European Classic Cruise - Bordeaux

Guests are met in Bordeaux and transferred by private chauffeured minibus to Rosa. Following a champagne welcome, there is time for a stroll before returning for your first dinner on board.

Morning cruise to Serignac-sur-Garonne, where you will cross the Plan Canal d’Agen, one of the longest aqueducts in France which spans the River Garonne. After lunch, you will be able to visit the medieval town of Nerac and tread in the footsteps of King of France Henry IV and Queen Margot. The château was built in the 15th century, but much was destroyed during the French Revolution and today only the impressive north wing remains. Finally, you will stop at the Lapeyrade Estate for a cellar tasting of Armagnac, the oldest alcohol in France. Dinner on board.

This morning, you will depart early to enjoy the colorful market of Aiguillon and then cruise to our mooring at Buzet-sur-Baise, a pretty fortified village with pastel-colored houses. After lunch you will head to the 13th-century bastide village of Vianne and see a skilled glassblower at work, then en route back to the barge, you will visit the cork museum at Mezin to learn about the history of cork-making. In the evening you can go to Barbaste with its fortified mill, protected by four square towers, and the nearby 12th-century bridge with its 12 curved arches. Dinner ashore at ‘Le Moulin des Saveurs’, a local auberge in Barbaste.

You will start the day with a relaxing cruise to the lovely little village of Le Mas d’Agenais, with time to walk or cycle the towpath through the stunning countryside. This afternoon you will visit a cheese workshop to see the different stages of manufactured cheese and enjoy a tasting of goats’ cheeses, including some flavored with ash and chili. On the way back to the hotel barge you will visit the Romanesque Church containing an original masterpiece by Rembrandt. Dinner on board.

Morning cruise to the village of Meilhan-sur-Garonne with a view over the valley of the Garonne. In the afternoon, you will visit the 14th-century Château de Duras, an architectural wonder, which has been both a fortress and a stately home over its 900-year history.  You can wander through its 35 rooms and museum before returning to the hotel barge. Dinner on board.

Today, your final cruise is to Castet-en-Dorthe, following the nearby River Garonne. In the afternoon you will visit the medieval town of Saint Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage site and center of the most famous of the Bordeaux appellations. Later, we stop at Château Beau-Sejour-Becot, producer of the premier and grand crus wines, where you can discover the secrets of the vine and, of course, enjoy a tasting.  Captain’s Farewell Dinner on board.

After breakfast, guests are transferred by private chauffeured minibus to their choice of location in Bordeaux.