Day 1

PARIS
Arrival at PARIS airport and transfer to hotel.

 

Day 2

PARIS
Guided tour of Paris, city of history, and its magnificent monuments: the Champs-Elysees, Arc de Triomphe, Grands Boulevards, Opera, Concorde, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Hotel de Ville, Notre-Dame Cathedral... Lunch. Boarding for a river cruise, with commentary down the Seine to see Paris' most famous bridges: Pont Alexandre III, Pont de la Concorde, Pont Neuf, and also the Grand Palais, Petit Palais, Orangerie, Orsay Museum, the Louvre, Notre-Dame. Free time and overnight stay.

 

Day 3

PARIS – TOURS (240km/2h40min) – SAUMUR (75km/1h)
Departure for ORLEANS, TOURS. Tour of the town, a classified Town of Art and History,  bearing witness to a prestigious past where the passing of different eras and styles has left a rich and precious heritage. You continue on to SAUMUR, nicknamed the 'Pearl of Anjou', for a tour of a regional wine cellar and a tasting session. Then a panoramic tour of the town centre: the banks of the Loire, the castle, the famous Cadre Noir. Free time, overnight stay.

 

Day 4

SAUMUR – ANGERS (67km/45min) – NANTES (91km/1h)
Continue on to ANGERS, following the banks of the Loire. Guided tour of the city and its castle. Built by Saint Louis around 1230, this imposing fortress (2000 m2) flanked by 17 towers offers an astonishing panoramic view of the Maine and the town. Inside the ramparts, discover the 106-meter long Apocalypse Tapestry, displayed in a specially designed museographic area. Guided tour of Cointreau Museum followed by a tasting session. Cointreau is a liqueur made by the distillation of sweet and bitter oranges. Discover how Cointreau has become a world success brand over the last 150 years by following the educational and cultural tour. On to NANTES, free time, and overnight stay.

 

Day 5

NANTES - LA ROCHELLE (145/1h50min) – BORDEAUX (200km/2h)
Breakfast. Panoramic tour of the major architectural accomplishments and monuments of Nantes: Saint Peter Cathedral, the 'Chateau des Dues de Bretagne', Hotel de Ville, Graslin Theatre,  Palais de la Bourse... You carry on to LA ROCHELLE. Free time to enjoy the pretty town centre and the port.. Departure for ROCHEFORT and SAINTES, then stop at COGNAC for a tour of the cellars of this famous liqueur, followed by a tasting session. Arrival in the evening in BORDEAUX, and overnight stay.

 

Day 6

BORDEAUX - SAINT-EMILION (42km/1h) – BORDEAUX 
Guided tour of old Bordeaux between the districts of Les Chartrons and Saint-Michel, with some 5000 buildings from the 18"' century. Visit the Church of Notre-Dame, Grand Theatre, Place de la Bourse (former 18,h century Royal Square), Saint-Pierre district, Cailhau Gate, Chartrons. Departure for SAINT-EMILION and discovery of this medieval town whose vineyards and countryside are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Tour of a regional wine cellar and tasting session. Return to BORDEAUX and overnight stay.

 

Day 7

BORDEAUX - LE MEDOC (35km/50min)
Departure for LISTRAC-MElDOC, arrival at Cap Leon Veyrin Chateau, a Cru Bourgeois Superieur classified estate, and guided tour of the cellars and barrels. Tasting of different wines from the vineyard with bread and cheese. Departure for a guided tour along the Route des Chateaux du Medoc with an explanation of crus, classifications and information about the different villages you go through: LISTRAC, MOULIS, MARGAUX,  CLISSAC-FORT-MEDOC,  SAINT-JULIEN,  PAUILLAC, etc. Return to BORDEAUX, free time. Overnight stay.

 

Day 8

BORDEAUX
Breakfast then transfer airport.