Bordeaux Tour Itinerary : 6 Day Tour

Best Adventures in Bordeaux

Detailed Day-by-Day Bordeaux Tour Itinerary

Tours That Feel Like Traveling With Friends!

Imagine yourself strolling through sun-drenched vineyards, the air filled with the rich aromas of ripe grapes and nature’s bounty. This dream becomes your reality on our exclusive 6-day, 5-night tour through the stunning landscapes of Bordeaux, Arcachon, and Saint Emilion.

Join a small, intimate group of fellow wine and food enthusiasts as we delve into the heart of one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions. As wine industry insiders, our exclusive access to private winery tours, VIP tastings and workshops unavailable to the public becomes your norm. Experience Bordeaux at its finest—especially during the magical harvest season during our fall tours—when the vineyards come alive with activity and anticipation.

Each day begins with a hearty breakfast, fueling you for the adventures ahead. Lace up your walking shoes and immerse yourself in the authentic Bordelais lifestyle. Wander through historic Bordeaux, uncover the secrets of the charming village of Saint Emilion, and breathe in the coastal breezes of Arcachon during our private outing aboard a traditional Pinasse. Along the way, you’ll explore vineyard trails, savor the taste of perfectly ripened varietals, and marvel at the breathtaking landscapes surrounding you.

One of the highlights of our journey is a hands-on cooking experience with a renowned local cookbook author and Christy’s personal friend at his family home. Together, we’ll prepare exquisite Bordelaise dishes, sharing stories and laughter as we indulge in the region’s flavors. Our Bordeaux tour is more than a tour; it’s immersive and filled with personalized opportunities with local French friends to connect with the culture, cuisine, and people of Bordeaux in a way that will leave a lasting impression long after your return home.

Let the magic of Bordeaux captivate you and create memories that will linger in your heart. Book your tour today and discover a side of Bordeaux that few experience. Your adventure awaits!

Day 1 –Bordeaux tour itinerary begins – D

ARRIVAL IN BORDEAUX. Meet and greet by your tour guides at 3 pm at Bordeaux St. Jean Rail Station. We transfer to our boutique hotel in the historic center of Bordeaux – Hotel Indigo Bordeaux – Centre Chartrons. Our boutique hotel serves as our home base for the entire tour (NO Hotel Hopping – Unpack once for the entire tour).

DINNER: Welcome aperitif (cocktail hour) and dinner, a first taste of local “Bordelaise” gourmet cuisine together at one of the best kept secrets in Bordeaux.

Roundtrip transfers on Day 1 and Day 6 of the tour :

TOUR BEGINS:  Group transfer at 3 pm from Bordeaux Saint Jean rail station, Bordeaux, France.

TOUR ENDS:  Group transfer at 10 am to Bordeaux Saint Jean rail station, Bordeaux, France.

Day 2 – Day in Saint Emilion :  winery tour and tasting, participate in a  hands-on wine blending workshop – Create your own personalized wine, hosted lunch at a “1er Grand Cru” classified wine-producer’s estate overlooking the vineyards, cultural walk of through the vineyards into Saint Emilion village (non-walkers – shuttle into the village), leisure time – B, L

BREAKFAST.

About SAINT EMILION : Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans, and intensified in the Middle Ages. The Saint Emilion area benefited from its location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Many churches, monasteries and hospices were built from the 11th century onwards. It was granted the special status of a “jurisdiction” during the period of English rule in the 12th century. It is an exceptional landscape devoted entirely to wine-growing, with many fine historic monuments, artisan, craft and wine shops and a photogenic pedestrian village to discover.

MORNING –  Today we embark to discover the historic vineyards of the Saint Emilion jurisdiction.

We’ll tour & taste at one of the great estates of the jurisdiction near Petrus where we are invited to try our hand at being a “maitre de chais” (cellar master). Our visit here is an immersive one. We will participate in a 2-hour wine blending workshop composing a wine by blending the grape varieties from the estate’s vineyards. Everyone leaves with half bottle of their personal creation.

LUNCH – A gourmet lunch together at our favorite 1er Grand Cru Classé wine producer’s estate overlooking Saint Emilion and its’ spectacular vineyards

AFTERNOON:  We’ll take a short walk through the vineyards into Saint Emilion and enjoy some leisure time in the village before returning to the hotel in Bordeaux. For non-walkers: shuttle to the village with one of our team members for free time to explore the village.

WALKING RATING for Saint Emilion Day : For WALKERS: All walking today is rated EASY. Ideal for those who walk on a regular basis. Walking on a paths in and outside of the village. Approximately 1 hour of walking with pauses for photo-ops. For NON-WALKERS: Shuttle to the village and enjoy exploring the boutiques and historic highlights in the village.

Late afternoon return to our hotel in Bordeaux.

DINNER: Independently in Bordeaux dining at one of the fabulous restaurants in town or along the river bank. Your guides will be happy to share recommendations.

Day 3 – A Culinary delights cooking class at home in Sauternes and winery tour with a wine & cheese pairing experience at the Oenology school that is also a Grand Cru classé wine producer – B, L

BREAKFAST. MORNING – We head to the Sauternais for a full day of culinary experiences! We begin our day at my dear friend Chef Antoine’s family home. Antoine is a Master Chef, Cookbook Author, and former culinary professor.

Under his professional guidance we’ll follow the traditional steps of preparing local cuisine together in the family kitchen. We will prepare a multi-course meal of “Bordelaise” recipes.

Afterwards, enjoy the mid-day “aperitif” also known as pre-lunch cocktails with Antoine and his family.

LUNCH:  A traditional “Bordelais” lunch with Antoine. Lunch is accompanied by Antoine’s professional selection of classified wines from his private cellar and the vineyards of his local friends.

AFTERNOON – A WINERY TOUR & TASTING OUR SELECT GRAND CRU PRODUCER. We wind our way through the countryside of the Sauternais onward to our winery tour and immersive wine tasting & cheese pairing experience at the famous French Oenology school (Wine School); an 1855 Grand Cru Classé wine producer and teaching school.

There is a sunny magic in these bottles, and the more the wine ages, the more golden its appearance. It is wondrous that such prized wine comes from grapes that in any other appellation would be considered only fit for discarding.

LATE AFTERNOON – Return to the hotel.

DINNER: Independently in Bordeaux this evening. Your guides will be happy to share recommendations.

Day 4 – Arcachon basin, french pinasse cruise to cap ferret, foodie tastings, gourmet seaside lunch at the pilat dune overlooking the Arcachon Basin, cultural walk of ville d’hiver, leisure time – B, L

BREAKFAST.

Bordeaux Tour Itinerary features a DAY IN ARCACHON – Arcachon is a seaside town in south of Bordeaux known for oyster harvesting. Its 4 districts are named after the seasons of the year — The Ville d’Été (summer quarter) is home to shopping streets, the town’s sandy main beach and a casino in the 19th-century Château Deganne. Ville d’Hiver (winter quarter) has extravagant 19th-century villas of spectacular architecture and a unique history.

MORNING –  We embark on a 2-hour cruise on a traditional French Pinasse discovering the Bassin d’Arcachon accompanied by foodie tastings with wine & Champagne. **Exceptional photo-ops this morning. The Arcachon Basin vistas and Pilat Dune will leave you speechless!

PILAT DUNE – At its southern entrance from the Atlantic Ocean, Arcachon Bay is crowned by Europe’s largest sand dune that is nearly 3 kilometers (1.9 miles) long, 500 meters (1,600 feet) wide, stands 110 meters (360 feet) in height, and is moving inland at a rate of about 5 meters (16 feet) a year.

At the begining of the 19th century Arcachon was still just a small fishing village. The ville d’été started growing up principally as a place of healing where sick people could take in the sea air as part of their recovery process. From 1860 the Ville d’hiver with improved transport developed train links to Bordeaux and Paris. The sea air and the pine forests were found to as beneficial as the mountain air and as Arcachon is in a bay it is protected from the strong winds of the rest of the Atlantic coast. A group of business men, and in particular the Pereire brothers, and the owners of the railway line between Bordeaux and La Teste came up with the idea of extending the line to Arcachon and developing Arcachon as a winter resort. When Napolean III came to visit, Arcachon’s success was assured. Alexandre Dumas lived in Arcachon for a while and Toulouse-Lautrec had a house on the sea-front.

LUNCH –  A gourmet seaside lunch at the Pilat Dune overlooking the Bassin d’Arcachon.

AFTERNOON – A short culturual walk of the “Ville d’Hiver” quarter of Arcachon followed by leisure time to explore the town.

WALKING RATING for Arcachon Day : The afternoon Arcachon cultural walk is rated EASY. Ideal for those who walk on a regular basis. Walking on a defined path in town and through the park. Approximately 1 hour of leisure walking with pauses for photo-ops.

LATE AFTERNOON – Return to the hotel. Your guides will be happy to share recommendations.

DINNER: Independent dinner this evening.

Day 5– An Immersive Experience in the Graves Appellation at our favorite 1er Grand Cru Classe wine producer, Afternoon at leisure in Bordeaux, Evening Aperitif and A “Creme-de-la-Creme” Farewell Dinner that will knock your socks off – B, D

BREAKFAST.

MORNING – We head to the Graves wine producing area for a morning wine experience! We begin with a tour of this family owned 1er Grand Cru Classé wine producing estate, and conclude with a VIP tasting accompanied by select local cheeses perfectly paired with their wines.

LUNCH – Independently back in Bordeaux.

AFTERNOON – At leisure to pursue personal interests, to visit the Cité du vin and/or other museums in town, and to finish any souvenir shopping.

EVENING & DINNER :  Our farewell dinner is a voyage “à travers la cuisine” unlike any other by our one and only, our very own hometown chef welcomed as friends at his restaurant.

Day 6 – Bordeaux tour itinerary concludes – B

Tour Conclusion, Group Departure – B

BREAKFAST.

Transfer to St. Jean Rail Station in downtown Bordeaux at 10 am. Earlier and later departures can be organized on request. Please contact us for details.

Roundtrip transfers on Day 1 and Day 6 of the tour :

TOUR BEGINS:  Group transfer at 3 pm from Bordeaux Saint Jean rail station, Bordeaux, France.

TOUR ENDS:  Group transfer at 10 am to Bordeaux Saint Jean rail station, Bordeaux, France.

BORDEAUX Walking :

Designed for the interests of and to appeal to BOTH WALKERS & NON-WALKERS alike — the Active and Occasional Walker and travelers of all ability levels. This tour is not suitable for anyone with serious mobility issues that would prevent him/her from enjoying daily leisure walking. NON-walkers: Shuttle to villages and visits.

(B) = Breakfast Included, (L) = Lunch Included, (D) = Dinner Included