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Classic Morgan Hire in the Charente Maritime, South West France
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CHATEAUX & VINEYARD TOUR   

 

cv1.JPGTake 7 days to explore SW France in your classic car, this time with the emphasis on gastronomy, sampling the best local specialities, wines and cognacs available.   Join us on a tour through one of the great wine lists of the world!

Saturday -  arrive at La Rose des Vents in the late afternoon and enjoy welcome tea/coffee and cakes served in the garden, whilst you receive your roadbook and briefing on the week to come.  In the evening, welcome aperitifs and a 4 course dinner with wine, coffee & Cognac will be served in the Manor House.

Sunday morning, and after a lazy breakfast, wander into Cognac to explore the ancient streets and mansions, museum and Romanesque architecture.  Enjoy lunch at one of the many cafes/restaurants clustered around the fountain in the centre.

In the afternoon, a visit to L'Ecomusee at Migron, which combines a visit to a museum dedicated to the family life of a vigneron's family as it was in the 19th century, a guided tour of the mysteries and passion of Cognac which includes a tour of the distillery and a unique invitation to identify the different aromas and notes in not just Cognac & Pineau, but in chocolate, coffee and cigars (which our guests have found great fun!).  Naturally a tasting of Cognac and Pineau is included.

In the evening, dinner will be taken at a riverside restaurant in Cognac.

Monday, an early start for the drive to Royan to cross the Gironde estuary by car ferry to Point de Grave in the Medoc for a drive along the west bank of the Gironde.  This is chateau country and the origin of many wines classed as Grand Cru.  The roll call of vineyards reads like a well chosen wine list: Medoc, Saint Estephe, Paulliac, Saint Julien, Listrac,  Moulis and Margaux....

cv5.jpgThe ferry crossing takes just half an hour, and we drive south following the left bank of the Gironde to Margaux, offering opportunities for lots of photo stops of the famous chateaux and vineyards.  In the morning, we will stop for a tour of Chateau Mouton Rothschild (classified Premier Cru).  The wine stores are open for the public, see the superbly furnished reception hall and banqueting hall embellised with paintings and sculptures on the theme of wine and vineyards, and the separate museum in the old cellars.  The chateau is famous for it's collection of wine labels commissioned from Braque, Dali, Masson, Carzou, Villon and other modern artists.

cv6.jpgWe will stop for lunch in Paulliac where you can wander along the quayside and enjoy lunch in a restaurant of your choice overlooking the water.

After lunch we continue either to Beychavelle, rebuilt in the 1700s for a walk through the magnificent gardens, and of  course an obligatory tour of the cellars, or a visit to one of the great Medoc Grand Crus - Chateau Lynch Bages which includes a visit to the restored hamlet of Bages with its modern art exhibition, shops and coffee houses. We finish the scenic route at Margaux and return via the N120 to cat the ferry back to Royan.

Tuesday, and a slow scenic route through the Saintonge countryside - a land of Romanesque churches, lush green countryside, fairy tale castles and picturesque villages built from the local limestone.  In the morning we drive through the riverside towns of Taillbourg and St Savinen to the Chateau de Crazannes, with it's round keep and dungesons (a castle still lived in today).  Lunch will be taken in a charming restaurant in  St Porchaire, before visiting the Chateau de la Roche Courbon (known as the castle of the Sleeping Beauty) with it's beautiful French gardens and lake.  Arrangements have been made to park immediately in front of the Chateau for a fantastic photo opportunity.

cv2.JPGWednesday - Time to relax.  In the morning a private guided tour of nearby Chateau Chesnel by the resident owner, the Comtesse de Roufignac,  Return to La Rose des Vents for lunch in the garden.   The rest of the day is free to relax around the swimming pool, enjoy a game of Petanque or a short walk through the vineyards.

Thursday - We drive to Blaye in the Haute Gironde to visit the famous citadel, beside the estuary, which was designed by Vauban in the 17th century.  We enter through the Porte Royale and park inside the citadel to explore this impressive building covering half a mile and includes houses with pretty gardens, cloisters and chapel.  Following a guided tour, lunch can either be taken in La Creperie, or enjoy a picnic overlooking the Gironde estuary.

In the afternoon, a scenic drive takes us along the Corniche where the sea captains had their mansions built to overlook the sea, to Bourg where we visit the Maison du Vin in a beautiful garden overlooking the river Dordogne.  There are over 80 different Cote du Bourg full bodieds red wines, which we will learn about in the vaulted cellar.

cv4.JPGFriday - Today, we take a beautiful scenic run, which follows the River Charente.  Enjoy sweeping vistas of vineyards and beautiful chateaux, on roads just made for sports cars!  We will visit Bourg Charente, Jarnac on the river, home of Courvoisier, then on to Bassac with it's 1,000 year old abbey and St Simenon -Village des Gabariers, stopping for a gastronomic  lunch (aperitifs and wine included) in a hill top restaurant with sweeping views of the river Charente, before returning home via  Segonzac, centre of the Grand Champagne Cognac vineyards.

In the evening, a farewell 2 course supper will be served in the Manor House, wine, coffee and cognac included.

 

The tariff from  £1,050  per person depending on season  is based on a minimum of 4 people sharing one cottage and includes:

If your group comprises more than 5 couples, additional accommodation is available in the Manor House and we have links wit other luxury cottages within 5 minutes drive where additional accommodation can be arranged.  Please contact us to discuss your requirements