 3

Round trip Loupiac /Graves-Sauternes (35-50 km Day 1 21-32 mi) | Loupiac - Bordeaux Level 3 Today we will discover the Sauternes region on bike. You will ride Castets-en- Dorthe – Canal des Deux Mers (Approx. through the region of Graves,where the Bordeaux 15 km/10 mi.) On the arrival day is it possible to load wines are from. You will pass the famous vineyards your luggage on board from 1pm. Boarding starts at Château d’Yquem, Château Suduiraut, Château 3pm Individual arrival and optional transfer from the Guiraud, Clos Haut Peyraguey, and many more. The meeting point at Gare St. Jean train station in route follows the winding shores of the river Ciron, Bordeaux to the mooring location of the boat near the whose icey waters are floating into the warmer Canal des Deux Mers at Castets-en-Dorthe, located Garonne. Here flourishes the ‘Botrytis Cynerea’, the in the middle of the Garonne Valley. You can enjoy famous mold fungus. Wine makers cherish this mold an optional short first test bike ride around Castets, fungus as the cause of a ‘noble rot’ of grapes. These exploring this flat and fertile region aptly named “Little are responsible for the wonderful royally sweet berry- Holland” with its walnut trees, kiwi orchards and and dry berry selection. When the words ‘all men on vegetable fields. Following the bike path along the board’ are uttered, we will leave and travel on the Canal des Deux Mers (Canal of Two Seas) that links Garonne to the next highlight of our trip. The goal is the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, you will discover to reach majestic Bordeaux, one of Europe’s most this lush rural countryside. In the evening, a welcome beautiful cities. Make use of an evening stroll to get a cocktail awaits you on board. good impression. Our dock is directly in the historical center of Bordeaux.. Day 2 Day 4 Castets-en-Dorthe – Entre Deux Mers (27-46 km 16-28 mi) | Castets-en-Dorthe – Cadillac Level 2 Bordeaux bike tour (10 mi 16 km) Level 1 Bordeaux Today, the bike route leads through the region is a UNESCO world heritage for a reason. The list of Entre-Deux-Mers. You will discover ‘Malagar’, the buildings, place and hidden gems is worth seeing: former residence of the author François Mauriac, or Walk into the city via La Porte Cailhau, the royal the castle Malromé, the former residence of entrance. We suggest a thorough tour: Bordeaux is a Toulouse-Lautrec. You can visit the grave of the City that doesn’t just glow due to its individual painter in the pilgrimage site of . You can buildings, but through the grandiose, well preserved bike from fortress to fortress – the view is old city. Worth seeing is the Capuchine Market breathtaking. Look forward to the town of La Réole, to (perhaps with tastings of wine and oysters), the the village of Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, and the basilica, the Pont de Pierre, the first bridge of the city, panorama plateau. Here we have exciting findings of which was built back in the day on Napoleons orders. fossilized oysters. In the medieval village of You may admire the many squares and old train Saint-Macaire, you can admire the many historical trollies. In and around Bordeaux are many buildings. In the late afternoon, the trip with the ship opportunities for sightseeing and shopping. continues upstream on the Garonne, all the way to Loupiac, on the other side of Cadillac. Day 5

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today’s roundtrip, you will discover the small town of Round trip Margaux-Medoc (42 km 26 mi) Bordeaux– Libourne, as well as the famous vineyards of Pomerol Lamarque | Lamarque – Bourg Level 1 Today we and Saint-Emilion. You should take your time in arrive in one of the most famous wine regions of the Saint-Emilion. The medieval village is also a world. Quickly you will get to the Château Lamothe UNESCO world heritage. Enjoy the amazing view of Bergeron. Tourism and wineries are developing the medieval streets and surrounding vineyards. Visit around here. The most famous vineyards are: : the monolithic church and indulge in the small town Maucaillou, Poujeaux Ségla Palmer, Issan, flair with its wonderful bistros and restaurants. Your Priorat Lichine, Kirwan and the Château Margaux. trip will continue to scenic country roads, where you They offer many opportunities for a stop, with or will have a nice overview of many well known castles without wine tasting. You also have the opportunity to of Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. Angelus, Beausejour, extend today’s trip to Margaux. You will pass by Ausone, Cheval Blanc, Dominica, Trottevieille, many vineyards, Chateaux Moutin Rothschild, Lafite Gaubert, Barde-Haut Clos La Madeleine, BelAir Rothschild, Latour, Lynch-Bages, Cos d’Estournel, Monange Laroque, Fombrauge Grand Corbin, Gazin, Pontet Canet, Pichon Longueville and other classified Petrus, a small village, Nenin. Here are growing Grands Crus Lagen. A romantic route will be traveled some of the most famous wines of the world. A real in the evening on the MS Bordeaux. We will move paradise for wine lovers. Your ship will wait for you at further to Bourg-sur-Gironde. the end of the day, at the dock of Libourne

Day 6 Day 8

Bourg to Fortress and vineyards round tour Libourne: Disembarkation and (optional) transfer (25-41 km 16-32 mi) | Bourg – Fronsac/Libourne back to Bordeaux After your final breakfast on board, Level 4 This part of the trip offers views on endless the bus (optional) will transfer you to the Gare St. vineyards, garnished with many castles. Beautiful and Jean train station of Bordeaux. Disembarkation romantic is the church of Bayon. You have the around 09:00 AM **All distances are “approximate opportunity to visit some of the castles in the area, distances” of recommended bike tours. When a guest such as Tayac, Eyquem Monconseil-Gazin, Marquis does not want to cycle one day, he or she can skip de Vauban or others. At the corner of the beautiful, the bike tour and relax on board. Program and details quiet Corniche Street, which leads along the mouth of barring changes, as a result of nautical, technical or the river, lies the ruin of the gallo-roman villa in meteorological reasons.. Plassac. You soon will reach the Citadel of Blaye, also an UNESCO world heritage. Take your time for a tour. Back in Bourg, you may enjoy another small trip through the city and look forward to the sundowner on board of the MS Bordeaux. In the evening, the MS Bordeaux will sail to Libourne Fronsac.

Day 7

Round trip of Libourne & Saint-Émilion vineyards (21-43 km 13-27 mi) Level 2 At the beginning of

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