This self-drive itinerary will take you to the South West of France, from the Basque coastline to authentic Dordogne, ending in the bustling city of Bordeaux.
We were planning a trip to the Ryder Cup and looking for other places to visit while in France. I happened upon the France Just for You website and started some planning with …
We were planning a trip to the Ryder Cup and looking for other places to visit while in France. I happened upon the France Just for You website and started some planning with Emilie. She took over and gave us great plans for every day and great accomodations. All of her suggestions were perfect, actually too much for us to do each day. Her travel book is sublime and her attention to detail made us feel that we were her only customer. I had concerns about traveling to France, but with Emilie's help we had no issues and found the French people friendly and very helpful. France Just For You, and Emilie made this an outstanding vacation.
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsA very typical Basque House
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsThe rooms have a lot of charm but also comfort
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsRelax in the garden by the swimming pool
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsSpend the evening in the covered patio...
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsSpend some time with your hosts
#1 - A lavishly renovated farmhouse on the Pyrenees foothillsPush the doors to a place near paradise
#2 - A restored farmhouse nestled between the woods & the Dordogne riverA gorgeous house nestled between the woods and the Dordogne river
#2 - A restored farmhouse nestled between the woods & the Dordogne riverRelax in a countryside setting
#2 - A restored farmhouse nestled between the woods & the Dordogne riverStay in a very large room with unique decoration
#2 - A restored farmhouse nestled between the woods & the Dordogne riverEnjoy the old stone atmosphere
#3 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityA Bordeaux classical architecture
#3 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityMixed with modern touches - which makes the place very special
#3 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityThe rooms are much larger than usual, being downtown a major city
#3 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityYour lovely hosts are multilinguals. Your host comes from a winemaker family
#3 - A typical Bordeaux house, in the heart of the cityEnjoy the views of Bordeaux roofs !
Step by step
The Basque Country: ocean & mountains
Your trip starts in the Basque Country where you will stay for 6 nights in a lavishly decorated former farmhouse, between Biarritz and Saint-Jean de Luz.
From here, you will discover the Basque Country from the Atlantic coastline, its waves and tanned surfers, to the rugged Pyrenees Mountains, from the peacefulness of the untouched villages to the lively nightlife in Saint Jean de Luz. The Basque Country will not disappoint.
We will craft your days so you get a feel of everything the Basque culture has to offer, and there is a lot: taste the local Bayonne ham after strolling a valley and discovering the traditional and still alive mountain pig farming, get acquainted with the Basque weaving tradition, try to make your own Basque cake or stroll one of the many farmers markets.
Several “most beautiful villages of France” will be on your scenic drives – and you may see some locals playing the Basque Pelote game at the town’s fronton. Nature and outdoors lovers will enjoy endless walks and hikes in the Pyrenees foothills, occasional walkers will relax on the walks along the beaches and enjoy a coffee on a terrace watching surfers.
Get introduced to one of the most famous game of the Basque culture: la pelote. Meet a former international player who will explain the history of this mythical game to you, the different variants, and then get you on the ground to play - a very fun & cultural experience!
Dordogne: the Sleeping Beauty
In Black Perigord, you will stay in a restored stone house for 5 nights, nestled between the woods and the Dordogne river, perfectly located to explore the area. Your lovely hostess will open her home to you - which is filled with personal touches (artwork, books, photographies).
Dordogne is famous for the prehistoric caves in Lascaux and we have included a much more intimate visit, in a 20,000 year old cave. If you are interested in history or if you are a JM Auel reader, this is a must! Visit the old city of Sarlat and feel the buzz of activity on market days.
There is a lot to do in this region: medieval castles to visit, wonderful food to taste - we'll tell you where to find the most typical goat cheeses - and if you like outdoor activities, you'll be in paradise.
You will also spend a memorable time looking for truffles with a passionate professional and his truffle hound.
Bordeaux Unesco City
Your journey ends inside the gates of Bordeaux UNESCO city for 4 nights, a wonder of the 17th century. You B&B is a typical and charming stone house, in the heart of the lively up-and-coming neighborhood of Bordeaux - walking distance to restaurants and nice quality shops.
From here, you will explore the whole Bordeaux area, from the Arcachon Bassin to the Saint Emilion vineyards.
Built along the banks of the Garonne river, the opulent merchants' homes are very specific to Bordeaux. The rise of colonial trade together with the growth of the wine industry contributed to the amazing expansion of the Gironde region during the 18th century.
In a famous wine estate, we have planned a special tour for you: after visiting the estate from the vineyard to the cellars, learning about the different grape varieties and wine-making process, you will play the sorcerer's apprentice and make your own Bordeaux wine (your own blend). You'll see that it's not that easy!
You will find everything in this region: from villages nestled in the Medoc or Saint Emilion vineyards, to the bustling night life in Bordeaux. Also, bear in mind that Bordeaux's Sainte Catherine Street is the longest shopping street in Europe!
Welcome to the South West of France - you may never want to leave!
Activities included
Pelote Game with a Player
Get introduced to one of the most famous game of the Basque culture: la pelote. Meet with a former international player you will explain you about this mythical game history, the different variants…and then get on the ground and play: A very fun & cultural experience!
Prehistoric Caves
Walk back on the prehistoric men footsteps, in 20,000 year old painted caves - access is limited to 40 person per day.
Truffle Hunt
In Dordogne, spend a memorable time looking for truffles with a passionate professional and his truffle hound.
Bordeaux Wine tasting & blending
Visit a Medoc wine estate with an English speaking guide: from the vineyards to the wine storehouses. After the tour, you'll make your own blend with different varieties and pair wines with 3 chocolates.
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the …
My boyfriend and I spent a week in Paris last month and we decided that we would do a couple of day-tours outside of the city during our trip. We really wanted to avoid the typical tour-bus day-tour and the crowds that come along with these kinds of tours – we wanted something more personalized that would allow us to go at our own pace. I found the France Just For You website and the ‘Bayeux and World War II Sites in a Day’ tour seemed to be exactly the type of thing we were looking for, as we’re both really interested in history. On a personal note, this tour appealed to me because my grandfather fought in Normandy in World War II. I filled up the contact form on the website and Emilie got back to me the same day. She organized every little detail to make it the perfect tour for us: she booked our return train tickets from Paris, organized for us to spend the morning on our own in the picturesque old town of Bayeux, where we enjoyed exploring the cathedral and saw the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Emilie sent over maps and directions and recommended a fantastic restaurant for lunch. After lunch, our private guide Christophe met us at the agreed meeting point in Bayeux and took us to the Normandy landing sites. I had explained to Emilie that I specifically wanted to visit this site as my grandpa had fought for one of the American infantry divisions that landed in Normandy in 1944. Christophe was extremely knowledgeable (and very patient with all of my questions!) and took us to the sites where my grandpa’s battalion would have fought. It was a very moving experience, especially when I thought back to the stories that my grandpa used to tell me about the war.
I really couldn’t have chosen a better tour option. It was perfectly customized to the preferences that I had given to Emilie, and she was very thorough and asked all of the right questions to help her plan the perfect day for us. We knew how to contact her in case there were any problems on the day (which there weren't), and the fact that everything was planned for us meant that we could just focus on enjoying the day. Thank you so much, I wouldn’t hesitate to book with you again!
Naomi
Our trip was arranged and detailed well in advance, with reservations for activities and places of special interest, and free days with suggestions for things to see and do. We fell in love with Dordogne and the Paleolithic caves for which we had reserved tours, and were able to take in another cave the next day at the suggestion of our B&B hostess …
Our trip was arranged and detailed well in advance, with reservations for activities and places of special interest, and free days with suggestions for things to see and do. We fell in love with Dordogne and the Paleolithic caves for which we had reserved tours, and were able to take in another cave the next day at the suggestion of our B&B hostess. We would have missed many beautiful places, and certainly missed the fine lodgings and conversation with fellow travelers, had we not had the help of France Just for You. Emilie stayed in touch and resolved issues before we even knew about them, so we wasted no time and experienced no frustration at all.
Pamela
We just returned from a fantastic three weeks in Southwest France. I highly recommend the services of France Just For You, we could never have planned the trip ourselves as well as they did. Laura did the planning and gave us an amazing itinerary, and was available at a moment's notice when we had a plane cancellation on our flight to Bordeaux and …
We just returned from a fantastic three weeks in Southwest France. I highly recommend the services of France Just For You, we could never have planned the trip ourselves as well as they did.
Laura did the planning and gave us an amazing itinerary, and was available at a moment's notice when we had a plane cancellation on our flight to Bordeaux and would be arriving at our first B&B around midnight instead of the planned arrival time of 5:00 p.m. This was our fourth trip to France, and having someone else do the planning made it one of our best trips.
