Saint Emilion Wine Half Day Tour From Bordeaux (private)
Highlights
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Experience of one of our favorite villages
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Visit a Grand Cru Winery of Saint Emilion
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Follow a guided walking tour of the village
Summary
During this half-day tour, visit a famous Classified Growth winery with a wine guide, and enjoy a commented wine tasting session.
Tour info
Duration
4 hours - 4 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
8
Pricing (From)
Adult:
(18-99 years)
€410.00
Commentary
Meeting Point
Dropoff location
Why take this tour?
8.50am or 1.50pm - Pick up by your driver / guide at your hotel or accommodation in Bordeaux or surrounding.
9.00am or 2.00pm am Depart from Bordeaux
10.00am or 3.00pm Visit & Wine tasting 1st Winery
11.00am or 4.00pm Visit of the Village
1.00pm or 6.00pm return to Bordeaux
On this small group half day private wine tour from Bordeaux, you’ll enjoy scenic drives through the Saint Emilion wine region and taste some delicious French wines!
Then, visit the small village of Saint Emilion with your guide.
9.00am or 2.00pm am Depart from Bordeaux
10.00am or 3.00pm Visit & Wine tasting 1st Winery
11.00am or 4.00pm Visit of the Village
1.00pm or 6.00pm return to Bordeaux
On this small group half day private wine tour from Bordeaux, you’ll enjoy scenic drives through the Saint Emilion wine region and taste some delicious French wines!
Then, visit the small village of Saint Emilion with your guide.
Experience the Magic of One of Our Favorite Villages and Favorite Wines on this private half day wine tour
This morning, we will come and pick you up at your hotel or accommodation in Bordeaux.
MEET YOUR ENGLISH SPEAKING DRIVER/GUIDE WHO IS A LOCAL EXPERT ON BORDEAUX WINES
Upon arrival at the meeting point, you will be welcomed by your English speaking guide who is an expert on Bordeaux Wines. Your driver / guide is also a certified guide which means that he or she is licensed to conduct tours in historical villages such as Saint Emilion and has access to monuments and museums that are not accessible to those that do not possess this licence. Once you have met your guide, he/she will go over the program and itinerary of the day with you. Then, board your comfortable, air conditioned Mercedes minivan and begin to make your way to the Saint Emilion wine producing region.
TRAVEL IN A SPACIOUS MERCEDES MINIVAN
Your private Bordeaux Wine Tour in the medoc will take place in one of our very spacious Mercedes Minivans. This vehicle can take up to 8 persons. All our vehicles are equipped with an on board P/A system that allows you to hear the commentary of your driver/guide no matter where you are seated. Also, there is free Wi-Fi access on all tour vehicles. Bottled water is also available in all our vehicles.
WINE & HISTORY COMBO ON A SAINT EMILION HALF DAY TOUR
This private half day small group wine tour packs a lot of delights into a few hours. On this exclusive private tour for 2 to 8 persons maximum of St Emilion organized by Ophorus, you will enjoy tasting delicious Bordeaux wines. Add to this the rich historical attractions of this UNESCO World Heritage site and you see why the half day option makes for such a great tour.
DEPART FROM BORDEAUX AND REACH THE RIGHT BANK WINE REGION
Starting in the city of Bordeaux, a short drive in a comfortable air-conditioned minivan brings you out of the city to the picturesque countryside plains and rolling hills of the right bank wine producing area. This is the heart of Bordeaux’s famous wine region, where many vineyards carry the Saint Emilion AOC designation. Each of these local wineries produce vintages with distinct soil features backed by a long winemaking heritage.
Your first major stop on this personalized St Emilion half day trip will be in one of the local estates for a visit and wine tasting at a Grand Cru Chateau. Here, we have scheduled an appointment for you. You will be greeted at the Chateau and will get to tour and taste different vintages in this carefully selected domain.
The wines are a blend of Merlot grapes with deep, bold flavors, along with other local grape varieties, especially Cabernet Franc and, to a lesser degree, Cabernet Sauvignon. A local guide of the winery will reveal all the steps in the wine production process for you, as well as share some historical details about the estate.
Your Ophorus guide will be with you during the visit so don’t hesitate to ask any questions. All our driver/guides have great knowledge about wines and they will be happy to share any basic or more technical information concerning French or Bordeaux Wines. Whether you have questions about history, technique, flavors, aromas, food & wine pairings don’t hesitate to ask them anything that relates to wine to make this half day a very special one.
THEN VISIT A MOST CHARMING VILLAGE
Following your wine tasting session, your private half day trip continues with a guided walking tour of the eponymous village. Stroll through the quaint, cobbled streets of this medieval town, while your tour guide recounts local history, from the days of the 8th century hermit Emilion, to the 19th century mining galleries, which still lie beneath the village.
Important historical sites include the Romanesque cloister and the Monolithic church carved into the limestone cliffs, also known as the underground monuments. Since this is a private tour and our guides have a privileged access to this monument, we can organise a private visit of this attraction on your private tour if you are interested in mixing culture & wine.
It is no coincidence that Saint Emilion has been awarded the UNESCO World Heritage status in 1999. After the walk, enjoy some free time to explore on your own in the village. Why not enter one of the many wine cellars to continue your tasting session? Finally, you will head back to Bordeaux where the wine tour concludes after having learned a lot about this famous wine producing area.
A FAMOUS MONK, A CAVE AND CENTURIES OF WINE MAKING
Perched on a hilltop overlooking the Dordogne Valley, the picturesque rooftops and medieval stone buildings of the beautiful village of Saint Emilion are a delight to the eye. A unique microclimate and Saint Emilion’s fertile soil made the area a haven of wine making.
This tradition goes back to the later centuries of the Roman Empire. The first vineyards were planted here in the second century AD. In the fourth century, the Roman poet Ausonius already mentioned the delicious grapes of Saint Emilion.
THE LEGEND OF EMILIAN
The first indications of human settlements in the area date back to the Roman Empire, but the story of Saint Emilion starts in the eighth century AD. At that time, a monk from Brittany, fleeing persecution in his hometown of Vannes sought refuge in one of the natural caves near the settlement of Ascum Bas.
Although he lived the simple and secluded life of a hermit, Saint Emilion allegedly performed several miracles from his Aquitaine hideaway. Soon, his renown spread far beyond the town and region, bringing pilgrims and disciples from far afield to visit him. The small settlement grew fast as it became a religious center. After Saint Emilion died, his followers made sure he would be remembered by giving the town of Ascum Bas the new name Saint Emilion.
Much later, monks developed more intensive and widespread vineyards. This is when the reputation for Saint Emilion wines started building towards what it is today. The rich Merlot-based blends of these fertile plains have given local wines a great appeal, and several wines produced in chateaux near Saint Emilion have been given the highest possible awards under the French appellation wine rating system.
WHAT IS THERE TO SEE OR DO IN SAINT EMILION?
History is alive and well, and very visible on any visit to Saint Emilion today. First, don’t miss the impressive Romanesque church, in the heart of the old town. The streets and buildings constituting Saint Emilion medieval village are some of the few surviving examples of a traditional hilltop village near Bordeaux. Largely intact despite the passing centuries, walking through the village literally feels like going back in time.
Walking up the narrow winding streets, you will come to several superb vantage points, which offer sweeping views over the Dordogne Valley. But the village of St Emilion’s main historical attraction is underground. Beneath the village, lies a network of tunnels covering more than 120 miles. These tunnels are left over from the many quarries that were exploited until the 19th century to supply stone that was used to build villages, towns and cities such as Bordeaux.
A further highlight of Saint Emilion, is the underground Monolithic Church. The foundation of the church is built directly into the limestone of the rocky site, a rare construction feat. By lack of time it will not be possible to visit the monolithic church on this half day tour but if you have more time, this option is possible on a full day private tour and we highly recommend this tour.
What’s included?
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Hotel pick up from Bordeaux or surrounding area. -
Enjoy live commentaries from your wine expert guide. -
Reservations for a selected winery of Saint Emilion. -
Travel in recent, comfortable and fully equipped minivans. -
Tasting fees in the wineries.
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Meals and drinks.
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Personal insurance, expenses.
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Entrance fees unless mentioned.
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Gratuities
Things to know
Before you book
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Tour requires minimum 2 passengers (adults) to operate.
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Tour is operated in English, other languages on request.
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Not wheelchair accessible.
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Minimum drinking age 18 years old.
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Price is per group, not per person.
Before you go
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Please be ready 10 minutes before departure time
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Currency is in Euro.
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This tour is not recommended for persons with reduced mobility.
Cancellation Policy
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Operator strictly adheres to its cancellation policy and will make no exceptions to the policy. If Guest chooses to cancel his or her reservation, Operator must receive written notice of said cancellation in writing via certified mail, fax or e-mail sent to [email protected] (with confirmation of receipt from Operator), and Guest shall be subject to the following cancellation fee schedule:
Ophorus requires full payment by credit card, internet payment (through our website) or wire transfer (Wire transfer fees at the charge of the Guest) to make a reservation. We accept payment by AMEX, Visa and Master Card. There is no charge or service fee for processing credit card payments except with American Express +3%.
For any cancellation, the following fees will be deducted from the refund:
Up to 48 hours prior to departure: no cancellation fees except the booking fees.
48 hours prior to departure and less > no refund.
No show - no refund.
Redemption information
If any hotel or predetermined meeting place changes, notify Orphorus immediately. Otherwise be at location 10 minutes prior to pick up time.
Your voucher will be collected or scanned on redemption
About operator:
Ophorus Tours is both a licensed Tour Operator, member of Atout France and ETOA, and a Transportation company with headquarters in Bordeaux. We operate since 2005 and conduct Walking Tours, Day Trips, Private Tours, Shore Excursions and multi-regional Tours throughout France.
Our multilingual office staff is made up of France Travel Experts that design unique itineraries for both individuals and groups. Their perfect knowledge of the destination allows them to suggest carefully crafted programs to professionals of the Travel Trade all over the world.
Our in house team of licensed, multilingual Tour Guides are local Experts that can conduct any type of tours including (but not limited to) Cultural & Historical, Food & Wine, Luxury, Battlefields, Active, Family friendly, Faith-based etc...
Our multilingual office staff is made up of France Travel Experts that design unique itineraries for both individuals and groups. Their perfect knowledge of the destination allows them to suggest carefully crafted programs to professionals of the Travel Trade all over the world.
Our in house team of licensed, multilingual Tour Guides are local Experts that can conduct any type of tours including (but not limited to) Cultural & Historical, Food & Wine, Luxury, Battlefields, Active, Family friendly, Faith-based etc...
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