Compare Off-the-Beaten Path in Paris & Bordeaux by Road Scholar vs Paris to Bordeaux, a private wine tour in France by Paris-Toujours

Day 1
In Transit to Program
In Flight

Day 2
Arrive Paris, Transfer to Hotel, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Paris D Best Western Premier Le Swann
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 2:00 p.m.

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, check in and get your room, then take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax. Orientation: At 5:30 p.m., the Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. This is a Road Scholar FLEX program. It offers a more flexible schedule than our traditional programs with ample time for personal independent exploration and several meals on your own to enjoy the cuisine of your choice. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. In addition to the Group Leader, our program will be staffed with a resident instructor who will serve as our Study Leader, providing insight for many of our lectures and field trips. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At a nearby restaurant, enjoy a welcome dinner featuring traditional French food with plated table service including choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert, plus a glass of wine; other beverages available for purchase. In France, meals are accompanied by complimentary bread (“pain”) and water (“eau” or “l’eau”), so you need not ask for them.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow participants, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Day 3
Paris Origins, The Cluny, The Latin Quarter
Paris B,L Best Western Premier Le Swann
Activity note: Walking up to 5 miles throughout the day, including long periods of standing in museums and neighborhoods. Travel via Paris Métro (public transportation system), accessed by going up/down flights of stairs and walking through pedestrian tunnels; elevators/escalators not available in most stations; occasional crowded conditions.

Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers cold and hot choices including eggs, breads and pastries, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: We begin the day with a lecture by our resident Instructor on the origins of Paris, from Roman development through the Middle Ages. Archaeologists estimate that the area has been inhabited for about 9,000 years. What eventually became Paris began in the 3rd Century BCE when members of the Parisii tribe settled on an island in the Seine River. Then set out on foot to the Latin Quarter, beginning with a field trip to The Cluny. The Cluny, officially the Musée national du Moyen Âge — National Museum of the Middle Ages — is housed in the city’s finest remaining example of medieval architecture, once home to the abbots of Cluny. If you would like to return during free time to see more, the collection features priceless medieval treasures such as tapestries including the 15th century “Lady and the Unicorn” (La Dame à la Licorne), sculptures dating back to the 7th century, illuminated manuscripts, and a wealth of works in gold, ivory, and stained glass.

Lunch: In a nearby restaurant we will have a light lunch, plus coffee, water.

Afternoon: With our Study Leader, we explore the tiny streets of the Latin Quarter on foot. The University of Paris and its core college, the Sorbonne, were founded on the Left Bank (Rive Gauche) about 1257, one of the first universities in the world. This quickly became the intellectual heart of the city, called the Latin Quarter as Latin was the language of the educated classes. Over succeeding eras, it attracted artists, writers, and bohemians. Later, we will visit the Grande Mosquée de Paris and enjoy a mint tea in the Mosque's tea room along with a discussion on the role of Islam and the Muslim community in France today.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 4
Jacquemart André Museum, Garnier Opera
Paris B,D Best Western Premier Le Swann
Activity note: Walking up to 5 miles throughout the day, including long periods of standing in museums and neighborhoods. Travel via the Métro.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Once again we do as the locals do, and set out by Métro. Our local expert will provide an introduction and overview to the delightful Jacquemart André Museum, with its superb collection of private paintings, sculpture, antiques and furniture collected by Edouard André and Nélie Jacquemart, exhibited in their former home.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like. There are many options to choose from nearby. Perhaps pick up a sandwich and pastry from the boulangerie!

Afternoon: We discover the talent of architect Charles Garnier, on an exploration through his famous Paris Opera house, perhaps the most famous opera house in the world and one of Paris’ most iconic monuments. Napoleon III commissioned a new Paris opera house in 1861 to be designed by Charles Garnier as part of his extraordinary reshaping of the capital during the Second Empire. The primary home of the Paris Opera, it is considered the most famous opera house in the world.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 5
Marmottan Museum, Free Time
Paris B,L Best Western Premier Le Swann
Activity note: Travel via Paris Métro.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Today we will explore the Marmottan Museum, housing more than 300 works of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist art, by Claude Monet and his contemporaries, including the famous painting “Impression, Sunrise” which lent its name to the movement, and his famous Water Lilies.

Lunch: At a casual neighborhood eatery, enjoy a traditional plated 3-course French lunch accompanied by coffee.

Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. This would be a good opportunity to stroll along the Champs Elysées, or perhaps spend more time in the Left Bank neighborhood known as St. Germain des Prés. Once a gritty haven for artists, philosopher, and writers, many of whom frequented the famed Café Les Deux Magots or the Café de Flore, it has become an upscale neighborhood that still retains much of its historic ambience. It is also the home of Café Le Procope, the oldest café-restaurant in France (1686) that was a favorite — at different times! — of Voltaire, Danton, Hugo, Balzac, Rousseau, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.

Dinner: On your own to dine as you like.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 6
To Bordeaux by TGV, Downtown Walk
Bordeaux B,L,D Hotel Bordeaux Best Western Plus Bayonne Etche-Ona
Activity note: Handing you own luggage between the coach, train, and hotels; luggage will be waiting for us at the hotel following our walking field trip. Walking up to 2 miles and standing in approximately 2 hours.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Check out of the hotel and transfer via motorcoach to the train station. We will ride France’s high-speed train, the Train à Grande Vitesse (TGV) traveling at an average speed of more than 170 miles per hour to Bordeaux. Upon our arrival, we’ll transfer by motorcoach to the city center for lunch.

Lunch: In the city center, we will have a light meal, plus coffee, water.

Afternoon: With a local expert, we set out on foot through the pedestrianized heart of the city, to examine the story of Bordeaux and learn of its importance, through the study of its UNESCO listed World Heritage architecture. Our downtown walking field trip concludes at the hotel, where we will then check-in and have an opportunity to freshen up before dinner.

Dinner: Walk to a nearby restaurant to enjoy a plated 3-course meal typical of southwest cuisine and a glass of wine.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 7
Southwest Vineyards, Saint-Émilion, Wine Tasting
Bordeaux B,L Hotel Bordeaux Best Western Plus Bayonne Etche-Ona
Activity note: Drive is approximately 32 miles, taking about 1 hour each way. Walking and standing up to 1.5 miles over 2 hours in the village and the church.

Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers cold and hot choices including eggs, breads and pastries, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: Depart by private motorcoach into the countryside outside of Bordeaux, to the village of Saint-Émilion. With our local expert, explore several centuries of history and legend from the time of the monk Émilion. Learn how the amazing monolithic church was carved out of the land. Inside, view the paintings in the Chapelle de la Trinité and learn the secrets of the catacombs. Learn about the famed wines of Saint-Émilion at a vineyard and taste how the “terroir” impacts the wine’s character.

Lunch: Enjoy a plated 3-course meal paired with local wines.

Afternoon: Board the motorcoach and return to Bordeaux. Free Time. Having arrived back in Bordeaux, the remainder of the afternoon is on your own to see and do what interests you most.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 8
Eleanor of Aquitaine, Garonne River Sailing, Free Time
Bordeaux B,L,D Hotel Bordeaux Best Western Plus Bayonne Etche-Ona
Activity note: The Bordeaux Tram requires standing on a moving tram; one step to enter/exit the tram depending on the stop. Walking approximately 1/2 miles on paved streets with incline. Climbing approximately 20 to board the boat; sailing for approximately 3 hours on a covered boat with full facilities.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Our Study Leader will begin with a presentation on Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the wealthiest and most powerful women of the Middle Ages. Afterwards, we depart the hotel on foot and take the modern Tramway that passes just a few steps from the hotel, to the banks of the Garonne River. Embark on a river cruise to take in the bridges and views of Bordeaux’s classical and modern architecture from a new vantage point.

Lunch: Aboard the river cruise, we will have a plated 3-course meal, plus coffee, water; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Our sailing concludes in the early afternoon. Free Time. Choose between riding the tram back to the hotel or set out on your own to venture back through the pedestrianized streets of Bordeaux’s historic center. Maybe take advantage of our tram tickets and ride to a new area of the city and explore the new Cité des Vins, or the Bordeaux Museum of Fine Arts.

Dinner: Our congenial farewell dinner in a nearby restaurant features a 3-course meal with choice of entrée and wine; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure. Say farewell to new Road Scholar friends and prepare for departure in the morning. If you need assistance with transfer arrangements for travel tomorrow, please consult with the Group Leader.

Day 9
Program Concludes
In Flight B
Activity note: Hotel check out is by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers. If you are an independent traveler (POP status), see “Ground Transportation from Last Location.

Breakfast: Hotel meal. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Day 1: Arrival and private transfer

On arrival at the airport welcome and transfer to your charming boutique hotel in the center of Paris. Free time to relax and wander in the lively streets around your hotel before starting your wine tour in France.

Day 2: Discover the islands of Paris

After breakfast, meet your private guide for an introduction of Paris with a walking tour on the Islands (Ile de la Cité and Ile Saint-Louis). Your guide will introduce Paris’ history while walking in front of many famous monuments. You will start with the Ile de La Cité where the Sainte-Chapelle was built to protect the relics of the Christ and the gothic jewel from the 12th century, Notre-Dame Cathedral now under a massive reconstruction work. You will then continue to the Ile Saint Louis, where the French aristocracy used to live in private mansions in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Day 3: Gourmet lunch and wine tastings

Free time in the morning to discover the covered passages and the Palais Royal. For lunch you are expected in the Galerie Vivienne, in a Parisian institution for a unique wine tasting paired with regional produces. You will be welcomed by your personal sommelier and you will have an introduction to the French wines. You will also be able to focus on a specific wine region such as Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhone Valley if you are a connoisseur and ask all you have ever wanted to know about wine. A great introduction to your wine tour in France !

Day 4: The Palace of Versailles

After breakfast, your driver and guide will pick you up at your hotel for a private visit of the famous Versailles castle. The Palace of Versailles was the residence of three kings of France: Louis XIV, XV, and XVI, from 1682 to 1789. Your guide will accompany you throughout the morning as you discover the majesty of the Palace of Versailles in the King’s appartments and its spectacular gardens and groves. Free time in the afternoon to bike ride around the gardens or relax on a rowing boat on the King’s Great Canal.

Day 5: Welcome to the Loire Valley

After breakfast you will be transferred to the train station and you will take the high-speed train from Paris to the Loire Valley, a great way to see the French countryside. After dropping off your luggage at the hotel you will spend the afternoon discovering the charming and royal town of Amboise. You could discover the Royal castle of Amboise and even the Clos Lucé, where Leonardo Da Vinci used to live at the end of his life.

Day 6: A day to Chenonceau and Chambord castles

Discover the Loire-Valley culture by visiting the most famous castles with your private guide. In the morning you will visit Chenonceau castle. The unique architecture of the Chateau of Chenonceau built on the Cher river makes it a must-see in the region. In the afternoon you will be driven to the Estate of Chambord, a national reserve as large as the town of Paris. With more than 400 rooms and its double spiral staircase, Chambord is a highlight of the Loire Valley.

Day 7: Organic Touraine wine tour

After breakfast, meet your driver-guide at your hotel for a private organic wine tour in the Touraine area. Your guide will take you to a selection of small winemakers of Bourgueil, Vouvray and Chinon appellations, producing organic or biodynamic wines. After a gourmet lunch you will discover another part of the Loire Valley for two other wine tastings. A wine tour in France needs to cover this small but innovative region.

Late afternoon, transfer to your hot air balloon ride over the Loire lush countryside. After a training session, the ballon will take off for a ride over the Loire valley and its castles. Enjoy this slow transportation, fly in the air at sunset and be amazed by the nature and remarkable castles and villages.

Day 8: Train to Bordeaux

During the day you will be transferred to the train station and you will take the high-speed train to Bordeaux. After dropping off your luggage at the hotel you will spend your afternoon discovering the city of Bordeaux.

Day 9: Stroll and wine in Bordeaux

After breakfast you will be picked up by your professional wine guide for a private wine tour in Saint-Emilion and Pomerol appellations. Start with Saint Emilion charming medieval village famous for its impressive collection of historical sites and monuments such as the monolithic church. You will then have tastings at famous Chateaux or family-run estates to understand the local specifities and cepages as well as the grading system of the Crus. A intense and tasty day through an area that is a must for a wine tour in France.

Day 10: Free day to relax

Relaxing free day at your leisure to discover this lively city. If you are a true foodie, enjoy walking around Bordeaux city center to eat different specialties like a canelé or visit the Cité du Vin opened in 2016 to share the heritage of the Bordeaux region wine culture.

Day 11: Train back to Paris

In the morning, you will take the train to Paris and then be transferred to airport or train station.