Châteaux, Rivers & Wine!

JUNE 22 2025 - JUNE 29 2025

Discover the ports, vineyards, farms and forests of Aquitaine, once Europe’s richest kingdom. See Bordeaux’s fountains and cellars. Hunt for truffles in Périgord, and create your own personal blend of Cognac at the Camus distillery. Savor France’s finest oysters fresh from the bay at Arcachon. Sip Saint-Émilion, Médoc and Sauternes in their own “terroir” on an 8-day cruise through Bordeaux—a region synonymous with fine wine and finer living.

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What’s Included:

• One complimentary landing or shore excursion in every port of call

• Premium Freyja® toiletries

• Beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner

• Plush robes & slippers

• Visits to UNESCO Sites

• 24-hour specialty coffees, teas  & bottled water

• Private bathroom with shower, heated floor & anti-fog mirror

• Free Wi-Fi

Itinerary

Day 1 Bordeaux, France

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Capital of the Aquitaine region, Bordeaux is celebrated for its thoughtfully preserved 18th-century architecture. Together, its glorious buildings, many of them built on the wine trade, comprise the world’s largest urban UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, honoured as a City of Art and History, Bordeaux is a “Little Paris” of beautiful boulevards, Gothic and baroque churches, and lovely parks and gardens.

Day 2 Dordogne River, France

Behind the tree-lined shores that you drift past, vast vineyards stretch into this peaceful and pastoral region, leading to sylvan forests harbouring secret stashes of truffles and thriving farms. Occasional castles and grand manses peer out from behind hedgerows along the Dordogne.

Libourne, France

This evening, dock in Libourne, where you will enjoy your overnight stay. Built as a fortified town intended to help colonize the wilderness areas of southwestern France, Libourne has hugged the confluence of the Dordogne and Isle Rivers since 1270.Today, Libourne enjoys a respected status as a wine-making capital of northern Gironde and hosts one of the area’s largest fresh food markets.

Shore Excursions:

Tour of Bordeaux

Bassins de Lumières: Sound and Light Show

Libourne Walking tour

Day 3 Saint-Émilion, France

Saint-Émilion rests on the rolling hills of the Gironde department. Its vineyards, originally planted by Romans in the 2nd century, rank among the world’s finest. For its remarkable blend of medieval ruins and Romanesque churches in a medieval atmosphere, the entire town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shore Excursions:

Saint- Émilion walking tour

Truffle hunting & Tasting 

Historic Saint-Émilion & Château Vineyard visit 

Day 4- Bourg, France 

The village of Bourg reclines along the Gironde, just beyond the confluence of the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers. Perched on a rocky slope and encircled by medieval walls, it has always had a clear view of ships, friend or foe, heading toward Bordeaux.. Pleasant strolls unfold at every corner, from the picturesque alleyways that tumble down to the harbour to the ancient King’s Staircase that provided the royals with quick access to the water. 

Blaye, France

Blaye boasts an extraordinary 17th-century citadel, dramatically set on a rock along the river. The sprawling fortress was built on the orders of King Louis XIV to protect Bordeaux, upstream on the Garonne River. The citadel, its city walls and two nearby forts comprise a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Shore excursions:

Bourg and Gironde by E-Bike

Blaye walking tour and Citadel

Day 5 Médoc & Margaux Wine Country, france

Cussac-Fort-Médoc is a gateway to the Médoc wine country, home to the famed wine growing villages of Pauillac, Margaux, Saint-Estèphe and Saint-Julien. Collectively, they produce some of the world’s most prestigious wines with four of the five Premier cru classé hailing from the Médoc region; Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton Rothschild. In addition, there are 60 Grand cru classé vineyards and many more incredible wineries, each offering insight into their rich winemaking heritage that has been passed on for generations.

Shore Excursions:

Wine Tasting & Dinner at Chateau Kirwan

Visit to French Coopers and Winemakers

Day 6 Bordeaux, France - Scenic sailing: Garonne River, France

Though its name may not be familiar, the Garonne River is among the most beloved waterways in the world of wine lovers. As you sail its languid waters, gaze upon gentle hills laden with vineyards and riverside outcroppings. Sleepy French villages set the tone of life along the Garonne, where a slow pace and gentle patience serve the wine-growing industry.

Shore Excursions:

Sample Oysters in Arcachon

Le Marché des Capucins

Wines of Bordeaux Masterclass

Day 7 Cadillac, France 

Cadillac was built as a fortified town to protect Bordeaux. Its mighty towers gave watchmen a clear view of the Garonne. This charming town and its 17th-century castle retain much of their old-world charm. Cadillac’s locale on the waterway further gave it a central commercial role in the trade route to and from Spain. 

Scenic sailing: Garonne, France

Set sail through the heart of the Bordeaux wine region as you journey along the Garonne River. Famous for its distinct color—the result of sediment-rich freshwater from its origins high in the Pyrenees Mountains mixing with the salty seawater of the Gironde estuary.

Shore Excursions:

Cadillac walking tour and Wine Tasting

Day 8 Bordeaux, France

Disembark your ship and transfer to the airport for your charter flight. Bid farewell to your fellow travellers and journey home from Bordeaux. We're here to assist you with all of your flights or pre- and post-stay arrangements! Wherever your travels take you, let us know, and we'll arrange the trip of your dreams.