• Destinations
    • European River Cruises >
      • Cruises by Year >
        • 2022 European River Cruises
        • 2023 European River Cruises
      • Cruises by River >
        • Danube River Cruises
        • Douro River Cruises
        • Elbe River Cruises
        • Main River Cruises
        • Moselle River Cruises
        • Rhine River Cruises
        • Rhône River Cruises
        • Seine River Cruises
      • Cruises by Country >
        • Austrian River Cruises >
          • Durnstein River Cruises
          • Salzburg River Cruises
          • Vienna River Cruises
        • Belgian River Cruises >
          • Brussels River Cruises
        • Czech Republic River Cruises >
          • Prague River Cruises
        • Danish Cruises
        • Dutch River Cruises >
          • Amsterdam River Cruises
        • French River Cruises >
          • Avignon River Cruises
          • Bordeaux River Cruises
          • Lyon River Cruises
          • Nice, France River Cruises
          • Paris River Cruises
          • Strasbourg River Cruises
        • German River Cruises >
          • Berlin River Cruises
          • Cologne River Cruises
          • Dresden River Cruises
          • Frankfurt River Cruises
          • Hamburg River Cruises
          • Heidelberg River Cruises
          • Koblenz River Cruises
          • Munich River Cruises
          • Nuremberg River Cruises
          • Passau River Cruises
          • Rüdesheim River Cruises
          • Wurzburg River Cruises
        • Hungarian River Cruises >
          • Budapest River Cruises
        • Portugal River Cruises >
          • Porto River Cruises
        • Romanian River Cruises >
          • Bucharest River Cruises
        • Swiss River Cruises >
          • 2023 Basel River Cruises
          • Geneva River Cruises
          • Zurich River Cruises
    • Canadian Cruises >
      • Ontario Cruises
      • Quebec Cruises
      • Canadian Maritimes Cruises
    • Caribbean Cruises >
      • Florida Cruises >
        • Fort Lauderdale Cruises
        • Key West Cruises
        • Miami Cruises
        • Port Canaveral Cruises
        • Tampa Cruises
      • Cuba Cruises >
        • Cienfuegos Cruises
        • Havana Cruises
        • Maria La Gorda Cruises
        • Santiago de Cuba Cruises
        • Trinidad de Cuba Cruises
      • Mexico Cruises >
        • Cancun Cruises
        • Costa Maya Cruises
        • Cozumel Cruises
        • Holbox Island Cruises
        • Isla Mujeres Cruises
        • Merida Cruises
        • Playa del Carmen Cruises
        • Progreso Cruises
        • Tulum Cruises
        • Valladolid Cruises
    • Great Lakes Cruises >
      • Lake Superior Cruises >
        • Apostle Island, Minnesota Cruises
        • Duluth, Minnesota Cruises
        • Houghton, Michigan Cruises
        • Marquette, Michigan Cruises
        • Thunder Bay, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Michigan Cruises >
        • Green Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Chicago, Illinois Cruises
        • Grand Haven, Michigan Cruises
        • Holland, Michigan Cruises
        • Muskegon, Michigan Cruises
        • Traverse City, Michigan Cruises
        • Ludington, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Huron Cruises >
        • Mackinac Island, Michigan Cruises
        • Little Current, Manitoulin Island, Ontario Cruises
        • Georgian Bay, Ontario Cruises
        • Parry Sound, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Erie Cruises >
        • Cleveland, Ohio Cruises
        • Detroit, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Ontario Cruises >
        • Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Cruises
        • Toronto Cruises
      • Niagara Falls Cruises >
        • Niagara Falls, New York, USA Cruises
        • Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Cruises
      • St. Mary's River Cruises >
        • Sault St. Marie, Ontario Cruises
        • Sault St. Marie, Michigan Cruises >
          • Sault St. Marie, Soo Locks Cruises
    • New England Cruises >
      • Maine Cruises >
        • Bar Harbor Cruises
        • Boothbay Harbor Cruises
        • Portland Cruises
        • Rockland Cruises
      • Massachusetts Cruises >
        • Boston Cruises
        • Martha's Vineyard Cruises
        • Nantucket Cruises
        • Provincetown Cruises
      • New York Cruises
    • Alaska Cruises >
      • Juneau Cruises
  • Cruise Lines
    • Viking River Cruises
    • Scenic River Cruises
    • Uniworld River Cruises >
      • Uniworld SS Bon Voyage
    • Creek Cruises
    • Puffin Cruises
    • Swan Cruises
  • Itineraries
    • Itineraries by River >
      • Danube River Cruise Itineraries
      • Elbe River Cruise Itineraries
      • Garonne River Cruise Itineraries >
        • Founder's Grand Cruise
      • Rhine River Cruise Itineraries
      • Rhône River Cruise Itineraries
      • Seine River Cruise Itineraries
  • Luxury Cruise News
  • About
  • Contact
Authentic Voyages
  • Destinations
    • European River Cruises >
      • Cruises by Year >
        • 2022 European River Cruises
        • 2023 European River Cruises
      • Cruises by River >
        • Danube River Cruises
        • Douro River Cruises
        • Elbe River Cruises
        • Main River Cruises
        • Moselle River Cruises
        • Rhine River Cruises
        • Rhône River Cruises
        • Seine River Cruises
      • Cruises by Country >
        • Austrian River Cruises >
          • Durnstein River Cruises
          • Salzburg River Cruises
          • Vienna River Cruises
        • Belgian River Cruises >
          • Brussels River Cruises
        • Czech Republic River Cruises >
          • Prague River Cruises
        • Danish Cruises
        • Dutch River Cruises >
          • Amsterdam River Cruises
        • French River Cruises >
          • Avignon River Cruises
          • Bordeaux River Cruises
          • Lyon River Cruises
          • Nice, France River Cruises
          • Paris River Cruises
          • Strasbourg River Cruises
        • German River Cruises >
          • Berlin River Cruises
          • Cologne River Cruises
          • Dresden River Cruises
          • Frankfurt River Cruises
          • Hamburg River Cruises
          • Heidelberg River Cruises
          • Koblenz River Cruises
          • Munich River Cruises
          • Nuremberg River Cruises
          • Passau River Cruises
          • Rüdesheim River Cruises
          • Wurzburg River Cruises
        • Hungarian River Cruises >
          • Budapest River Cruises
        • Portugal River Cruises >
          • Porto River Cruises
        • Romanian River Cruises >
          • Bucharest River Cruises
        • Swiss River Cruises >
          • 2023 Basel River Cruises
          • Geneva River Cruises
          • Zurich River Cruises
    • Canadian Cruises >
      • Ontario Cruises
      • Quebec Cruises
      • Canadian Maritimes Cruises
    • Caribbean Cruises >
      • Florida Cruises >
        • Fort Lauderdale Cruises
        • Key West Cruises
        • Miami Cruises
        • Port Canaveral Cruises
        • Tampa Cruises
      • Cuba Cruises >
        • Cienfuegos Cruises
        • Havana Cruises
        • Maria La Gorda Cruises
        • Santiago de Cuba Cruises
        • Trinidad de Cuba Cruises
      • Mexico Cruises >
        • Cancun Cruises
        • Costa Maya Cruises
        • Cozumel Cruises
        • Holbox Island Cruises
        • Isla Mujeres Cruises
        • Merida Cruises
        • Playa del Carmen Cruises
        • Progreso Cruises
        • Tulum Cruises
        • Valladolid Cruises
    • Great Lakes Cruises >
      • Lake Superior Cruises >
        • Apostle Island, Minnesota Cruises
        • Duluth, Minnesota Cruises
        • Houghton, Michigan Cruises
        • Marquette, Michigan Cruises
        • Thunder Bay, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Michigan Cruises >
        • Green Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Chicago, Illinois Cruises
        • Grand Haven, Michigan Cruises
        • Holland, Michigan Cruises
        • Muskegon, Michigan Cruises
        • Traverse City, Michigan Cruises
        • Ludington, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Huron Cruises >
        • Mackinac Island, Michigan Cruises
        • Little Current, Manitoulin Island, Ontario Cruises
        • Georgian Bay, Ontario Cruises
        • Parry Sound, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Erie Cruises >
        • Cleveland, Ohio Cruises
        • Detroit, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Ontario Cruises >
        • Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Cruises
        • Toronto Cruises
      • Niagara Falls Cruises >
        • Niagara Falls, New York, USA Cruises
        • Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Cruises
      • St. Mary's River Cruises >
        • Sault St. Marie, Ontario Cruises
        • Sault St. Marie, Michigan Cruises >
          • Sault St. Marie, Soo Locks Cruises
    • New England Cruises >
      • Maine Cruises >
        • Bar Harbor Cruises
        • Boothbay Harbor Cruises
        • Portland Cruises
        • Rockland Cruises
      • Massachusetts Cruises >
        • Boston Cruises
        • Martha's Vineyard Cruises
        • Nantucket Cruises
        • Provincetown Cruises
      • New York Cruises
    • Alaska Cruises >
      • Juneau Cruises
  • Cruise Lines
    • Viking River Cruises
    • Scenic River Cruises
    • Uniworld River Cruises >
      • Uniworld SS Bon Voyage
    • Creek Cruises
    • Puffin Cruises
    • Swan Cruises
  • Itineraries
    • Itineraries by River >
      • Danube River Cruise Itineraries
      • Elbe River Cruise Itineraries
      • Garonne River Cruise Itineraries >
        • Founder's Grand Cruise
      • Rhine River Cruise Itineraries
      • Rhône River Cruise Itineraries
      • Seine River Cruise Itineraries
  • Luxury Cruise News
  • About
  • Contact

Luxury Cruise News

Founder's Grand Cruise:  Day 5

10/9/2021

0 Comments

 

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 cafe and historic buildings
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
Dining at La Cabane d'Amélie
Taking a cooking class at Château Ambe Tour Pourret
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.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Bordeaux River Cruises
    Cruise News
    Danube River Cruises
    Founder's Grand Cruise
    Garonne River Cruises
    Rhine River Cruises
    River Cruising Basics
    Trip Reports

CRUISES BY CITY
Amsterdam River Cruises
​
Avignon River Cruises
Basel River Cruises
​Berlin River Cruises
Bordeaux River Cruises
Brussels River Cruises
Bucharest River Cruises
Budapest River Cruises
​
Cologne River Cruises
​Dresden River Cruises
Durnstein River Cruises
​
Frankfurt River Cruises
Geneva River Cruises
Hamburg River Cruises
Heidelberg River Cruises
​Koblenz River Cruises
Lyon River Cruises
​Munich River Cruises
Nuremberg River Cruises
Nice River Cruises
​
Passau River Cruises
Paris River Cruises
Porto River Cruises
Prague River Cruises
Rüdesheim River Cruises
Salzburg River Cruises
Vienna River Cruises
Wurzburg River Cruises
​Zurich River Cruises
CRUISES BY COUNTRY
​​Austria River Cruises
Belgium River Cruises
Czech Republic River Cruises
Denmark River Cruises
Dutch Netherlands River Cruises
France River Cruises
Germany River Cruises
Hungary River Cruises
Portugal River Cruises
Romania River Cruises
Switzerland River Cruises
​CRUISES BY RIVER
Danube River Cruises
Elbe River Cruises
Main River Cruises
Rhine River Cruises
Moselle River Cruises
Rhône River Cruises
Douro River Cruises
​Seine River Cruises
DESTINATIONS
European River Cruises
​
Canadian Cruises
Caribbean Cruises
Great Lakes Cruises
New England Cruises
Alaska Cruises
© COPYRIGHT 2024

​Authentic Voyages, LLC
AuthenticVoyages.com
1395 Brickell Ave, Suite 800
​Miami FL 33131

Phone: +1-888-756-9008
Email: [email protected]

Part of The Authentic Voyages Family:

https://www.besteuropeanrivercruises.com/
https://www.europeanrivercruise.co.uk/
https://www.eurocruises.com/


  • Destinations
    • European River Cruises >
      • Cruises by Year >
        • 2022 European River Cruises
        • 2023 European River Cruises
      • Cruises by River >
        • Danube River Cruises
        • Douro River Cruises
        • Elbe River Cruises
        • Main River Cruises
        • Moselle River Cruises
        • Rhine River Cruises
        • Rhône River Cruises
        • Seine River Cruises
      • Cruises by Country >
        • Austrian River Cruises >
          • Durnstein River Cruises
          • Salzburg River Cruises
          • Vienna River Cruises
        • Belgian River Cruises >
          • Brussels River Cruises
        • Czech Republic River Cruises >
          • Prague River Cruises
        • Danish Cruises
        • Dutch River Cruises >
          • Amsterdam River Cruises
        • French River Cruises >
          • Avignon River Cruises
          • Bordeaux River Cruises
          • Lyon River Cruises
          • Nice, France River Cruises
          • Paris River Cruises
          • Strasbourg River Cruises
        • German River Cruises >
          • Berlin River Cruises
          • Cologne River Cruises
          • Dresden River Cruises
          • Frankfurt River Cruises
          • Hamburg River Cruises
          • Heidelberg River Cruises
          • Koblenz River Cruises
          • Munich River Cruises
          • Nuremberg River Cruises
          • Passau River Cruises
          • Rüdesheim River Cruises
          • Wurzburg River Cruises
        • Hungarian River Cruises >
          • Budapest River Cruises
        • Portugal River Cruises >
          • Porto River Cruises
        • Romanian River Cruises >
          • Bucharest River Cruises
        • Swiss River Cruises >
          • 2023 Basel River Cruises
          • Geneva River Cruises
          • Zurich River Cruises
    • Canadian Cruises >
      • Ontario Cruises
      • Quebec Cruises
      • Canadian Maritimes Cruises
    • Caribbean Cruises >
      • Florida Cruises >
        • Fort Lauderdale Cruises
        • Key West Cruises
        • Miami Cruises
        • Port Canaveral Cruises
        • Tampa Cruises
      • Cuba Cruises >
        • Cienfuegos Cruises
        • Havana Cruises
        • Maria La Gorda Cruises
        • Santiago de Cuba Cruises
        • Trinidad de Cuba Cruises
      • Mexico Cruises >
        • Cancun Cruises
        • Costa Maya Cruises
        • Cozumel Cruises
        • Holbox Island Cruises
        • Isla Mujeres Cruises
        • Merida Cruises
        • Playa del Carmen Cruises
        • Progreso Cruises
        • Tulum Cruises
        • Valladolid Cruises
    • Great Lakes Cruises >
      • Lake Superior Cruises >
        • Apostle Island, Minnesota Cruises
        • Duluth, Minnesota Cruises
        • Houghton, Michigan Cruises
        • Marquette, Michigan Cruises
        • Thunder Bay, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Michigan Cruises >
        • Green Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Milwaukee, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Cruises
        • Chicago, Illinois Cruises
        • Grand Haven, Michigan Cruises
        • Holland, Michigan Cruises
        • Muskegon, Michigan Cruises
        • Traverse City, Michigan Cruises
        • Ludington, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Huron Cruises >
        • Mackinac Island, Michigan Cruises
        • Little Current, Manitoulin Island, Ontario Cruises
        • Georgian Bay, Ontario Cruises
        • Parry Sound, Ontario Cruises
      • Lake Erie Cruises >
        • Cleveland, Ohio Cruises
        • Detroit, Michigan Cruises
      • Lake Ontario Cruises >
        • Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario Cruises
        • Toronto Cruises
      • Niagara Falls Cruises >
        • Niagara Falls, New York, USA Cruises
        • Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada Cruises
      • St. Mary's River Cruises >
        • Sault St. Marie, Ontario Cruises
        • Sault St. Marie, Michigan Cruises >
          • Sault St. Marie, Soo Locks Cruises
    • New England Cruises >
      • Maine Cruises >
        • Bar Harbor Cruises
        • Boothbay Harbor Cruises
        • Portland Cruises
        • Rockland Cruises
      • Massachusetts Cruises >
        • Boston Cruises
        • Martha's Vineyard Cruises
        • Nantucket Cruises
        • Provincetown Cruises
      • New York Cruises
    • Alaska Cruises >
      • Juneau Cruises
  • Cruise Lines
    • Viking River Cruises
    • Scenic River Cruises
    • Uniworld River Cruises >
      • Uniworld SS Bon Voyage
    • Creek Cruises
    • Puffin Cruises
    • Swan Cruises
  • Itineraries
    • Itineraries by River >
      • Danube River Cruise Itineraries
      • Elbe River Cruise Itineraries
      • Garonne River Cruise Itineraries >
        • Founder's Grand Cruise
      • Rhine River Cruise Itineraries
      • Rhône River Cruise Itineraries
      • Seine River Cruise Itineraries
  • Luxury Cruise News
  • About
  • Contact