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Bicycle and Boat – The Bordeaux Wine Route in Gironde

Price per person

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Type of stay

Voyage à vélo

Location

Bordeaux - France

Duration

8 days

Difficulty

Departures

No departure for 2023

Capacity

2 people minimum

Reference

Cyclo 21

Your stay

Cycling and boating in the Bordeaux region

Discover the Bordeaux region by bike and boat.

Your hotel boat will take you from Castets en Dorthe, the starting point of the famous Canal du Midi, to Libourne via Pauillac and Bourg sur Gironde, with a stopover in the heart of Bordeaux. Every day, you’ll set off on a bike tour of one of the Bordeaux vineyards! Médoc, Sauternes, Loupiac, Saint-Emilion, Côtes de Bourg, but also to discover some sumptuous towns and villages such as Sant-Emilion, Bourg-sur-Gronde, and of course Bordeaux!

At the end of the day, back on your boat, you’ll sail on the Garonne, Dordogne or Gironde Estuary to reach the next stage. An opportunity to take another look at the Gironde department. Each evening, your onboard guide will introduce you to the next day’s cycling stage, and give you your daily logbook.

You’ll be accommodated in a cabin and dine on board every evening. Enjoy the bar and the upper deck… a place to relax after a day of cycling and/or sightseeing.

This trip by bike and boat will give you plenty of freedom for your days. Depending on how you’re feeling or what you want to do, you can choose to embark on a cycling loop to discover a Bordeaux region or spend a relaxing day on board, in the cabin, in the lounge or on the upper deck on a good deckchair!

You'll enjoy :

Discover most of the Bordeaux vineyards
Loop stages with “à la carte” distances for maximum flexibility
Daytime river cruises on the Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde estuaries
A stopover on the quays of World Heritage-listed Bordeaux

Back to travel

Daily program

Day 1 - Arrival in Bordeaux or Castets-en-Dorthe - Around the "Canal des Deux Mers

Arrival in Bordeaux and optional bus transfer from Bordeaux train station to your hotel boat. Once settled into your cabin, you take charge of your bikes and enjoy a short first ride around Castets. This fertile region is known as “Little Holland”, with its walnut trees, kiwi orchards and vegetable fields. Before dinner, a welcome cocktail awaits you on board, with a presentation of the crew.

Day 2 - Castets-en-Dorthe loop - Saint Macaire - La Réole - Canal de la Garonne

Navigation from Castets-en-Dorthe to Loupiac

Today’s cycling itinerary takes you through the Entre-Deux-Mers region. You’ll discover the old medieval town of Saint Macaire and visit ‘Malagar’, the former residence of writer François Mauriac. Through the fields you reach La Réole, whose ancient town hall was built under the orders of Richard the Lionheart to thank the inhabitants for their loyalty to the King of England. Return to the boat via the cycle path along the Garonne canal. In the late afternoon, the tour continues by boat, heading upstream along the Garonne River to reach Loupiac towards Cadillac.

Day 3 - Loupiac loop - Graves - Sauternes - Cadillac

Navigation from Loupiac to Bordeaux

On this stage, discover the Sauternes region by bike. You’ll also cross the Graves region, the cradle of Bordeaux wines. From chateau to chateau, the panoramas are breathtaking: historic buildings, picturesque spots: the village of Sainte-Croix-du-Mont offers a panoramic plateau…

formed by huge shoals of fossilized oysters accumulated from the Tertiary period, and the village of Verdelais is home to the tomb of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. You then arrive at Château de Roquetaillade, a defensive site that has belonged to the same family since 1306! You pass the prestigious Château d’Yquem, Château de Suduiraut, Château Guiraud, Clos Haut Peyraguey and many others. The route then follows the winding banks of the River Ciron, whose icy waters flow into the warmer waters of the Garonne, an alchemy that allows the development of Botrytis Cinerea, the famous fungus behind this world-renowned sweet wine. Finally, the route takes you to Cadillac and its château. Once back on board, sail along the Garonne River towards the majestic city of Bordeaux. You’ll see some of the region’s most prestigious sights: the “Port de la lune” with its sumptuous 18th-century facades, the Pont de Pierre, the Place de la Bourse and the Quai des Chartrons.

Day 4 - Bordeaux UNESCO heart loop

Docked in Bordeaux

The heart of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a parade of architectural gems takes you through the city’s historic streets, monuments and hidden spots: the royal entrance to the city (La Porte Cailhau), the Pey Berland Tower, the Golden Triangle, the Girondins Column, the Mirror of Water, the Capucins Market, Saint-Michel Basilica and the quirky Darwin Ecosystem, with its magnificent view of the Bordeaux quays. For the more challenged, the Roger Lapébie cycle path takes you as far as Créon in the Entre-Deux-Mers region. Throughout Bordeaux, opportunities for sightseeing and shopping abound. It’s easy to improvise a souvenir break.

Day 5 - Margaux - Médoc loop

Sailing from Bordeaux to Lamarque / Margaux then from Lamarque / Margaux to Bourg

Escapade in one of the world’s most renowned wine regions. You’ll soon arrive at Château Lamothe Bergeron, Cru Bourgeois du Médoc, where wine and tourism are highly valued. This is followed by a series of prestigious Châteaux: Maucaillou, Poujeaux, Rauzan Ségla, Palmer, Issan, Prieuré Lichine, Kirwan and last but not least Château Margaux. There’s plenty of opportunity to stop off, taste and learn a few winemaking secrets before heading back to the ship. At the end of the day, you’ll enjoy a dinner cruise up the wide estuary to the other bank of the Gironde to Bourg, a village built on a rocky promontory overlooking the small port and offering a breathtaking panorama of the estuary.

Day 6 - Côtes de Bourg vineyards - Citadelle of Blaye

Ride your bike and continue your journey south towards Lacanau Ocean!

Here the Velodyssée continues on a cycle path in the middle of the pines, between lakes and oceans. In the vicinity take a break in Hourtin, where is the biggest lake in France. ” Lacanau-Ocean ” in the Médoc Ocean region, where cycling is a way of life, is much appreciated for its long ocean beaches sheltered by dunes and forests, its lakes and its unspoilt natural areas. The seaside resort is also famous for its surfing spots. Its early 20th century villas bear witness to a rich past.

Overnight in a 3-star hotel with breakfast included

Day 7 - Libourne and Saint-Emilion vineyards loop

Docked in Libourne

Your day’s exploration takes you to the town of Libourne, then to the famous vineyards of Pomerol and Saint-Émilion. A UNESCO World Heritage village, you’ll enjoy a unique view of the medieval streets and surrounding vineyards, the monolithic church and the gentle way of life. Your tour continues along picturesque country lanes, where you can catch a glimpse of the most famous Châteaux of Saint-Émilion and Pomerol: Angelus and its carillon, Beauséjour, Ausone, Cheval Blanc, La Dominique, Trottevieille, Gaubert, Barde-Haut, Clos La Madeleine, Bel Air Monange, Laroque, Fombrauge, Grand Corbin, Gazin, Petrus, Petit Village, Nenin…, some of the most famous wines in the world. A true paradise for wine lovers!

Day 8 - Departure from Libourne

Disembarkation and transfer back to Bordeaux After your last breakfast on board, it’s time to say goodbye. Disembarkation and return transfer by bus (optional) to the St Jean train station in Bordeaux by 10:00 am.

rates

Further information

We take care of transporting your luggage every time you change accommodation, so you can travel light and enjoy your day’s hiking.

Leave your luggage at the reception desk of your accommodation before departure.

At the end of the afternoon, you’ll meet them at the reception desk of your new accommodation or directly in your room.

Luggage accepted per person: 1 suitcase or travel bag (20 kg maximum) + 1 carry-on.

We remind you that rental bicycles are equipped with panniers that you can use to carry any items you may need for the day.

Your travel file corresponds to the documents or files you receive prior to your trip (usually one month before) and on arrival at your first accommodation.

It includes :

A welcome letter with key practical information:
Baggage transport times
Details of delivery and collection of rental bikes if required
Your local contact and emergency telephone number(s)
Any additional information
Travel logbook including map with route (at the appropriate scale) and directional, tourist and practical information
Necessary voucher(s) to be given to the service provider(s) (only if necessary!)

On request and depending on the tour:

Download the “Evazio” application onto your smartphone for GPS navigation with visual (reading the route on your smartphone screen) and/or spoken guidance.
The application also contains practical and tourist information. Once the trip has been downloaded, no Internet connection is required.
Loan of a GPS device with pre-recorded tracks
Send GPX tracks of each stage for use with your own navigation device

On this tour, we can provide you with a choice of the following, upon reservation:

A VTC bike adapted to the ride and the route
An electric bike adapted to the route

With equipment :

1 rear bag
1 handlebar bag
1 repair kit
1 helmet
1 anti-theft device
1 charger (for electric bike)

For younger children, depending on age and size, we can offer

A child’s bike
A baby seat
A trailer
A follower bike

The bike is delivered to the first accommodation and is adjusted to your size.

At the end of the tour, the bike must be left at the last accommodation with its equipment. We’ll take care of collecting them.

The type of accommodation is classified into 3 ranges:

Comfort: The tour features mainly 2 and 3-star hotels (or equivalent) and bed & breakfasts.

Superior: The tour features mainly 3- and 4-star hotels (or equivalent) and charming bed & breakfasts.

Luxury: The tour features mainly 4 and 5 star hotels or equivalent

For the duration of your stay, our telephone assistance service is available:

7 days a week
from 07:30 to 20:30.

Itinerary

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