The most ideal time to travel to the region is during the harvest months of September and October, as the summer heat is waning. The mostly sunny days and pleasant temperatures make it a very comfortable time for a cruise of southern France.
While the summer months of May to August also offer travelers a good Bordeaux cruise experience, keep in mind that temperatures can be higher.
At a Glance
Busy season: May-October (peaks in September & October)
Shoulder season: March-April, November
Avoid: December-February
Explore the historic cities and towns of the Bordeaux region
Although metropolitan Bordeaux is a new addition to the European river cruise scene, it’s quickly gaining popularity among wine aficionados. Almost all river cruises in the continent will have some elements of wine tasting, but those in the Bordeaux region will include vineyard tours and visits to the chateaus which produce some of the world’s most famous vintages.
As local cuisine and wine are the central attractions on a Bordeaux cruise, traveling at the right time is paramount for an enjoyable experience. September and October are ideal for wine tasting, since this is when wineries have their harvests. Many cruises also include biking and walking tour opportunities, making it even more important to plan your trip during one of France’s nicer seasons. Spring and late summer offer mild temperatures and pleasant weather.
Couple raising glasses with wine (Victoria Arteaga)
Once winter sets in December, temperatures drops fairly quickly and stay low throughout the end of February. When booking your cruise, you’ll find that the last cruises of the season depart in mid-November, while the first cruises of the year begin in late March or early April.
Need help in planning your Bordeaux travels? Contact our Adventure Life travel experts to assist you in finding the best time for river cruises in France.
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
1 day ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
