8-Nights Vineyards and Valleys of France from $2,575

Trafalgar

OFFER ID 1720430

Vineyards And Valleys Of France
From Bordeaux and Rocamadour to Sarlat, Lascaux II and the Loire Valley, this tour reveals France through its food, history and architecture. Explore a cliffside pilgrimage site, browse Sarlat’s market, stay at Domaine de Monrecour, visit Chambord and end in Paris, with walking tours, local tastings and time in Bordeaux, Albi, Amboise and the Latin Quarter.

Dining Summary

3 Dinner (D)
8 Breakfast (B)

Must-see Highlights

Discover Paris, Bordeaux, Moissac, Dordogne region, and the Loire Valley
Visit Palais de la Berbie Gardens & Saint-Cecile Cathedral in Alibi, Lascaux II Preshitoric Caves in Lascaux, and Chateau de Chambord.
Scenic Drive through the Dordogne and the Loire Valley

Iconic Experience

Bordeaux: See Bordeaux’s boulevards, squares and 18th-century architecture on an orientation drive through the city. Set on the Garonne River, Bordeaux has long been shaped by trade and winemaking, with a historic center that reflects its place as one of France’s best-known wine capitals.
Bordeaux: Explore Bordeaux with a Local Specialist, from Place des Quinconces, one of Europe’s largest public squares, to the Grand Théatre, built in the 18th century. See Place de la Bourse reflected in the Miroir d’Eau, follow the riverfront to medieval Porte Cailhau, then continue through Saint-Pierre Quarter to Bordeaux Cathedral.
Moissac: Get to know Moissac on an orientation before viewing the UNESCO-listed Abbey of Saint-Pierre, one of the key monastic sites on the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. Known for its Romanesque cloister and richly sculpted portal, the abbey reveals the religious importance and artistic legacy that shaped this part of southwestern France.
Albi: Visit Sainte-Cécile Cathedral, built almost entirely in brick and known as the largest cathedral of its kind in the world. Inside, you’ll see this UNESCO-listed site’s vast scale and decoration reflect the power of the Catholic Church in this part of France, while its fortress-like exterior reveals a very different side of religious architecture.
Albi: Visit the Palais de la Berbie Gardens, laid out beside the former bishops’ palace high above the Tarn River. As you explore these formal gardens, you’ll see how their design, setting and views connect to the power once held here, with a vantage point that also gives you a wider look at Albi and its historic center.
Rocamadour: Explore Rocamadour, the UNESCO-listed village built into the cliff above the Alzou Canyon. As you make your way through its steep streets and religious landmarks, you’ll see why this dramatic hillside setting became one of France’s most important pilgrimage sites and remains one of the best-known places in the Dordogne region.
Sarlat-la-Caneda: Browse Sarlat’s market, where you can see how market shopping still shapes daily life in France. As you move through the stalls, you’ll find local produce and regional specialties sold in the streets and squares of the old town.
Lascaux: Visit Lascaux II and explore the replica caves created to protect the original prehistoric paintings nearby. As you walk through the chambers, you’ll see the animal figures and Paleolithic art that made Lascaux one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe.
Loire Valley: Travel into the Loire Valley, where the Loire River, vineyard landscapes, historic towns and chateau-lined horizons introduce one of France’s best-known regions. As the scenery changes, you’ll get your first look at the valley that became a center of royal power, architecture and court life.
Amboise: Join a Local Specialist to discover the design of the Loire Valley’s largest chateau. Built for Francis I from 1519, Chambord brings you into the scale of French Renaissance architecture and the royal ambition behind one of France’s most recognizable chateaus.
Paris: Join a Local Specialist to discover the hidden squares and secret lanes of Paris.

Be My Guest

Dordogne: Meet the Chambon family at their estate Domaine de Vielcroze in the heart of the Périgord Noir. Hear how they preserve traditional expertise in walnut oil and black truffle cultivation, explore their oil mill, walnut grove and truffle field and learn how to hunt for truffles with the family’s dog. You’ll also sample the estate’s award-winning produce and sit down to a delicious 3-course dinner.

Trafalgar Difference

Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse: Once an agricultural estate, Domaine de Monrecour is now a chateau hotel in Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse. You’ll stay across the chateau and its outbuildings, with 12 hectares of grounds and views towards Chateau des Milandes.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

Amboise: Step into Patisserie Chocolaterie Bigot in Amboise and learn techniques behind French pastry and chocolate-making at a family business founded in 1913. As you discover the skill behind the craft, you’ll get a closer look at how traditional know-how continues to be passed on through generations. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

8 nights from $2,575 per person

Itinerary

Trafalgar Tours: Vineyards and Valleys of France

Day 1 - Welcome to Bordeaux
Arrive in Bordeaux, a city where grand architecture, riverfront views and a deep-rooted food and wine culture set the tone for your journey through France. After meeting your Travel Director and fellow travelers, get your first feel for the city on an orientation drive through its streets and squares. Your introduction leads to Place des Quinconces, one of the largest public squares in Europe, where you’ll pause for dinner and your first taste of the region.
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Bordeaux Centre
Meals: Dinner

Day 2 - Explore the Sights of Bordeaux
With a Local Specialist, explore Bordeaux on foot through the heart of its historic center, from Place des Quinconces to the Grand Théatre, Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d’Eau along the riverfront. Continue past Porte Cailhau, through the Saint-Pierre Quarter and on to Bordeaux Cathedral, uncovering the layers of history that shaped this elegant wine city. The rest of the day is yours to explore Bordeaux your way, whether that means browsing independent boutiques, sampling canelés, visiting the Cité du Vin or settling into a wine bar for a glass of the region’s most famous pour. This evening, you could join an Optional Experience to Saint-Émilion for wine tasting and dinner.
Accommodations: Hilton Garden Inn Bordeaux Centre
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - UNESCO Treasures of Moissac and Albi
Leaving Bordeaux behind, you’ll head into southwestern France and stop in Moissac for an orientation of this historic town on the Tarn. Here, you’ll view the Abbey of Saint-Pierre, a UNESCO-listed site known for its Romanesque cloister and sculpted portal, and for its place on the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela. The journey continues to Albi, where you’ll visit Sainte-Cécile Cathedral and the Palais de la Berbie Gardens overlooking the Tarn River. Later, the evening is yours, or you may choose to join an Optional Experience walking tour and dinner in Cordes-sur-Ciel.
Accommodations: Mercure Albi Rives du Tarn
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Cliffside Rocamadour to Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse
Travel north into the Dordogne, a region known for its river valleys, villages and long history. In Rocamadour, you’ll have time to explore this UNESCO-listed cliffside settlement, known for its pilgrimage heritage and dramatic position above the Alzou Canyon. Continue to Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse and check in to your Stays with Stories experience at Domaine de Monrecour. Relax and enjoy the setting or join an Optional Experience to Chateau des Milandes, once home to Josephine Baker. Your Be My Guest experience this evening takes you to Domaine de Vielcroze in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, where the Chambon family has championed the production of the Périgord walnut and black truffle for generations.
Accommodations: Domaine de Monrecour
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 - Classic French Markets
Head to Sarlat, where market stalls fill the old town with foie gras, walnuts, truffles, duck specialties and other local produce that reflect daily life in the Dordogne. There’s time to explore one of the region’s best-known market towns before continuing to Lascaux II, where prehistoric cave replicas reveal the paintings that changed our understanding of early human life. Back at your hotel, the rest of the day is yours to relax and enjoy the setting, or perhaps join an Optional Experience on the Dordogne River with wine and local tastings.
Accommodations: Domaine de Monrecour
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Through the Dordogne to the Loire Valley
Drive north towards the Loire Valley, with a stop in Argenton-sur-Creuse to stretch your legs and pick up a pastry from a local boulangerie. Often called the Venice of the Berry, this riverside town offers a first look at a quieter side of France before the journey continues to Blois. On arrival, settle in and get to know this Loire Valley town, long linked to French royalty and known for its hillside setting above the Loire River. This evening, you can choose to see Chateau de Blois illuminated, revealing the facade and history of one of the valley’s best-known royal residences.
Accommodations: Novotel Blois Centre Val de Loire
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - Loire Valley’s Chateaux
Visit Chateau de Chambord with a Local Specialist and get to know the scale, design and royal ambition behind the largest chateau in the Loire Valley. Built for Francis I from 1519, Chambord is one of the defining buildings of the French Renaissance. Continue to Amboise, where free time gives you the chance to explore the town and find lunch at your own pace. A MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at Patisserie Chocolaterie Bigot brings you into a long-established Amboise institution, where you’ll learn pastry and chocolate-making techniques rooted in French craft and tradition.
Accommodations: Novotel Blois Centre Val de Loire
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Journey to Paris
Leaving the Loire Valley behind, you’ll continue to Paris, where a Local Specialist introduces the city on a panoramic tour of the French capital. Then it’s on to the Latin Quarter, where free time gives you the chance to explore one of Paris’s oldest districts, known for its bookshops, cafes and student life. Browse the shelves at Shakespeare and Company, stop for coffee on a terrace, peek into the courtyards and passages around the Sorbonne or pick up macarons and chocolates to take with you. Later, join your fellow travelers for dinner on the final evening of your journey through France.
Accommodations: Pullman La Défense
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 9 - Farewell Paris
As your journey through France comes to an end, say goodbye to your Travel Director and fellow travelers and reflect on the places, flavors and stories you’ve discovered along the way.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Loire Valley

Saint-Vincent-de-Cosse

Castelnaud-la-Chapelle

Paris

Blois

Albi

Bordeaux

Surrounding Bordeaux are world-renowned vineyards and châteaux. Visitors from all over the globe come here to learn about the winemaking process - from growing grapes to harvesting, fermenting and bottling these top-quality wines. Here in the wine region the title of château can mean anything from a palatial residence to a basic winery. There are thousands of châteaux that rank from very modest family establishments to large famous properties where grapes are raised, fermented and then matured to produce the area’s famous wines. Visit Rue Ste. Cathérine - a half-mile-long pedestrian street leading through the Old Town’s major shopping area and marking the beginning of the elegant 18th-century city. - and Musée des Beaux Arts -- a museum with a large collection of 17th-century paintings by Flemish, Dutch and Italian masters as well as works by Delacroix.

Excursions

Bordeaux - Gourmet tour - 8 hours

Bordeaux - Cultural tour - 8 hours

“The historic centre of Bordeaux forms an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble, created in the Age of Enlightenment, whose values continued up to the first half of the 20th century, with more protected buildings than any other French city, except Paris. It is also recognized for its historic role as a place of exchange of cultural values over more than 2,000 years, particularly since the 12th century due to commercial links with Britain and the Low Countries.

From its medieval quarters to the Classical splendour of the Golden Age in the 18th Century, you will be able to discover a city emerging from a long face lift of over 5 years of work.

The futuristic tram network established in 2005 is evidence of the dynamism of today’s Bordeaux and the historic heart which has been given back to pedestrians, allow the visitors to discover the principal monuments illustrating the city’s History: the Palais Gallien amphitheatre (4th century), the Saint Seurin Basilica (11th century foundations), the Saint André Cathedral (13th century), the Porte Cailhau and the "Grosse Cloche" ("big bell", 15th century).

The 18th century gave the city its outstanding "Grand Theatre", a national opera house built in 1781, and the Allées de Tourny, as well as the remarkable waterfront buildings and the Place de la Bourse (formerly the Place Royale), a quarter over 4 kilometres in length which serves as the backdrop for the port’s trading activities.

Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light

Package includes

Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
All entrance fees
All tax and Vat

Does not include

- Lunch

- Gratuities

- Travel insurance and personal expenses

Departure dates : all day , all year

Not available on May 1st, January 01st & December 25

Bordeaux -Saint Emilion Wine Tour - 8 hours

In the morning, departure with your English speaking driver guide to Saint Emilion.

Surrounded by its vineyards, the city offers ancient ramparts, monuments and narrow streets. The village and the vineyards have been classed as a World Heritage Site by the Unesco in 1999.

“Grape production was introduced into this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans and was intensified during the Middle Age. The area of Saint-Émilion benefited from its position on the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella and several churches, monasteries and hospices were built there from the XIth century onwards. It was granted its own jurisdictional status during the period of English rule in the XIIth century. This is an exceptional landscape entirely given over to grape-production and whose towns and villages are home to outstanding historic monuments.” (Unesco Cit.)

Centuries after the Latin poet Ausonius, the hermit Emilion found here peace and tranquility, which were necessary for his meditation. He discovered a grotto watered by a natural spring in the rocky centre of what is now the town bearing his name, where he lived until his death.

Private guided tour of the principal sights of the medieval town: the Emilion Hermitage, the Tour du Roy built in the 13th century by Richard the Lion heart, the collegiate church and its 14th century cloister and, above all, the exceptional monolithic church and its catacombs dug out of the limestone cliff between the 9th and the 11th centuries. Its 38 metre span makes it the largest such church in Europe.

Lunch will take place at a restaurant located in the city.

In the afternoon, visit with wine tasting at a Grand Cru Classé Saint Emilion.

Tour Duration:8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light,

Package Includes

Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
All entrance fees & tasting
All tax and Vat

Does not include

- Lunch

- Gratuities

- Travel insurance and personal expenses

Departure dates : all day , all year

May 1st - due to French law, cost double and most of the Wine estate are close

Bordeaux - A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting… - 8 hours

A Wine, a Vintage, a Tasting…

Taste and identify the differences between the great Bordeaux wines, according to the vintage…

Wine experts give a great importance to Vintages. Why is it so important? How to recognize the quality of the vintage? How to guess the vintage? Should we agree or is it a matter of taste? Let us taste 4 vintages from the same wine property and comment. The expert guides you and shares his knowledge while you comment and learn tricks of the trade.

Château Grand Vertical Tasting Workshop

The privilege of tasting 6 great vintages dating back as far as 20 years:

• Château de Ferrand 1988 & 1989

• Château de Ferrand 1998 & 1999

• Château de Ferrand 2008 & 2009

This workshop includes a private tour, an initiation into aromas, a tasting of 6 vintages, and a food/wine pairing with our “Assiette Gourmande”.

Schedule:

09:00am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux

10:00am - First winery tour such as Château Faugères

11:30am - Discover the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. A luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, it is perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards.

The steep and narrow cobblestone streets are lined with remnants of monasteries and convents dating from the 11th to 18th centuries that tell the story of the village. A Unesco World Heritage-inspired scavenger hunt will bring you face to face with the art, wine and stunning landscapes of Saint-Emilion.

12:30pm to 02:00pm - Time to stroll and have lunch

02:30 pm - Wine tasting at Chateau La Dominique

05:00pm - End of the tour

Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,

Package price includes

Transportation: Pick up/drop off at the Port
Day Tour: English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
2 winery visits and vertical workshop

Bordeaux - About Grape Varietals… - 8 hours

Several possibilities based on the theme of grape varietals, be it wine tastings or, practical activities. The great Bordeaux wines will no longer hold any secrets for you.

It's possible to have this activity in any Bordeaux wine appellation!

Wine tasting: Merlot or Cabernet?

There are 2 major top grape varieties in Bordeaux: Cabernet Sauvignon produces Ch. Mouton Rothschild and Merlot Pétrus. Each grape variety taste very different. The terroir and the work carried out by Man can exalt each grape and create amazing Bordeaux wines. During the blind tasting find out which grape has been used in the wine before or after its oak ageing. Merlot or Cabernet?

Theory put in practice:
Blending is an art

Several grape varieties tasting different are available to the wine maker. He/she is an artist making rational or subjective choices in order to elaborate a great wine. Be the wine maker and create your own cuvée but explain your logic first. Does it match? Each group forms a team.

Wine taster & Expert

Learn how to taste wines like a professional with fun. You also learn about the tricks of the trade. Words like single variety, futures, blended wines, bottled wine and ageing wine will have no more secrets for you. While tasting several wines, you may recognize which wine and term match together.

09:00 am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux

10:00 am - First winery tour

12:30pm to 02:00 pm - Time to stroll and have lunch

02:30 pm - Wine tasting separate grapes varieties and then have a blending session

05:00pm - End of the tour

Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light,

Package price includes

Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
2 winery visits
Blending sessions

Bordeaux - Wine Architecture in Saint-Emilion - 8 hours

Modern Temples of Bacchus

To wine lovers everywhere, the grand vintages of the Bordeaux region of France have long been regarded as the true pinnacle of excellence.

The methods and philosophies used in their production have by and large remained true to the old traditions; modern technology however has undeniably played an ever-more important role in recent years.

To add even more significance to this glorious culture of the grape, if that was possible, the past decade has seen some of Europe’s most highly-acclaimed and imaginative architects taking time off from their ground-breaking and spectacular major urban projects to contribute their innovative designs to the cellars and vat rooms of some of the region’s top châteaux.

Discover Architectures / Understand Classification/Discover techniques of wine making and appreciate wine tastings!

09:00 am - Departure from the harbor of Bordeaux

10:00 am - First winery tour such as Château Faugères

11:30 am - Discover the enchanting medieval village of Saint-Emilion, classified by Unesco in 1999. A luminous, ochre-colored jewel built of limestone and Roman roof tiles, it’s perched on a plateau and completely surrounded by a sea of vineyards.

12:30pm to 02:00 pm - Time to stroll and have lunch

02:30 pm - Wine tasting Chateau La Dominique

05:00pm - End of the tour

Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: no
Physical Activity Level: Light,

Package price includes

Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
English speaking driver guide with sedan deluxe car
2 winery visits
Monument tour in Saint-Emilion

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

04/10/2027 - 04/18/2027

from $2,575 per person

04/24/2027 - 05/02/2027

from $2,595 per person

05/08/2027 - 05/16/2027

from $2,650 per person

05/22/2027 - 05/30/2027

from $2,650 per person

06/05/2027 - 06/13/2027

from $2,675 per person

06/19/2027 - 06/27/2027

from $2,650 per person

07/03/2027 - 07/11/2027

from $2,650 per person

07/17/2027 - 07/25/2027

from $2,650 per person

07/31/2027 - 08/08/2027

from $2,625 per person

08/14/2027 - 08/22/2027

from $2,625 per person

08/28/2027 - 09/05/2027

from $2,650 per person

09/11/2027 - 09/19/2027

from $2,625 per person

09/25/2027 - 10/03/2027

from $2,595 per person

10/09/2027 - 10/17/2027

from $2,595 per person

10/23/2027 - 10/31/2027

from $2,595 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $2,575 per person

Length

8 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply. Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1720430

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