Bordeaux River Cruise Ports

Bordeaux River Cruise Ports

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value.  One of the newer routes on the Europe river cruise offerings is on the Bordeaux Estuary Area.  We took an AmaWaterways cruise in 2017 and it was truly unique and, in many ways, different from past river cruises.

Why was it different?—the main reason is there is so much emphasis on wine, wine production and how wine has impacted this area.

I plan to tell you a little about the Bordeaux wine region in general and then highlight some of the port stops.  I am not including the starting and ending port of Bordeaux—it deserves a future blog.

Although not the theme of this blog, I would be remiss if I didn’t laud our hosts, AmaWaterways on our “A Taste of Bordeaux” cruise.  AmaWaterways is our top rated Europe River Cruise Line and, as always, they delivered on our 16th cruise with this great company (we are going on #18 later this year).  It was a special wine themed cruise and a very good trip option, especially if you like wine.

Our Route Map—Diagram from AmaWaterways

So, let me defend my thoughts—why go on this cruise?

The Bordeaux Wine Region

To really understand the Bordeaux region, and the huge impact wine has on the region, a little background might prove helpful for you.  The origin of term Bordeaux derives from the French phrase “bord des eaux”—on the edge of the waters.  The Bordeaux region is dominated by 3 great rivers—where the Dordogne and the Garonne meet to form the Gironde.

Wine Areas of Bordeaux—Diagram form AmaWaterways

Bordeaux wines are blended wines.  The permissible grapes that can be used in red Bordeaux are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot.  There are also white Bordeaux wines produced, but the vast majority of wines are red wines.

Bordeaux is France’s and the world’s largest wine producing area.  There are about 287,500 acres of vineyards.  The area has over 900 chateaus, and about 10,000 individual producers.  89% of the grapes are red plantings, so the remaining 11% are white grapes.

The terroir of Bordeaux impacts the wine characteristics and some believe it is the perfect region to grow grapes to produce the highest quality wines in the world.  It is at 45 degrees north and has a temperate, maritime climate.  The weather conditions are moderated by 3 factors.  First, the Gulf Stream effects the temperature.  Second, the coastal pine forests, protect from high winds.  Third, the Gironde estuary, the Dordogne and Garonne Rivers, provide humidity and temper the temperatures during growing seasons.

2 Ports were About a Castle, a walled city and a Fortress.

Our first stop was a walking tour of Cadillac.  Founded in 1280, there are still some of the medieval walls and gates remaining that once protected this port city.

One of the Watch Towers

Looking into Cadillac from inside the entrance tower gate

The main site of this town is the Château of Cadillac.  The correct name of the chateau is Château des Ducs d'Épernon.  It is a very good example of how the aristocrats lived in the 1600’s. 

The Chateau

Moat area of the Chateau

After the visit to Cadillac, we took a short bus ride to Roquetaillade Castle. 

Roquetaillade in French means carved out of rock.  There has been a fortification on this site since Charlemagne constructed an earth and timber defensive position during his advance to the Pyrenees.

The castle

The current structure is a combination of two fortresses within the same walls. The castle has been lived in for over 700 years by the same family.

The entrance doorway into the castle

The tour took us through the castle rooms.  I particularly enjoyed the inside drawbridge to the rear of the castle and the kitchen area.

The rear drawbridge I liked from an outside view

In the port of Blaye, we visited the imposing Blaye fortress.  The most famous site in Blaye is the Blaye Citadel. The Citadel is a military complex designed by Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, the famous French military engineer.

Blaye Citadel

It was constructed between 1685 and 1689 and designed to protect the Gironde Estuary.

A view that shows how massive this fortress is!

Libourne

Libourne is located at the confluence of the Ilse and Dordogne Rivers.  In 1286, the town was founded as a fortified port.

The old port tower from the walled city—not much else remains of the defensive walls

The main sights in Libourne are the town hall and square (Place Abel Surchamp), the Museum of Fine Arts & Archeology, the Church of St. John the Baptist and the Rue Gambatta, a pedestrian only street.  Sadly, we were not able to visit these sites, as we chose to go on a wine tasting—something to look forward to on our next cruise here.

There are many famed Chateaux wineries around Libourne. We visited Chateau de La Riviere near Fronsac, France for a good wine tasting.  This is a dramatic wine estate worth a visit for a tasting and tour.

The stately Chateau

Chateau de La Riviere is the largest vineyard in Fronsac, with about 59 hectares planted with vines and 6 hectares beautiful gardens, and forest lands.  It is planted with 82% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 4-5% Cabernet Franc grapes.

It produces primarily red Bordeaux wines, between 15,000 to 18,000 cases per year.  Most of their red wines have strong dark red fruit flavors during tastings but this can vary.  They also produce a white wine.

The tasting room

St Emilion

We first took a tour of this city and the underground church.  St. Emilion is known for its great wines and the underground church started by Emilion, a Breton monk.  The monolithic church is a UNESCO World Heritage site.  There are about 124 miles of underground areas under the streets of St. Emilion. 

A good view of the city

Cool old half-timbered house

There is a tall bell tower in the city that marks the underground church—it is the largest monolithic church in Europe and it completely underground.

The Bell Tower marks the underground cathedral

There are 4 steep streets of St. Emilion, which are called “Tertes”—steep pedestrian cobblestone streets build by using cobblestone brought by English wine traders as ballast prior to returning with barrels full of wine.

One of the four tertes of the city

We then went to a wine tasting at Chateau de Ferrand for some St. Emilion Gran Cru—it was awesome! 

Enterance to the winery

The vineyard is planted with about 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It is a 32 hectare estate.  The terroir is mostly limestone and clay.

They age the wine in oak barrels

It produces St. Emilion Gran Cu Bordeaux wine.  This red wine is usually medium bodied with red fruits as the primary taste on the pallet, but each vintage has its own subtle characteristics

Bourg

Bourg is pleasant and picturesque small town perched on the banks of the Dordogne River.

Local sites include: The citadel castle, with its horse-drawn carriage museum "Au temps des calèches", French formal gardens and terrace overlooking the lower town and surrounding landscapes:  the Moorish house built in the 18th and 19th centuries; the 18th-century Jurade mansion complete with a bell tower; the covered market; 19th-century wash house and the river harbor. 

We again, didn’t have time to see these, as we attended a wine festival during our AmaWaterways cruise at the House of Wines. It was a lot of fun and we had a small band in period clothing to help us celebrate.

The band at the wine tasting party

Pauillac

There are not many key sites to visit in the port of Pauillac, since the main attraction here is the world famous region of Medoc and their outstanding wines.  In Pauillac, the sites of interest include the large 19th century Church of Saint-Martin, and the 19th century market hall.

The church of St. Martin

It is the wine estates of the region that most come to see and taste while here.  They include Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, Chateau Latour, Chateau Margaux and Chateau Mouton Rothschild, the most recognized wines from the Bordeaux region.  These 4 wines all are “Premier Cru” (first growth)—the best of the best in the region.

We visited Chateau Leoville Payferre to taste 4 great wines.  Chateau Leoville Payferre, located in the St. Julien region of Medoc, and produces highly acclaimed Bordeaux red wine on their 60 hectare estate.

The chateau winery

They have planted 68% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 25% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot.

According to Jeff Leve (editor of The Wine Cellar Insider), who focuses on Bordeaux wine, Chateau Leoville Payferre is “one of the most consistent producers of high quality Bordeaux since 2000.  They make so many great wines, it is hard to pick a favorite.”

Their old oak barrels to age the great wines they produce

We tasted 4 wines.  They were:  Chateau Moulin Riche 2016 (barrel sample); Chateau Moulin Riche 2011—30 Euros per bottle; Chateau Leoville Payferre 2012—80 Euros per bottle and Chateau Leoville Payferre 2000—220 Euros per bottle. 

I included the price per bottle just to show you how good the quality of the wines were we tasted—if you can command those prices in the market place, these are great wines!

We liked the mask decorations here

My Final Thoughts

Wow—what a trip!  I think now you can see how much wine has on this region—it’s not about the sites so much, it is about wine and the wine growing culture.  The forts and walled cities grew up to protect the wine producers and are not as much a reason to visit this area as the great wines—if you really enjoy wine, this trip is for you!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

Riquewihr, France--A Fascinating Rhine River Cruise Port Village

Riquewihr, France—A Fascinating Rhine River Cruise Port Village

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value.  These wonderful trips take you to unique places.  One place, along the Rhine River, includes Riquewihr, France—a fascinating port village just a few miles from the Rhine River. 

I had never visited this awesome place, or even known about it, until I was introduced to it while on a Europe River Cruise.

Riquewihr is located in the Alsace region of France. 

One of my favorite regions of France is the Alsace.  This is an area that has deep French and German roots.  No wonder—it was controlled by Germany for about 700 years and France for 200 before the end of WW I. 

It is this wonderful mix of German and French lifestyles that makes it so special to me—it seems the region has taken the best of the culture of these 2 wonderful countries and blended them into a unique place.

The 3 key port stops along the Rhine in France (all are in the Alsace region) are Strasbourg, Colmar and Riquewihr.  While all are great port stops, the gem of the 3 has to be Riquewihr, in my opinion.

So, let me defend my thoughts—Why is Riquewihr the gem of these 3 stops?

A Little History of Alsace

France and Germany have coveted the wine growing region of Alsace for about 1000 years.  The land dispute is a difference in the border boundaries each side chose to define who should control the region.  France believed the dividing line should be the Rhine River.  Germany decided the Vosges Mountains were the natural border.

As far back as the Holy Roman Empire, France has seen the Alsace-Lorraine region as their territory, while Germany saw it as its’ territory. 

Historically, the area at first was at the center of Charlemagne’s Frankish empire in the 9th century. 

But for most of its history, it has been controlled by Germany, as part of the German Holy Roman Empire under various Kings.  German control continued until the 30 Year’s War when it lost Alsace by the 1684 treaty—known as the Peace of Westphalia—which gave control of this area back to France.  

The Franco-Prussian War put the region firmly back into German control in 1871. 

The Alsace region had been under French control since the end of WW I. confirmed by the famous Treaty of Versailles.  WW II put it under German control again. 

From 1871 to 1945—a period of about 74 years--Alsace had changed rulers between Germany and France 4 times!

A little dizzy yet?—you can see it was a region that changed hands often and resulted in its dual cultural influences.

But Alsace has not, or never will, lose its dual roots that include food, wine production, and cultural traditions. Most who live here speak both German and the French language. 

The symbol of Alsace is the white stork.  They return each year from Africa in the spring, letting the residents of Alsace know that a new season is here.

The symbol of Alsace—the white stork

As you can see, it is a unique blending of two cultures, a result of two countries that wanted this region to be part of the territory it controlled and ruled.

The Wine Road (Route du Vin) of Alsace

Riquewihr is on the Route du Vin, which is about 106 miles long from start to finish.  It starts a little north of Strasbourg; Colmar is about the midpoint; and ends near Mulhouse. 

You can drive, bike or take a tour, or see part of the route, as we did, by rivership.  We visited Strasbourg and Riquewihr—both really hit the flavor and special nature of the Alsace region of France.

Strasbourg (population is over 450,000) is much larger than Colmar (about 91,000) and Riquewihr (about 1,100).  While Strasbourg and Colmar have scenic canals, both have much more modern buildings that make up the majority of the total town.  There are only part of sections of the old town areas that the most interesting areas to visit. 

In contrast, Riquewihr is almost totally an old town area.

It is the small, quaintness of Riquewihr that sets it apart—small eye popping half-timbered homes that never stop and just invite you to get a glass of wine and perhaps a special meal.

Alsace’s Wines

The key grapes grown in the region of Alsace are Riesling, Muscat, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Pinot Noir.  According to wine experts, although these grapes are also grown in Germany, the Alsace wines have more flavor and are much drier than those produced across on the eastern side of the Rhine River in Germany.  These robust white wines are also named for the grapes—a common practice in Germany but much less common in France.

Alsace vineyard with Vosges Mountains in the background—picture by Mark Thomas

Since 1983, the official gran cru appellation status has been awarded to about 50 terroirs.  Most of these gran cru appellation wines are dry whites. 

Gran cru in French means great growth.  This classification of wines is a regional designation of the vineyards that produces very good wines. 

Trust me, they are excellent!

Riquewihr

Old cobblestone roads in Riquewihr

A village with a population of just over 1,100, it would be hard to find a more beautiful village in all of France.  It actually is on the official list of most beautify cities in France.

So, what is so unique about Riquewihr?

It was part of the inspiration for the animation Disney film Beauty and the Beast.  It doesn’t take much imagination to be transmitted to times past since the old style buildings evoke the feeling of being in a fairy tale.

Colorful buildings everywhere !

Roaming this small village, it is easy to see why the animators were inspired by Riquewihr. 

One of our tour groups, on our AmaWaterways cruise, with the guide explaining a little history of the town

All decorated for Christmas

Here are my other reasons it is special:

This medieval walled city still has most of its walls—I have always liked walled cities.

Ramparts of Riquewihr

Outer walls of Riquewihr

Riquewihr is a constant splash of colors, half-timbered buildings and wine shops jumbled together that just is so charming you will not know where to look next.

There is a watch tower that today houses a museum about the defensive structures of the city, the people who manned the defensive structures and the weapons they used.

The main watch tower—there is a museum inside

Tower fountain

Don’t forget to shop, enjoy the food or a snack and sample the white wines this region is so famous for and brought wealth to this village, as explained above in this blog.

Looks inviting, doesn’t it?

Wine Tasting opportunities abound

But don’t take my description as my defense—let’s see these final photos and you judge for yourselves!

Even the side streets are wonderful!

Another wonderful lane in Riquewihr

Great Wrought Iron Sign—Photo from Mark Thomas, our Travel Chum!

My Final Thoughts

Riquewihr is just one of the many places we have been to visit because of a European River cruise.  This is just one of the many port guides we have developed in our travels, to help you not miss the key sights in each port.

Why not visit our website and get your own guide—just go to www.dreamdestinations.com and click on the menu to find out about river cruises—you’ll be glad you did!

It is also easy to order this port guide or others like it—fill out the short request form and we will be happy to send all the guides you desire.

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts.  We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe.  We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you.  We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip.  You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience.  And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process.  We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you!  We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel.  Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com.  We want to help you:  Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations!  Your journey begins here!

Hank Schrader

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years.  He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA).  This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years.  He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees.   His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent

On The River Again With AmaWaterways

On The River Again With AmaWaterways

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

As I write this, I am on the AMASerena on the Rhine River. We are sailing on the Captivating Rhine Route from Amsterdam, Netherlands to Basel, Switzerland.

AmaSerena Pool top Deck in Cologne

Once again AmaWaterways continues to impress—the standards are very high, the food and wine are awesome, the ports and sights are great and the crew always makes you feel special.

It is cruise # 17 on AmaWaterways for us, so we have learned about this company from top to bottom and watched it grow and get better on each sailing since our first cruise in 2009. It just feels like home to us—inviting and we feel like special guests.

I write all the time about Europe river cruising and its value. We have 8 guests sailing with us, 2 couples for the first time and 2 couples that are new to the AmaWaterways family. They all agree—it is a great value!

Since many often want to know the differences between cruising during the seasons, I thought I’d tell you about the differences between cruising on the Christmas Markets in December and the summer cruise we are on now, on the identical route.

So, let’s compare the two—Ready?—Let’s go!

The Differences in the Ports

The most striking difference is the crowds in the public squares.

During the Christmas Market season, the squares are full of small booths and festive people shopping, talking and enjoying food and drinking heated, spiced wine. They are bundled up, happy and it is an amazing atmosphere of lights, color and fun. It is often quite crowded.

In the summer, many squares seem almost empty compared to the crowded Christmas Markets, but the small restaurants often have outdoor tables loaded with people enjoying a drink or meal and people watching. The establishments extend out into the squares and have replaced some of the empty space.

Since sunset is after 9:30 PM (2130 hours) in the summer in June, it seems the days last forever and the weather is mild. On this trip in particular, the weather has been spectacular—temps in the 60’s-70’s in the day and only a small rain shower for about an hour or so.

The wonderful thing about visiting Europe is seeing the people in their outdoor living rooms—the public places of Europe where the gather to visit, eat and enjoy life.

Both seasons are great, but just have a different feel and vibe.

The Wellness Program

In the summer, the already excellent Wellness Program has more activities due to the better, milder weather and program upgrades.

We got an early look at the program in the winter with the onboard wellness host, Selena on the AmaKristina. It was very good—as I have earned a master’s Degree in Physical Fitness, I think I have the credentials to properly evaluate the program.

Let me be clear—it is robust, fun and I was taken back about how many different activities were offered—it by far is the best fitness program on the Europe rivers by any company!

Jane, Len and Marcelo getting ready for a bike tour.

They offer stretching, Yoga, resistance bands, core exercises, bike tours and jogging tours. All are professionally led—Marcello, from Portugal, was our onboard wellness host and he did an outstanding job!

Selena, now the overall director of the program, has created a wonderful addition to Europe river cruising—well done!

The Tours

The tours do not change much except during the Christmas Markets, there is more time to visit the markets and each cruise manager helps folks learn about where to go to get their special gift or decoration.

The tours are well planned and fun. As we have been on this route 4 times, we know about each offering and have either been to the place on the offered tour or have seen it on our own.

This is one way we add value to your cruise—we use our first hand experience to advise you of which tour at what pace would be best for you. On this summer trip alone, we have a very active couple who completed most of the active and wellness activities, to include the bike tours, others who enjoy the normal paced tours and one couple who like the gentle walkers tours. They have used our advice to enhance their onboard experience.

The range of tour activities and the pace of a tour just enhances the guest experience—again AmaWaterways is right on the mark!

Life Onboard

AmaSerena Lounge

It is amazing to me how consistent AmaWaterways is in delivering a great experience at a reasonable price. The meals and service is always good. Somehow the crew, who always work long hour away from their families, are pleasant, caring and really want you to have a great time. In 17 cruises, we think it gets better each time.

Anne with Jess at German food party while sailing—see the hard working crew in the background?

I wrote about high performing organizations in a past blog, and AmaWaterways is certainly high performing. Each person in the 47 person crew does their job professionally with a smile and tries to make you feel special.

My Ama Cruise App

A new feature on AmaWaterways is a mobile App that helps improve your travel experiences.

The App allows to know your full cruise itinerary, post pictures to an album, and has the Daily Cruiser, your detailed hour by hour schedule of each day.

If you post photos, you can send them to family and friends in an attractive email postcard. Friends can also follow your cruise progress on a live tracking map.

Rhine River Gorge Castle 2019–I can add this photo to my cruise App

Very good descriptions of each port of call on your itinerary is also available to you when using the App.

The App also keeps track of your past and future cruise memories all in one place.

While sending the notices to others requires a WiFi or internet connection, it still can be used offline to record pictures and read about the sights or your daily programs. When internet service becomes available, it will update when you open the App.

It first came out in early December of 2018 and is better now in June of 2019.

Great, innovative idea!

My Final Thoughts

What a great company!—no wonder I still rate them the number one company for Europe river cruises. They have earned this spot and still keep it!

We are travel experts, ocean and river cruise experts, and Europe destination experts. We have first-hand knowledge of almost anywhere you want to visit in Europe. We know our products and the vendors who sell them to you. We have designed special tours for dozens of clients, led several and will continue to find just the right vacation that will exceed your expectations.

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 48 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

• AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist

• Viking River Cruise Specialist

• Scenic River Cruise Specialist

• Emerald Waterways Specialist

• Avalon Waterways Specialist

• Brit Agent