Bordeaux
Situated
on the banks of the Garonne, Bordeaux has more than 2000 years
of history to share. The city possesses an exceptional architectural
heritage, notably dating from the XVIIIth century; situated
at the unique environment of vineyards, forest, sea and mountains.
Arriving by the Pont de Pierre, Bordeaux spreads itself out
before you behind a splendid 18th century façade. Set
out all along the "port of the moon", as the Middle
Ages chronicler Froissart called it, its quays are in the same
noble mould as the town itself, making one of the most harmonious
architectural ensembles in Europe. A blossoming trading town
during the Enlightenment through its maritime activity, Bordeaux
today is a paradise for wine. Over centuries, the most prestigious
vintages have passed through here Châteaux Petrus, Haut
Brion, Margaux… For honeymooners, the many squares with
their sunny terraces are just so many reasons to stop and relax.
And when you appetite bids, let yourself be tempted by a good
restaurant and savour the happy alliances of local products
and fine wines.
Chateau
Franc Mayne - Wine tasting at Chateau Franc Mayne,
a Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé wine renowned for its
quality and its famous cellar and underground corridors. Located
on the prestigious hillside of the Côte des francs, Château
Franc-Mayne has a vineyard of 7 uninterrupted hectares, planted
on the old stone quarries in the heart of the Saint-Emilion
appellation.
Château
Mouton Rothschild - Wine tasting at Château Mouton
Rothschild, one of the famous Five “Premier Grand Cru
Classé” of Medoc vintages. It is worldwide renowned
and in addition to the first class wine the vineyard makes,
the magnificent property features one of the most interesting
wine museum in the Bordeaux vineyards area. Certainly one of
the most attractive wine tour for the wine amateurs.
Cooking
class at Chapon Fin - Le Chapon Fin is one of the top
gourmet restaurant in Bordeaux. The Chef is renowned as one
of the best in South West of France and his cooking classes
are very famous. The session lasts one half day and includes
lunch after the lesson.
Medieval
town of Saint-Emilion - There are some architectural
sites which have always seemed, from time immemorial, to blend
in with the surrounding landscape. Saint-Emilion is just such
a jewel of stones, in a natural setting of utmost beauty. This
medieval town stands proudly at the top of the hill overlooking
the worldwide renowned Saint-Emilion vineyards and is the ideal
place for wine tasting and shopping. Built in the form of an
amphitheatre, Saint-Emilion has also a remarkable monolithic
church and its Romanesque monuments and vestiges tucked away
in the back streets seem to defy the passage of time. The stone
is a soft ochre colour, and somehow symbolises the town's spirit.
Vinotherapy
at Les Sources de Caudalie - original and exclusive
skin care based on a harmonious combination of hot natural water
and the health and beauty enhancing properties of grapes and
wines. Treatments include red wine bath, barrel bath, exhilarating
massages, wine and honey wrap, water jet shower, spa bath with
jet stream, Turkish bath, etc. Unique in the world.
Wine
tasting at Château Angelus - Less than a mile
from the famous chapel of Saint-Emilion, Chateau Angelus has
been owned by De Bouärd Laforest family for four generations.
The winery has been named after an old part of vineyards from
where the angelus bell of three different churches could be
simultaneously heard. Worldwide renowned as one of the jewels
in the Saint-Emilion vineyards, this property was classified
Grand Cru Classé in St.Emilion's first classification
in 1954, and it has been growing, both in size and reputation,
ever since. Château Angelus combines the old wine traditions
with modern technologies in order to maintain its quality at
the top of Saint-Emilion vineyards.
Wine
tasting visit at Château Smith Haut Lafitte -
Château Smith Haut Lafitte owes its reputation as the
“most Graves like Graves” to its superb Gunzien
gravel soil. The estate consist of one unbroken 55 hectares
(136 acres) vineyard and its history goes back to the Crusades
(which explains the “fleur de lys” on the label).
In the 18th century, the Scots navigator, George Smith ended
up purchasing the estate. The next owner was M. Duffour-Dubergier,
Mayor of Bordeaux, then, Louis Eschenauer one of the figures
in the local wine trade. In the past seven years, the 16th century
tower and the 18th century “chartreuse” of this
outstanding Château have been completely renovated, two
underground cellars were also transformed, and the current owners
reinstated traditional viticultural practices. The exemplary
quality, the excellent and structured balance of Smith Haut
Lafitte’s red and white great growth wines is worthy of
this total commitment to quality.
Wine
tasting visit at Château Pichon Longueville -
(Grand Cru Classé de Medoc). It was in the 17th century
that Jacques de Pichon, Baron de Longueville, began to put together
the vineyard of Pichon-Longueville, between St-Julien and Pauillac.
The reputation of this wine was established in a few years and
the fame of the domaine equalled that of Latour.
Massage
and balneotherapy at Relais de Margaux - Welcome to
the kingdom of wellbeing and harmony of body and mind. Relais
de Margaux Spa and balneotherapy facility is a veritable haven
of peace, where the windows open on to a natural setting that
is the embodiment of calm and serenity, from the Gironde estuary
to the renowned Margaux vineyards, ideal to escape the modern
world and the stress of your daily life. Our experts will lavish
you with treatments based on knowledge of the body, dietary
balance and the harmony of energies. You will appreciate the
virtues of water and the concentrated marine ingredients of
the Thalgo product line, an inexhaustible source of beauty and
an undisputed standard in the world of balneotherapy for forty
years.
Château
Maucaillou wine Museum - This unique Museum is located
in the heart of the Médoc, in Moulis, opposite the station.
It is housed in the splendid Moulis, cellar and warehouses built
in 1871. The exhibition is open all the year round and is a
real learning experience as regards the winegrowing crafts.
There is a complete inventory of winegrowing material used from
the grape vine to tasting, by way of vineyards cultivation,
cellar work and oenology. Associated crafts such as barrel building,
cork processing and bottle manufacturing are also included,
as well as pictures involving wine and some very unusual objects.
Discover : a bright, shiny horse-drawn sprayer from the
beginning of the century, an impressive winepress reminiscent
of the Middle Ages, etc. See : a beautiful film on how
to make and age wine.
Wine
tasting visit at Château d’Yquem - The
history of Yquem (like its wine) keeps a mystery even today.
If the vineyard has been existing for a long time, the present
castle is rather quite recent (the oldest parts date from the
15th century). In 1993, four hundred years old were celebrated
at Château Yquem. It was on the 8th of December 1593 when
Jacques de Sauvage acquired in tenure simple by an agreement
of exchange of estates "la maison appelée Yquem...",
a Crown's property at that time. In the genealogy of Lur Saluces,
there are three branches to be considered : the "Lur",
the "Saluces", the "Sauvage". The archives
of the Domain allow us to get back in the family's history until
990.
Visit
a foie gras farm - The foie gras is unique, it is the
pearl, the jewel of the gastronomy subtle and fragrant savors
of which already reserve for a long time the biggest sensations
for the palaces of the gastronomes. Antiquity, Egyptians filled
up the gooses with the same gestures as our farmers of the South-West
today. A century before Jesus Christ, they are Romans who, by
maturing them with figs reveal the gustative qualities of their
liver. No more than 2000 years later, MAXIM'’, made to
elaborate the livers fat to SOUILLAC, on the adges of the Dordogne,
among Sarlat and Rocamadour, to the meeting place of two regions
PERIGORD and QUERCY, in big gastronomic traditions and where
the foie gras is “a king”.
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