Commonwealth Wine School · Group trip

Bordeaux at harvest time

A week in Bordeaux at harvest. Five appellations, the people who make the wines, and a private local guide with you every day from Monday to Friday.

September 19 – 25, 2027 · 7 days / 6 nights

7 days6 nights
Small groupLimited places
Hôtel de Normandie4-star · Bordeaux centre
Private local guideMonday to Friday · English
Highlights

The week, and the people you meet

Five wine areas in five days, from Grand Cru Classé estates to family-owned properties. You meet the people behind the wines: owners, winemakers, cellar masters, a cooper and the vineyard teams at harvest. Every visit is private, with a tour and a tasting led by the estate's own team.

A local expert guide, accredited by the Bordeaux Wine School, is with the group from Monday to Friday. He or she links the visits together, answers questions in English and adapts the days to the harvest.

Estates are confirmed closer to the trip, depending on harvest dates.

A winemaking family in Saint-Émilion, three generations
Photo © Château Mauvinon
Grand Cru Classé
Classified growths in Pessac-Léognan, Margaux and PauillacHistoric cellars and tastings with the estate team
Family-owned estates
Properties run by the same families for generationsMeet the owners in Sauternes, Saint-Émilion and Entre-Deux-Mers
Biodynamics
A dive into biodynamic farming at a Margaux classified growthVines, preparations and the lunar calendar, explained in the vineyard
Blending workshop
Build your own blend from the estate’s lotsWith the winemaker, at a family estate in Saint-Émilion
Harvest experience
A morning picking grapes with the ownersEntre-Deux-Mers, or pressing and vats in the cellar if the grapes are in
Picnic at an estate
Lunch in the vineyard with the familyAfter the harvest morning
Dinner with an owner
Dinner at a family estate in SauternesHosted by the owner, among the sweet-wine vineyards
Your guide
Local expert guide, accredited by the Bordeaux Wine SchoolWith the group Monday to Friday, in English
Day by day

The program

Day 1Sunday, September 19

Arrival in Bordeaux

From 14:00Check-in at Hôtel de Normandie, facing the Esplanade des Quinconces. A few minutes on foot from the Grand Théâtre and the river.

Free afternoon and evening. If you land early, we send you a short list of places to visit and tables for a first dinner.

Bordeaux · UNESCO World Heritage city

Fountain on the Esplanade des Quinconces, Bordeaux
Photo © My Private French Travel
Day 2Monday, September 20

Bordeaux, Pessac-Léognan & Sauternes

09:00Three-hour masterclass on Bordeaux terroirs, grape varieties and blending. Interactive, with tasting. Lunch on your own in the city centre.

14:00Your driver and guide meet you at the hotel. Afternoon at a classified growth in Pessac-Léognan: private cellar tour and tutored tasting.

EveningSouth to Sauternes. Dinner at a family estate with the owner, among the sweet-wine vineyards.

Pessac-Léognan · Sauternes · Barsac

Dinner set in the cellar of a family estate
Photo © My Private French Travel
Day 3Tuesday, September 21

The Médoc

09:00Departure for the Médoc. At 10:00, visit of a classified growth run by a family, with a focus on biodynamic practice. Tasting of the estate's wines.

LunchAt the canteen of a well-known Margaux estate, shared with the people who work there.

AfternoonA classified growth in Pauillac: historic cellars and a tasting of recent vintages. Back in Bordeaux at the end of the afternoon for a short walking tour with your guide. Evening free.

Margaux · Pauillac · Haut-Médoc

Pauillac vineyards in autumn
Photo © My Private French Travel
Day 4Wednesday, September 22

Saint-Émilion & the Right Bank

09:00Morning at a cooperage. Follow the barrel from stave to toasting, then compare one wine aged in different barrels.

LunchAt a family estate. Blending workshop: each participant builds a blend from the estate's lots. Lunch on the property.

AfternoonOne to one and a half hours in the medieval village of Saint-Émilion. Evening free, with the option to dine in Saint-Émilion before returning.

A further visit to a Saint-Émilion or Pomerol classified growth can be added on this day.

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru · Pomerol

Tasting at a family estate in Saint-Émilion
Photo © Château Mauvinon
Day 5Thursday, September 23

Harvest day in Entre-Deux-Mers

08:00Pick-up at the hotel. Harvest morning in the vines of a family estate, guided by the owners.

Harvest dates depend on the year. If the grapes are already in, or if it rains, the morning moves to the cellar: pressing, vats and first fermentations.

LunchPicnic in the vineyard with the family.

AfternoonFree time in Bordeaux. La Cité du Vin, the old town, the riverside. Evening free. A Michelin-starred table can be booked on request, at extra cost.

Entre-Deux-Mers · Bordeaux · Crémant de Bordeaux

Harvest at a family estate: grapes into the vat
Photo © My Private French Travel
Day 6Friday, September 24

The Arcachon Bay

09:00Drive to Arcachon, about 45 minutes. Five hours on the bay aboard a pinasse, the local wooden boat.

LunchStop at an oyster village on the Cap Ferret side. Oysters, pâté, bread and local white wine at a shack over the water. Back in Arcachon around 15:00, then Bordeaux.

EveningFarewell dinner at Latitude20, on the top floor of La Cité du Vin, above the city.

The shack serves local seafood only. Cheese and charcuterie can be added on board, or lunch can be taken in a restaurant after an oyster tasting. Not a seafood eater, or allergic? Tell us in the form and we arrange another lunch.

Bassin d'Arcachon · Cap Ferret

Oyster beds in the Arcachon Bay
Photo © My Private French Travel
Day 7Saturday, September 25

Departure

Breakfast at the hotel and check-out. Transfers to the airport or station on request.

To stay longer, we can add a day in Cognac or Armagnac.

Extensions · Cognac · Armagnac

Pont de Pierre over the Garonne, Bordeaux
Photo © My Private French Travel
Hôtel de Normandie, Cours du 30 Juillet Room at Hôtel de Normandie
Your hotel · 6 nights

Hôtel de Normandie

A 19th-century townhouse facing the Esplanade des Quinconces, run by the same family for several generations. Air-conditioned rooms, breakfast with local produce, a bar and a 24-hour front desk.

Everything in the old town is within walking distance.

Late September in Bordeaux. Grapes come in, cellars smell of fermenting must.

Photo © Château Mauvinon
Practical

Price & conditions

Your stay includes

  • 6 nights at Hôtel de Normandie 4*, breakfast and city tax included
  • Private transport with an English-speaking driver, days 2 to 6
  • A private English-speaking local guide, accredited by the Bordeaux Wine School, with the group Monday to Friday
  • Three-hour wine masterclass and Bordeaux walking tour with a local guide
  • All estate visits, private, with guided tour and tasting
  • Blending workshop, cooperage visit, harvest morning, pinasse cruise
  • Meals as stated: dinner day 2, lunch days 3, 4, 5 and 6, farewell dinner day 6. Three courses with wine pairing, water, coffee or tea
  • Roadbook with restaurant suggestions for free evenings
  • Our assistance before, during and after the trip

Not included

  • Flights and airport transfers
  • Meals not mentioned in the program
  • Personal expenses and tips
  • Driver overtime and night hours not stated in the program
  • Travel insurance

Good to know

  • Harvest dates depend on the year. The harvest morning is adapted to the state of the vines.
  • Wear closed shoes for the vineyard days.
  • Tell us about allergies and dietary needs in the booking form below.
Price per person €3,990 Double or twin room. Driver and private local guide, Monday to Friday.
Payment schedule 50% · 50% 50% at booking. Balance of 50% due 60 days before departure, by July 21, 2027. Card via secure Revolut link (Visa, Mastercard, American Express…), 4% card fee applied, or bank transfer.
Price based on a minimum of 10 participants. The trip is confirmed once this minimum is reached. Single room +€480 All fares include VATs and local taxes. Cancellation terms

Card payment

Within 48 h of your request, we send a secure Revolut payment link for the 50% deposit. All major cards accepted, including American Express. A 4% fee is applied to card payments.

VisaMastercardAmerican ExpressMaestroApple PayGoogle PayRevolut Pay

Bank transfer

Within 48 h of your request, we send our IBAN for the 50% deposit. Transfers in euros.

Registration

Book your place

1Send your request

Fill in the form below. Nothing is charged today.

2Confirmation within 48 h

We confirm your place by email and send the payment link for the 50% deposit.

3Payment

50% at booking, 50% by July 21, 2027. Card via Revolut, including American Express (4% card fee), or bank transfer.

Contact
Travellers
Number of travellers
Names as written in the passport. Double and twin rooms are shared by two travellers.
Payment of the 50% deposit
Nothing is charged today. Within 48 h we send the payment link or our bank details. A 4% fee is applied to card payments.
Flights & message
South-West France

The region

Group departures

Terms and conditions of sale

Deposit

50% at booking

Balance

50% by July 21, 2027

Cancellation fees

More than 90 days before departure: 30% · 90 to 30 days: 60% · Less than 30 days: 100%

1The program

In accordance with the informative document previously sent to the traveller, the present estimate formalize the terms and conditions for the flat rate stay as agreed, unchangeable as mentioned above.

2Conditions

Contracting body: MP Séjours et Expériences - 9 rue de Condé Bureau 3 - 33000 Bordeaux - SAS au capital de 10 000 € RCS Bordeaux 828 583 237.

Registration: Opérateur de voyages et de séjours immatriculé IM033170015 auprès d'Atout France, adhérent N° 46473 - Garantie financière APST - 15, Avenue Carnot - 75017 PARIS.

Insurance: Insured by HISCOX liability up to € 1,500,000 per claim under reference contract HA RCP0285174.

Your contact: Cyrielle Nau, reachable via email contact@mpfrenchtravel.com and recipient of all information useful for the successful completion of the contract.

Stay Dates & Participants: The agreed date of the stay above are non changeable. Departure related to a minimum number of participants. The organizer must inform the traveler of the cancellation for insufficient number of participants no later than 21 days before the date of departure.

Price & Inclusions: The flat rate mentioned in the estimate includes the prestation detailed in the conditions. This price does not include transports to and from Bordeaux, beverages (including hotel minibar), food and personal shopping, and all the services not mentioned in the description above.

Price Revision: The price of the stay, as presented, is fixed by mutual agreement. This price agreed between the parties is non-revisable, with the exception of three cases exhaustively listed, and in any case can not be modified less than twenty days before the start of the package:

In case of justified increase, after the signature of the contract and at least thirty days before the beginning of the fixed price, the cost of the transport by the carrier.

In the case of a justified increase in landing, boarding and disembarkation fees and charges after the signature of the contract (only if A/R transport by air to the destination is included in the package).

In case of an increase of the exchange rate applied to the trip stay after the signature of the contract.

Payment Terms: 50% of the price is paid at registration, as a deposit. The balance (50%) must be paid no later than 30 days before departure, or by the earlier date stated in the specific conditions of the trip. Payment by bank transfer to the order of MP Séjours et Expériences, or by card through a secure payment link (Revolut). An additional fee of 4% is applied to card payments.

Logistics: The traveler (s) must provide the organizer the times and places of arrival and departure and any information deemed useful for the organizer to the good logistical organization of the stay. These information must be provided in writing, at least 7 days before the scheduled date of arrival.

3Terms of cancellation from the travellers

In the event of an impediment due to the illness or the death of a relative justified by an official document or certificate attesting the reality of one of the grounds contractually admitted. By express agreement, a "relative" refers to the member of a sibling, a direct ascendant or a direct descendant.

Any cancellation must be notified in writing, by email. The following cancellation fees are due to MP Séjours et Expériences, calculated on the total price of the stay:

More than 90 days before departure30% of the total price
Between 90 and 30 days before departure60% of the total price
Less than 30 days before departure100% of the total price
4Modification or cancellation by the organizer

Modification of Essential Elements: In case of modification of one or several essential elements of the journey-stay, the legitimate cancellation entails the immediate refund.

Insufficient Participants: If the number of registered participants proves to be insufficient the organizer will have the possibility of canceling the trip stay in condition of preventing by letter more mail the traveler 21 days at least before the planned beginning of the stay. Any sum paid by the traveler will be fully refunded within eight days of cancellation.

Force Majeure: Should we be obliged to modify all or part of our programme, due to force majeure (terrorism, war, strikes, epidemics, fire, bad weather), fortuitous events or acts of third parties unrelated to the provision of the services provided for in the travel contract, the traveller will only benefit from a full refund of the sums corresponding to the services not provided and not replaced, with the exception of expenses incurred on behalf of the customer and not recoverable, excluding any damages or interest. The mere reimbursement of the sums paid shall release the organiser from any commitment and exempt it from any indemnity.

5Advanced payment before registration

To validate the registration, this contract must be accompanied by the payment of a deposit of 50% of the price agreed between the parties. The deposit will not be considered in any case a deposit allowing for a withdrawal. It is specified that in the case of a flat rate package, the traveler does not have a right of withdrawal.

6Change of travellers

The traveler will have the possibility to transfer his trip to a person of his choice who fulfills the same conditions if MP Séjours et Expériences is contacted at least 7 days before departure. However, the transferor remains in solidarity with the organizer for the payment of the balance of the price and any additional costs incurred by this transfer. If the carrier practices the re-invoicing of the ticket, the transferor will be liable for any additional costs.

7Responsibilities and inherent risks

Our holidays include for the most part activities in the open air and in nature and are activities presenting risks inherent to the practice of the activities themselves. Each participant assumes these risks in full knowledge of the facts and makes a commitment not to make MP Séjours et Expériences, the guides or the various providers involved, carry the responsibility of the accidents or the incidents which can arise in the normal frame of the activities. This clause also applies to any legal successor and to the members of the family of the participant.

Every participant has to conform to the rules of prudence and follow the advice given by the guide representing the agency, who cannot be considered as the person responsible for the accidents resulting from the carelessness of a member of the group.

MP Séjours et Expériences reserves the right, if particular circumstances questioning the safety of the group demand it, to modify the route or certain services of the program, directly or through the guide.

The independent holidays are routes sold without a guide. The fixed price includes a description of the route and a map presenting the area. The independent holidays thus involve a suitable knowledge of map reading and orientation. Every participant has to conform to the rules of prudence and follow the advice given by the topo-guide or route notes. MP Séjours et Expériences cannot be considered as the person responsible for the accidents resulting from the carelessness of a participant.

Neither can MP Séjours et Expériences be considered as person in charge of a bad interpretation of the description or an error of reading the map of the user (in particular for meteorological reasons). The independent holiday supposes the acceptance of a risk, which can be due, in particular, to a modification of elements on the route. Consequently, every participant makes a commitment to accept this risk and not to make MP Séjours et Expériences, or the various providers, carry the responsibility of the accidents or the incidents which can arise. This clause also applies to any legal successor and to the members of the family of the participant in question.

8Complementary insurances

According to the regulations of our profession, we are insured in Professional Civil liability. However we would not substitute ourselves for the Personal Civil liability that every participant has to hold in person.

It is indispensable for a participant to possess an individual insurance for multi-risk and multi-activity holidays (expenses of cancellation, research - help, repatriation, medical expenses, theft of luggage, etc.) adapted well to the activities to be undertaken as part of the holiday.

The insurance assistance from which many participants benefit in a general contract is often minimal. This type of coverage is rarely adapted to the types of holidays that we propose.

9Rental from external companies

In case of rental (car, motorbike, or any other form of equipment) entered into with external companies, it is the rental conditions of the external company that will apply for the duration of your holiday with MP Séjours et Expériences. The rental conditions of the external company supplement and do not replace the full conditions of sale described here. MP Séjours et Expériences acts as an intermediary between the client and the external company only.

10Disputes

No claim will be taken into account if it is not formulated in writing within 15 days of performance of the service. The service will be considered as executed when the traveler has proceeded with his return embarkation.

The parties undertake to precede any dispute with a prior conciliation meeting. The Court of BORDEAUX will be competent the only competent authority. Mediation prior to any procedure will be entrusted to a mediator approved by the BORDEAUX Court of Appeal.

11Confidentiality

MP Séjours et Expériences will not communicate the names and addresses of its contractors to any other travel organizers and other commercial activities or to any third party other than those mentioned in Section 12. This clause is intended to preserve the confidentiality of the contract and the tranquility of the traveler vis-à-vis the professional marketers of the Internet and social networks.

12Protection of personal data

MP Séjours et Expériences may used the personal data collected for the good management and execution of the contracts taken out by its customers, but also and, unless otherwise stipulated in a written document, as part of regular information on its commercial offers, direct or indirect activities, mainly in the form of emails. MP Séjours et Expériences may also need to use these data to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

Also, these data are likely to be communicated by MP Séjours et Expériences to its service partners, in particular the insurance companies that cover the risks. In these cases, the retention period of the data collected during the establishment of the contract will not exceed the time strictly necessary for the aforementioned operations, except to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.

In accordance with the Data Protection Act and Articles 15 to 20 of European Regulation 2016/679, any customer may require access, rectification, deletion, portability of data and limitation of their processing, provided that these data do not condition the application and performance of the contract. Any request, dispute or complaint, may be sent by email to contact@mpfrenchtravel.com or directly addressed to the CNIL.

MP Séjours et Expériences, trading as My Private French Travel.