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2 Chateaux, 6 Tastings, and Chocolate pairing
Small Group Tour
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Discover the picturesque right bank of the Bordeaux region when you visit Saint Emilion! You’ll visit the vineyards and wine cellars of two prestigious Chateaux as well as the adorable town of Saint Emilion which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Saint-Emilion is one of the most famous wine producing regions in the world and home to the noble Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc grapes.
On this tour you’ll learn how the vinters (wine makers) assemble these grapes to make their own uniquely harmonious wines.This adventure is all about learning to appreciate the unique “terroir” of Saint Emilion. To do that you’ll be visiting two Chateau wineries with the Grand Cru and Grand Cru Classé titles. You’ll walk through the vineyards, see the grape press, learn about and tour a monolithic limestone cellar full of oak barrels and thousands of bottles of wine.
But the best part is the personal welcome that you will receive at both wineries. You’ll see passion in person and learn about the real people who make the wines of this region so remarkable. At both Chateaux you will be invited to taste from several different wines. You will enjoy at least 6 tastings from different cuvées and learn how to pair them with chocolate!
This adventure will start when you meet up with your guide in front of the Tourism Office in Bordeaux. Our small team of expert guides has only witty and charming people in it. All of them truly enjoy sharing the history of Bordeaux and it’s amazing wines with others. So you can be sure that the tour will be fun, interesting, and full of humor.
The drive to the first Chateau is only 45 minutes long. You’ll be riding in comfort in one of our brand new, 8 passenger vans with big, forward facing, seats and fresh air conditioning. Your first stop of the day will be at a father and daughter Grand Cru Classé winery with an impressive, monolithic, limestone cave full of Oak barrels.
You’ll tour their mostly Merlot vineyard and learn about their family history dating back to 1847 as well as their winemaking process that uses mostly Merlot and some Cabernet-Franc grapes. Here you’ll learn how the soil and seasons affect the grapes and the vintages and be able to taste 3 of their most prestigious wines and learn how to pair them with chocolate.
Then you’ll be off to explore the charming little town of Saint Emilion which gave its name to the region. The picture perfect, hilltop, town of Saint-Emilion is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Saint-Emilion was founded in the 800’s and has a long and interesting history to discover.
Your guide will share about the monk named Emilion who, while trying to get away from the world in order to be a hermit, accidentally founded the town when he started doing miracles. You’ll see the picturesque views from the top of the hill over the dozens of vineyards that surround the town and sigh in appreciation.
Then you will have free time to wander through the little cobblestone streets of this medieval town and see for yourself what makes it so unique.This town is full of charm! Saint Emillion will really open your eyes to just how adorable towns in the French countryside can be. After you’ve finished exploring the town you’ll be on your way to the second Chateau of the day and more amazing wine.
After the visit to the town of Saint Emilion you’ll be off again into the countryside to meet another charming winemaker and tour their unique vineyard. It will certainly be one with a Grand Cru title and a unique way of making wine. We believe that it is important to see the differences between one winery and another. As not all vintners go about making wine in the same way!
Some prefer to use all new organic processes while others use more traditional means. Some use cement aging vats while others prefer stainless steel or even to use giant wooden vats. Each vintner and their techniques are slightly different but all are charming, welcoming, and proud to share their way of making Grand Cru wines.
Each Vintner has his or her own story of how and why they became wine makers and the encounter that you will have with them will be authentic and genuine. We want you not only to appreciate their wine but also the unique stories behind each flavorful sip of it. To help you do that you will be invited to taste at least 3 wines from several different millesime or vintages at the same chateau.
Group size
Max. 8 pers. per tour
Duration
5hrs
What's Included
Language
All of our tours are commented in English
Dates & Times
All year
Mon-Sat 8AM or 2PM
Meeting point
Bordeaux Tourism Office
Click here for picture
Reservation required
For the Saint-Emilion Half-Day Tour from Bordeaux you will meet with your driver-guide Bordeaux Tourism Office
Tour Highlights
2 wineries in the Saint Emilion
Every winery has its own unique history! Visit two very different Chateau Wineries, meet the winemakers, and learn about their family history and love of red wines.
Taste at least 6 different wines!
There is no better way to learn about wine than to taste it and compare it with other wines. So we offer you the chance to taste at least 6 different wines on this tour!
Chocolate pairing
Learn how to pair chocolate with wine and get them both to express aromas you never thought were hidden inside of them.
Learn about Grand Cru Classé
Maybe you’ve heard of a Grand Cru before, but what about a Grand Cru Classée? It’s an even fancier title. You'll learn about it and taste the difference too!
Limestone cellars
Limestone is not just great for growing grapes it is also perfect for quarrying stone from. Visit a cellar that is in an ancient quarry filled with oak barrels of wine.
Walk among the vineyards
Have you ever touched the rough leaves of a grapevine or gently pinched a plumb grape that is still on the vine? You will when you join us on this tour.
Oak barrels
All the best red wines are aged in oak barrels. Take a selfie in a cellar with hundreds of big oak barrels full of amazing red wine behind you!
Explore Saint Emilion’s village
This town is adorable! It is a real countryside town, surrounded by vineyards, with tiny medieval streets paved with stones. Enjoy some free time here to explore!
Frequently Asked Questions
Médoc and Saint-Emilion are 2 sub-regions of the well known Bordeaux wine region.
Médoc is located north-west of Bordeaux, on the south bank of the Gironde estuary. The landscape is very flat, the wineries are very large with vast vineyards and the chateaux (castles) are very beautiful and impressive. Médoc is divided into even smaller prestigious appellations such as Margaux or Saint-Estèphe as the soil from one estate to the next can vary greatly. The main grape used here is the Cabernet-Sauvignon (50% of all grapes, up to 85% in some wineries).
Saint-Emilion is located east of Bordeaux on the north bank of the Dordogne river, the landscape has rolling hills and the wineries are smaller, most of them still family run. The main grape used here is the Merlot (60% of all grapes).
Both regions are planted with Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc grapes and each winery creates its own style by blending the different grapes. That is why it is best to try multiple wineries to taste the differences!
Yes, we can fit up to 3 cases (18 bottles) of wine per person in the van and bring it back to Bordeaux with you. Once in Bordeaux you’ll have to figure out how to bring the wine back home with you on your own.
It is possible to ship them in the mail and it is also possible to bring some bottles back in your checked luggage. We do not know every airline's limitations so it is best to check with your specific airline before packing your bags to go home.
As for the border customs limit it depends on each country/state, please check ahead. Usually anything that is obviously for a personal consumption (a few bottles) is not taxed.
We accept children that are at least 7 years old on this tour. While this tour’s content was not planned out with kids in mind we do allow children that are aged at least 7 years old to join it with one of their parents. Kids younger than 7 years cannot join this tour as we do NOT have the suitable baby/child seats for them to ride in that are required by European law.
There is no legal drinking age in France for minors who are under the supervision of a parent. However, please know that your child will not be served any wine on this tour as the wineries we work with do not serve anyone under 18 years old. You are however legally allowed to have them taste from your own glass. It is illegal to allow a minor to become inebriated (drunk). The legal age to buy alcohol in France is 18yrs old.
We are committed to giving you the best experience possible, in case the tour you took with us didn’t meet your expectation we are happy to give a full refund as long as you participated in the entire tour and tell your guide at the end of the tour.
We appreciate and reward fidelity!
Use code FIDELITY to get 10% OFF when you book more than one tour with us.
This code can only be used for your 2nd, 3rd (or following) reservations.
This code CANNOT be used on the first reservation you make.
We understand that unexpected events can change your travel plans; for this reason Blue Fox Travel offers a full refund, for any reason, if you cancel more than 24hrs before your reserved tour is scheduled to start.
Looking for more?
These are the Terms & Conditions that apply to any tour run by BLUE FOX TRAVEL in France under the brands BLUE BIKE TOURS or BLUE FOX TRAVEL.
In this document, BLUE BIKE TOURS might be abbreviated as BBT and BLUE FOX TRAVEL as BFT.
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered SARL (Société à Responsabilité Limitée - Limited Liability Company) at the Paris Chamber of Commerce under the number : 534 151 576
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered French Travel Operator under the licence : IM075160040
BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered Public Service Vehicle Operator under the Licence : 2016/11/0007784
Because BLUE FOX TRAVEL is a registered French company, and all of our tours take place in France, only the French Law will apply in the case of any conflict.
Last updated : January 2019.
Valid until : the end of the world.
I - Cancellation Policy
BFT offers a 100% refund if a reservation is cancelled more than 24 hours before the scheduled start of the tour. The notification must be made by email. No refunds are given for ANY reason once within the 24 hrs prior to the scheduled tour.
All of our tours run Rain or Shine. We do not issue refunds if you choose to skip your tour because the weather doesn’t suit you. You can always wait until the last minute to book your tour to ensure the weather suits you that day.
BFT reserves the right to cancel any of its tours last minute in case of an Act of God or crazy act from a large group of people. Flooding, hail, dangerous weather conditions, riots, etc. In such instances full refunds will be given to anyone who had their tour cancelled.
II - Satisfaction Guarantee Policy
If the tour you took with us didn’t live up to what we promised you on our website and failed to meet your expectations, we will be heartbroken. We will also give you a 100% refund so long as you do all of these things:
You remember that we we are in no way responsible for the weather and that our guides actually have to give 110% of themselves to you on days when the weather is not as nice in order to help you enjoy the tour.
You participate in the entire tour from: being on time at the meeting point until the “goodbyes” at the very end of the tour. You can’t leave a tour half-way and ask for your money back.
At the end of the tour you tell your guide, in person, that you were not satisfied with the tour you took.
You provide your tour guide with the reasons you were not satisfied with the tour itself.
III - Payment Policy
A valid credit card is required to secure your booking. All reservations must be prepaid online prior to the tour. We accept Visa, Mastercard. None of your personal credit card or billing information is stored by BFT.
IV - Privacy Policy
We are committed to protecting your privacy. Your personal informations will never be disclosed to any third parties.
V - Child Policy
All reservations made for children under the age of 18 years old must be made by an adult and we must be informed at the time of booking exactly how many children are in your party and their ages. This is vital information as it allows our guide to prepare the proper child sized equipments for the bike tours and the booster seats for all day trips/excursions that use one of our vans.
All reservations made for a minor under the age of 18 years old must also include the reservation for an adult who will be 100% solely responsible for the safety and well being of the child while on the tour.
Every child, under the age of 12 years old, partaking in a bicycle tour will be required to wear a helmet and a reflective vest as per French Law.
The adult who accompanies the child agrees to the responsibility of choosing a properly sized helmet, adjusting the helmet, and keeping the helmet on the head of the child during the whole tour. Blue Fox Travel has helmets in multiple sizes for you to choose from at no cost.
Don't forget: Children who will be riding in a baby/child seat, on a tandem attachment bike, or in a booster seat in one of our vans absolutely MUST have their seat reserved beforehand. We NEED to know exactly what your child will need before they show up. Please make it clear in the “Special Requirements” section of our booking form.
VI- Child Bike Policy
Children who will be riding on their own may be subject to a very short test run before the tour starts in which they will be expected to demonstrate: that they are well suited for their bike’s size and settings, that they know how to brake properly and that they are, in general, good cyclists who can be trusted to follow their tour guide in a safe manner.
We own 20” and 24” kids bikes (size of the wheel). Adult bikes are 26”.
If the guide, or manager, finds that the child is not, for any reason, a good enough cyclist then the guide, or manager, has the right to refuse to let the child follow the tour on a personal bike.
This means they will either be asked to ride on one of our ‘tandem attachments’ which is attached to the back of a parents bike OR asked to ride in a child seat attached to the back of a parents bike. If the child refuses the change, then the guide or manager has the right to cancel the reservation, and not allow you and your child on the bike tour.
Refunds will not be issued if your reservation is cancelled because of your child not being able to cycle and their refusal to ride attached to you.
Baby seats are for kids that are between the ages of 1 and 3 years old (max weight 22 kg (48 lbs)).
We also have some cool Burley™ tandem attachment bikes that are suitable for little kids who are too big for the baby seat but too small to cycle on their own (max weight 38 kg (85 lbs) - max height 137 cm (4 ft 6 in)).
VII - Damages to Blue Fox Travel Property
If you or anyone in your party damages a vehicle, a Blue Bike™, a vehicle, a child's bike, a helmet, a baby/child seat, a tandem attachment bike, any bike attachments, or a booster seat in such a way that it becomes badly disfigured, broken, or unusable, then BFT reserves the right to claim a fee of up to the cost of repair of the damaged bike/vehicle or object.
VIII - Miscellaneous
You and everyone in your party will be kind and respectful of your guide. You and everyone in your party will do their best to follow the safety instructions given orally by the guide before the start of the tour and during the tour.