Inside Bordeaux
New in 2026!
2026 Trips: September 3 – 7 and September 21 – 25
2027 Trip: September 25 – 29
Inside Bordeaux is a special four-night Experience, offered for the first time in 2026. Our group will be based just on the edge of Bordeaux’s historic center and UNESCO World Heritage site. All Bordeaux has to offer will be at your doorstep!
Although it can be booked as a standalone Experience, this shorter trip is designed to be combined with one of our week-long trips. This is an ideal extension as a pre- or post-,trip with The Périgord Experience, as our base in Montignac is just two hours from Bordeaux. If you book Inside Bordeaux and a week-long Experience, your transportation between the two locations is included in your trip.
Many describe Bordeaux as a “smaller Paris,” full of charm, history, museums, beautiful architecture, and great food to enjoy, but on a much more manageable scale. The river has played a fundamental role in the development of the city, enabling a rich trade network between Bordeaux and Britain and the Low Countries. The harbor is nicknamed “Port de la Lune” for the crescent moon shape that the Garonne makes as it flows through the city. So important is this connection between the river and the city that you can see moon imagery throughout the city: on its coat of arms, on fountains and lampposts, and as decorative architectural elements. In the late 1990s, the city embarked on an ambitious decade-long renovation project to restore hundreds of the city’s Enlightenment-era limestone buildings, and in 2007, Bordeaux was named a UNESCO World Heritage site, the largest area in the world!
Of course, you can hardly talk about Bordeaux without talking about the wine to which it gives its name. Grapes have been grown in the area as early as the 1st century, when they brought prosperity to the Roman city of Burdigala, of which very few traces still exist in Bordeaux. Bordeaux’s oldest wine guild, Saint-Émilion, was founded in 1199! The Bordeaux wine region is almost 272,000 acres, and hems in the city on all sides. There are six primary wine regions, though there are 53 appellations and 63 different wine styles. While the wines produced around Bordeaux are overwhelmingly red (more than 80%), one entire region is dedicated to growing sauternes and sweet wines, and Bordeaux produces its own sparking wine, crémant de Bordeaux.
Experiences in Bordeaux
Although it’s a shorter trip, Inside Bordeaux follows the same approach as our other European Experiences trips, including a variety of special activities and experiences unique to the area. This trip is designed to give you a full taste of the best the city has to offer, mixing “must see” sites and attractions with more unique activities. Given the city’s deep ties to the wine trade and its proximity to hundreds of vineyards, wine and its history are an important focus of this Experience. Our time together will include:
- A combination food and history walking tour of the historical center of Bordeaux. We’ll sample Bordelais culinary delights such as dunes blanches and canelés. Our exploration will also be punctuated by a break at a wine bar, to enjoy local wines, cheeses and sausage. Walking north towards the Place de la Bourse and the Place des Quinquonces with its incredible fountain, we will also pass by and learn the history of other important sites, including the Porte de Cailhau (pictured above), the Grosse Cloche, and the Grand Théâtre. We’ll finish at the Palais Gallien, the 3rd century Roman ruins of Burdigala.
- A welcome night apéritif in a classic Bordelais wine bar, where you’ll be introduced to the trip while enjoying local sips and nibbles, like Lillet and roasted Saint Nectaire.
- Entry to the Bassins des Lumières, run by the same group as the Carrières des Lumières (a staple of the Luberon Experience). Operated in a former submarine base built by the Nazis when they occupied France, this light show is both an immersive art experience and a fascinating historical site.
- An afternoon spent exploring the history of wine in Bordeaux. Our wine journey begins in the neighborhood of Chartrons, a former shelter for Carthusian monks that later became the center of the wine trade. Chartrons is punctuated by old warehouses which sit alongside independent boutiques, cozy restaurants, and the Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux, our next stop. Housed in a former wine cellar, the museum is filled with artifacts and tells the story of how the wine trade came to Bordeaux and how it has evolved. We’ll finish this experience with a wine tasting with a local wine professional
- A day-long excursion to Saint-Émilion wine country (a UNESCO World Heritage site) with an experienced local guide who has multiple wine certifications. We will tour and taste wines at two very different vineyards. We’ll enjoy a picnic lunch in a scenic setting just on the edge of the vineyards and will also explore the idyllic village of Saint-Émilion, truly bordered on all sides by vines.
- A private English-language baking class featuring the crispy-crusted, spongy, and absolutely delicious canelé, Bordeaux’s signature pastry.
- An exciting start to our last night in Bordeaux, with a private river cruise and apéritif. We’ll enjoy a different way of seeing the city and an opportunity to enjoy the Garonne.
- Meals in well-regarded restaurants across Bordeaux, including restaurants in the center of the beautiful historic center and locals’ preferred neighborhood spots.
- Additional unique cultural experiences, according to availability and the interests of our travelers.
Because of the city location and the intimate nature of these experiences, we’ll normally have no more than six travelers for this trip.
As this is a four-night city trip, there’s not much free time. However, we’ll ensure you have part of our last afternoon to wander and enjoy Bordeaux’s lively atmosphere, sample more canelés, enjoy a glass of wine or crémant on a terrasse, do last minute gift shopping, or visit any sites we weren’t able to include in this Inside trip. All but one meal (at the Halles de Bacalan, as it is a food hall) is included in this trip. Along with four breakfasts, two lunches, three dinners, we will also enjoy two apéritifs, wine tastings, and a food tour!
The historical center of Bordeaux is largely car-free, so be prepared to walk on this city-based trip. Most of the walking is flat, with the exception of Saint-Emilion which is built on a hill. We may walk on uneven surfaces, cobblestones, and occasional stairs. The city does have excellent tram and bus connections, which we will take advantage of, like true Bordelais!
Your Inside Bordeaux Leader
Inside Bordeaux is led by Kelly Wood, daughter of European Experiences’ founders Kathy and Charley. She developed a true appreciation for the city on two initial trips there… and an undying love for canelés! Kelly has since made multiple week-long trips to Bordeaux and is working with local experts to guarantee the best possible experience for our travelers. A long-time member of the European Experiences team from an early age, Kelly has now co-led 11 tours and is the lead for The Périgord Experience and co-leader for our 12-night European Christmas Experience. She led the development of The Normandy Experience and is beginning to develop an Experience trip in Scotland! Alongside her work for European Experiences, Kelly is a PhD candidate in History and French Studies at New York University. She is an avid traveler and loves discovering new places. She has spent over five years studying and living in Europe; she recently moved back to the US after living in France for three years.
Arrival and Departure
Bordeaux is well-connected by train and plane. The Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport has regular flights to/from Paris and other European cities (including Porto, Portugal), as well as flights to/from North Africa. Direct high-speed trains connect Paris (Montparnasse station) with Bordeaux’s Saint-Jean train station in less than two and a half hours. Other connections include Biarritz, Arcachon, Toulouse, and the TGV station at Paris CDG airport. Travelers going to/from Montignac (on our Périgord Experience) will be transported by private minivan.
The group will meet in our hotel lobby, in the early afternoon of our first day. We’ll depart after breakfast on our last day.
If you’re combining this trip with The Périgord Experience, we’ll provide your transportation between the two trips by private minibus.
Leader: Kelly Wood
Prices: $3,350 USD per person, double occupancy. $3,900 USD – single occupancy of a double room.