South-West France and the Basque Country

Start your 15-day Romantic Getaway by arriving at Bordeaux airport, your private driver welcomes you and drives you to your accommodation in central Bordeaux. Drop off your luggage and check-in. 

Bordeaux has become a very sought-after tourist destination in recent years. Thanks to a renaissance, France's wine capital now offers fine art galleries, excellent food and drink, and world class shopping.  It’s an absorbing place for a weekend or longer. Compact and largely pedestrianized, it is easy to explore its gracious stone houses and welcoming squares on foot. Take a day or more to enjoy before exploring the surrounding countryside of chic vineyards.

Evening at leisure. 

On your second day in France, make your way to the central meeting spot to meet your local guide. Take a Bordeaux Gourmet City Tour (small group / approx. 4 hours) a tour which combines every ingredient of the French art de vivre: history, traditions, architecture, wine and food.

Meet and greet your guide in the very center of Bordeaux.  This gourmet city tour will take you to the most distinctive producers of local delicacies. Start your day in the city center of Bordeaux nearby the cathedral at the bakery, smell the flavors of the fresh bread just coming out of the oven and share this moment with the baker.

Your next stop will be in the most famous chocolate maker in Bordeaux. Thierry the actual owner of this mythical place will make you taste different chocolate like: ginger, green tea, or olive. Let yourself be surprised! Before lunch enjoy a " Tour de France of Cheese" in a cheese shop in Bordeaux, each producer will explain the character of famous cheeses like: Comté, Roquefort, Brie...You will finish your gourmet tour with a lunch at an apartment in a nice building from the 18th century. Enjoy a buffet in the dining room, and eat the products you bought in the morning along with cannelés: typical little cake from Bordeaux. 

Afternoon at leisure to explore and digest.

Walk to your meeting spot before starting on an Excursion to St Emilion and discovery by bike (+ tastings!) (small group / approx 8 hours): 

Discover the famous vineyards of Saint-Emilion by bicycle! You will ride amongst the vineyards and through the properties of famous chateaux of the region. During the day you will visit two chateaux: a beautiful family-run estate & a Great Classified Growth estate. During your private day tour, get to know and understand better the diversity of Bordeaux wines. Then, you will enjoy a guided walk in the medieval village of Saint-Emilion, which is UNESCO’s World Heritage classified. In this region, Merlot is the king of the grape varieties!

Tired but satisfied, you will be driven back at the end of the afternoon. 

Pick up your car from central Bordeaux, and drive towards Sarlat in Dordogne (approx 2.5 hours/ 200km). 

There are dozens of pretty sites to see on the way, and our roadbook will mentioned the best ones to not miss. 

Check in to your hotel and then take the rest of the day to get your bearings in central Sarlat. Sarlat is the quaintest ‘big-town’ in Dordogne, and is very picturesque. There are alleyways and secret squares and some of the region’s best-preserved medieval architecture. 

Make your way to the meeting spot to meet your guide for this Gourmet tour and market visit in Sarlat (small group / approx. 2 hours). 

This tour takes place only on market days, so follow your certified guide through the winding streets and stroll through the colorful stalls as he or she introduces you to the best local delicacies. Your tour will include stops where you will taste delicious specialties of the region including duck, cheese, walnuts and wine.

Start your Vezere valley and Lascaux tour (small group / approx. 4 hours) just after breakfast.  

Join your guide and a small group and discover the brand-new Lascaux IV International Center of Parietal Art. The museum is a triumph of technology: unlike any other cave visits, Lascaux 4 employs different set designs, displays, state-of-the-art interactive workshops and immersive technology to bring it to life. For the very first time, all of Lascaux cave is revealed. This new center features an interactive gallery experience that blends Art, History and Culture with intelligence and sensitivity. At the heart of the experience you will discover a life size, state of the art facsimile cave that reveals the wonders of Lascaux as they were first seen. In 2018, the museum was listed on Time Magazine’s 100 Greatest Places to visit saying: “The Snohetta-designed complex features some 600 prehistoric paintings and 1,000 engravings, all painstakingly re-created by a team of two dozen artists working from physical castings and advanced 3-D digital scans or the original artwork”!

After the visit and some time for personal discovery, the tour will also take you along the Vezere Valley for stops in Les Eyzies and Saint Léon village.

Drive towards Cahors (approx. 1 hour / 64km) perhaps choosing to stop at Rocamadour on your way. 

Check in and simply enjoy the atmosphere of this quaint small town.  In a U-shaped curve in the River Lot, Cahors combines the feel of the sunbaked Mediterranean with an alluring old town. Pastel-coloured buildings line the shady squares of the ancient medieval quarter, criss-crossed by a labyrinth of alleyways and cul-de-sacs, and bordered by scenic quays.

Evening at leisure with your loved one (we can reserve a great restaurant for you). 

Morning at leisure.  

Drive to Lourdes in the Pyrenees (approx. 3 hours/ 285km) and check in to your hotel. 

One of the world’s most important pilgrimage sites since 1858, when 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous (1844–79) is claimed to have been visited 18 times in a rocky grotto by the Virgin Mary, Lourdes is considered one of the holiest sites in Christendom.  Outside the theme-park-like atmosphere of the town, you'll find some intriguing sites, including a hilltop castle and various humble abodes where Soubirous resided – which more than anything illustrates the many hardships the lower classes endured in the late 19th century.

Free time in the town to explore. 

Your guide will come to your hotel and meet you in the lobby before a Guided tour of the sacred Lourdes (private tour / approx. full day). This is a full day tour, and all of the sites are accessible by foot. 

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lourdes covers a surface area of 52 hectares and has 22 places of worship! From the famous Grotto of Massabielle to Saint Bernadette's church or the Basilica of the Rosary, discover the Sanctuary and its history.   Whether a believer or not, you are all invited to this very profound day of visits with a top local.

Day at leisure to enjoy the countryside around Lourdes. 

The day trips that are possible from Lourdes are endless. You can easily access prestigious sites such as the Cirque de Gavarnie, World Heritage of UNESCO, the Pont d’Espagne in Cauterets, or the Pic du Midi de Bigorre. 

Our roadbook will have details on these and more. 

Drive into the Basque country and arrive at Biarritz (approx 2 hours / 170kms). 

Ritzy coastal resort meets surfers' hang-out, the seaside resort of Biarritz has been a favourite beach getaway since the mid-19th century. Its elegant villas and heritage-listed residences, which glitter with belle époque and art deco details, have retained much of their glamour. Biarritz remains one of the southwest's seaside gems and throngs with visitors in summer.

You will meet your guide on the beachfront for a late afternoon Biarritz Walking Tour (private / 2 hours) : Explore Biarritz with a local expert guide on a 2-hour private guided walking tour. Immerse yourself in the city's rich architectural and cultural heritage and learn all about its multicultural history.  Let your private guide show you the main sights of the city, including the legendary Hôtel du Palais, where you can admire its magnificent outdoor architecture, the elegant Art Deco-style municipal casino, and the famous Grande Plage.

Throughout your tour, your guide will bring the city's history to life before your eyes as they recount tales of its construction and evolution through the centuries.

Evening at leisure to explore the beach and nightlife. 

Meet your young surf coach at the beach after breakfast for a Group Surf Lesson (small group lesson / 1.5 hours).

These surf lessons are open to everyone from beginners to skilled surfers. Discover the famous capital of French of surfing. You’ll be provided with a soft board for your lesson, and you will have professional instructors.  You’ll start your lesson with a warm up and instructions about your board. Practice standing up on your board on the beach before heading out to try your skills out in the waves.   

Guests should be aware that surf lessons only take place during low tide, so the time of the lessons change every day.  Come out and soak up the sun and enjoy the local atmosphere while riding the waves of beautiful Biarritz.

In the afternoon we would highly recommend a drive through the French basque Country.  The first stop on the tour should be Saint Jean Pied De Port which is considered the start point on the famous St. James Way, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. This is a stunning medieval town.

Next, it's the town of Bidarray, and to Espelette. This town is unique, known for its dried red peppers hanging from their facades.  Ainhoa is known for its church, and there is also nearby Sare, a major prehistoric site and has been carefully preserved.

After breakfast check out and cross the border. Your romantic journey now brings to the other side of the border, Spain.

Surrounded by beaches and hillsides, San Sebastián has charm, great views and good food. Just offshore of the old town lies Isla de Santa Clara, a small hilly island that makes a fine getaway on a steamy afternoon if you time your visit right. The city has some fine vantage points to gaze over its coastline.  After a few hours there, hit the road again for the short drive to Bilbao. 

Check in and enjoy your evening in Bilbao. Bilbao is one of the great treasures of the Basque Country, and it has architectural allure, natural beauty and vibrant culture.  It is a thriving waterfront city full of museums. 

Take the morning to yourselves, then meet your local guide for a Walking Tour (private / 4 hours). 

The whole itinerary might vary as it depends on the rhythm of the group and the priorities that are set before the tour.

The tour starts at the Old Town, the founding nucleus of the Villa de Bilbao. Among other places, you will see the Arenal promenade where the Arriaga Theater is located. Pass by the Church of San Nicolás, the Concordía station, and the imposing building of the Bilbaina Society. 

Stroll through the Old Town and pass by the famous Plaza Nueva and Plaza de Miguel de Unamuno. Walk around the area of the seven streets and stroll along the Cathedral of Santiago. 

You will also go into the city center, La Gran Via, El Ensanche, Moyúa square, Doña Casilda Park, the Alhóndiga, or the Azkuna Center. Marvel at the imposing building that houses the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao built by the famous architect Frank Gehry.  You will be able to visit the Museum yourselves aftre the tour, armed with tips from your guide. 

Evening at leisure to savour your last night on this tour. What a great way to end your 15-day Romantic Getaway from Bordeaux (France) to Bilbao (Spain).

Drive the short distance to Bilbao airport. Drop off the car and check in for your flight. 

Agur, Au revoir and goodbye from Europe!