Things to do in

Aquitaine

Enjoy the standing itinerary of La Cité du Vin, covering 19 exhibits on the theme of wine. Skip the line to enter, and then spend around 3 hours making your way through the exhibits with the aid of a hand-held companion, a digital guide available in 8 languages. At the end of the tour, head to the 8th floor and its belvedere, where you'll have a 360-degree, panoramic view of Bordeaux and the surrounding area. You’ll also have the opportunity to enjoy a glass of wine at a tasting session, choosing from a regularly renewed selection of 20 world wines. After your visit you can browse the on-site boutique, and visit the wine cellar with a vast international selection, the restaurants (with one on the 7th floor offering a panoramic view) and also the reading room.

Discover Bordeaux from the River Garonne onboard the yacht, Le Luna. Enjoy a different perspective on the historic city with expert commentary. From the river, see some of the most famous sights of the city including the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gothic Cathedral. Admire 18th and 19th-century mansions and art museums. Enjoy a glass of local wine and a small traditional cake from the region, known as a canelé.

During this tour. you will see 2 different winery styles. First, discover a traditional winery with an authentic cellar and typical architecture of Saint Emilion, producing a traditional style of wine for the region. The second winery is a forward-looking one with modern cellar on the cutting edge of technology. Discover how the winemakers use cutting-edge technology and viticulture techniques to perfect the winemaking process and produce a different, innovate style of wine. Learn all about the winemaking process from the vines, the varietals, the aging, and everything around it. The visit will be followed by the tasting of 3 Saint Emilion Grand Cru wines, from the different estates with an introduction to wine tasting technics.

Take a scenic drive to the beautiful wine region of Saint-Emilion and tour this World Heritage Site. Experience the intimacy of the private chateau, and learn the secrets of wine production and taste some of the finest wines. Depart Bordeaux at 13:45, and visit a charming family-run wine estate on the right bank of the Dordogne River. Tour the traditional vat room and cellar of this private chateau. Learn the steps of proper wine tasting at a tasting class. Train your nose to identify wine aromas before enjoying some fine wines. Next, visit a "Great Classified Growth" (Grand Cru) wine estate overlooking the Saint-Emilion vineyards. Hear about the wine-making process and reward yourself with an aperitif served with quality fresh bread and cheese.   Then, take a guided tour of the medieval village of Saint-Emilion in the early evening, and discover why it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Return to Bordeaux for a drop-off at the end of the tour services.      

The Bordeaux Métropole City Pass is available for 48 or 72 hours, consecutively, for individual travelers, and offers free or reduced-price access to services and attractions. The validity of the card begins with the first use. A practical guidebook is provided with the card. Benefits and Privileges with 48 and 72-hour Passes • Free access to the TBM public transportation network (tramway, bus, river shuttle) • Free entry to 15 museums and monuments  • Free access to attractions • Discount rates on wine excursions, lunch or dinner cruises, visits and tastings at wine estates, sightseeing bateau mouche tour on the Garonne River • Enter the Cité du Vin before 12:00 (€5 extra after 12:00) • Choice between the touristic train, the open-top bus or the guided walking tour • The Basins of Lights entrance • The City of Wine entrance (before noon)  • Discover Les Bassins de Lumières at La Base Sous-Marine, a new digital art center • 1 city tour of your choice  • Many other discounts

Discover the historic sights of Bordeaux on a 2-hour walking tour of the historic center, and discover why it was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Meet your guide by the Bordeaux Tourist Office on Cours du 30 Juillet. Then, discover an outstanding ensemble of urban landmarks and architectural wonders. Stroll past the theaters, town halls, and private mansions, interspersed with squares, parks, and fountains to get an intriguing perspective on a city that is undergoing a spectacular metamorphosis. See some of the new economic and artistic projects. From the wide avenues of neo-classical neighborhoods surrounding Place des Quinconces, to the Grand Theater, and the narrow lanes of the Saint-Pierre neighborhood, the tour invites you to discover the diversity of Bordeaux’s heritage. Learn about Bordeaux’s history and the Enlightenment philosophers who influenced the city’s urban landscape.

Brighten up your Sunday with a yacht cruise aboard Le Luna accompanied by a 100% homemade sweet and savory meal for brunch. Take advantage of this exclusive experience on the only yacht cruise with brunch offered on the Garonne River. Come aboard and prepare to enjoy a continental buffet with homemade and seasonal foods. Sit back, relax, and enjoy scenic views of Bordeaux from the Garonne River. 

Take a half-day tour to the charming village of St. Emilion, and sample a selection of wines. The history of the village goes back to medieval times, and the whole jurisdiction is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its natural landscape. You will be traveling in small groups and on arrival will take a tour of the village, made up of fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins that stretch along the steep and narrow streets. It was the Romans that introduced wine making to the village as far back as the 2nd century. Reminders of the Roman techniques of wine planting can be seen in some of the estates, such as Chateau Bellevue, owned by the world famous Angelus winery. The village was named after the monk Émilian, a traveling confessor, who settled in a hermitage carved into the rock in the 8th-Century. Follow your guide for a walking tour of the village to discover all the main attractions.  Then, enjoy a visit and wine tasting session in a Classified Growth Chateau of the Saint Emilion wine region. During the visit, you will learn all there is to know about the estate as well as the techniques used to produce this world-famous wine. From here return to Bordeaux.

The wine region of Libournais encompasses much of what is referred to as the Right Bank. Named after its historical capital, the expression Right Bank typically refers to wines from the Pomerol and St-Emilion areas of the Libournais. There are several villages around the region that share the Saint-Émilion name, such as Montagne-Saint-Émilion and St-Georges-Saint-Émilion that are named the satellite appellations. The area is bordered to the west by Pomerol. Merlot is the dominant grape in this area, followed by Cabernet Franc and a very small quantity of Malbec that is tending to disappear. The climate and damper, cool soils of the area makes it difficult for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen and as such is less often used. Depart for the Saint Emilion wine region and enjoy a visit and wine tasting at a famous classified growth Chateaux of the Pomerol or Saint Emilion appellation. Afterwards, arrive in the village of Saint Emilion and enjoy a guided walking tour with your guide to discover the main monuments of this quaint hilltop village. During your free time for lunch and personal discovery, why not discover the underground monuments of Saint Emilion? In the afternoon experience another visit and wine tasting session in one of the selected Classified Chateaus of Saint Emilion.

Departure from Olala Bordeaux, in the center of Bordeaux, and make your first stop at a small family-run estate for a visit and wine tasting to learn about the Medoc style and the art of blending. Visit the estate and enjoy your time in the relaxing tasting room with two blended wines. Enjoy a panoramic drive around the most famous Great Classified Growths of the Appellation and stop at Château Margaux for pictures. Carry on the exploration of the appellation with a wonderful Margaux Great Classified Growth. After a tour of the property, taste the passion behind the making of two wines from the estate. Drive back to Bordeaux around 6:00 PM.