Best of Paris & Bordeaux

The Elysees Bassano hotel is located right in the heart of the capital, midway between the world-famous Avenue des Champs-Elyees and the iconic landmark of the Eiffel Tower. Enjoy a stroll along the Avenue Montaigne and the Avenue Victor-Hugo, just a 5-minute walk from the hotel. The building, constructed in the 19th century as a private mansion, has been fully renovated and now offers 40 comfortable air-conditioned rooms in soothing shades of beige.

Take a tour by air-conditioned panoramic coach and enjoy the opportunity to see Paris and learn about its history and most famous sights through an audio guide commentary. Marvel at Paris's best-known sights: Place Vendome Square, the Opera House, the Pantheon, the Luxembourg Palace and Gardens, the Orsay Museum, Place de la Concorde Square, the Champs-Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe (Arc of Triumph), and the Invalides.

At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, step aboard for an hour-long musical cruise along the Seine with an audio guide. Marvel at the amazing architecture of the heart of Paris's most prestigious monuments lining the banks of the Seine: the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Orsay Museum, the Conciergerie. Then, with your priority access, skip the line and speed up by elevator to the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower, Paris's most unmissable monument.

This tour ends at Place de Sydney.

Your priority access ticket will allow you to follow your guide straight into the world's largest museum. No need to stand in line. This guided tour offers the perfect opportunity to learn about the museum's huge collection and its greatest works of art, such as the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Coronation of Napoleon.

Before it became a museum in 1793, the Louvre had long been one of the principle palaces of the Kings of France. Located right in the heart of Paris, the Louvre's galleries stretch for 786,000 square feet. It is home to the world's largest collection of art works, spanning more than 7,000 years from ancient civilizations to the 19th Century. The museum's collections are split into eight different departments: Egyptian antiquities, Greek, Etruscan and Roman antiquities, Near Eastern antiquities, Islamic art, Paintings, Sculptures, Decorative Arts, and Prints and Drawings.

Spend time discovering these collections with your guide, who will show you some of the museum's most famous works and tell you about the stories that lie behind them. Marvel at the Mona Lisa, painted by Leonardo da Vinci in 1506, one of the most famous female portraits in the world; the Venus de Milo, a celebrated Greek sculpture dating from 100 BC depicting the goddess Aphrodite; or the giant 33-foot-long painting of the Coronation of Napoleon, painted in 1807 by Jacques-Louis David to commemorate the crowning of Napoleon Bonaparte in Notre Dame Cathedral.

After your guided tour, spend time exploring other parts of the museum at your own pace.

Enjoy a wonderful evening on board a Bateaux Parisiens. We advise you to arrive at around 8:15pm at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, Port de la Bourdonnais 75007 Paris to board your boat on the Seine. Bateaux Pariseiens crew will greet you and sit you at your table for an unforgettable 2.5-hour dinner cruise.

The Etoile Service menu allows guests to discover the essence of Paris. Enjoy a menu including a choice of a starter, a main dish, a dessert, welcome glass of Kir au Blanc de Blancs, selection of wines, mineral water and coffee. You will be accommodated in a table of 2 to 10 people at the centre of the boat.

Admire a magnificent view of the illuminated monuments along the Seine and the bridges of Paris that lie across it. From the boat's large bay windows, you will see the Musee d'Orsay, Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral and the Conciergerie located on the Ile de la Cite, as well as the Louvre. This exceptional view will also include a chance to observe the illuminated Eiffel Tower as the boat passes by. In the boat's cozy and intimate surroundings, enjoy a romantic or relaxed dinner in a warm atmosphere.

Upon arrival in Bordeaux at the main train station, meet your driver and be transferred to your hotel in Bordeaux. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

You will start your day in the city center of Bordeaux nearby the cathedral at a bakery, where you can smell the flavors of the fresh bread just coming out of the oven and share this moment with the baker. You will have the opportunity to enjoy a canelé, the traditional sweet pastry from the area of Bordeaux. Your next stop is a "Tour de France of Cheese and Charcuterie" at a cheese store, where you will receive a detailed explanation of the production and character of famous cheeses and charcuterie.

Today you'll visit the charming village of Saint-Emilion, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a historic city dating back to the 9th century. The village is located on a hill and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding vineyards. Just outside of town, you'll get to sample the region's famous wines at a chateau that produces grand cru classé vintages. Walk through the vineyards and tour the cellars to learn about the winemaking process. The visit includes two tastings and is accompanied by hors d'oeuvres.

A picnic lunch is served at the chateau. Next, explore Médoc's famous Route des Chateaux and pass by legendary Bordeaux appellations. This specific terroir is known for its powerful reds. A visit is to an intimate estate. It's been owned and run by the same passionate family for generations. Walk in the vineyards, tour the traditional vat room, and learn the steps of a proper wine tasting in the cellars. You'll get to practice training your nose to identify wine aromas. The final visit of the day is to an estate that produces grand cru classé. Learn about winemaking from the grape through to the bottle. End the visit with a tasting paired with local specialties.

Say goodbye to the Bordeaux and take a private transfer to the train station to your onwards journey in France or beyond.