France
Southwest France: Bordeaux and the Perigord
Program No. 14253RJ
Savor history as you enjoy oenologist-led lectures, gastronomic heritage, ancient villages and prehistoric cave paintings in the timeless regions of Southwest France.
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DATES
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PRICES
Sep 5 - Sep 18, 2024
Starting at
4,549Sep 12 - Sep 25, 2024
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4,549Sep 19 - Oct 2, 2024
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4,549Sep 26 - Oct 9, 2024
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4,549Oct 3 - Oct 16, 2024
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4,499DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Aug 22 - Sep 4, 2024
Starting at
5,419Sep 5 - Sep 18, 2024
Starting at
5,419Sep 12 - Sep 25, 2024
Starting at
5,419Sep 19 - Oct 2, 2024
Starting at
5,419Sep 26 - Oct 9, 2024
Starting at
5,419Oct 3 - Oct 16, 2024
Starting at
5,349Oct 10 - Oct 23, 2024
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5,819Apr 17 - Apr 30, 2025
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5,819Sep 11 - Sep 24, 2025
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14 days
13 nights
31 meals
12B 10L 9D
1
In Transit to Program
In flight
4
St. Emilion, Free time
Bordeaux
6
The Rouffignac Cave, Sarlat
La Roque Gageac
7
Sarlat, Region Specialties, Medieval Bastides
La Roque Gageac
8
Lascaux IV, Prehistoric Art, Museum of Prehistory
La Roque Gageac
At a Glance
Romans of the fourth century tilled the soils around Saint-Emilion and began growing grapes. Today, the region ranks among the world’s foremost red wine producers. From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, Southwest France resonates with the marvelous consequences of long-ago choices. Discover the Bordeaux wineries with Roman roots, the Dordogne and the living museum town of Sarlat.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Extensive walking on uneven ground and cobblestones. Stairs sometimes without railings.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Explore the Dordogne Valley and the prehistoric cave paintings of Rouffignac and Lascaux IV.
- Examine a complete retrospective of the works of Toulouse-Lautrec at the museum dedicated to him in Albi.
- Discover each region’s unique cultural, gastronomic and wine heritage in the Perigord and Bordeaux.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Libby Chandler
Libby Chandler lives in the southwest county of Devon in the United Kingdom, across the English Channel from the Normandy Beaches. At the age of 22, she moved to France to live in the Alps and polish her French for several years. Libby is an addicted traveler with a lust for learning, spending her time in France and across Europe. Leading groups since 1994, she works as a freelance group manager for educational organizations and in the Himalayan mountains during the winter.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Libby Chandler
View biography
Libby Chandler lives in the southwest county of Devon in the United Kingdom, across the English Channel from the Normandy Beaches. At the age of 22, she moved to France to live in the Alps and polish her French for several years. Libby is an addicted traveler with a lust for learning, spending her time in France and across Europe. Leading groups since 1994, she works as a freelance group manager for educational organizations and in the Himalayan mountains during the winter.
Suggested Reading List
(12 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Southwest France: Bordeaux and the Perigord
Program Number: 14253
The Basque History of the World
Popular author Mark Kurlansky offers an engaging portrait of the seven provinces of Basque Land, discussing everything from language to culinary heritage and seafaring traditions.
South-West France: The Wines and Winemakers
South-West France is a wine lover's paradise that cultivates an astonishing array of grape varieties, many that grow nowhere else, and produces a fascinating assortment of wines. In this book, Paul Strang covers the South-West with enthusiasm and keen expertise, providing a history of its wine industry, including a near collapse and unlikely rebirth, and introducing readers to a region that seems to defy globalization.
F is for France: A Curious Cabinet of French Wonders
An alphabetized catalogue of quirky French culture and history tidbits.
The Cave Painters
In this tale of art, paleontology and discovery, Curtis introduces the masterworks of cave art in France and Spain, visiting Altamira, Lascaux, Les Trois-Freres, Cosquer, Chauvet and others.
French Wine: A History
French Wine is the first synthetic history of wine in France: from Etruscan, Greek, and Roman imports and the adoption of wine by beer-drinking Gauls to its present status within the global marketplace. Rod Phillips places the history of grape growing and winemaking in each of the country’s major regions within broad historical and cultural contexts.
Edible French: Tasty Expressions and Cultural Bites
French food-related idioms are explained and delightfully illustrated in this playful meditation on the French language.
Tasting French Terroir: The History of an Idea
This book explores the origins and significance of the French concept of terroir (the specific taste of a particular place), demonstrating that the way the French eat their food and drink their wine today derives from a cultural mythology that developed between the Renaissance and the Revolution.
My Life in France
The touching and famous story of Julia Child in France, where she learned to cook and fell in love with French cuisine, all in her own words.
Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Four Kings
A spirited, meticulously researched chronicle that recreates the life and world of Eleanor of Aquitaine in 12th-century Europe. A Harvard University Press Classic, first published in 1950.
Camembert: A National Myth
Camembert - delectably fragrant, creamy-centered, neatly boxed - is the most popular and most famous French cheese. Originally made by hand in the Norman countryside, it is now mass-produced internationally, yet Camembert remains a national symbol for France, emblematic of its cultural identity. In this witty and entertaining book, Pierre Boisard investigates the history of Camembert and its legend.
The Food & Wine of France: Eating & Drinking from Champagne to Provence
Behr seeks out the best of French food, in encounters from Champagne to Provence, to tell the stories of French artisans and chefs who work at the highest level. He shares what he learns from these experts on French traditions and how to best enjoy this food.
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook
This handy phrasebook focuses on pronunciation, basic grammar and essential vocabulary for the traveler.
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