The secret vineyards

Wines in Nouvelle-Aquitaine are not just restricted to the well-known areas of Bordeaux and Cognac. Go off the beaten track to unlock the secrets of passionate winegrowers.

DAY 1 : Bordeaux, regional capital and gateway to the vineyards

The world capital of wine, with its UNESCOlisted city centre. Dive into the world of wine at the Cité du Vin before going on excursions to the vineyards or on cruises (see itinerary "Starting from Bordeaux" for more details).

DAY 2 : Bergerac and its surroundings

• Morning: visit Bergerac, city of art and history with a maze of alleys, pretty squares and 17th-Century facades. Stop at the Maison des Vins et du tourisme, located in the Cloître des Récollets (guided tour and tasting session). Lunch at the Maison des Vins et du tourisme.
• Afternoon: explore the vineyard, visit a property (900 winegrowers), OR visit the castle of Monbazillac, built in 1550 in the heart of the famous vineyard. OR discover the vineyard of Duras and visit its impressive castle OR taste the caviar of Neuvic.
• Dinner and overnight: at the 4* Château des Vigiers, golf and country club, a château B&B, or a luxury hotel.

DAY 3 : Buzet vineyards

The valleys of the Lot and Garonne boast 2000ha of vineyards on the banks of the Baïse, producing wines with a Gascon character. 

• Morning: Buzet winegrowers’ cooperative in Buzet-sur-Baïse with wine tasting. Lunch in Nérac, the home of Jeanne d’Albret, mother of Henri IV.
• Afternoon: Visit the old town of Nérac on the Baïse: Sully’s house, the Garenne gardens, Henri IV castle, the Pont Vieux. Rent a boat or cruise from Buzet or Nérac.
• Dinner: at Albret Golf Club, then overnight in one of the hotels in Nérac or Agen OR rent a boat to sleep in Buzet-sur-Baïse.

DAY 4 : Jurançon vineyards

The Jurançon wine route offers a beautiful journey along the sunny slopes of the Béarn. Visit and tasting at the Maison des vins des vignerons du Jurançon in Lacommande. Continue with a visit to Pau (see itinerary "Southwestern culture" for more details).

DAY 5 : Irouléguy vineyards

One of the smallest vineyards in Europe, cultivated on steep slopes of up to 80% grade, on terraces and trellises. A true Basque product, powerful and generous, to be enjoyed with Ossau-Iraty cheese.

• Morning: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, one of the most beautiful villages in France, at the crossroads of the Way of Saint James routes (see itinerary "On the way of Saint James" for more details) . Lunch at a restaurant or inn in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
• Afternoon: tour the five senses in an Irouléguy cellar. From the village of Irouléguy, possibility of hiking with donkeys in the surrounding mountains.

DAY 6 : Sauternes and Entre-Deux-Mers vineyards

• Morning: the Bordeaux wine route in Graves and Sauternes. It is here that the first Bordeaux vines were planted, more than 2,000 years ago. The unmissable Château Smith Haut Lafitte, Château de la Brède (birthplace of Montesquieu), Château de Mongenan. Lunch at the Sources de Caudalie or at the Chapelle de Guiraud.
• Afternoon: the Entre-deux-Mers wine route, the Tuscany of Bordeaux. Visit and tasting at a château (Château Malromé, where Toulouse-Lautrec lived; Camarsac, in a medieval fortress...), then heritage discovery (Abbey Sainte-Majeure, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; Cadillac castle, classified as a historical monument) OR tasting and activities at Planète Bordeaux.