Biarritz & Bordeaux Cruise

Our holiday starts when we meet the Tour Manager at London St Pancras ahead of our journey to Paris on the Eurostar, travelling in Plus class with a light meal served at our seats. From Paris we continue by First Class rail to the stylish city of Biarritz on the Atlantic coast, where we check into our hotel for three nights.

Set proudly along the Basque coast of southwest France, this stylish Belle Époque city overlooks rugged cliffs, sandy beaches and an impressive ocean promenade. Biarritz was once a favourite getaway for European nobility, as is evident in its grand hotels and historic landmarks. Besides its famous luxurious hotels such as the Hotel du Palais, built for the Empress Eugénie in around 1855, the town is known for its Art Deco casino and a relaxed surfing culture. This evening you are free to dine independently and you may like to choose one of several highly-rated restaurants set along the bay, which offer stunning views of the coastline.

• Eurostar Light Meal

Your first day in Biarritz is free to begin exploring at your own pace. With its sweeping promenade and vast beaches, the coastal resort offers a range of activities. You could easily pass the day strolling along golden beaches and stopping to savour Basque cuisine at a local café.

Alternatively, you could walk along to the town's lighthouse or visit the beautiful historic casino on the bay. You might be tempted to sip a glass of wine on the casino's terrace, which has stunning views over the town's 'Grand Plage'. A popular walk is the path from the town's atmospheric Old Port to Rocher de la Vierge - a statue on a rocky headland, believed to protect local fishermen, which is now connected to the town by a footbridge.

Tonight you dine independently, and Biarritz offers a diverse range of eating places, from simple bistros to fine dining restaurants. Some of the most authentic places may be found at the Port des Pecheurs, where small boats and yachts are moored, and restaurants which were once fishermen's' cottages serve Basque-style tapas and seafood dishes.

• Breakfast

On today's excursion we travel by coach to Col de Saint-Ignace, where we connect with the Le 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 and continue to the lively fishing port of St Jean-de-Luz. Here you have some time to explore, and may like to walk along the promenade to see the fishing boats bring in their catch. Otherwise, you could wander around the medieval centre of the Old Town. Afterwards, we enjoy a three-course lunch with cider in a local restaurant, accompanied by a short film about cider production. We then return to Biarritz where the rest of your day is at leisure.

• Breakfast, Lunch

A free morning gives us the chance to continue sightseeing or relaxing in Biarritz before making our way by First Class rail to Bordeaux. One of the world's oldest and most renowned wine regions, this is a city brimming with 18th-century grandeur and 21st century energy. On arrival in Bordeaux we are transferred to our floating hotel for six nights, the MS Cyrano de Bergerac.

After time to settle in to our cabins, we are greeted with a welcome cocktail before tonight's three-course dinner is served, accompanied by free-flowing wine and followed by an evening of entertainment on board.

Please note, due to navigational considerations and tidal influence, the order of today's itinerary may change.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Following a relaxed morning on our ship, with breakfast and lunch onboard and admiring the views of the Garonne river, this afternoon we explore the UNESCO-listed city of Bordeaux on a walking tour with a local guide. The city brims with 18th-century grandeur and 21st-century energy and our tour guide gives us an insight into Bordeaux's rich history. However, you may choose to explore the sites of the city independently.

As the world's largest urban World Heritage site due to its outstanding architecture and importance as a wine trading centre, Bordeaux features magnificent classical and neoclassical buildings, welcoming boulevards and an Old Town with cobbled squares. One of the city's most beautiful areas is the Quais des Chartrons, which has exquisite buildings, stylish boutiques, coffee bars and pastry shops. The city also has some excellent museums.

Back on board this early evening, we enjoy a wine-tasting before dinner, which includes drinks and entertainment.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning our cruise starts as we set sail to Libourne, a port along the Dordogne river. After lunch onboard our ship, we travel to St Émilion for a guided coach tour of another stunning 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. On our tour, we see this very cave as well as the largest monolithic church in Europe. Built in the 11th century, the Saint-Émilion church is carved entirely out of a limestone cliff. One of Europe's largest underground churches, it is known for its fascinating catacombs.

After getting to know the city we visit a family-run vineyard and indulge in a tasting of some popular local wines before returning to our ship. We continue cruising to the small town of Cussac during dinner. On arrival, we moor here overnight.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we awake in Cussac, a sleepy village on the banks of the Gironde river. Setting out after an early breakfast, today's excursion takes us through the celebrated Médoc wine route where we are treated to a tasting of the region's esteemed wines at a classic vineyard along the picturesque Route des Châteaux. The combination of Mediterranean climate and a gravel-based soil are factors believed to enhance Médoc wines. The region is known for its red wines, particularly the following varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carménère.

Returning to our ship for lunch onboard, we then sail from Cussac to Royan where we moor for the night. This afternoon you may enjoy relaxing on deck, watching the passing scenery before tonight's three-course dinner with drinks and onboard entertainment.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, we disembark in Royan and board our coach to Rochefort, an ancient maritime city on the banks of the Charente River. During a morning tour, which takes us back into the city's intriguing past, we visit the Corderie Royale, a historic rope-making factory which supplied the French navy for centuries.

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 this stunning sandstone city, seeing its striking harbour, three defensive towers and the beautiful medieval buildings of the Old Quarter behind the historic harbour. There is time at leisure in La Rochelle to explore independently, and you may like to visit one of the city's many museums.

Returning to our ship, there's time to unwind before dinner with drinks, during which time we begin cruising back towards the city of Bordeaux where we moor tonight.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Early this morning our ship moors in the fortified 13th-century town of Cadillac, on the banks of la Garonne where you have a choice of two morning excursions. You could decide to 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 resident here since it was constructed. First opened to the public in 1956, 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 join a guided walking tour of Cadillac to uncover the attractions of this medieval town. With sun-baked streets of limestone buildings, Cadillac's focal point is its stately 15th-century Ducal Château. We return to our ship for lunch on board and set sail back to Bordeaux. This evening, we enjoy the captain's gala dinner, the perfect end to our indulgent cruise holiday.

• Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This scenic tour and cruise holiday has taken us to picturesque locations, from the Belle Époque city of Biarritz on France's Basque coast to the beautiful wine region of Bordeaux. We took a heritage rail trip to the summit of La Rhune in the western Pyrenees, before exploring one of Europe's loveliest wine regions by river. Sailing through the Garonne and the Dordogne, we have indulged in wine tastings and toured the acclaimed Médoc wine route, uncovered medieval cities, explored the maritime seaports of Rochefort and La Rochelle.

After a final breakfast onboard our ship, it's time to head to the station by coach. We board the train to Paris, travelling in First Class, where we join the Eurostar Plus service back to London St Pancras with a light meal served at our seats. Our holiday draws to a close here and you can make your way home.

• Breakfast
• Eurostar Light Meal