Enjoy a Panoramic tour of Bordeaux with live commentaries by your driver / guide then reach One of Our Favorite Villages and tastes some of our Favorite Wines on this private full day trip from Bordeaux.
Pick up at your accommodation in Bordeaux
This morning, we will come and pick you up at your hotel or accommodation in Bordeaux.
Meet your English speaking driver/guide who is a local Export on Bordeaux and its wines
Meet your English speaking guide who is an expert on Bordeaux and its Wines. Your driver / guide is also a certified guide which means that he or she is licensed to conduct tours in historical villages such as Saint Emilion and has access to monuments and museums that are not accessible to those that do not possess this licence.
Once you have met your guide, he/she will go over the program and itinerary of the day with you. Then, board your comfortable, spacious Mercedes minivan and begin your panoramic tour of Bordeaux. Then, make your way to the Saint Emilion wine producing region.
Travel in a spacious Mercedes Minivan
Your private panoramic tour of Bordeaux and Saint Emilion will take place in one of our very spacious Mercedes Minivans. This vehicle can take up to 8 persons normally but on this occasion, the vehicle will only be for you. This allows you to choose the seat that you think best in terms of social distancing while still enjoying the information passed on by your guide.
Begin with a panoramic tour of Bordeaux
After being picked up by your driver/guide, your panoramic tour of Bordeaux can begin. Comfortably seated in one of our spacious vehicles that have large windows, discover one of the most beautiful cities of France in a relaxing way.
All our vehicles are equipped with an on board P/A system that allows our guides to make commentaries during driving time. As you drive along the large boulevards, your guide will talk to you about the history of Bordeaux and point out all the major monuments and sites that one must see.
During one of our exclusive panoramic tours of Bordeaux there are locations that cannot be missed and your driver/guide will certainly include the following highlights: drive next to Saint Andrews Cathedral, the most majestic of all of Bordeaux's churches. Construction dates back to the 11th / 12th centuries and modifications were done in the 15th century.
Recently renovated, the Cathedral seems brand new with the vivid color of its honey-colored limestone. As you pass by, your guide will certainly point out the Pey Berland Tower that supports the statue of Our Lady of Aquitaine.
From there, reach the historical part of Bordeaux that offers an exceptional architectural ensemble with more than 5,000 buildings that date back to the 18th century. You will certainly admire the façades that resemble those of Paris and which have given to Bordeaux one of its nicknames - the Little Paris. From there, reach the delightful square of the Old Stock Exchange, known as Place de La Bourse.
Built in the mid 1700's the square is surrounded by two buildings on each side and faces the famous Water Mirror that reflects the elegant 18th century façade. As you drive along the Garonne River Front, reach the Chartrons district where the old port warehouses used to be located. This will probably be the moment when your guide will take some time to go over the wine history of Bordeaux with you.
Finally, arrive in front of the Cité du Vin wine museum. Designed by Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières, the building reminds of wine swirling into a glass. This very modern museum is composed of 19 interactive and sensorial displays that explain wine growing and winemaking around the world. The interactive tour has been designed to please both novice and wine connoisseurs and the entrance ticket includes a wine tasting on its panoramic platform.
Depart from Bordeaux and reach the Right Bank Wine Region
After your panoramic tour, a short drive in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan brings you out of the city to the picturesque countryside plains and rolling hills of the right bank wine producing area. This is the heart of Bordeaux’s famous wine region, where many vineyards carry the Saint Emilion AOC designation. Each of these local wineries produce vintages with distinct soil features backed by a long winemaking heritage.
Your first major stop will be in one of the local estates for a visit and wine tasting at a Grand Cru Chateau. Here, we have scheduled an appointment for you. You will be greeted at the Chateau and will get to tour and taste different vintages in this carefully selected domain.
The wines are a blend of Merlot grapes with deep, bold flavors, along with other local grape varieties, especially Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser degree, Cabernet Sauvignon. A local guide of the winery will reveal all the steps in the wine production process for you, as well as share some historical details about the estate.
Your Ophorus guide will be with you during the visit so don't hesitate to ask any questions. All our driver/guides have great knowledge about wines and they will be happy to share any basic or more technical information concerning French or Bordeaux Wines. Whether you have questions about history, technique, flavors, aromas, food & wine pairings don't hesitate to ask them anything that relates to wine to make this half day a very special one.
Then visit a most charming village
Following your wine tasting session, your tour continues with a guided walking tour of the eponymous village. Stroll through the quaint, cobbled streets of this medieval town, while your tour guide recounts local history, from the days of the 8th century hermit Emilion, to the 19th century mining galleries, which still lie beneath the village.
Important historical sites include the Romanesque cloister and the Monolithic church carved into the limestone cliffs, also known as the underground monuments. Since this is a private tour and our guides have a privileged access to this monument, we can organise a private visit of this attraction on your private tour if you are interested in mixing culture & wine.
It is no coincidence that Saint Emilion has been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999. After the walk, enjoy some free time to explore on your own in the village. Why not enter one of the many wine cellars to continue your tasting session? Finally, you will head back to Bordeaux where the tour concludes after having learned a lot about this famous wine producing area.
A famous monk, a cave and centuries of wine making
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Dordogne Valley, the picturesque rooftops and medieval stone buildings of the beautiful village of Saint Emilion are a delight to the eye. A unique microclimate and Saint Emilion's fertile soil made the area a haven of wine making.
This tradition goes back to the later centuries of the Roman Empire. The first vineyards were planted here in the second century AD. In the fourth century, the Roman poet Ausonius already mentioned the delicious grapes of Saint Emilion.
The Legend of Emilian
The first indications of human settlements in the area date back to the Roman Empire, but the story of Saint Emilion starts in the eighth century AD. At that time, a monk from Brittany, fleeing persecution in his hometown of Vannes sought refuge in one of the natural caves near the settlement of Ascum Bas.
Although he lived the simple and secluded life of a hermit, Saint Emilion allegedly performed several miracles from his Aquitaine hideaway. Soon, his renown spread far beyond the town and region, bringing pilgrims and disciples from far afield to visit him. The small settlement grew fast as it became a religious center. After Saint Emilion died, his followers made sure he would be remembered by giving the town of Ascum Bas the new name Saint Emilion.
Much later, monks developed more intensive and widespread vineyards. This is when the reputation for Saint Emilion wines started building towards what it is today. The rich Merlot-based blends of these fertile plains have given local wines a great appeal, and several wines produced in chateaux near Saint Emilion have been given the highest possible awards under the French appellation wine rating system.
