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Dordogne & Bordeaux Biking
Through Prehistory to the Great Wine Estates
High rocky outcrops riddled with caves. Dense oak forests. Rivers meandering beneath limestone cliffs. The Dordogne's distinctive beauty has inspired people for 20,000 years. The Cro-Magnons painted in caves. Their descendants erected splendid fortresses and hilltop bastides. It's yours to discover on two wheels. In neighboring Bordeaux, find the down-to-earth appeal of medieval villages and fertile vineyards ideally juxtaposed with our lavish hotels and tastings of world-famous wines. Spend perfect days riding and drinking in everything that is Dordogne and Bordeaux.
Request an itinerary here or reserve this trip now.
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• A perfect duo of the Dordogne's colorful history and Bordeaux's renowned viticulture
• Prehistoric cave paintings at Font-de-Gaume
• Private wine tastings with local experts
• Pedal by world-famous Bordeaux Grand Cru vineyards
• St-Emilion, whose history dates back to the 2nd century
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Days 1-2
Peaceful rides on country roads past walnut groves, tobacco fields and timeless villages. Bike into the heart of the Dordogne, stopping to explore the bastide town of Domme, a medieval masterpiece of cobblestone streets, exquisite honey-colored homes and gardens of wisteria vines. A picnic of regional delights awaits your arrival at the fortified Chateau de Castelnaud. A rolling route leads through the winding river valley past ancient castles.
• Two nights at Clos la Boetie. Set in the heart of town, a sophisticated 19th-century residence.
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Day 3
Cro-Magnon cave art at Font-de-Gaume - our guided tour uncovers vividly colored bison and mammoth polychromatic paintings. Pedal through small farming hamlets en route to Les Eyzies, the "Capital of Prehistory."
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Days 4
A perfect duo: the Dordogne's colorful history and Bordeaux's renowned viticulture. After spinning out of the wooded Dordogne River Valley and into the vineyard-laced Bordeaux region, admire stunning mosaic-tiled floors at the Gallo-Roman ruins in Montcaret. An oenologist at the Vignobles & Chateaux wine school offers an initiation into tasting; you'll learn how to recognize Bordeaux vintages by color, smell and taste.
• One night at Chateau des Vigiers. Known locally as "little Versailles," this spectacular hotel dates back to 1597 and is surrounded by vineyards and a golf course. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa, golf)
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Days 5-6
Exclusive tour and dégustation with a local expert at a premier Grand Cru chateau. Bike undulating terrain past centuries-old churches, inviting hamlets and famous vineyards. Stroll through the World Heritage site of St-Emilion before our walking tour reveals its underground treasures.
• Two nights at Hostellerie de Plaisance. Perched above the Dordogne Valley and St-Emilion's celebrated vineyards, this enchanting Relais & Chateaux property offers well-appointed rooms and Michelin-starred cuisine.
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Dates: Sep 18-23, 2011, Oct 9-14, 2011, May 27-Jun 1, Jun 10-15, Jun 24-29, Jul 8-13, Jul 15-20, Jul 22-27, Aug 5-10, Aug 19-24, Aug 26-31, Sep 2-7, Sep 9-14, Sep 16-21, Sep 23-28, Sep 30-Oct 5, Oct 7-12, Oct 14-19
Length: 6 days/5 nights
Level: 2 to 5
Cost: $4298 - $4698
Single Supplement: $1200
(Please note: Prices are subject to change. Please view current pricing here.)
Meals: All meals included except 1 lunch, 1 dinner.
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