Drive the legendary D2 'Route des Châteaux' through the Médoc, entering the gates of First and Second Growth estates for private tastings — the definitive Bordeaux wine pilgrimage, and utterly unmissable for any serious wine lover.
What to expect
The morning opens with a scenic drive north along the Gironde estuary, the vines of the Médoc rolling past your window in perfectly ordered rows. You'll enter two or three château properties where an estate guide leads you through vine-to-bottle story, underground vat rooms, and an intimate seated tasting of three to five classified wines per château. The names on the labels — Mouton, Latour, Léoville — are ones you've read about for years; standing in the chai breathing in barrel-aged Cabernet brings them fully to life. Return to port with time to spare and a well-curated wine selection to ship home.
Good to know
The Médoc is 30–60 minutes north of Bordeaux port depending on the château. Half-day tours typically return by 13:00; full-day by 17:00 — well inside any 18:00 all-aboard. Book directly with À La Française; private minibus rates include hotel or port pickup.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Bordeaux — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Bordeaux
- Saint-Émilion Private Wine Estate Tour & Grand Cru Tasting
- La Cité du Vin: Skip-the-Line Entry + Belvedere Wine Experience
- Bassins de Lumières: Immersive Digital Art in WWII U-Boat Bunkers
- Private Walking Tour of Bordeaux's UNESCO Old City with a Local Expert
- Château Pape Clément: Prestige Tasting at a 700-Year-Old Grand Cru