Founder's Grand Cruise: Day 4

Scouting Bordeaux, France: Day 4’s Excursions in Cadillac and the Gironde Department

For Day Four of our Bordeaux scouting trip for the Founder’s Grand Cruise, the Authentic Voyages team headed into the city of Cadillac, France. Disembarking the SS Bon Voyage that morning, we parted ways to find what we could about the exciting offerings arranged for us. One half of our team opted to visit a storied château built by King Henry IV, while the others visited the museum-home of famed French poster painter, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. With two equally appealing activities from Uniworld, our members had a difficult time deciding which to choose. We were pleasantly surprised at the incredible French beauty each of Day 4’s excursions allowed us access to, each unique in its own way.

A member of the Authentic Voyages team at the Château Royal de Cazeneuve in Préchac, France

Morning Excursion: Visit Château Royal de Cazeneuve and Toast Sauternes

​Leaving at a bright and early hour following breakfast, part of our team set out on this excursion to tour the Château Royal de Cazeneuve. Built by the Lord of Albret in the 13th century, this castle was owned by the kings of Navarra, including Henry IV. This ancient kingdom is still an autonomous region of Spain. Pamplona is the capital of Navarra, so you will continue deeper into this ancient history as our tour continues. Today, the magnificent castle is owned by the Lord of Albret’s descendants, the Sabran-Pontevès family.

We purchased a photo book for 6€ at the Château Royal de Cazeneuve in Préchac, Gironde

Arriving at the castle, we felt as if we had traveled via time machine instead of our motorcoach. We were greeted by towering spires amidst a perfectly manicured landscape, with vineyards stretching into the distance. The Sabran-Pontevès had recently renovated the Château Royal de Cazeneuve, choosing to restore it with its French heritage in mind. ​

Our charming tour guide showed us into the château and delivered a wonderfully informative welcome speech. We walked from room to room, taking in the beautiful, richly patterned and colorful French décor. With our guide’s assistance, we learned about the history of each space in the château, its artworks, and all about the local wine. Our team was unable to take photos inside the château, but did find a fantastic book with dozens of great pictures inside to remember our travels.

​Visiting Château Royal de Cazeneuve, we were able to learn all about the famed Sauterne wine that’s produced in the region. What many consider to be a dessert wine, this sweet beverage made for an excellent toast to end this classic French excursion. Being a château, this activity maintained a low level of physical activity, ensuring easy access for everyone.

Morning Excursion: The Colorful Life of Toulouse Lautrec at Château de Malromé

The other half of our Authentic Voyages scouting team made the journey to Château de Malromé, the childhood home-turned-museum of painter Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Just a few years ago, the Chinese entrepreneur Kim Huynh purchased the home and invested a huge sum of money into renovating it. Now, the home is restored to its former splendor, with beautiful grounds covered with vines, perfectly restored rooms, and – of course – the original artwork of Toulouse-Lautrec.

The home tour really shined when we were able to learn all kinds of interesting details about the artist himself. Delivering far more information than a casual Google search could provide, our guide filled us in on the more intimate details of Toulouse-Lautrec’s life, including his passion for painting “ladies of the night.” 

A featured original painting by Toulouse-Lautrec in Gironde, France

​After touring the childhood home of Toulouse-Lautrec, our group headed to Verdelais, the quaint French village where the artist was laid to rest in 1901. Visiting the colorful graveyard where he lies today, we received an all-encompassing view of Toulouse-Lautrec’s life and works. Before we ended the excursion, we made one final stop at Verdelais’ only bar for a proper absinthe tasting. One of Toulouse-Lautrec’s favorites, he was known for mixing absinthe into all manner of drinks. Our group was shown the proper way to sip the high-proof liquor, where we melted a sugar cube into the absinthe with ice cold water. The excursion proved to be the perfect accompaniment to our group’s day, one we’d recommend to anyone visiting the Bordeaux region with a remote interest in the best of French art. Physical activity levels were fairly low for this excursion as well, making it an equal opportunity excursion for everyone aboard.

Our Toulouse Lautrec absinthe tasting in Gironde

A Retrospective of Day Four’s Excursions

On Day Four, we enjoyed visiting both the Château Royal de Cazeneuve and Château de Malromé. For those interested in beautiful architecture and the pristineness of French royalty, we couldn’t recommend the Château Royal tour more. Or, if art inspired by the whirlwind lifestyle of late 19th century France piques your interest, the home-museum of Toulouse-Lautrec cannot be missed.

​In our fourth day aboard the SS Bon Voyage, we were astounded at how the excursions seemed to only get better with each coming day. Nearing the halfway point to our Bordeaux cruise, our team was thoroughly impressed not just with today’s excursions, but also the entire itinerary so far. As we scout the way for our upcoming Founder’s Grand Cruise, we look forward to keeping you up-to-date with our grand adventure.