It’s not the most obvious of ideas, it’s true, so we thought we’d just slip it in there to see how you react… What about a small cruise-cum-bike tour in the Bordeaux region?

In fact, the concept couldn’t be simpler. You hop on the MS Bordeaux, stash your bags in one of the fifty cabins, store your bike in the hold — and off you go! Anchors aweigh! The boat sails along the river at night, while you cruise the lanes on your bike during the day. What’s on the itinerary? Well, a few turns of the pedal will take you through the vineyards of Bordeaux, along the Garonne and into the Gironde estuary. To say there is plenty to do would be something of an understatement: the Entre Deux Mers, Sauternes, Médoc, Saint-Emilion — over the course of a week you’ll cover 220 km more or less. And you can recover from it all in your cabin, with roughly the same level of comfort as a hotel room (shower, toilet, air conditioning and satellite TV) plus a different view every morning! And trust us, that soon becomes something you look forward to! In the evening, you eat locally in the restaurant on the promenade deck, with the sun setting over the horizon as you knock back some fine wine before heading off to the land of nod… because tomorrow it will be more of the same pleasures.

Tips nearby: 

L’Atelier de Candale: At Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, 10 minutes from Saint-Emilion. A bistro in the château of Candale with refined, modern cuisine: braised ribs and vine shoots, poached cod in cockles à la nage... Also a fine selection of local wines and stunning views over the vineyards from the terrace.

Le Logis de la Cadène: In Saint-Emilion in the mediaeval town, with three bedrooms and two restrained and cosy suites. Located directly next-door, the Maison Cadène has four suites with warm, wooden furniture and old, restored floors. Gourmet food is served at the Logis. The Maison Cadène has a billiard table, spa, library and garden.

Prenons la route pour un peu d’exploration et un peu d’œnologie! Nous partons pour le Pays Basque, le domaine mourguy à Ispoure pour être précis.

Ils produisent ici Irouléguy depuis l’Antiquité, un vin qui provient de l’un des plus petits vignobles de toute la France. Bien que le climat local se prête assez bien à la culture de la vigne, on ne peut pas en dire autant de la terre elle-même. Il faut beaucoup de passion et d’abnégation pour travailler sur les raisins Tannat, Cabernet Franc et Cabernet Sauvignon cultivés dans des parcelles en terrasses à plus de 600 m d’altitude et sur des pentes allant jusqu’à 60%. Passez quelques jours dans la maison familiale des Mourguys, et leur amour pour leurs racines – à la fois littérales et métaphoriques – sera bientôt clair à voir. Inutile de dire que la vue depuis les chambres d’hôtes est impressionnante. Pierre et Florence, propriétaires et vignerons, élèvent également des ânes : ils se feront un plaisir de vous les prêter pour une balade dans les majestueuses collines environnantes parsemées de vignes afin que vous puissiez soulager votre dos et les membres inconstants de vos enfants. C’est calme ici, c’est relaxant, et c’est à seulement cinq minutes de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Conseils à proximité:

Hôtel Les Pyrénées : Cet hôtel quatre étoiles, situé dans le centre de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, est affilié aux Châteaux et Hôtels de Collection. C’est un relais de poste rénové avec des chambres contemporaines, dont certaines donnent sur le village et la citadelle. Vous trouverez également un restaurant étoilé au guide Michelin servant des produits frais et une cuisine raffinée.

Clos Mirabel: Un superbe manoir modernisé du 18ème siècle à Jurançon situé dans un parc privé de six hectares. Le Clos Mirabel, situé entre mer et montagne, dispose de cinq gîtes et de six chambres d’hôtes haut de gamme. Il bénéficie d’une vue exceptionnelle sur les Pyrénées, et est l’endroit idéal pour les familles ou les couples. Le bon endroit, en bref, pour toutes les saisons.

There’s no stopping the imagination of the people who design unusual accommodation. We’ve had tree houses, bubbles, caravans and igloos… and now they want us to sleep in huge wine barrels! On the other hand, perhaps it all makes perfect sense in Burgundy, which is so famous for its fine wines.

In any case, this is the out-of-the ordinary experience that the Clos du Grand Bois has in store for you: spending the night in one of five large barrels positioned at the entrance to the wine estate in the village of Lugny. Although the idea may seem slightly hare-brained at first sight, it quickly works its charms thanks to the sweet woody smell and the undeniable cocooning effect – not to mention the sounds of nature playing in the background. Then, when you wake up, there’s a mesmerising spectacle and world-beating views: the Saône valley and the Jura foothills to the east; the Brinchamp plateau clothed entirely in vineyards to the north; and the celebrated Mâconnais hills to the northwest. And the Lafarge family will give you the warmest of welcomes at the Clos du Grand Bois. If you ask Anthony, he’ll take you on a tour of the estate and wine cellars where you can savour a selection of Mâconnais wines – white, red and sparkling – including the Domaine Joseph Lafarge cuvée that they have just begun producing on the estate.

The Champagne Route’s different trails allow visitors to explore the region’s exceptional wine making and historic heritage.

The Chanoine Rambert estate is just 2 km from La Roque-sur-Cèze, one of France’s most beautiful villages.

It’s the ideal venue for the adventurous explorer, of that we’re 100% convinced. It’s unassuming in the extreme, its sophistication lying in its simplicity and a job well done. It’s a family business, too, with three generations producing Grenaches, Syrahs, Roussannes and Viogniers in a typically Provençal setting. The welcome offered by Bernard and Guislaine is universally hailed, as is the stroll from their estate to the waterfalls at Sautadet, where you can enjoy a never-to-be-forgotten dip. Bernard’s Côtes du Rhône whites, reds and rosés are highly representative of the region… meaning that it’s impossible to leave empty-handed after a tasting, especially as none of the wines costs more than € 10. And, if you ever want to extend your stay on the estate, Guislaine provides guest rooms in an eighteenth century farmhouse with breakfast from the farm (homemade bread and yoghurt, farm eggs and fruit from the garden). It's an adventure on a gently sloping estate.

Tips nearby: 

O Pas Sage: In Bagnols-sur-Cèze, 25 km west of Orange, this wine bar and bistro-style restaurant serves simple, expertly cooked dishes, Mediterranean tapas (grilled eggplant, cod fritters), a dish of local, fresh produce (including duck gizzards and dried duck breast). You can also enjoy an extensive wine list, a sunny terrace and very good value for money!

Established more than two hundred years ago in the Rhône Valley, Maison M. Chapoutier produces the greatest wines.

Since 2009 Chapoutier’s very own École des Vins has been running wine courses, with the tasting workshops intended for the general public, focusing on carefully-chosen, fun themes. Top picks are Wine and Chocolate in partnership with Valrhona (the premium chocolate manufacturer); Wine and Cheeses with the backing of a local cheese merchant; and the best-selling Wines and BBQs, which could be pretty useful with summer on the horizon. Having said that, what we’d really recommend in your case (without wanting to over-inflate your ego) is the monthly workshop. These sessions, which are longer and aimed at a higher level, are based on scrutinising regions, such as Rhône and Burgundy, or reflecting on more advanced subjects, such as the day devoted to Wine and the Sea. In any case, the workshops always start with a tasting in the company of the sommelier (and, depending on the theme, a lecture by an expert), followed by lunch with suitable pairings of food and wine at the M. Chapoutier’s table d’hôte, finishing off with a tour of the Hermitage vine plots.

Tips nearby: 

Vineum Jaboulet: Based in the town of Tain L’Hermitage on Place du Taurobole, this is a wine cellar and bar as well as being the restaurant of the Domaines Paul Jaboulet Ainé. Expect fresh, seasonal and local products with old-fashioned cooking and traditional dishes revisited by the chef or a casserole dish of the week. It’s a tasty little number, Vineum Jaboulet.

Hôtel de la Villéon: In Tournon-sur-Rhône, opposite Tain l’Hermitage on the other bank of the Rhône. This charming, four-star hotel is a listed building dating back to the eighteenth century. It has 12 luxurious rooms and four suites. The setting is romantic, the decoration a mix of tradition and modernity. The services are high-end, and there is a bar and tasting cellar, not to mention hanging gardens with fine views over the Hermitage vineyards.

At 48 metres high, the château is France’s tallest castle, and its other dimensions are also pretty impressive: seven floors for a trifling 204 rooms.

The “Giant of the Loire Valley”, the nickname by which Brissac is known, has belonged to the Cossé-Brissac family since 1502. The current owners, Charles-André and Larissa de Brissacmotto, have applied the family motto — Virtute Tempore (with courage and time) — to the letter when it comes to maintaining and renovating this colossus of a building. Because, if the outside of the château is awe-inspiring, the interior is equally imposing with its wealth of decoration, exceptional furniture and superb belle époque theatre. The tour of the castle always ends with a visit to the winery and cellars, with the estate making its own cuvées since the 16th century. There are twenty-six hectares of Cabernet producing a predominantly rosé AOC, quite typical of Anjou, with acidulated notes of cherry, raspberry and redcurrant. If you would like to extend this magical experience, some of the rooms in the château have been transformed into remarkable guest rooms, where you can enjoy a night fit for a king!

Tips nearby: 

Le Petit Manoir: In Saint-Melaine-sur-Aubance, 20 minutes south of Angers, this is a small and charming inn, where the chef has earned the title maître restaurateur. The food is traditional and regional, including entrecote with red butter, medallion of monkfish with cointreau, and the day’s catch. Two round-trip hiking trails start 100 metres from the restaurant.

Loire & Sens: In Juigné-sur- Loire, 15 minutes from Angers, this spa hotel is housed in a former hunting lodge from the 17th century. It boasts 23 rooms and 12 comfortable and bright suites. All the accommodation has private terraces. The restaurant serves modern gourmet cuisine based on seafood and local products.

The Domaine des Hautes Roches in Rochecorbon is an old monastery that has been revamped and transformed into France’s first luxury troglodytic hotel.

The twelve cells where the monks once lived, carved out of the rock, have been converted into terrific bedrooms: the sense of tranquillity is right out of the top drawer, all the comforts are modern and the view of the Loire breath-taking. When your hunger starts to rise, you can make the acquaintance of Didier Edon, the chef of the estate’s starred restaurant. Didier serves up subtle, expressive cuisine that is based on the day’s catch and whatever is available locally — vegetables, charcuterie or meat from the "garden of France". The chef will also unveil the region’s most delicious wines: Vouvray, Chinon and Touraine, all from the magnificent vaulted cellar built into the hillside. There are worse punishments, are there not?

Tips nearby: 

Les Grandes Caves Saint Roch: In Rochecorbon, five minutes from the centre of Tours, this is one of Touraine’s most extensive cellars. You can visit the underground galleries on a two-wheeled Segway, where you’ll find out all about the traditional methods for making Vouvray. And, of course, you can enjoy a fine tasting of the house wines.

La Bagatelle: Situated in Vouvray, this beautiful 18th century mansion at the foot of Moncontour château boasts one bedroom and four guest suites (including two troglodyte suites). The comfortable décor is “French bourgeois”, and the setting peaceful and majestic, with the Loire passing just a few yards away. It makes an ideal base for an excursion to the great châteaux of the Loire.

Whether you prune early or late, be sure to prune during the month of March!

And there’s no reason at all why this saying, so familiar to amateur gardeners everywhere, shouldn’t apply to vines. In any case, that’s what Nadine and Eric Lévèque at La Maison Lévèque-Dehan think. This family has been making wine for five generations in Barzy-sur-Marne, so we can assume that they know a thing or two when it comes to pruning. It was with the aim of sharing this expertise that the Lévèques opened their micro-plot of land with an educational objective for wine enthusiasts thirsty for knowledge. In Cordon, Guyot and the Marne Valley, you will learn some vital nuggets of information about the essential activity that is the production cycle. It’s common knowledge that you’re at ease when it comes to raising a glass to your lips… but we’re curious to have the chance to marvel at how you handle a pair of secateurs. The whole exercise, it goes without saying, is rounded off with a dégustation of the estate’s Pinot Meuniers, Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays.

Tips nearby: 

Auberge Le Relais: Situated in Reuilly Sauvigny, 30 minutes to the west of Epernay, and noted for its fine cuisine, which is both creative and seasonal: pan-fried Langoustines in vine stock, for instance, or lièvre à la royale. The setting is plush and elegant with antique pink beams and wall upholstery fabrics. There’s a veranda, too, overlooking the slopes of the Marne Valley.

Château de la Marjolaine: In Essômes-sur-Marne on the Champagne wines tourist trail, with three bedrooms and two suites in an imposing, Napoleonic-style mansion. All rooms boast views of the park, over the Marne and the hills of Champagne. There is an indoor pool, champagne bar and traditional French restaurant — in fact, the Château de la Marjolaine is perfect for an overnight stay.

A visit to a building that is not a building, that’s our suggestion for a stopover in Bordeaux.

Confused? Well, that’s how Philippe Starck describes one of his latest creations, the new winery at Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion in Bordeaux. Patrick Pitcher, the owner, had expectations that were both very clear and very ambitious: "We wanted a one-off design, a cellar that was like no other." Patrick’s gamble ended up being generously rewarded with a truly stunning result: an enigmatic blade of exposed metal lodged in a small lake in the very heart of the domain. The raw purity of the lines continues inside the complex, which is all concrete, wood, glass, metal and special lighting. "We wanted to honour the mystery of wine, so we had to go for the minimalist effect." The winery and cellar are underground to protect the 300 barrels from the fluctuations in the temperature. On the upper floor, there is an area for receiving the harvested grapes. The tasting takes place in the adjoining building. Don’t leave without taking a detour to the terrace that towers over the estate. All in all, the “non-building” is a genuine masterpiece and the wine tasting exceptional — a combined experience that we thoroughly recommend.

Tips nearby: 

Le Bordeaux Gordon Ramsay: On the Place de la Comédie in Bordeaux, with breath-taking views of the Grand Théâtre. A historic brasserie with a warm and friendly atmosphere. Specialities from southwest France with a strong British influence, such as scotch egg with smoked salmon, fish and chips and sea bream. The à la carte menu and set meals are supervised by the English TV chief.

Chambres d'hôtes at the Château Pape-Clément: In Pessac-Bordeaux, 15 minutes from the city centre and airport. Rooms and luxury guest suites in a 16th century château with a refined, chic atmosphere, woodwork from yesteryear and 19th century furniture. There is also a park surrounded by 60 hectares of vineyards. Tasting and gourmet cuisine on request.