Wine & Gastronomy

LOIRE VALLEY – ATLANTIC COAST – BORDEAUX REGION

8 days/ 7 nights from Paris to Paris

DEPARTURES: Saturdays 14 April / 30 June / 29 September 2012

$2299 per person

Saturday: PARIS – CHARTRES – ANGERS

Meeting with your guide at your hotel in Paris and coach Transfer to Chartres for a visit of the famous Cathedral With its wonderful stained glass windows.

Free time in the old streets.

Continuation to Angers for a visit 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.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Sunday: ANGERS – SAUMUR

Breakfast. In the morning, visit of Angers 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 River and the town. Inside the ramparts discover the 106 metres long Apocalypse Tapestry, displayed in a specially designed museographic area. Free time.

Departure to Saumur, nicknamed the “Pearl of Anjou”, for a visit of a wine cellar and a mushrooms culture.

Typical dinner in a troglodyte restaurant (cave-dweller) to taste the local specialties.

Return to Angers and overnight stay.

Monday: NANTES – GUERANDE – LA BAULE

Breakfast. Departure for Nantes to explore the city renowned for its famous LU biscuit before tasting the wine of this region.

Continuation to La Baule to see its beautiful sandy beach, Guérande to discover the medieval town and the salt marshes of this region. You will learn how the famous Guérande salt is made.

Return to Nantes

Dinner and overnight stay.

Tuesday: LA ROCHELLE – COGNAC – BORDEAUX

Breakfast. Departure for La Rochelle for a visit of this pretty town: the old fortified port, the hidden streets lined with arcades, the ancient wooden houses and stately mansions…

Free time.

Continuation to Rochefort, Saintes, and then stop at Cognac for a visit of the cellars of this famous brandy followed by a tasting session.

Arrival in the evening in Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine and the sixth biggest French port.

Dinner and overnight stay.

Wednesday: BORDEAUX – SAINT-EMILION

Breakfast. Visit of old Bordeaux (UNESCO World Heritage site) between the districts of Les Chartrons and Saint-Michel, with some 5000 buildings from the 18th century. Discover the Church of Notre-Dame, Grand Théâtre, Place de la Bourse (former Royal Square), Saint-Pierre district, Cailhau Gate, Chartrons…

Free time.

Departure for Saint-Emilion and discovery of this medieval town which vineyards and countryside are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Visit of a cellar followed by a wine tasting.

Return to Bordeaux

Dinner and overnight stay.

Thursday: BORDEAUX – LE MEDOC

Breakfast. Departure for Listrac-Medoc, arrival at Cap Léon Veyrin Château, a Cru Bourgeois Supérieur classified estate, and visit of the cellars. You will also taste different wines from the vineyard accompanied with bread and cheese.

Lunch on the estate (drinks included).

Departure for a tour along the Route des Châteaux du Médoc 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,

Dinner and overnight stay.

Friday: POITIERS – TOURS

Breakfast. Departure for Poitiers, panoramic tour of the city and free time in the medieval districts.

Continuation to Tours, 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, for a visit of the town and a regional cellar followed by a wine tasting.

Transfer to your hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Saturday: TOURS – ORLEANS – PARIS

Breakfast. Departure for Orleans, the capital of the Centre region, visit of the town: the Cathedral, the old streets and Classical façades…

Free time.

In the afternoon, transfer to your hotel in Paris.

End of our services.

INCLUDED:

- Transport in a luxury long-distance coach

- 3/4* hotel accommodation in a double or twin shared room (7 nights)

- 7 dinners

- Breakfast daily

- 1 lunch with drinks on Thursday