Europe Winter Cruise

 30/11/2025 This morning we have an organised tour for half a day to visit St Emillion, have a walking tour of the town, and taste some wine. We are to be picked up in downtown Bordeaux at 8.30 am and it will take us about 30 minutes to get there so we leave our hotel in the dark. The easiest way to get there is to take a tram, as the tram stop is just across the road from our hotel. Despite our experience so far with French rail systems, we give it a go. To our great surprise the trams are on time, modern and well patronised. We arrived a bit early, so had a walking tour of around where our pick up point was, which was also near the Bordeaux Christmas market, and an imposing monument Monument to Gerondins Right on time our guide, Zoe, arrived in a van and it was then clear that we were the only participants in this mornings tour, so we should have plenty of time. Zoe was well qualified to run the tour as she comes from a wine making family in the Loire Valley, is studying for a qu...

 29/11/2025 After all of yesterday’s excitement, e had a bit of a sleep in this morning heading out into the neighbourhood for breakfast at around 8.30 am. Our hotel is opposite Bordeaux St Jean Railway station so there are plenty of options around us. Our hotel, Mercure Bordeaux Centre Gare Atlantic   Bordeaux St Jean Station Inside the Station We quickly discovered that we were a bit early for breakfast, as a number of the outlets near us didn’t open till 9am, unless your standard breakfast was an espresso coffee and a few sweet pastries. A suitable place was found and breakfast was quite good and reasonably priced.  Having been seated or standing waiting for all of yesterday, we felt like stretching our legs and walking into the city centre, exploring whatever there was to see along the way. It wasn’t Ong before we were diverted by the sight of a fresh food market, Marche des Capucins, which spent some time in admiring the amazing produce they have here, specially the ...

27th and 28th  November 2025 Our at sea day was another perfect day on the water with little swell and moderate winds. We were obviously making good time as you could feel the ship slowing down to target an arrival at Barcelona for 6 am. Our last night on board was spent having a quiet drink in the Explorers Bar, our favourite watering hole and enjoying dinner with some new found friends from Sydney.  Explorers Bar  At 6 am on 28th we were berthed at Barcelona as planned and we were up to see the sunrise, which happens quite late here at this time of the year. We disembarked at 7.45 am, and caught a taxi to Barcelona Sants Railway Station to start an adventure that was way beyond our expectations. We have booked to take the train to Bordeaux for a few days before we start our river cruise on 1st December. It seemed such a good idea, the TGV to Narbonne, changing to an Intercity Service from Narbonne to Bordeaux. We have heard many good reports about the French Rail system...