The Loire, Dordogne and Bordeaux

• Admire one of medieval Europe’s most outstanding artisanal achievements, in Angers’ Apocalypse Tapestries

• Enjoy the elegance of the châteaux and gardens of the Loire, at Saumur and Azay-le-Rideau

• Marvel at some of Western Europe’s oldest surviving art, in the caves and museums of the Dordogne

• Experience the charm of the Dordogne’s stone villages, including the serene gardens at Marqueyssac and a barge cruise at La Roque-Gageac

• Appreciate Bordeaux’s historic role as a major riverine port, and understand its modern revitalisation

• Delight in the extraordinary Saint-Émilion region, from its medieval emergence as a centre for winemaking to savouring some of France’s most esteemed appellations

SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 2027 – ARRIVAL (D)
The tour begins at 4.00pm in the lobby of our hotel in Angers, for an orientation stroll and talk in the hotel, followed by a welcome dinner in a local restaurant. Please note: no arrival or departure transfers are included in the cost of the tour. There are frequent TGV arrivals from Paris Montparnasse at Angers Saint-Laud railway station, including trains that arrive directly from terminal 2 of Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. We recommend that you arrive early into Angers if you wish to visit sites not featured in our tour program; contact us if you require assistance with any travel arrangements. Overnight Angers.

SUNDAY 17 OCTOBER 2027 – THE APOCALYPSE TAPESTRY (B)
As its name indicates, Angers was an important base for the Angevin dynasty so caught up in the struggles of the Hundred Years War. Its impressive castle now preserves one of the most important monuments of this medieval period, the Apocalypse Tapestry. This morning we meet a local guide for a walking tour of Angers’ medieval streetscape, including a visit to admire this monumental work. Woven in Paris in the years 1377-1382, the six surviving works in this end-of-times series are among the most important medieval examples of the artform. After lunch at leisure, we meet to continue our survey of tapestry in Angers, in this case those of modern master Jean Lurçat. Inspired by the great artisans of the Middle Ages, he created the political manifesto of the Chant du Monde tapestry from 1957, now housed in the twelfth-century Hôpital Saint-Jean. We return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Overnight Angers.

MONDAY 18 OCTOBER 2027 – CHÂTEAUX & GARDENS IN THE LOIRE #1 (B, L)
Today we commence our survey of key châteaux and gardens of the French Renaissance, all made possible by the peace that followed the resolution of the Hundred Years War. Our first visit is to the Château deVillandry, where the gardens, laid out as a careful and almost geometrically perfect Renaissance parterre, capture the visitor’s attention. Continuing to the village of Azay, we enjoy lunch together before a visit of Azay-le-Rideau castle. This exquisite example of French Renaissance architecture is set on an island of the Indre river. A small but perfectly formed building, it makes a picturesque impression on the visitor far greater than its physical dimensions. Returning to Angers, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Angers.

TUESDAY 19 OCTOBER 2027 – FONTEVRAUD ABBEY & SPARKLING WINE (B)
The morning is at leisure in Angers, with the option to join your tour leader for a visit to the cathedral and sculpture collection at the Galerie David. After an early lunch at leisure, we take a trip to nearby Fontevraud Abbey. As our guide explains, this UNESCO World Heritage site lies at the very heart of the Angevin Empire. Henry II of England and his wife, the fascinating Eleanor of Aquitaine, were buried here, together with their son Richard the Lionheart. Their tombs and the surviving buildings of this massive complex offer a glimpse of royal power in the Middle Ages. After our visit, we round out our day by visiting a cellar that produces a Brut de Loire wine by the same process as Grand Marque Champagne. Of course, there is a wine tasting to allow us to enjoy this sparkling drop! Returning to Angers, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Angers.

WEDNESDAY 20 OCTOBER 2027 – CHÂTEAUX & GARDENS IN THE LOIRE #2 (B)
Today we continue our explorations of the Loire Valley’s most celebrated castles and their gardens. At the Château de Langeais, we survey one of the most elegant domestic examples of the fifteenth century’s so-called Flamboyant Gothic. The scene of diplomatic exchanges – such as the marriage of Anne of Brittany to Charles VIII of France in 1491 – it is also known for its series of Flemish and Aubusson tapestries. Continuing to Saumur, lunch is at leisure before our guided visit of the Château de Saumur. This elegant complex arose out of a fortified medieval stronghold, but the peace of the French Renaissance allowed it to become a style-setting icon of architectural and garden design. The evening is at leisure. Overnight Angers.

THURSDAY 21 OCTOBER 2027 – TO SARLAT, LIMOGES (B, L)
We check out today and travel to the Dordogne, breaking our journey in Limoges. Famous for the porcelain that made its fortunes from the eighteenth century, the city was also a medieval centre of production for luxurious works in enamel. We have a light lunch together, followed by a fascinating tour of aporcelain factory. Continuing to Sarlat-la-Canéda, our base in the Dordogne, we enjoy drinks and snacks together after check-in. Overnight Sarlat-la-Canéda.

FRIDAY 22 OCTOBER 2027 – CAVES & PREHISTORY OF THE PÉRIGORD #1 (B)
When, in 1940, a local dog took a close look at a deep hole, the entrance to the Lascaux Cave was found. Inside, more than 600 wall paintings had been painted perhaps 17,000 years ago. These images had a profound impact, on what we know of prehistoric art but also on modern artists seeking to return to Europe’s earliest styles of representations. Over the ensuing decades, serious conservation efforts have been undertaken and, as we discover on our guided tours of Lascaux IV and Lascaux II this morning, are now showcased in a series of sophisticated replicas. From mammoths to bison, horses and ibex, they paint an extraordinary picture of prehistoric fauna. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Sarlat-la-Canéda.

SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER 2027 – IN SARLAT-LA-CANÉDA (B, D)
Sarlat-la-Canéda is a well-preserved medieval village, with a pretty streetscape and lively Saturday market. We take a walking tour of this Dordogne stone village with a local guide this morning, followed by lunch and an afternoon at leisure, to rest or to explore the shops and market. We meet for a talk in the hotel this evening, followed by dinner in an excellent local restaurant. The autumnal delights of the Dordogne are renowned: mushrooms, Périgord truffles, foie gras and much more! Overnight Sarlat-la-Canéda.

SUNDAY 24 OCTOBER 2027 – CHÂTEAUx & GARDENS OF THE DORDOGNE (B, L)
The Dordogne is renowned for the charm of its scenery, and a number of modernised medieval castles and fortresses line the banks of its eponymous river. Today we visit two private châteaux with significant gardens, commencing with the lovely Château de Marqueyssac. A seventeenth-century castle built by an advisor to Louis XIV, it overlooks the Dordogne valley, and its original garden was attributed to a pupil of Le Nôtre. After falling into disrepair, it was replanted in the 1990s to include a staggeringly beautiful parterre. After admiring its panoramas, we enjoy a light lunch in the panoramic café before we continue to the Château des Milandes. Its fairytale turrets and pretty parterres are today renowned as the one-time residence of Josephine Baker. Returning to the hotel, the evening is at leisure. Overnight Sarlat-la-Canéda.

MONDAY 25 OCTOBER 2027 – CAVES & PREHISTORY OF THE PÉRIGORD #2 (B)
With such a wealth of prehistoric sites, the Dordogne was a natural choice for France’s National Museum of Prehistory, located in Les Eyzies at the confluence of the Vézère and Beune rivers. It contains countless traces of France’s prehistoric inhabitants, from their stone, bone and ivory tools and artefacts to graves and a fine collection of Paleolithic sculpture. This morning we are split into two groups, due to limited visitor numbers, as we take both a guided tour of the museum and of Font-de-Gaume, a nearby cave with a celebrated prehistoric frieze of five bison. Finally, we continue to Cougnac Cave, a much less-visited monument that combines extensive natural stalactite and stalagmite formations with ancient and moving inscriptions made by prehistoric families. We return to the hotel for an evening at leisure. Overnight Sarlat-la-Canéda. Please note that on both our days visiting prehistoric monuments of the Dordogne, the order in which we visit the sites is subject to change.

TUESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2027 – SAINT-ÉMILION (B, L)
The rolling hills outside Bordeaux have been renowned for their excellent produce for millennia. Today we check out and travel by private coach into the Saint-Émilion district. It was established with a unique monoculture of vines in the Roman era and grew in prominence during the Middle Ages, thanks to its location on the famed pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela. Four estates in this small district produce wines with France’s highest level of appellation, and we enjoy a lunch combined with a cellar visit and tasting at a highly regarded winery. Afterwards, we continue into the village for a guided tour oftheunderground monuments. Continuing by coach to Bordeaux, we check in and enjoy drinks and snacks in a wine bar close to our hotel. Overnight Bordeaux.

WEDNESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2027 – EMPORIUM OF THE NEW WORLD (B)
After a morning talk, we meet a local guide for a walking tour, taking in the elegant modern squares of Bordeaux, such as the Place de la Comédie and the Grand Théâtre, and the districts associated with the city’s role as a marketplace for New World riches, such as the Place de la Bourse and the Gothic cathedral. After time for lunch at leisure, the afternoon is at leisure, with the option to continue with your tour leader to the Cité du Vin. This contemporary monument to Bordeaux’s best-known export is housed within a striking building, designed to evoke a carafe. Overnight Bordeaux.

THURSDAY 28 OCTOBER 2027 – ART & HISTORY OF AQUITAINE (B, D)
Our tour concludes with an opportunity to survey the long cultural riches of the Aquitaine region, fought over for centuries by the English and French. At the Musée d’Aquitaine, we are introduced to fascinating collections of Gallo-Roman and medieval sculpture. After lunch at leisure, we continue to the nearby Musée des Beaux-Arts. This is an encyclopaedic collection of European painting, with particular strengths in its Caravaggesque works and its exploration of French Cubism. In the evening, we meet for a farewell dinner in one of Bordeaux’s fine restaurants. Overnight Bordeaux.

FRIDAY 29 OCTOBER 2027 – DEPARTURE (B)
Our tour concludes after breakfast in the hotel. We recommend that you consider spending time in Bordeaux after the conclusion of our tour, to visit sites not included on our itinerary. Please note: no departure transfers are included in the price of the tour. Regular TGV departures from Bordeaux take just under 3 hours to arrive in Paris Montparnasse, or there are connections to major European centres from the airport. Contact us if you would like assistance with any aspect of your travel arrangements.

Hôtel de France 4* Angers, 5 nights

https://www.hoteldefrance-angers.com/en/home/

This hotel has been family-owned and operated for many years and has an excellent location close to Angers Saint-Laud railway station. Our Prestige category rooms are well sized at an average of 25sqm.

Hôtel Plaza Madeleine 4* Sarlat-la-Canéda, 5 nights

https://www.plaza-madeleine.com/en/

Located within the village of Sarlat, the hotel has a swimming pool and treatments can be booked in its spa facilities. (We recommend making bookings before the tour’s departure – contact us for more information.)

Hôtel Majestic 4* Bordeaux, 3 nights

https://hotelmajestic-bordeaux.com/en/

A well-located boutique hotel in an elegant building. We have a mix of Superior and Privilege rooms, which range from 19-23sqm.

NB: hotels of a similar standard may be substituted.

• 13 nights’ accommodation at 4* hotels

• All breakfasts, 7 lunches or dinners and 2 wine tastings

• All ground transport, guided tours and entrance fees to sites as mentioned in the itinerary, and tipping

• Please note that no arrival or departure transfers are included in the tour price

• Expertise of and commentary by an Australian tour leader throughout, including talks in the hotel

• Expertise and assistance of a French-speaking tour manager throughout

A $1,500pp deposit is required at the time of booking to hold your place on tour.

A second deposit of $2,000 is due on 18 June 2027.

We will invoice you for final payment for the tour, due on 02 August 2027.

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