8-Day Private Bordeaux & Dordogne Package: Wine, Caves & Villages

Pick up at Bordeaux Airport or Train Station. Transfer to your centrally located hotel and check in.

Enjoy some free time to discover the lively city of Bordeaux!

Bordeaux is classified "City of Art and History" and has been inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble". It is home to one of Europe's biggest 18th century architectural urban areas and stands out as one of the first French cities to have entered an era of urbanism and metropolitan big scale projects, with the team Gabriel father and son, architects for King Louis XV, under the supervision of two Governors, first Nicolas-François Dupré de Saint-Maur then the Marquis de Tourny.

Breakfast at your hotel.

9.30am Pick up at your hotel.

Depart from Bordeaux and reach the left bank wine region 

Take an exclusive, private Medoc full day wine tour and you’ll discover delicious red wines with cabernet sauvignon blends in the heart of this celebrated Bordeaux wine region. With Ophorus, experience is the most important factor when it comes to our personalized private sightseeing tours.

On your Medoc region wine tasting tour full day, you’re sure to discover hidden gems and taste prestigious wines in one of France’s most celebrated wine regions in an informal yet expertly guided way. This highly recommended wine tour from Bordeaux will introduce you to some of the most prestigious appellations such as Margaux, Saint Julien, Pauillac, Saint Estèphe & Haut Médoc where some of the most famous chateaux are located.

Follow the Castle road, lined by prestigious wineries

As you reach the Medoc vineyards, we will take you to 2 or 3 carefully selected wine estates that are ranked as Grand Cru, classified growth Château or cru bourgeois estates. As you leave, reach the famous castle road along which many of the Grands Crus Classés wineries are located.

At each winery, you will be introduced to the history and wine making facilities of the domains. You will also have the opportunity to understand the wine making process. Then, your tour of the médoc region will continue with commented wine tastings in each winery. You’ll then get the chance to sample delicious cabernet sauvignon wines on this full day Bordeaux excursion.

With Ophorus, rest assured that your Medoc vineyard tour will be everything you imagined. All our drivers are fully accredited guides, meaning you’ll get double the expertise on this great Medoc tour. Every one of our expert guides holds at least the WSET level 2 certification in wines and spirits, and they take great pride in their region and craft.

You’ll learn how to judge a wine with all the senses, using your eyes, nose, tongue, and memory. These licensed guides are not only wine connoisseurs, they’re also authorities on the local area, ready to share a wealth of information about the stunning Bordeaux region.

Taste delicious Medoc Wines 

Medoc wines produce wonderfully perfumed yet very intense french wines. Margaux wines have a distinctive fragrant taste, attributed to the high gravel content of the soil in these vineyards. The soil’s excellent drainage means the plants need to root down further to find moisture, making them particularly strong, and bringing up the flavors of the deeper earth.

The Haut Medoc appellation is vast, with almost 400 different wine producers operating there, the different wineries produce wine that have a wide variety of textures and flavors. If time permits, your guide will try and organise a stop at Chateau Margaux for photo opportunities. Saint Julien wines are known to be tannic, powerful and are usually coined as being quite masculine type of wines while the wines produced in Pauillac are generally are rich, full bodied and stern.

Breakfast at your hotel.

9.30am pick up at your hotel.

Discover the Magic of the ‘Right Bank’ Wine Region of 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 damp, cool soils of the area make it difficult for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen and, as such, they are less often used.

Mix Incredible Wineries With the Enchanting Village of Saint Emilion

This full day tour consists in the visit & wine tasting in 2 very carefully selected Wineries of the Right Bank as well as the discovery of the enchanting medieval village of Saint Emilion. Conducted by a professional English speaking driver guide, your tour will at first lead you to the right bank of the River Garonne where the Saint Emilion wine region is located.

Your morning will include the visit and tasting in a winery which produce wines that perfectly reflect their ‘terroir’ – a very important notion for French Wines as it is the local soils and climate that truly define the main aromas and flavors that are to be found. But not only! The winemaker also contributes in a large manner to the quality of the wines that is why our tours combine both prestigious names to lesser known ones in which the visits are usually taken care of by a family member or the winemaker himself.

Uncover the Magic of Unesco Saint Emilion

After the morning winery visit, reach Saint Emilion. The village is all the more charming because it is so different from all the other French medieval villages. Emilian, a Benedictine monk, was born in Brittany in the 8th century, to a modest family. The count who ruled the province chose him to be his financial steward, which turned out to be an unfortunate distinction in his life: jealous rivals accused him of thievery to discredit him in the eyes of his master and confidant.

After some turmoil, his path eventually led him to a forest where, captivated by the serenity of the area, he dug out a cave and dedicated his life to God. The hermit had performed so many miracles and done so much good around him that his name was given to the place where he had lived (after his death in 767), which became known as Saint Emilion.

Follow your guide on a walking tour and unusual place not to be missed: the underground monolithic Church. 125 ft long, 66 ft wide and 36 ft high, all you can see from the exterior are a few windows on the one facade and the steeple, topped with a Gothic arrow 174 ft high. Benedictine monks were the inspiration for this church carved out of solid rock which is Europe’s largest monolithic cathedral!

Finally, your tour will include a visit  &wine tasting session in a 2nd winery.

At opposite ends from your morning visit and located in a different appellation, this will be the perfect opportunity for you to understand how two wineries that are located in the same wine region can produce such very different wines. Color, Aromas, Tannins, Flavors are just some of the notions that will be evoked but undoubtedly the commented tasting will constitute the highlight of this afternoon tour!

5.30pm return to Bordeaux.

PICK UP AT BORDEAUX

Today, we will come and pick you up at your accommodation in Bordeaux city centre for a door to door service, from Bordeaux to Sarlat, France.

Our professional, English speaking driver or driver/guide will meet you in your Bordeaux Hotel lobby. Then, board one of our recent & comfortable air conditioned vehicle.

Breakfast at your hotel.

10.00am pick up at your hotel.

Please be ready 10 minutes in advance in the lobby of your hotel.

Sarlat Market Day Tour: Explore Dordogne's Culinary Delights

Embark on a culinary adventure like no other with our exclusive private guided gourmet tour of Sarlat-la-Canéda on its vibrant market day. Prepare your taste buds for a tantalizing experience as we delve into the heart of this picturesque town, renowned for its rich gastronomic heritage.

As you wander through the bustling market, led by our expert local guide, be prepared to feast your eyes on an abundance of fresh, locally sourced produce, bursting with vibrant colors and intoxicating aromas. From aromatic truffles and succulent foie gras to an array of seasonal fruits and vegetables, Sarlat-la-Canéda's market offers a cornucopia of delights for food enthusiasts.

Local cheese tasting

Walk towards the Market and begin your discovery of the best produce of the Dordogne region. Your first stop will be at a cheese producing shop that has its own maturing cellar. Savor the opportunity to sample a variety of artisanal cheeses as our guide introduces you to the intricate nuances of flavor. Indulge in the velvety textures of Rocamadour, a creamy cheese with a distinct personality or Tomme a mild, semi-firm cow milk cheese, that has a buttery aroma. Stroll through the Market

Then follow your guide through the medieval streets of Sarlat. This walking tour allows your guide to point out all the local products of the season that arrive from all corners of the Dordogne. If you are lucky, it might be the season of strawberries, of which the Dordogne is famous for, and your guide will make sure that you have the opportunity to sample some. Duck, Goose, Wine and More Cheese tasting

Your next stop will be at a family run delicacies shop. Here, we will stop to taste small toasts spread with patés, enchaud and foie gras from either duck or goose. Finish this tasting stop with a local cheese called Trappe d'Echourgnac. Trappist cheese is pressed, uncooked, fermented by retro-rubbing or by using the “morge” scrubbing technique. Then walnut liqueur is added. How much? And, then what? Well, that’s a secret never to be told! All this will be rinsed with a tasting of a White & Red Bergerac wines. Walnut Bakery

Your final stop will be at a local walnut cake bakery. No gourmet experience in Sarlat-la-Canéda would be complete without trying the town's famed walnut-based delicacies. Delight in the buttery richness of walnut oil and savor the exquisite flavors of traditional pastries like walnut tart or "gâteau aux noix.

On this stop, you will sample different cakes, brownies or chocolates filled or caramelized with delicious walnut. The bakery is located in the centre of the market on the main street known as La Traverse. What makes this stop so special is that you can see where all the products are made as the workshop is located within the bakery.

A Perfect Half-Day Afternoon Jaunt Through the Magic of the Dordogne Valley

Begin with the Bastide village of Domme

This afternoon discover the breathtaking landscape and traditional medieval villages of the Dordogne valley. First, drive to the beautiful village of Domme. With its trapezoid city plan, Domme is a bastide (a fortified medieval town) adapted to the surrounding terrain, and thus falling short of the rectangular city plan characteristic to Bastides.

The village is classified as one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France” (“The Most Beautiful Villages of France”). In 1307, Knight Templars were imprisoned in Domme while during the Hundred Years’ War, the town was coveted by the English who first took it in 1347 and repeatedly changed rulers throughout the war until 1437 when it finally fell under French rule again.

Enjoy a peaceful boat ride

Then drive to La Roque Gageac and enjoy a peaceful cruise on the Dordogne River on board an authentic Gabarre to admire mighty castles that line the river. The boat ride lasts about one hour (tickets not included) and comes highly recommended. The Gabarres are traditional flat-bottomed boats that have been used for transporting goods along the Dordogne since the Middle Ages.

A trip on one of the Gabarres offers a relaxing way to enjoy the sight of some of the many Dordogne chateaux and villages from the perspective of the river. Various sights and wildlife are pointed out to you as you meander slowly down the river as well as the history of the Gabarres.

You can also discover the Gardens of La Roque that benefit from micro-climate conditions and where local vegetation stands alongside more exotic plants such as Banana trees, agave and Bougainvillea flowers.

End the tour in Beynac

Finally, reach Beynac to admire the village and the Castle. This Middle Ages construction, with its austere appearance, is perched on top of a limestone cliff, dominating the town and the north bank of the Dordogne River. The castle was built in the 12th century by the barons of Beynac (one of the four baronies of Périgord) to close the valley.

The sheer cliff face being sufficient to discourage any assault from that side, the defenses were built up on the plateau: double crenelated walls, double moats, one of which was a deepened natural ravine, double barbican. See architectural phenomenon, aided by nature, and discover more about the history of this unusual city on this half-day tour!

06.00pm return to Sarlat.

Dinner and evening at leisure, night at your hotel.

Breakfast at your hotel,

9.00am pick up at your hotel.

Start with a Visit to the National Prehistory Museum

Some 15,000 years B.C. unknown artists created breathtaking paintings, drawings and etchings inside caves of which the most extraordinary examples are found in the Dordogne area. During this day you will be introduced to this fascinating art and to the people who created it.

Begin the day in Les Eyzies de Tayac for a guided visit of the National Prehistory Museum. Established in July 2004, the museum houses some 18,000 pieces and a collection of six million artifacts. The museum’s collections were established as early as 1913, when indefatigable researcher Denis Peyrony convinced the French state to acquire the Château des Eyzies, built at the end of the 16th century, and to transform it into an excavation warehouse that could double up as a museum.

The museum possesses the largest collection of prehistoric artifacts in the world. Follow your guide and discover the main chapters of the Hominids’ development through an anthropological frieze and a brief reminder of Africa’s history, starting with the early Australopithecus.

Many themes are explored, including the legendary “Lucy”, the 3.5-million-year-old woman discovered in Ethiopia in 1974. You will then visit the permanent exhibit galleries that will plunge you into the mists of time, revealing seven sequences that cover the entire Paleolithic era through an “ideal historiography”.

Visit La Roque Saint Christophe

La Roque Saint-Christophe is an extraordinary troglodyte site carved into a kilometer-long, 80-meter-high limestone cliff above the Vézère Valley in the Dordogne. Inhabited for over 55,000 years, from prehistoric hunter-gatherers to medieval townsfolk, the site is considered a world reference in cliff side and rock-shelter architecture.

The natural caves of La Roque Saint-Christophe provided one of Europe’s largest and most enduring natural shelters, first used by Neanderthals and continuing through Cro-Magnon times and into recorded history. Archaeological remains indicate intensive occupation from the mid-Paleolithic through to the Iron Age and Gallo-Roman era, reflecting an unbroken continuity of human settlement.

Free time for lunch in a local restaurant (at own expense)

Enjoy some free time for lunch in Montignac or a village of the Dordogne region. Ask your guide for recommendations.

Visit Lascaux IV Cave Complex

Continue to Montignac where you will visit the brand new Lascaux IV cave – opened in December 2016. For the first time, all of Lascaux is revealed. A complete new replica retraces the discovery of the famous decorated cave.

But that’s not the end of the adventure: the entire site inquires into the position that Lascaux occupies in cave art and its relation to contemporary creation. The opening of the International Center for Cave Art marks the beginning of a new adventure combining the emotion of ancestral art and an important technological achievement.

Here, the reproduction of the original lascaux cave has been so precise that it would be difficult for even the most talented experts to find any flaws. Follow a guided tour with a local guide of the museum and then take some time to visit the exhibitions and the center for prehistoric cave art.


5.30pm Return to your hotel and night in Sarlat.

Breakfast at your hotel.

9.00am pick up at your hotel.

Rocamadour: A Castle set above a sanctuary set above a village

This morning, board the minivan and head to the nearby village of Rocamadour. Miraculous rock, collection of tales, legends and beliefs, sanctuary of the Black Virgin, pilgrimage site: the Village of Rocamadour is all of this at the same time.

The old medieval houses, the towers and fortifications, the oratories all tumble along the steep cliff that dominates the Alzou Canyon. The whole site is topped off by the castle and its dungeon and the seven sanctuaries. Your tour guide will certainly stop here for a breathtaking view of the whole site that make for fantastic photo opportunities.

The name of the village probably originates from the association of St Amador or Amadour of whom the relics were discovered in 1166 in the heart of the sanctuary and roca (cliff).

This beautiful village is renowned for its historical monuments and its sanctuary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, which for centuries has brought pilgrims from every country, among them kings, bishops, and nobles.

Follow your guide and stroll through the streets of the medieval village. You will then reach the steps that will take you to the middle part of the village where the church square is located, Place St Amadour, surrounded by its 7 sanctuaries.

The 216 or so steps that make up the Great Staircase takes visitors from the lower part of town to the religious complex. In the middle age, pilgrims would go up the steps on their knees.

Visit the Monastic buildings in the sanctuary

Upon arrival, your guide will introduce you to the sanctuary. Try and find the legendary sword of Roland, named Durandal, that is embedded in the cliff. The sword landed in Rocamadour as Roland, the nephew of Charlemagne, threw it from the battlefield so that no one would ever be able to use it again.

Once you have reached the sanctuary, visit the renowned Notre Dame Chapel, part of an extraordinary 13th-century chapel complex. Inside, your guide will certainly talk to you about the Black Madonna statue that was carved from a walnut tree in the 12th century.

Hanging from the ceiling are a number of ship models, given by thankful survivors that were saved from shipwrecks by calling upon the Black Madonna. Each time a ship was saved it is said that the miraculous bell, also located in the Chapel, would ring once.

Facing Notre Dame chapel, admire the beautiful frescoes that represent the Annunciation and Visitation and that date back to the 12th century.

Enjoy some free time for personal discovery

After the visit of the sanctuary, you will have some free time to visit on your own. If you make your way out of the sanctuary at the same level it will be possible for you to reach the Castle that is located above the Sanctuary. The Castle itself cannot be visited but it is possible to follow the remparts for stunning views over the Alzou canyon.

Another option is to make your way down back to the village and take some time to stroll through the main street and shop for local souvenirs. There are a number of arts & crafts shop that make for perfect presents.

1.00pm Return to your hotel and night in Sarlat.

Breakfast at your hotel and check out.

Transfer back to Bordeaux available as an option.

End of our services