Good afternoon,
I will be travelling from Brazil to France for our honeymoon in Dec/2008. My plan is to stay 4 days in Paris and 2 in Bordeaux (although I would love to stay more!!).
What would be the best Château%26#39;s to visit in the region? I was thinking about Latour, Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild and Château Margaux.
Also, I would like to stay at a Château for two nigths, instead of a regular hotel. I am analyzing a few options:
Chateau Pedesclaux EUR 200
Chateau Grattequina EUR 159
Chateau Cordeillan Bages EUR 252
Has anyone ever stayed in one of these places?
Which one do you think is the best option (in terms of location, accomodation, etc)?
Is there any other must-visit Château or place in Bordeaux that I should include in my trip?
Thanks!!!
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All the châteaux that you have mentioned for visits are--obviously--great choices, and at this time of the year you should have little problem getting appointments. (Still, just to be on the safe side, you might want to contact them in the next couple of weeks just to make sure...)
For your three choices for accommodations, I have had clients stay in Grattequina and Cordeillan-Bages, and each of these are excellent and very comfortable in their own way. Of the three, only Pedesclaux is a classed-growth winemaking château. Cordeillan Bages is a Relais et Châteaux hotel with one of the finest restaurants in the region, and Grattequina is closest to Bordeaux city.
Thus, if you are thinking of going into Bordeaux city, Grattequina is your best choice. If you are looking at the whole package (good accommodations, good food) then go with Cordeillan-Bages. If you want to stay in a winemaking property, try Pedesclaux.
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Many thanks dmj. Very good advices!
Best regards.
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Hi,
Does anyone know if I could have problem with local authorities in driving on the roads from one Chateau to another after drinking some wine on the tasting experience at the Chateau%26#39;s? For example, I plan to visit Mouton-Rothschild in the morning and then drive to Chateau Margaux for the 14:00hs visit. Is it dangerous to do that? Should I try a cab or any special transfer service or can I rent a car and drive around the region?
Thanks.
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The French have become much more stringent in the past few years about enforcing the alcohol limits for drivers. Although two glasses shouldn%26#39;t put you over the top, it will bring you just to the edge of what%26#39;s legal--and don%26#39;t forget you%26#39;ll probably want to have a glass or two of wine with lunch between the two visits.
The easiest thing would be to simply spit, not swallow, the wine at the tasting in each château. That%26#39;s what I do when I%26#39;m doing the driving for my clients. Also, having a prolonged conversation with the local gendarmes is probably not the way you want to spend a portion of your honeymoon...
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Thanks dmj, you have been very helpful.
Could you tell me how long do it usually take a wine tour in the Chateau%26#39;s? My idea is to see as much as possible in the 2 days that I will spend in the region.
Could you comment or give some thoughts on the following schedule? This is my first time in the region and do appreciate any suggestion.
Thursday:
Train from Paris arriving in Bordeaux at 11:22am
Rent a car and drive to Pauillac
Check in at Cordeillan Bages at 1:00pm
Visit Chateau Latour at 2:00pm
Visit another Chateau: any suggestion???
Walk around Pauillac
Dinner at Cordeillan Bages
Friday:
Visit Mouton-Rothschild at 10:00am
Lunch on the road from Pauillac to Margaux: any suggestion???
Visit Chateau Margaux at 2:00pm
Visit Chateau Lafite at 3:30pm
Visit another Chateau: any suggestion???
Check in at a Bordeaux Hotel: to be defined
Dinner in Bordeaux: any suggestion???
Saturday:
Walk around Bordeaux in the morning
Lunch in Bordeaux: any suggestion???
Train to Paris at 2:16pm
Many thanks!
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You%26#39;re visiting some very nice châteaux and it%26#39;s a very full schedule.
For a château visit after Latour on Thursday afternoon try Lynch-Bages. Since you are staying at Cordeillan-Bages and it is owned by the owner at Lynch-Bages (which is just next door), they can arrange an appointment for you.
For lunch on Friday, the Lion d%26#39;Or would be a good choice. It%26#39;s on the road south between Mouton and Margaux in a town called Arsac. You%26#39;ll see it as you drive up to the Cordeillan-Bages (it%26#39;s a two-story yellow building on your right as you turn the bend in Arsac). It%26#39;s one of the best restaurants in the Médoc.
As for another visit after Lafite on Friday afternoon, I%26#39;m not sure that it%26#39;ll be possible. Since a château visit usually lasts from 60-90 minutes, you might be finished as late as 5:00, and most properties give the last visit of the day at 4:30 (so that they can all go home at 6:00).
And on the subject of timing for château visits, it may be tight for the Lafite visit at 3:30, since you%26#39;ll be in Margaux just before then and it will take you at least 20 minutes--if not 30 to get back up to Pauillac. As I%26#39;m sure that you saw when you got back the confirmation for your appointment from Lafite, they are rather (read: very) strict about visitors showing up on time. Of course, should you be unable to get to an appointment on time, be sure to call and let them know you%26#39;ll be late.
Since it is your honeymoon, you might want to consider staying at the Regent Grand Hotel in Bordeaux for Friday night. It%26#39;s the best hotel in town and at a level in keeping with the standards of the rest of your time in Bordeaux.
If you%26#39;re looking for a top gastronomic experience for dinner on Friday to match your meal at the Cordeillan-Bages, make a reservation at Le Chapon Fin. It%26#39;s a Michelin-starred restaurant and is owned by the same people as at Cordeillan-Bages.
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Very good advices.
In order to save time on Friday, I will try to arrive at Chateau Margaux at 1.30pm to %26quot;look around%26quot; and start the visit at 2.00pm. Then I will leave to Lafite at 3.00pm to be there on time.
Many thanks
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Flagoste,
your preliminary agenda that you posted appeals to me greatly and i am hoping to put a honeymoon together for travel between mid april to mid june 2009. what was your final itineary? what did you like best? what did you like least? did you find an issues with drinking and driving? my thought is to stay in bordeaux city and book winery tours with the bordeaux tourism during my 4 day stay in the region. the issue i am running into is that many of the full day tours to margaux or medoc or st.-emilion offered by the bordeaux tourism does not start until late May and my preference is to visit in late April as airfare is cheaper.
any feedback would be most appreciated. thanks!
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