Mix & Match: Bordeaux & Beyond

Welcome to Bordeaux, the capital of one of the best known wine regions in the world. Make your own way from Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport to your hotel, where the rest of the day is yours. Bordeaux is flat and walkable, and the old centre runs along the Garonne. You might follow the riverfront through the UNESCO listed Port of the Moon, stop at the 18th century façades of the Place de la Bourse and the water mirror opposite, then wander the narrow lanes of the Saint-Pierre quarter. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal may offer the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.

This morning after breakfast you head east out of the city for the Saint-Émilion Wine Discovery, a half day small group tour into one of the oldest wine districts in France. Saint-Émilion is a UNESCO listed village of limestone houses built above a network of old quarry caves, with the vineyards running up to the edge of the streets. You visit a working château, taste its Merlot based wines and hear how the classification here works, then return to Bordeaux around the middle of the day. The afternoon and evening are at leisure. The Cathédrale Saint-André and the Tour Pey-Berland bell tower are a short walk from the centre, and the Jardin Public is a quiet place to sit if you would rather not walk far. Inspiring Highlights Saint-Émilion - UNESCO listed village visit Saint-Émilion - château visit and wine tasting Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

After breakfast you set off on a full day small group tour of the Médoc, the band of gravel vineyards running north from Bordeaux along the left bank of the Gironde estuary. This is the home of the 1855 classification and of some of the best known names in French wine. The day follows the Route des Châteaux through the appellations of Margaux, Saint-Julien and Pauillac, with guided visits and tastings at the estates along the way. You return to Bordeaux at the end of the afternoon, with the evening at leisure. Inspiring Highlights Médoc - Route des Châteaux through Margaux, Saint-Julien and Pauillac Médoc - guided château visits and Grand Cru wine tastings Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

After breakfast you check out and make your way to Bordeaux Saint-Jean station for the train east to Sarlat-la-Canéda. The journey takes about three hours and normally involves one change, with the countryside opening out into the woods and river valleys of the Dordogne. Sarlat is the main town of the Périgord Noir, and its old quarter came through the last few centuries largely untouched, so the medieval and Renaissance buildings still stand in honey coloured sandstone along lanes closed to traffic. The town is also the centre of the local trade in truffles, walnuts and foie gras. The rest of the afternoon and the evening are at leisure to find your way around the old town. Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.You carry your own luggage on the train and between the stations and your hotels.

After breakfast you join a small group for the Sarlat Gourmet Walking Tour, a walk through the old town with stops to taste the specialities of the Périgord. Sample regional specialities such as foie gras, walnuts and walnut oil, local cheeses and a glass of regional wine, with your guide filling in the history behind the sandstone façades as you go. The walk finishes before lunch and the rest of the day is yours. Sarlat holds its market in and around the Place de la Liberté on a Wednesday, so if your walk falls on that day the produce stalls run right through the old streets. The evening is at leisure. Inspiring Highlights Sarlat - gourmet walking tour of the medieval old town Sarlat - tastings of Périgord foie gras, walnuts and cheeses Special Information The old town is cobbled, uneven and slopes in places. Sturdy walking shoes are recommended.

Today is free in Sarlat. There is more to the old town than the main streets: the Présidial garden and the Jardin du Plantier both give views out over the rooftops, the Lanterne des Morts stands on the slope above the town, and the shops along Rue de la République are where local walnut, truffle and foie gras producers sell direct. If you would rather see more of the region, optional excursions can be arranged locally. Within reach of Sarlat are clifftop villages, several châteaux, river trips by traditional gabarre boat, and the prehistoric cave paintings of the Vézère valley. The evening is at leisure.

After breakfast you check out and make your way back to Sarlat-la-Canéda station for the train to Bordeaux, arriving in the afternoon for your final night. The rest of the day is at leisure. If you have not been out to Bacalan, the Cité du Vin sits on the river north of the centre and tickets are sold on the day. Closer in, the Chartrons quarter still has the warehouses and merchant houses of the old wine trade, and Rue Sainte-Catherine runs most of the way through the city for anything left on the shopping list. The evening is at leisure. Special Information Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.You carry your own luggage on the train and between the station and your hotel.

After breakfast you check out and make your way to Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport for your onward flight. Thank you for travelling with Inspiring Vacations. We hope you had a memorable experience. Special Information Airport transfers are not included. Our transfer portal offers the option to book your airport transfers for an easier arrival experience (additional charges apply). Access to this portal will be available through your Traveller Hub once your booking is confirmed.