• Bordeaux Classic Wine Trail

• 1 April - 15 October

• From £1120 (single supplement £390)
• From €1240 (single supplement €450)
• (€85 or £75, for extra night B&B in Bordeaux)

• From £960 (single supplement £335)
• From €1060 (single supplement €380)
• (€85 or £75, for extra night B&B in Bordeaux)

• 6 or 7 nights, 5 days walking between guest houses and one day of visits

• Discover the vineyards of St Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as Entre-Deux-Mers, Sauternes and Graves
• Explore the historic village of Saint Emilion with its troglodyte dwellings and pretty alleyways
• Guided visit of Saint Emilion and wine tasting visit at Convent des Jacobins included in price (7 night holiday)
• Beautiful guest houses and hotels in historic properties with 5 lunches and 5 evening meals included in price
• Pretty rolling countryside with easy walking through vines, woods and along estuaries
• Chance to visit the historic city of Bordeaux

• Each night you'll be staying in charming guesthouses, hotels***, and sumptuous castles or wine châteaux in the heart of the vines. They are 3 star equivalent in quality offering authentic and very comfortable accommodation. They are often in historic properties that have been lovingly restored where you'll be reserved a warm and generous welcome and enjoy mouth-watering home cooked fresh cuisine.

1. Transfer from Bordeaux (station or airport) at start of walking holiday and back to Barsac train station at end of stay, where required. 6 or 7 night's accommodation in a mixture of guest houses, hotels and chateaux. All breakfasts, 5 picnic lunches on walking days and 5 evening meals. Full walking notes and maps, transport of luggage between guest houses. Small transfers on 3 days.

1. Travel to Bordeaux, France. Return train trip to Bordeaux and onward travel. Lunches on arrival and departure days plus one other day. 2 evening meals. Drinks and snacks. Any excursions and entrance fees. Travel insurance.

1. Other wine trail walking holidays
2. See full list of our independent walking holidays
3. Great Wine Capitals Global Network
   The Network is made up of nine major cities located in internationally renowned wine-producing areas throughout the world. The website gives information on each of the member cities, with links to essential organisations in wine, travel, education and business. It also gives you all necessary information about the Best Of Wine Tourism award winners and about the Great Wine Capitals Travel Network.

Walking Profile

This independent walking holiday in the Bordeaux region of France is made up of 5 walks some circular, some walking between guest houses. There are different walking trail options on several of the days meaning that the walking ranges from easy to easy+. The easier days average about 10km with plenty of time for visits and wine tasting. The maximum distance that you will cover in a day is 15km. The amount of ascent and descent is small, adding up to no more than 100m over the course of the day. The walking holiday takes place on good paths and tracks with the odd section on small lanes.

Day 1: Arrival

Pick up from Bordeaux or direct to your accommodation in Saint Emilion. St-Emilion is renowned not only for its wines but for the town itself, which dominates the Dordogne valley from its hilltop position.

Day 2: Saint Emillion Vineyards Circuit

Your first day's walking trail explores the Saint Emilion area. All around the town, the vineyards stretch out on the undulating landscape. Its compact nature is very reminiscent of Burgundy. You will have 2 options for today's circuit, whichever you choose, there will be opportunities to stop for some wine tasting. 8 or 14km, +70m

Day 3: Saint Emilion Visits

Private visit and wine tasting in one of the oldest wineries of the region. This will be followed by a guided visit of the town of Saint Emilion which is built in an amphitheatre with troglodyte buildings built into the limestone rock as well as over 70 hectares of underground galleries. Its church is also built into the rock. Above ground, medieval buildings line the pretty alleyways along with ruins from older periods. At the end of the afternoon, taxi transfer to Caudrot, in the “Entre-Deux-Mers” vineyard. This day of visits is optional.

Day 4: Entre-deux-Mers Walk: St Martin du Lerm to Caudrot

The Entre-Deux-Mers region takes its name from its location, being nestled between the Garonne and the Dordogne rivers. The region has a long wine producing history with the earliest vines planted by the Romans 2000 years ago. In the middle ages, Benedictine monks established Entre deux Mers' reputation offering the sweet white wines to pilgrims on route to Santiago de Compostela. The main grape varieties used to produce the areas dry and sweet white wines are Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle. Today's walk will traverse the gently rolling hills planted with vineyards which are bounded by small valleys, meadows and forests and criss-crossed by a number of streams. Transfer at the end of the walk, transfer back to your accommodation. 15km, +100m

Day 5: From Caudrot to St Macaire

After a short transfer, today's walking trail takes you along the vines and estuary of the Gironde, passing chateaux and fishermens huts on route. You will also come to the small port and its locks which mark the start of the “Canal du Midi”, linking the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean. Your day's trail will lead to the medieval city of St Macaire. Dinner and night in hotel*** in the very heart of the town. 10km, +25m

Day 6: Circular trail from St Macaire to Sainte Croix du Mont

Today on your self-guided trail you will have a couple of walking options depending on the distance you wish to walk. From above Saint-Macaire, you will be treated to wonderful scenic views. The landscape of hills and small valleys, give way to meadows and woods. In this ever changing landscape you will spot many old mills and chateaux. The circuit will take you to the 'Domaine de Malagar', residence of the writer François Mauria as well as the tomb of the painter Toulouse Lautrec. You can visit Château Laurette or Château Loubens (wine producers) before reaching the village of Sainte Croix du Mont. The village offers spectacular views of the Garonne Valley and is also known for its wines and caves, the walls of which are covered by a fossilised oyster bed, formed millions of years ago. At the end of the afternoon, return to the hotel at St Macaire and transfer by taxi to your guest house in Sauternes. 8km or 16km, +100m

Day 7: The Famous Sauternes vineyards area. From Sauternes to Barsac

Today's walking trail follows the left bank of the Garonne, where the superior Sauternes wines are produced. You will pass the vineyards of some of the most famous wine producers of the region. Sauternes is where some of the world's finest sweet white wines are produced. There are some wonderful small communities in this area, so as well as chateaux, there are churches, mills and wash houses set in a beautifully varied landscape of vines and forest. You will also encounter the wild Ciron river, which in the past was used to transport logs from the region. Finish the day with an aperitif tasting in the Château Gravas, a wine producer dating from the 12th century.

Accommodation and dinner in the 19th century Chateau de Camperos with its rooms enjoying views over the vines or the park. You can relax in the Jacuzzi at the end of your week's walking trail.

15km, +60m

Day 8: Departure

Breakfast and transfer to Barsac train station.

Optional extra night in Bordeaux before or after your independent walking holiday