Châteaux, Rivers & Wine

Get to know this fascinating town where the Dordogne and Isle Rivers meet. This idyllic French town was founded and developed by the English in 1270 and named for its founder, a nobleman tasked with colonizing and defending the countryside. As a result, Libourne has the layout of the fortified towns typical of the era. Some remnants of the city walls remain today. Join your guide for a walk to the Place Abel Surchamp, the city square lined with buildings dating to the 16th century. You will see the Gothic church with its stone spire rising 232 feet. At the quay, admire the clock tower, a survivor from the original walls. Its floor, which projects out past the wall, allowed defenders to toss stones on enemies trying to scale the exterior. If the town’s schedule allows, you may browse its fresh food market, one of the region’s largest.

Learn the art of truffle hunting from a local farmer and his hound before sampling this delicacy. Board your motor coach and set off on a scenic drive through the French countryside, blanketed by forest and full of traditions centered around food, specifically the black truffle, one of the region's most prized delicacies. Grown in the ground near oak and hazelnut trees, truffles are notoriously difficult to locate. Stop at a local truffle orchard to learn how these trees lend themselves to cultivating the elusive black truffle. Next, visit the home of a local truffle farmer and his canine companion, where you will gain insight into the art of truffle farming and harvesting. Enjoy a tasting of various truffle butters, delightfully paired with a glass of red wine from a local chateau, before returning to your ship.

Discover the UNESCO World Heritage listed Saint-Émilion region and enjoy a three-course lunch with wine tasting. Begin with a guided walk around Libourne, passing through the open air market while learning about its importance to local heritage, before enjoying free time to explore on your own. Then travel to the medieval hillside village of Saint-Émilion, whose original monastic community started the rich wine-growing traditions of the region. See its Monolithic Church, carved out of the hillside rock in the 12th century, and gain insight into hundreds of years of local history. After your three-course lunch, take a guided tour of a historic château. See the vineyards and learn about the various grape varieties grown and the efforts employed to maintain the château. You will also have an opportunity to visit the wine cellar and taste some of the wines, before returning to your ship.

Discover a picturesque and historic wine town nestled in the heart of the Bordeaux region. Drive to Saint-Émilion, a medieval village perched on a limestone plateau that overlooks sprawling vineyards. Explore with your guide, learning about the town’s origins as a monastic community, which started the rich wine-growing traditions of the region. Stroll through the town, passing some of its picturesque sights, including the Saint-Émilion Collegial Catholic Church. Next, choose to either descend on foot to visit the Monolith Church, which recalls the town’s medieval roots and was carved directly into a limestone cliff, or spend free time exploring on your own. After, reconvene with your guide before heading to Cordelier’s Cloister, which was founded by Franciscan friars in the 13th century. Here, sample sparkling wine and taste a macaron, a local dessert.