An unforgettable, deep and rich French travel experience
Join us on a journey that celebrates grand château, ancient cave art, vibrant cities and timeless villages
Utterly unique, with indulgent three and four‑night stays, this itinerary blends France’s iconic highlights with extraordinary hidden gems you may never have imagined. Begin in UNESCO‑listed Bordeaux, a city of grand 18th‑century façades, sweeping boulevards and world‑famous wines. Step inside a colossal World War II submarine base to experience a breathtaking sound‑and‑light spectacular before heading to the Atlantic Coast to admire sweeping views from Europe’s tallest sand dune, relax in elegant Arcachon, and enjoy a superb vineyard tasting and lunch.
Continue to medieval Saint‑Émilion and the unforgettable cave art of Lascaux IV before reaching the Dordogne for four magical nights in beautiful Sarlat‑la‑Canéda. Discover sleepy villages, dramatic cliff dwellings at La Roque Saint‑Christophe, the prehistory of Les Eyzies, and the pilgrimage town of Rocamadour. Explore the graceful Château des Milandes, drift down the Dordogne River past medieval castles, and wander the panoramic hilltop village of Domme. Experience an underground boat ride through the astonishing Gouffre de Padirac, followed by a dreamy lunch beneath a shady tree beside an ancient, crumbling stone bridge.
Savour Cognac cellar tastings and XO ice cream, soak up the maritime charm of La Rochelle and the Île de Ré, then round it off in grand Loire Valley style with a three‑night stay in a 5‑star château, unforgettable visits to Chenonceau, Villandry, Azay‑le‑Rideau and Chambord—before a final Parisian farewell. Extraordinaire et Merveilleux!
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Travel in a first-class air-conditioned touring coach
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Welcome drink on Day 1 22 meals including 14 breakfast (B), 3 lunches (L) and 5 evening meals (D) A complimentary glass of wine, beer or soft drink with all included dinners
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Hotel porterage of 1 bag per person (where available) 14 nights specially selected hotel accommodation Free WiFi at most hotels (where available)
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Personal audio system whilst on tour (where available) Fully escorted by our experienced Tour Manager ALL tips for your Tour Manager, Driver and Local Guides Local guides as described in the itinerary
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Hand Selected Albatross Experiences including a private picnic lunch at a Loire Valley chateau vineyard, wine tastings in Bordeaux and Saint-Émilion, the immersive Bassins des Lumières digital art show, a traditional Dordogne River cruise, exploring the prehistoric cliff dwellings of La Roque Saint-Christophe, tasting world-famous oysters in Arcachon, and discovering the UNESCO-listed island charm of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. ALL excursions, scenic drives, sightseeing and entrances as described
Tour itinerary
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Hand Selected Experiences
These are just a few of the very special hand selected experiences that will really make your touring experience exceptional and unique, and don’t forget, with Albatross they are always included.
Bassins des Lumières
An astounding sound and light show!
Be stunned by an incredible audio-visual show inside a WWII Nazi submarine base! Constructed with over 2,000 reinforced concrete piles, 600,000 cubic metres of concrete and boasting a 9-metre-thick concrete roof! Inside this massive structure over a dozen U-boats could be berthed in four gigantic wet docks. Now it is the world’s largest digital art centre, and over 90 video projectors display fabulous artwork over a surface area of 12,000 sqm. Be it classic impressionist art or a stone-by-stone reconstructions of the Egyptian pyramids, the jaw dropping light show flows all around you and shimmers on the water below, whilst accompanied by music and sound reverberating from 80 high fidelity speakers. A memory to last you a lifetime!Dune de Pilat
Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Coast.
Climb to the top of the Grand Dune de Pilat – the tallest sand dune in Europe. The views at the top across vast swathes of golden sand to the famous Cap Ferrat and onto the azure-blue sea are astounding. Behind lies the Bay of Biscay and the Atlantic Ocean. Later enjoy a relaxing lunchtime on the promenade of the sophisticated French resort town of Arcachon, which is set on the tidal lagoon called the ‘Bassin d’Arcachon’, famous for its rich oyster harvesting.Cité du Vin
The World of Wine
The French have an enduring passion for wine, and La Cité du Vin is a spectacular tribute to this heritage, housed in a striking architectural masterpiece rising up to 55 metres. Inside this world-class interactive cultural centre, you will be whisked away on an absorbing journey exploring the global history, geography, and art of wine through immersive, multisensory exhibits. To perfectly round off the experience, we have included a glass of premium wine in the panoramic tasting bar on the 8th-floor Belvedere, where you can savour the flavours while enjoying breathtaking views over the city of Bordeaux.Saint-Émilion
Underground Monolithic Church
Spend the morning UNESCO World Heritage listed Saint-Émilion, be guided to ‘cave of Saint-Émilion, and into the massive hand carved Monolithic Church which actually sits underneath the current church in the city centre. Later, lunchtime at leisure amongst the beautiful, cobbled streets of the old town.Dordogne over 4 nights
So many special visits...
Our unique 4-night stay in perfectly preserved Sarlat la Canéda provides us with the time and opportunity to get to see so many remarkable and amazing sights from Lascaux IVs hundreds of superbly created cave paintings, to the rock carved, cliff face fort of Roque Saint-Christophe, Les Eyzies pre-historic museum and delightful, fascinating Château des Milandes. Not forgetting the one day we spend exploring the astounding caves of the ‘Gouffre de Padirac’, the ‘pilgrimage town’ of Rocamadour along with a gourmet lunch on a terrace under a shady tree. No one covers the Dordogne in as much depth as Albatross!Château Cognac Royale
Sip Cognac in Cognac!
Visit the historic, 500-year-old Royal Chateau de Cognac, tour through the extensive cellars of Baron Otard, enjoy a cognac tasting, plus visit the Hennessy Cognac visitor centre to enjoy a refreshing cone of XO Cognac Ice Cream!Saint‑Martin‑de‑Ré
La Rochelle and the Isle de Ré
During our 2 night stay in delightful La Rochelle we make a special excursion over to the island of Isle de Ré. You will enjoy a long leisurely lunchtime relaxing in the quintessential French seaside village Saint‑Martin‑de‑Ré. A relaxing time to enjoy a seafood lunch and explore the quaint back alleys full of shops.Loire Valley Châteaux
4 very special visits
No two Châteaux are the same, and that is why we have included 4 incredible visits, each one graceful, gorgeous, memorable and very different. The ‘Ladies' Château Chenonceau with its graceful arches spanning the River Cher boasts ornate gardens, Azay-le-Rideau - the finest example of early Renaissance French architecture – is set on a small lake lined with trees and weeping willows and inside is furnished with antiques. At Villandry we explore the enormous, terraced gardens, whilst in Chambord you will walk up and down Da Vinci’s astonishing white marble, spiral, double helix staircase. It is exquisite and astonishing, and Chambord château is colossal! Then of course there is a 5th grand château – the delightful 5 star d’Artigny – where we sleep and dine over 3 nights!Château picnic lunch
A picnic in the Loire vineyards under a shady tree
Château’ de l'Aulee, is a comparatively ordinary building by Loire Valley standards, but they do make excellent wine. Called the ‘Once upon a Wine’ experience, we enjoy a cellar visit, then a tasting of 4 wines whilst enjoying a picnic beside their vineyards under a shady tree. Time to enjoy local specialties such as charcuterie, saucisson (so French!), rillettes, country pâté, local cheeses, yummy desert and chocolate from a master chocolatier in nearby Azay le Rideau.Château Villandry
Magnificent Gardens
Visit Château Villandry to explore the magnificent terraced gardens, inspired by the classic gardens of the 16th and 18th century. Each of the 6 gardens is distinguished by a specific theme and design, and features include ponds, topiary and ornamental hedges. The extraordinary kitchen garden covers 12,500 square metres.Château Chenonceau
Explore the interior & stunning gardens
The magnificent Château Chenonceau, spanning the River Cher on a series of graceful arches, is possibly one of the most photographed of the Loire châteaux and was the former home of Diane de Poitiers and Catherine de Medici.Amboise
Da Vinci’s Residence
In the charming riverside town of Amboise, on the banks of the River Loire, we visit Da Vinci’s residence – Château du Clos Lucé. It is here in the underground rooms that you have the opportunity to see forty machines designed by this amazing inventor.Dates and Prices
* The itinerary and hotels featured are based on 2026 tour departures and may be subject to change. Any questions, please contact our European Tour Specialists for further details.
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Your Hotels
Tour Suitability
Due to the nature of the niche places we visit on this tour, to explore all of the beautiful towns and sites a level of mobility is required.
- Grand Dune de Pilat - this the tallest sand dune in Europe. Accessed by a walk through the maritime pine trees, and then up a series of white, plastic molded steps embedded in the dune face, the views at the top are astounding. The coach drop off point in the pine forest is relatively high up the side of the dune. Therefore, the flight of very easy, broad steps is not as high as you would think. There are about 100 steps in all, with a rope railing either side, which is therefore, maybe, the equivalent of about 4 flights of stairs in an office block. From the top, there is a short walk across sand. Importantly, you are with Albatross, and we give you time to ascend. If you choose not to ascend, then there are some very relaxing cafes and shops at the bottom.
- The Gouffre de Padirac cave visit can be a little more challenging, and persons with mobility difficulties are advised to go down in the lift if they choose to participate in this activity. Please note, there are a further 70 metal grated steps down to the underground river level where we catch the boats. To return you can walk up the steps or catch the 3 sets of elevators which will take you all the way back up to the top. The gallery tour involves straight forward walking and naturally also includes several sets of steps. Should you wish to access the Salle Du Grand Dome it involves 150 steps going up and 150 steps going down. You will already be deep inside this astounding cave so you may choose not to add these extra steps to what is already and unbelievable experience.
- Please refer to our Tour Suitability section for more information.
Please refer to our Tour Suitability section for more information.
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