Day 1: Bordeaux

Today we arrived in Bordeaux where our friendly crew received us on board the luxurious Scenic Diamond. After settling in we gathered with our fellow passengers in the beautiful lounge where we met our cruise team for a welcome drink and presentation reviewing the upcoming weeks programming and excursions. As we watched the sunset, we departed Bordeaux for our next stop in Saint Emillion.

We learned from our onboard expert the moniker ‘Sleeping Beauty’, or La Belle Endormie, was given to Bordeaux when industry was moved to the outskirts and the city was all but abandoned. The quiet waterfront was a vestige of a once bustling port, shops were empty… it was a once beautiful city that lay dormant. In the late 20th century, the city was awakened and restored to its former glory, a project headed by former mayor Alain Juppe. The city center was pedestrianized, limestone was revealed under blackened facades, and Bordeaux was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more than 300 structures declared historical monuments. It’s now one of the most desirable places in France to live and visit, with its waterfront rich in architecture and bustling with locals and visitors promenading, sipping coffee or wine from the surrounding renowned vineyards, a landscape that’s also dotted with beautiful castles.

Day 2: Saint Emillion

The morning was spent on board relaxing as we cruised into the beautiful 13th century port of Libourne. We headed up to the Sun Deck to bask in the sunshine and enjoy the scenery along the Dordogne River rolling by. We started the day with a morning exercise given by the onboard activities director then dropped into the Diamonds state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen for a French cooking class.

The afternoon excursion took us to the nearby town of Saint-Émilion, a World Heritage-listed medieval village with world-famous wineries, beautiful architecture and historic monuments. It’s also the birthplace of macarons! We enjoyed a guided tour of the town then had some free time for shopping before scouting out the nearby kosher winery we will be visiting on our October cruise.

Day 3: Libourne

After breakfast, we had a tour of Libourne. We joined our local guide for a walking tour of the fortified harbor town with a rich history linked to the trade of wool, wine, salt and wood. As we strolled through the town, we passed quaint 16th-century townhouses, squares, the town hall and pedestrian shopping area filled with small boutiques.

While in Libourne we met with the head of the small Jewish community at the synagogue which still has a its presence in Libourne which dates as far back as the 16th century. In 1840, the Jewish population of Libourne was estimated at 77 out of a total population of 9714 inhabitants when the current synagogue we visited was inaugurated in 1847. 

In the afternoon we took a panoramic bike tour and chateau visit through the prestigious Pomerol wine-growing region to Château Siaurac, the largest and most iconic estate of the appellation. With a long history in winegrowing, we had the opportunity to explore the immaculate property, which is home to a 19th- century chateau and 15 hectares of rolling parklands, resplendent with century-old trees and landscaped woods.

Day 4: Blaye

We woke this morning in Blaye, a small town with a rich military history, surrounded by vineyards known for red wine production. Most famously, this petite hamlet is home to a World Heritage-listed citadel that was constructed to protect the city of Bordeaux, 50 kilometers upstream, from enemy attacks.

Two choices of standard or active walking tours were given:

1: A stroll through the charming city of Blaye with a local guide. Contained within the walls of the 17th-century Citadel of Blaye, a World Heritage-listed monument that overlooks the Gironde Estuary.

2: Active walking tour of the fascinating World Heritage-listed Citadel of Blaye where we explored its secret passages and underground system to gain an understanding of the defense system created by the famous architect Sébastien Vauban.

Afterwards, we relaxed on our luxury ship as we sailed towards Fort Medoc for tonight’s classical concert. We enjoyed another lecture about the region then viewed another French cooking demonstration by the chef.

Tonight was something special! A classical concert at Chateau d’Agassac: Set in spectacular surrounds in the Médoc countryside, Château d’Agassac is truly enchanting. Dating back to the 13th century, the Château is one of the oldest winemaking establishments in the region and is the venue for our unforgettable evening concert. We wandered through the château and its gardens and soaked in the ambiance of this magnificent property before a string quartet performed classical masterpieces for us.

Day 5: Fort Medoc

We woke up this morning in Fort Medoc, located between Bordeaux and Pointe de Grave, at the northern end of the Médoc winegrowing region. This appellation grows some of the world’s most famous and expensive wines, particularly cabernet sauvignon.

Guests were presented with several choices for excursions:

1: Medoc wine tasting by coach: The name Médoc is synonymous with exceptional wines. Considered the world’s leading red wine producer, Médoc has been a winemaking region since the 18th century, with more than 16,000 hectares of vineyards across eight appellations. The epic ‘Route des Chateaux’, which translates to the ‘Route of Castles’,which winds through the undulating countryside from Bordeaux to the Pointe de Grave, at the northern end of the Médoc region. On this coach we traveled on a panoramic bus tour through this scenic region to a prestigious winery where we scoped out the plan for our kosher wine tasting program in October.

2: Medoc wine tasting by bicycle: Guests had the option to discover the spectacular Médoc countryside by e-bike today passing many fine aristocratic chateaux in the world’s leading red wine producing region. Afterwards, guests could sample the region’s finest at one of the prestigious estates.

3: Medoc region panoramic bus tour and chateaux visit: Guests traveled by bus on a panoramic tour through this scenic region to a prestigious 18th century Chateaux. We explored the castle and its stunning grounds and gardens and took some time to wander through its meticulous vineyards.

Back on board for lunch we cruised to Bourg, a picturesque town set on a rocky promontory. Built as a defensive château, it’s a maze of ancient alleyways, moats and bell towers on the Dordogne River. This quiet village sits among many famous World Heritage-listed sites and, though it is just as charming, remains largely undiscovered by the masses.

This afternoon we were given several tour options to choose from:

Bourg tour with Carriages Museum: Situated inside the grounds of Bourg Castle, we visited the Carriages Museum with a local guide and discovered the unique collection of horse-drawn carriages on display. In addition, we explored the 16th-century passageway to the guard’s rooms and immense WWII oil tanks.

Guided cycling along the Captain’s Road: Part of our group went on an active cycling tour along the Captain’s Road, which is named in honor of the WWI captains who chose to purchase their homes along this beautiful stretch of waterway in the early 20th century. We cycled through beautiful riverside villages before returning to the ship.

Visit to a local estate: Participants enjoyed magnificent panoramic views of the Gironde Estuary from the right bank with a guided exploration of a beautiful 18th century chateau and estate.

In the evening, we enjoyed a night of trivia and music as the ship continued its journey towards Cadillac, stopping overnight in Bordeaux before sailing onward.

Day 6: Cadillac

We departed Bordeaux in the early morning and sailed along the Garonne River to Cadillac. Relaxing on our room’s outdoor balcony (on this ship each balcony room has a separate outdoor balcony area where the window drops to convert into a Scenic Sun Lounge), we enjoyed an early morning coffee with uninterrupted views of the passing landscape, some of the most picturesque in the Bordeaux region. Others took time at the ships fully equipped state-of-the-art gym for an invigorating workout before a day of sightseeing in and around Cadillac.

Founded in the 13th century, this charming, fortified city is centered around its magnificent château.

This morning we were given several tour options to choose from:

1: Cadillac walking tour: We enjoyed a walking tour of Cadillac, a small town with architecture dating to the 16th century. On this tour we visited the Château de Cadillac, a well-preserved monument with decorative fireplaces, more than 30 tapestries and painted ceilings.

2: Sauternes by coach: We ventured into the Sauternes region with a visit to Château Rayne Vigneau; one of our kosher wineries stops in October; for a delicious tasting of the chateau’s fine kosher wines while taking in the stunning views of the vineyard and surrounds.

3: Sauternes by bike: Some of the group cycled through the rolling vineyards of Sauternes to a local estate to learn the history of winemaking and the process involved in production from time of harvest, grape to wine, length of maturing.

Back on board this evening, fabulous local entertainers performed live in the lounge as we cruised back to the beautiful city of Bordeaux.

Day 7: Bordeaux

We woke up this morning in Bordeaux, ready to explore this incredible city. Founded by the Celts around 300BC, it became part of Julius Caesar’s Roman Empire in the 1st century. It has been an important trading port since the Middle Ages, thanks to its strategic location on the river flowing to a seaport. The city acted as the seat of French government at the start of both the First and Second world wars.

Guided tour of Bordeaux: We joined our local guides on a tour of Bordeaux. We discovered the highlights of the city by coach and on foot. Along the way, we learned interesting facts about the city’s history, culture and way of life. Afterwards we had free time to explore the streets and go shopping through its famous pedestrian-only shopping districts at leisure.

In the afternoon our site inspection team visited the magnificent Grand Synagogue where we had the chance to meet with the chief Rabbi who gave us a private tour of the shul. This will be a real treat for our guests this coming October!

Day 8: Bordeaux

Departed Bordeaux as we made our way back home with all in place for our upcoming October Beautiful Bordeaux River Cruise!