Bordeaux Walking Tour & Half Day Wine Tour private

Pick up at your Hotel or Accommodation

Today, we will come and pick you up directly at your Hotel or accommodation in Bordeaux. Meet your certified tour guide who will go over the itinerary and program of this city tour with you. Ideally located in the center of Bordeaux, Bordeaux Tourism office is the perfect departure point for an introduction to the history and culture of Bordeaux for those of you staying in the outskirts of town or in a local B&B.

Begin your tour in Quinconces Square

Your first stop, located just a few minutes away, will certainly be the Place des Quinconces, the most emblematic square of the town and one of the largest squares in Europe. Formerly the location of Château Trompette, built next to the Garonne River, this fortress was part of a larger military architectural ensemble that was built when France finally recovered Bordeaux from the English. The square also features the Monument to the Girondins as well as huge statues of Montesquieu and Montaigne.

Discover the Golden Triangle of Bordeaux 

Your walking tour of Bordeaux will then move on to the heart of the City nicknamed the ‘Golden Triangle’. Defined by three Boulevards, including high-end Cours de l’Intendance, the heart of Bordeaux is without a doubt Place de la Comédie. This large square that features the Grand Hotel de Bordeaux to one side and the Grand Théâtre on the other. This masterpiece of 18th-century architecture was designed by Victor Louis who also designed the Comédie Française in Paris.

Bordeaux River Front & famous Landmarks

Other highlights of this private tour include the Place de la Bourse (Stock Exchange) located next to the River where the now famous water mirror lies. More Big-ticket attractions and sights include the Cathedral of St Andrew, Pey Berland square and tower as well as the bustling Rue Sainte Catherine, one of the longest shopping streets of Europe.

After your guided walking tour of Bordeaux, enjoy some free time for personal discovery and lunch (at your own expense). Don't hesitate to ask your guide for recommendations or if you wish to include a local restaurant, you can specify this at the time of booking and our team of travel advisors will be happy to pre-book a restaurant for you and your party.

Afternoon Wine Tour

In the afternoon, after lunch, meet your guide and begin to make your way to one of the Bordeaux wine regions. There are several destinations that you can choose from of which we have highlighted essential information below. During the booking process, you will have the possibility to choose your destination and if you have trouble choosing, don't hesitate to select the ‘Help me choose option’ so that we can help you select the right vineyard.

Saint Emilion & Pomerol

Saint Emilion centers on the commune of the same name. There are several villages around the region that share the Saint-Émilion name, such as Montagne-Saint-Émilion and St-Georges-Saint-Émilion, and are permitted to label their wines under the same name. Merlot is the dominant grape in this area, followed by Cabernet Franc. The climate and damper, cool soils of the area make it difficult for Cabernet Sauvignon grapes to fully ripen and as such is less often used. The wines take a little longer to mature than the ones in Pomerol but are still able to be drunk relatively young for a Bordeaux (4–8 years). In favorable vintages the wines have a good aging potential.

Pomerol was first cultivated by the Romans during their occupation of the area. Up until the early 20th century the area was known mostly for its white wine production. This area within Libournais doesn’t have a distinct city center with several villages spread across an area about the same size as St.-Julien. The area overall has gravel-based soil that is typical of Bordeaux, with western and southern sections having more sandy soil while the northern and eastern sections toward St.-Emilion has more clay composition. 

The wines of Pomerol have a high composition of Merlot in their blends and are considered the gentlest and least tannic and acidic of Bordeaux wines. Cabernet Franc, known in this area as Bouchet is the second leading grape and helps to contribute to the dark, deep coloring that is typical of Pomerol wines. Due to the reduced tannins found in these wines, they can typically be drunk much younger than other red Bordeaux. The chateaus in the area are not classified, with the winemakers seemingly disinclined to devise one, although Pétrus is often unofficially grouped with the First Growths of Bordeaux.

The Médoc

The Medoc wine region spans the left bank of the Gironde from the mouth of the river to the city of Bordeaux and includes the four famous communes of St-Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux. It is about 60 km north to south, and about 10 km wide, with around 10,600 hectares under vines and a production of about 50 million liters per year. All the wines produced here are mainly reds and the main grape variety used is the Cabernet Sauvignon. The Médoc is famous for the number of high-end wineries that are located in the area and that were part of a Classification that took place in 1855. Big names include Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Lafite Rothschild.

Pessac-Léognan & Graves 

The Graves region is bordered on the north by the Garonne river and contains the sub regions of Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes and Barsac. It is known for its intensely gravelly soil.  While Château Haut-Brion was included in the 1855 classification of the Médoc, the Graves appellation itself was classified in 1953 for its red wine producers. 

White wines were included in the updated 1959 classification. Graves is considered the birthplace of claret. In the Middle Ages, the wines that were first exported to England were produced in this area. Château Pape Clément, founded at the turn of the fourteenth century by the future Pope Clement V, was the first named chateaux in all of Bordeaux. In 1663, Samuel Pepys’ mention of Château Haut-Brion was the first recorded mention of French Claret in London.

Sauternes  

Sauternes is a subregion of Graves known for its intensely sweet, white, dessert wines such as the Premier Cru Supérieur classified Château d’Yquem. Wines produced in the region of Barsac, such as Premiers Crus Château Climens and Château Coutet are allowed to be labeled either with the commune name or with Sauternes. The intense sweetness of these wines is the result of the grapes being affected by Botrytis cinerea, a fungus that is commonly known as noble rot. In the autumn, the Ciron river produces mist that descends upon the area and persists until after dawn. 

These conditions are conducive to the growth of the fungus which desiccates the grape and concentrates the sugars inside. The three main grapes of this area are Sémillon, Sauvignon blanc and Muscadelle. Production costs for this area’s botrytized wines are comparatively high. The evaporation and fungus produce low yields, five to six times less than in other Bordeaux regions. 

The grapes are normally harvested individually from the bunch with pickers going through the vineyards several times between September and November to ensure that the grapes are picked at their optimal points. The wine is then fermented in small oak barrels, further adding to the cost. Even with half bottles of the First Growths priced at several hundred dollars, these wines still have difficulties turning a profit and in the mid 20th century a string of bad vintages drove many growers in the region out of business.

This private tour ensures you enjoy full attention from your driver/guide and benefit from his knowledge on all things Bordeaux.