Combining Bordeaux Wine Festival With Luxury Barge Cruise

With more than 80 different wines from around Bordeaux, nightly fireworks, a wide range of gastronomic offerings, lively music, and a stirring display of Tall Ships, France’s annual Bordeaux Wine Festival is one of the most memorable events of the year in the famed wine-growing region. Staged at Place des Quinconces on the banks of the Garonne River over four days (June 22 – 25, 2023), it is also just over an hour’s drive to the route on the Canal de Garonne where European Waterways’ luxury hotel barge Rosa offers a six-night, all-inclusive cruise. As such, the hotel barge operator notes that guests can combine their participation in the festival with a cruise aboard Rosa for a truly immersive gastronomic and cultural experience in Southwest France.

“The Bordeaux Wine Festival offers an opportunity for visitors to sample many of the world-class wines of the region and meet the fascinating people who create them,” said Derek Banks, European Waterways’ managing director. “There are plenty of excellent hotels nearby from which to attend the festival and explore the area. For guests who also wish to charter the barge with us, we offer free transfer to and from the festival from the hotel barge.”

20% Off Charter
Originally a Dutch “Klipper” barge, European Waterways’ 8-passenger Rosa is today a state-of-the-art luxury hotel barge, with air-conditioned ensuite cabins, attractive wood paneling, and a sun deck for alfresco dining. Along with European Waterways’ Anjodi, it was featured in the successful Rick Stein’s French Odyssey series.

Rosa offers several convenient six-night departures throughout June and early July that make them an ideal companion to the festival. Travelers planning to spend several weeks in the region can take advantage of the great value available with the charter of Rosa’s July 2 departure, which can be booked at 20% off the regular price. With the special, the whole-boat price is just $30,400, a saving of $7,600 off the regular $38,000 price.

Itinerary highlights include a private tour of the Château de la Motte in the company of the resident Countess; a tour and private Armagnac tasting at renowned Domaine de Lapeyrade; a visit to the town of Moissac and its UNESCO classified abbey; and a tour and private tasting at an organic winery in the Brulhois wine region. Highlights also include a cruise across the 1,900-foot Plan Canal D’Agen Aqueduct, one of the longest in France; as well as a tour on the Garonne River aboard a traditional flat-bottom boat.

“On every European Waterways cruise, meals are paired with two of the finest regional vintages, with a host who relates the story behind each selection,” noted Banks. “If you love wines, or just want to pick up a few tips, a cruise in Gascony and Bordeaux is a memorable experience at any time of the season.”