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Biarritz and Bordeaux Cruise

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20242025
10 days From £3,295 per person
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A relaxing cruise through Europe’s most famous wine regions

2024 Tour code: BIR24

About the tour

Start your holiday by strolling the sandy beaches and delightful ocean promenade of Biarritz. Travel on the pretty La Rhune Mountain railway as it winds its way through the Pyrenees, rising above the low clouds. Then swap the sea for the scenic Garonne and Dordogne rivers, enjoying a relaxing cruise into one of Europe's loveliest wine regions.

Unforgettable Experiences

Biarritz
Biarritz
Discover the atmospheric resort town of Biarritz.
La Rhune Mountain Railway
La Rhune Mountain Railway
Journey on La Rhune Mountain Railway and visit St Jean-de-Luz.
Médoc wine route
Médoc wine route
Follow the Médoc wine route, enjoying wine tastings along the way
Corderie Royale
Corderie Royale
Tour Rochefort and enjoy entrance to the Corderie Royale.
Wine Tasting
Wine Tasting
Unique flexible excursions: choose from a tour of Roquetaillade Château and Cadillac and a tasting of Sauternes wine or a hike through the countryside and a wine pairing session at a family-run farm.
Blaye
Blaye
Choose an excursion to the ‘Route de la Corniche’ or an under-ground tour of Blaye.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle
Explore the maritime city of La Rochelle on a sightseeing tour.
St Emilion
St Emilion
Visit St Émilion for a guided tour and private wine tasting.

What’s included

Itinerary

Day 1 - London to Biarritz

We meet our group and Tour Manager at London St Pancras ahead of our journey to Paris on the Eurostar. Once in Paris we continue by rail through to Biarritz, where we check into our hotel for three nights.

Day 2 - Discovering Biarritz

Your full first day in Biarritz is free to begin exploring. The resort, with its sweeping promenade and vast beaches, offers a range of activities. You might like to try your luck in the casino or visit the town's lighthouse. If you're feeling energetic, you could stroll past the atmospheric Old Port to Rocher de la Vierge - a statue on a rocky headland, believed to protect local fishermen, now connected to the town by a footbridge.

Includes
  • Breakfast
Day 3 - La Rhune Mountain Railway

On today's excursion we travel by coach to Col de Saint-Ignace, where we connect with the superb Petit Train de la Rhune. This classic rack-and-pinion railway takes us through the dramatic Atlantic Pyrenees in lovingly restored wooden carriages. The route takes us through steep-sided rocky valleys, with a fabulous panorama over the rolling meadows and foothills of the Basque region. 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 then continue to the lively fishing port of St Jean-de- Luz. Here you have a little time to explore; maybe walk along the promenade to see the fishing boats bring in their catch. Otherwise, the medieval centre is a delight to wander around. We enjoy a 3-course lunch with wine in a local restaurant before returning to Biarritz.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - Bordeaux

Following breakfast in our hotel, we make our way by rail to Bordeaux - one of the world's most famous wine regions - a city brimming with 18th-century grandeur and 21st century energy. Here we transfer to our floating hotel for 6 nights, the MS Cyrano de Bergerac. After time to settle in, we are greeted with a welcome cocktail before tonight's 3-course dinner is served, accompanied by free-flowing wine and followed by an evening of entertainment on board.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Bordeaux

Following a relaxed morning onboard, this afternoon we explore Bordeaux. As the world's largest urban World Heritage Site - with diverse architecture, welcoming boulevards and a quaint Old Town - Bordeaux also has an excellent choice of art museums. A city tour gives us an insight into Bordeaux's history. Alternatively, you may choose to explore at your own pace. Back on board this evening we enjoy dinner, wine and entertainment.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 - St Emilion

Disembarking in Libourne this morning, we travel to St Emilion for a guided tour of this UNESCO listed city before visiting the Troglodyte cave the monk who founded the town was said to have lived in after escaping the celebrity status bestowed on him for performing a miracle. We'll also see the largest monolithic church in Europe and call at a family-run vineyard, where we enjoy a tasting of some popular local wines before returning to Libourne and beginning our journey back to Bordeaux.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Wines of Médoc

This morning we arrive at Cussac, a sleepy village on the banks of the Gironde. Here we disembark for a tour through the celebrated Médoc wine route and enjoy a tasting at a vineyard along the Route des Châteaux. On board this evening, we enjoy another freshly prepared dinner accompanied by entertainment.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8 - Rochefort and La Rochelle

After breakfast, we travel from the dock in Royan by coach to Rochefort. an important and ancient maritime destination on the banks of the Charente River, and we take a tour into the city's intriguing past. Entrance is also included to the Corderie Royale, an historic rope-making factory that was the very first industrial building in the country and supplied the French navy for over 300 years.

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 the natural and man-made architecture that makes this destination so unique. You then have some free time in La Rochelle to explore the Old Town and harbour or maybe visit one of the city's many museums.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9 - Roquetaillade Château or Cadillac countryside hike

Today our ship moors in the fortified 13th-century town of Cadillac, on the banks of la Garonne. With a choice of excursions, you could 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 been residents here since it was constructed. It was opened to the public in 1956 and there's a working farm with Bazadais cattle as well as a vineyard which produces the famous white wine, Chateaufort de Roquetaillade. Alternatively, you could enjoy a guided walking tour of Cadillac to visit its gourmet market. Famous for its variety of sweet dessert wines, this little medieval town is a must for wine connoisseurs. We return to our ship for lunch on board and set sail for Bordeaux. This evening we enjoy a gala dinner, the perfect end to our holiday.

Includes
  • Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10 - Bordeaux and London

After a final breakfast on board, this morning we disembark our cruise ship and transfer to the station. We board the train to Paris, where we connect with the Eurostar service back to London St Pancras.

Includes
  • Breakfast

Additional information

Please note

Please note that while every departure of this tour will feature the same excursions, the order may differ from that shown above.

Optional shore excursions are not included in the price of your tour and are payable on board ship.

Departure times

Provisional departure and return times, where available, can be found together with our dates and prices by clicking on the 'Prices & Availability' button. We write to all booked customers approximately 10 weeks prior to the start of their tour to advise the exact departure and return time for their particular group.

Mobility information

Due to the nature of our tours they are generally unsuitable for those with restricted mobility. If you’d like to discuss any particular holiday with us in this respect, then please don’t hesitate to call us.

Hotel

Mercure Plaza Biarritz-Centre , Biarritz

Mercure Plaza Biarritz-Centre , Biarritz

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Trains

Eurostar
La Rhune Mountain Railway

Ship

MS Cyrano de Bergerac

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London Hotels
UK rail connections
Cruise in Europe 2024

Cruise in Europe 2024

A fantastic collection of our exclusive river cruise holidays to some magnificent European locations in 2024.

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