Discover France - October 2025
Join us for a curated experience in France with the Meritage team,
we know just what you should do & this is the perfect time to do it!
Meet us in France - then, let us guide the way…
A Travel Day with Adventure & Perfect Ending (October 22, mercredi)
You will arrive this morning in Paris! With flight schedule from MSP, you will leave the evening before and sleep on the plane. Then, by about 8:00h you will be departing your plane and queueing at customs. Once you have cleared your entrance to France you will follow the signs for SNCF - the highspeed trains through Europe, where you will board an afternoon train directly to Bordeaux.
We will meet you just inside the great hall of Gare Saint-Jean (you will already be wearing an AirTag from us, part of our safety and security on the trips), we will connect and whisk you away from there. We will take a walk through old Bordeaux to purge the travel from your bones. You can have a respite and refresh before dinner in a classic vieille ville apartment where you will be staying, selected specifically for this trip. We will have an exceptional dinner and you will meet your group and your guides. Trust us, you will sleep very well this night.
Immerse in Bordeaux (Oct 23 - Thursday)
After breakfast at a local favorite cafe, we will spend the day exploring Bordeaux. We will dive in and take the tram to Le Cité du Vin to explore this adventureland for adults and get a primer on wine and Bordeaux’s history with it. We’ll enjoy a glass of wine mid-day with a view over the crescent harbor - bienvenue à Bordeaux!
From there, we’ll take the tram back into the heart of the old town for an extended walk, to leave the fatigue of travel behind us and with our new found knowledge of Bordeaux have open eyes for all around us. That night we will enjoy dinner together in the heart of Bordeaux with great wine and revelry to match.
Bordeaux & Beyond (Oct 24 - Friday)
We wake for further exploration of the city of Bordeaux. We will begin with the classic Marché in Bordeaux, have some oysters and after our visit have lunch at a classic and well done bistro, when we will meet up with Stéphane, our French guide and global wine professional for the trip. After lunch we will take the tram to the Porte de Cailhau, the old door to Bordeaux where we will explore old Bordeaux and enjoy the city around us. Shopping, wine buying, strolling, people watching, the typical afternoon activities. After your final taste of the city of Bordeaux, by early evening it is time to head out to your residence in the countryside. We will be just a few kilometers from Saint-Émilion, Pommerol, Sauternes, world-famous villages, and surrounded by their vineyards.
Immerse in the Countryside (Oct 25 - Saturday)
Wake to a fresh French breakfast, available to you daily to begin your day right, as most days we will begin at 11:00h, so your mornings are yours for reading, walking, cycling, sleeping, art, journaling or however you find your zen. This day in particular is one of rest & relaxation allows you to settle into your sanctuary for the trip, and enjoy your surroundings.
We have a late extended lunch at a hidden gem of a restaurant, nestled on a hillside overlooking the vineyards. This is sure to be one of your favorite meals of the trip, trust us. It’s the cuisine and wine list that make it one of the most remarkable places in all of France, not just its setting. After lunch we will walk to our very first winery visit and tasting.
That evening, we have dinner together & play with wine. We will engage in blending, exploring our own sensory perceptions of wine, and even play a game or two.
Marché Day (Oct 26 - Sunday)
We travel to Libourne for the Marché! We will shop and nosh and generally enjoy a true marché experience.
That evening, we will prepare a meal together and our Meritage team will be highlighting some of the ingredients, inspirations and skills that have acquired so far - these trips are educational and interactive.
Immerse in History & Wine - Saint-Émilion (Oct 27 - Monday)
We’ll venture early into Saint-Émilion to walk around this UNESCO Heritage Site; explore, shop, or simply sit and take it all in. Enjoy a fabulous lunch at an award winning and historic restaurant, then visit a wine shop for a tasting with some trusted educators on the area, and even *curate your own selections to ship home for your personal cellar, if you choose. That early evening dining with be in Saint-Émilion in on the agenda, with many options available, even an optional Michelin* starred restaurant addition.
Visit the Atlantic Coast or Enjoy a Day of History (Oct 28 - Tuesday)
If weather is permitting, we may have the option of a trip the Arcachon & to eat oysters from the bay, hike the dune du pilat, ride electric bikes through a fantastic public park, visit the quaint village. Possibly even Biarritz if the weather is better South. Maybe you will want to take a train to Hendaye. Once again, options will be discussed at the time of booking.
We’ve got your rainy days covered too. No matter the outcome, we will eat and drink well, that you can be assured. We can choose to enjoy a precise Michelin-level* experience for lunch - the wisest time of day for this type of dining. Or, grab a solid bistro experience and explore an area. Our boots on the ground in France are knowledgeable and connected, and will set us up with just the right options, for everyone.. Due to the nearly 1:1 ratio, these experiences are tailored, and adaptable.
Our “worst-case scenario” for inclement weather on the coast (and frankly a preference for some folks) is our Chateau Day when we visit a “historic chateau”. Want to know a thing or two about French history? Interested in the gardens? The revolution? This is our day with history by our side. For guests who do not drink wine, this is also an option in place of the vineyard visits.
Vineyard Visit & Formal Tasting (Oct 29 - Wednesday)
We begin our day with a wine tasting at 10:30h, just like the professionals do. We will spend a day in the vineyard, learning, touring, tasting. These visits are days of legend, we just need to determine your vibe.
A morning tasting at a chateau begins your wine-focused tour for the day. Prepare for a gourmet lunch and a wine seminar, while we also visit our second winery of the day, at one of the most important wineries in France.
We can’t wait to show you the differences and see the real Bordeaux options, as you will have had a trifecta experience by this point. This also being our final day of the trip, we can complete your experience with a final Michelin-level dining experience. A bucket-list kind of day to be sure. Again, this is your trip and we can deliver as casual or as prestigious experience as you seek, let’s make this bucket-list.
Return to Paris (Oct 30 - Thursday)
It’s back to Paris we go - departing at 10:00am for Bordeaux to take a train to the city of lights for the night of the dead. We’ll check into a smart hotel with a great location for our time in Paris. We’ll have lunch at a neighborhood favorite bistro and then walk to the Batobus stop and grab the water-taxi on the Seine and see all of the things from the water. Folks can get on or off as they desire, or stay with the Meritage team for a menu of fun stops along the way. We will get back to our rooms to refresh before dinner and we will make our way up to a bistro we love near Sacre Cœur, or if preferred another chance to catch a star from the Michelin options. Dinner options personalized at the time of booking. Maybe dinner at the top of the Tour Eiffle is the “it” for you - let’s discuss.
Paris - for Halloween! (Oct 31 - Friday)
During the day, we will crawl through Paris, ensuring stops at all of the classic spots and some fun little-known ones too. If it is raining, there is a ridiculous amount of art to see and we can debate a few hours in the Louvre vs Musée d’Orsay, or a discovery of the “passages” of Paris.
That evening, we enjoy the confluence of timing and chemistry as we enjoy the holiday in a unique setting. Paris celebrates Halloween with many creative costumes and we make the most of the revelry exploring the Latin Quarter & going to live jazz clubs.* Yes, you can celebrate Halloween in a jazz club in Paris. You can even dance or sing. Or, simply enjoy some of the best people-watching of your life. You just manifested that.
Pro Tip: Suggested flight itinerary - Delta 152 MSP-CDG October 21 (overnight flight arrives on October 22) - Delta 153 CDG-MSP November 1 (early morning departure)
*Any item with an asterisks is an optional item and is a supplement to your trip, or an expense you will pay independent of your booking with us.
Breakfast is included at your residence daily, as are base prix fixe prices of most meals.
Additional activity menu will be made available upon your confirmation.Actual schedules are subject to change, based upon confirmation process and individual guest itineraries.
Pricing: This 10-day trip is all-inclusive, including all transportation (except airfare) $5850 for Fall Trip 2025 per person, all inclusive (double occupancy), for solo travel $7550, all-inclusive. $1500 deposit per person required to secure your place.
Suggested flight options for the itinerary will be given as part of your confirmation process. *Airfare is not included with the package. Upon recent search this flight is generally about $1000-$1400, main cabin, roundtrip, non-stop, with Delta.
Do not book airfare until you have been confirmed.
Delta is most commonly used. Though consider Iceland Air, for example, with an optional layover on your way home.
Once you are confirmed, much greater detail will be sent to assist in arranging your travels to begin your journey with us.
For additonal information & payment process, please review our Frequently Asked Questions.
Pro Tip: Since direct flights from MSP arrive so early, we always plan for a day in Paris before you join us in Bordeaux. For this trip, that means departing for France on Monday, October 21, arriving in Paris on Tuesday, October 22 spending the day beating jet lag and enjoying Paris. We have the perfect itinerary and arrival plan.