THE AQUITAINE AND BEYOND

South West France

 Bordeaux, Carcassonne, The Dordogne and Limoges. 

What a combination!

14 day tour including arrival/departure days

This magical tour offers an almost unbelievable variety of sightseeing - magnificent historical cities often dominated by powerful hilltop fortresses, miles of vineyards, mountainous scenery, art from prehistory to present day, an amazing array of architectural styles, ancient ports, distinct cultures and naturally (it is France, after all) some wonderful food.

And, as ever, it’s a tour for those curious for new knowledge, for those who want their imaginations stimulated and for those who simply want a holiday where they don’t feel they’re part of the tourist herd.

DEPARTURE DATES & PRICES FOR YEAR 2002

Price: US$2,549

Single Supplement: US$475

TENTATIVE ITINERARY 

DAY ONE - SUNDAY
You arrive at Bordeaux to be met transferred to our local base. The remainder of the day is free for you to recover from the ardors of modern travel and to enjoy local surroundings. Tonight, all tour participants will meet to enjoy the first of many excellent dinners and we'll see something of Bordeaux.

Dinner in France is a special meal; it is a nightly ‘event’ and not to be rushed. You’ll find that we eat somewhat later than you might normally be accustomed to at home, and we’ll be at table longer. It’s an ideal opportunity to enjoy conversations, reflect on sights seen and experiences had, and to discuss the following day’s touring option with your guide-companion.

DAY TWO - MONDAY
Our drive this morning takes us through the Vignoble de Bordeaux (vineyards of Bordeaux) as we head south–east. We’ll enjoy a midmorning stop at St-Macaire, a small, mediaeval town perched on top of a rock before continuing through the splendid scenery to Toulouse.

Toulouse, once the capital of the Visigoth kingdom, was once France’s most important centre for cultural and artistic activity. Indeed, the country’s oldest literary society, formed to further the cause of the language, was established here in the 14th century. The city’s main architectural claim to fame is its brick-built aspect; it being one of the few mediaeval towns not to be built of wood or stone.

You’ll enjoy visiting the St-Sernin Basilica (built in the 11th century), and St Stephens Cathedral (12th century) as well as having a general overview of this very attractive city.

Also on today's schedule, if time permits, will be Rennes le Chateaux where we'll hear the mysterious story of Abbee Sauniere.

DAY FOUR - WEDNESDAY
It’s a relatively short drive to our next destination but we’ll be taking something of a detour to experience the scenic beauty of the mountainous Languedoc region. Stops in smaller villages to explore local history will be the order of the day.

This may be a good day to enjoy a lunchtime picnic, sampling foods and wines of the region.

We'll also be visiting the Goya Museum in Castres - a special delight for art lovers.

DAY FIVE - THURSDAY
What if life but full of care if we have no time to stand and stare? And what better place to live this philosophy than the medieval town of Albi where you’ll enjoy a day of leisurely exploration.

In the atmospheric old quarter you’ll explore the cathedral-cum-fortress of St-Cecile, the Palace de La Berbie and the Musée Toulouse-Lautrec, where you’ll see works of this amazingly talented painter who we’d normally associate with a decadent 19th century Paris. This was his birthplace.

There are also some exceptionally interesting smaller museums, one of the best being the Musée de Cire which honors Albi’s many historic and heroic citizens, including the great 18th century explorer Jean-Francois de Gallup de Laperouse.

DAY SIX - FRIDAY
Our first stop of the day will be at Cahors, a town almost completely surrounded by its river. The area was the first to develop canals and thus became an important commercial centre in the middle ages. Two particular points of interest are the Pont Valentre, a six-arched, 14th century, and the Boulevard Gambetta, named after the town’s best known son.

This is another day for discovering the hidden charms of rural France.

DAY SEVEN - SATURDAY
Sarlat is the capital of the Périgord Noir (Black Perigord). It’s an ideal base for our explorations of the region and three nights here allows us to fully unpack and unwind. Our touring days are of the most relaxed kind with short drives and quality time at sites of interest.

We’ll begin with a day in this old town itself, parking the bus up and exploring on foot. It is market day so it’s a fascinating experience. It will be a day of ‘organised independence’, your guide-companion having fully briefed you on the town’s possibilities over dinner on the evening before. He/she will, of course, also be offering a walking tour of his/her own for those who would like such.

It’s quite an experience to wander around a town that ‘peaked’ (in terms of prosperity) in the 14th century! Its exceptional townscape reflects the riches of the early landowners and merchants who benefited from the wealth of the surrounding countryside. Highlights of your day will include visits to some of the preserved mediaeval houses. This is the sort of town best explored by simply ‘poking-around’. Photographers will need lots of film!

DAY EIGHT - SUNDAY
This will be a day to remember as we explore the Dordogne, placing particular emphasis on the breathtaking array of prehistoric sites.

In the region there are over 200 separate sites! Many are concentrated around the vicinity of Les Eyzies so this will inevitably be the focus of our attentions.

The principal sites to be visited will be those featuring the astounding cave paintings like those at Lascaux.

DAY NINE - MONDAY
We’ll continue our explorations of the Dordogne and it’s prehistory as we travel northwards with a stop in the ancient town of Périgueux.

Our destination, and base for three nights, is Angoulême. This is fortified town with the ramparts of the old town dominating the new town below. Angoulême has some interesting and unusual sightseeing possibilities including a wonderful museum of Celtic gold, a museum of the paper trade and a museum dedicated to the art of the strip cartoon! It’s a great place to warm to ‘Asterix’ if you don’t already love this French comic hero!

DAY TEN - TUESDAY
With the Angoulême region as our base this is an ideal place for a day of discovery.

There’s much else to see on our circular tour to the coast including the Roman amphitheatre at Saintes, or perhaps, if time allows, we could touch on the Marais Pontevin, an area of ecological interest called locally ‘Green Venice’ for its many canals.

En route we’ll stop at Cognac, visiting one of the famed brandy distilleries.

DAY ELEVEN - WEDNESDAY
A city famed for its porcelain, Limoges, is the centre of today’s visit. It’s a grand shopping opportunity, ladies!

We’ve also included one of France’s most poignant sights to remind us of the country’s more recent history. In 1944 a contingent of German SS troops, pushed back by the Allies D-Day landings, descended on Oradur sur Glane. They massacred several hundred of the inhabitants and then systematically destroyed the village. The shell of the village has been left as it was, a sad monument both to the dead and as a reminder of Europe’s turbulent past. It’s a deeply effecting visit.

DAY TWELVE - THURSDAY
We couldn’t come to this region and not explore the famed vineyards in some depth! So, today, the area around St Émillion, and the town itself, are the focus of our attentions.

The town will delight and it provides almost a perfect summary to our tour; medieval, narrow, cobbled streets, ancient ramparts, historical buildings, shopping and a chance to taste a local delicacy (in this case macaroons) and absorb life with a glass of fine wine beside you. Lovely! Dinner is not included to night to allow you some flexibility in exploring Bordeaux.

DAY THIRTEEN - FRIDAY
Alas, our final day but a fitting climax to a tremendous tour.

The traditional seat of the Dukes of Aquitainne, Bordeaux’s history stretches back 2000 years, over which time it has seen Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Saracens at its gates.

Today’s visitors find a fantastic city boasting both a modern town with tree-lined avenues bordered by elegant buildings, luxury shops and pavement cafes, and an old town (Vieux town) resplendent with a wealth of historical buildings both secular and religious, museums, art galleries and shopping opportunities. There’s plenty of choice here for everyone and following a morning tour with your guide, you’ll be free to spend this afternoon just however it suits you.

If you’re considering joining this tour, please do note that it will prove unsuitable if you have mobility problems. While this should not be considered in any way ‘a walking tour’, there are many French cities, and countryside sights, where we cannot take a vehicle. If you have any doubts as to the tour’s suitability, please do contact us to discuss it.

Tonight we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner and relive some of the many memories we’ve experienced over this past two weeks.

DAY FOURTEEN - SATURDAY
Transfer to the airport for your return home

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