Founder's Grand Cruise: Day 5

Scouting Bordeaux, France: Day 5’s Excursions in Saint-Émilion

On Day 5 of our Founder’s Grand Cruise scouting trip, our team docked in the brilliant city of Libourne -- a colorful city and a gateway to historic France -- for a day of lively activities. One of our best days on the trip so far, we tasted the wine, sampled the food, and walked the UNESCO-protected streets of Saint-Émilion, France. Today, our team participated in a walking tour through historic St. Émilion, visited the remarkable Chateau de Ferrand for a wine tasting, then headed back into St. Émilion to explore and have lunch on our own. Another member of our scouting team attended a cooking class to learn to cook just as the French do.

Morning Excursion Part One: Saint-Émilion Walking Tour

​Early on the morning of Day 5, our group boarded a bus bound for St. Émilion with our guide. Delivering an educational intro to the town as we simultaneously drove into it, we were prepared by the time our 25 minute ride was over. Along the way, our bus passed by field after field of perfectly arranged grape vines as the sun rose overhead and the ancient walls of St. Émilion approached. 

​Upon our arrival to town, the guide and group disembarked the bus directly into the heart of Saint-Émilion. We walked cobblestone streets lined with ancient buildings, many of which have been lovingly turned into shops, cafés, and art galleries. Around every new corner, historic beauty seemed to await us in this photogenic town. Along the excursion, we had the opportunity to learn about Émilion the saint, the 8th century figure whom the destination gets its name from. We traveled underground into the Monolithic Church, a massive structure carved right out of the area’s stone. The entire tour delivered remarkable information and beauty with each turn, leaving us overjoyed and impatient for our later return.

Overlooking Saint-Émilion

Morning Excursion Part Two: Wine Tasting at Chateau de Ferrand

The second treat on this memorable day was a visit to the Chateau de Ferrand winery to sample Saint- Émilion wine. The chateau is owned by the Bich family, who created their wealth through the worldwide sales of their impressive and simplistic pen called “The Bic.” The sommelier was especially articulate and took us on a leisurely stroll along a row of 25 year old vines, explaining the importance of “terroir” – the specific plot of land that helps give each wine its distinctive characteristics.

​The winery has received France’s highest rating for wine in the region, rated on a basis of the terroir, the facilities, the quality of the grape, and the wine itself. During our tasting, we had the opportunity to try two different versions of Chateau de Ferrand St-Émilion Grand Cru, one from 2011 and the other a 2016, to learn about the difference that aging can make. 

Morning Excursion Part Three: Return to Saint-Émilion

Full of great information and wine, our scouting team returned to the village of Saint-Émilion for lunch and more time to explore. Staying well into the afternoon, we ended up visiting several of the unique gift shops to pick up postcards, French music boxes, and delicate treats. Our scouting team dined at the La Cabane d'Amélie for lunch, a terrific little café tucked right into the city’s historic buildings that produces a phenomenal smoked salmon tartine. We were very impressed by Saint-Émilion, a unique place that only kept getting better for us. 

Dining at La Cabane d'Amélie

Taking a cooking class at Château Ambe Tour Pourret

Afternoon Excursion: Cooking Class at the Château Ambe Tour Pourret

At the same time as our afternoon exploring in St. Émilion, another member of the Authentic Voyages team chose to participate in a cooking class at a nearby chateau. Taught by a local chef who specialized in the French cuisine, the class turned out to be an unforgettable experience. As the class cooked through the afternoon, they made a black rice risotto topped with compote and scallops, seared duck topping a bed of zucchini and ratatouille, and a panna cotta made with spiced rum and poppy seed. All of the dishes impressed, and the chef himself was a wonderful character who’d even written his own book.

A Retrospective of Day Five’s Excursions

​Day 5 of the French river cruise portion of the Founder’s Grand Cruise, our team was entirely impressed. Every member of our scouting team loved the excursions, and having a bit of time to explore a UNESCO-protected city certainly didn’t hurt either. From cooking courses to Grand Cru chateau tours, Day Five of our trip was a resounding success in our books.