Aquitaine

FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN TO THE PYRENEES, the largest region of France has so much to offer

The Nouvelle Aquitaine region in France is located in the south west part of the country and is the largest of all the regions of metropolitan France. From the french Basque Country, home to beautiful sandy beaches and where some of the best waves of the Atlantic coast can be found, to the Dordogne region to the East where some of the world's most famous Paleolithic Art can be found, the region is so diverse that it would take more than a week to just get a small feel of it. 

A great starting point is naturally the city of Bordeaux. The region also boasts fabulous seaside resorts such as Saint Jean de Luz, Arcachon and Royan. To the south, where one of the largest pine forests of France is located, discover medieval towns and villages that will take you all the way to the pyrenees. Here, traditional mountain villages have kept their authentic charm.

Bordeaux City

Wholly revitalized since its so-called “Sleeping Beauty” days, Bordeaux is now one of France’s liveliest cities. A capital of art and architecture, culture and wine in France, the city is located at just over 2 hours from Paris by high speed train. Classified UNESCO world heritage site in 2007, Bordeaux France is separated by the Garonne river into right and left bank and today there are endless ways to discover all that Bordeaux has to offer.

If you’re curious about the city’s restored architecture, recent feats of urban planning and the history of this formerly rundown town, join us on a guided walking tour or a biking tour. Led by one of our certified tour guides, they will be eager to show you the essential Bordeaux sites to suit your interests. The most famous landmarks include the historical Golden Triangle, the Cathedral of Bordeaux as well as Place de la Bourse and most popular water mirror.

A trip to Bordeaux is also a great occasion to participate in a wide variety of activities. Traditional activities include a river cruises, a bordeaux bike wine tour or a visit to the brand new la Cité du Vin wine museum. Other popular activities include food and wine lover tours, a wine tasting bordeaux class, gourmet walking tours, cheese and wine pairing activity. We at Ophorus can adapt to your wishes and organize all these activities for you.

Bordeaux Wine tours and Wine Tastings beyond the city

If you’re itching to get out of the city, we offer a variety of private tours and shared small group tours of the bordeaux wine region and beyond. Our day trips from Bordeaux include wine tasting tours to the famous st emilion wine region or medoc wine producing area that are known to produce some of the best red wines in the world.

A typical half or full day wine tour from Bordeaux with Ophorus includes wine tastings and winery visits in carefully selected Grand Cru or Classified Growth Chateaus. These Bordeaux tours are often combined with sightseeing in the vineyards and villages such as the village of st emilion. All our Bordeaux vineyard tours are conducted by expert guides.

We also organize fully adapted family friendly Bordeaux wine tours that have been carefully designed so that both parents and children enjoy their day out. After one of our day trips to a surrounding vineyard, bordeaux wine will have no more secrets for you. Other options include day tours to the Cognac and Armagnac regions famous for their brandy’s. On these tours we will take you to both famous and traditional distilleries.

Unique Sightseeing tours to awe-inspiring locations

If wine is not your thing but you’d still like to explore the region of Bordeaux beyond the city, we offer sightseeing excursions to the most important sites of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. One of our favorite and most popular day trip from Bordeaux is the Arcachon bay full day tour.

Arcachon & Pyla Sand Dune

On this day trip, discover the Dune du Pyla, the tallest dune in Europe and hike to the top for breathtaking Atlantic ocean views. After the effort, savor great seafood in Arcachon town or Cap Ferret. During the day, visit a local oyster farm to enjoy a tasting of fresh oysters with a glass of white wine.

The Dordogne region of France

Another most exciting tour is our Dordogne full day trip from Bordeaux. On this day trip you will experience the brand new Lascaux IV museum, visit beautiful medieval villages and drive along the valley of the Dordogne or Vézère Rivers where so many prehistoric caves are located. If time permits ask your guide if a guided tour of Sarlat is feasible as this one of the most well preserved historical city center in France.

As a specialized tour company based in Bordeaux City, proud member of the Bordeaux Tourism Office, let us organise your perfect Bordeaux wineries and wine cellar tours to taste delicious Medoc or Saint Emilion wines.

Our Shore Excursions from Bordeaux & La Rochelle

Stopping by in France on your European Cruise? Ophorus Shore Excursions in France offers great tours and activities at a discounted price, created specifically for cruisers on cruise lines. The Western Atlantic Coast of France is programmed by a large number of Cruise Lines. As a France Shore Excursions specialist, we have designed the most exciting private day trips or shared tours from the Ports of Call in Bordeaux, Le Verdon and La Rochelle.

Bordeaux & Le Verdon Shore Excursions

Our Shore Excursions from Bordeaux or Le Verdon are without a doubt some of the most popular as they are mainly focused on Wine Tours to the Medoc Region or Saint Emilion. Another great option is to Experience Cognac on a full day tour from Bordeaux City port of call. All our Shore excursions include pick up and drop off at ship and are conducted by English speaking expert tour guides.

Shore Excursions from La Rochelle

If you are in La Rochelle Cruise Port, we have a number of great shore excursion options that you will find nowhere else as we have designed them and are the only ones to operate them. Visit the 'Green Venice of France' followed by a great wine tour. Wine will also be on your program if you choose to experience our Oyster & Wine tasting experience that will take you to Marennes d'Oléron.

Come and meet our team of knowledgeable expert guides

What we consider to be the most important factor for a successful experience is the personality, knowledge and expertise of your guide. That is why all our tours from Bordeaux are conducted by professional, expert guides that speak impeccable English.

All of them hold at minimum the WSET level 2 diploma in wines (perfect for the wine tours) and many are also French certified guides, licensed to carry out guided visits in monuments. This will come in handy for those who wish to visit the underground monuments of St Emilion for example.

Travel in style in one of our Premium Vehicles

All our tours take place on board new or recent, Premium air-conditionned cars or minivans. Whether on a private tour or a shared small group tour, you will have the pleasure of enjoying live commentaries made by expert guide thanks to our on-board P/A system that enables everyone to hear no matter where you are sitted. We also include free Wi/Fi for those that want to stay connected and share their experience with family or friends.