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.
Due to the train schedule from CDG, we have opted to have you take a taxi into Paris and go directly to Les Deux Magots. One of the most quintessential brasseries in all of Paris, there will be a reservation there for you for lunch beginning at 12:00h, this is where you will meet some of the other travelers - with most of our group arriving between 8am-11am at the airport from various locations in the USA. This is sure to be a leisurely lunch with excellent people watching and a refresh from the flight before the train.
After lunch an Uber will be waiting for you at 14:30h (2:30pm) to bring you to Gare Montparnasse, where you will follow the signs for SNCF - the highspeed trains through Europe, where you will board an afternoon train (16:00h) directly to Bordeaux.
We will meet you just inside the great hall of Gare Saint-Jean once you arrive in Bordeaux (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 at a Michelin-rated destination restaurant, when you will meet your whole group and your guides. This first day will be epic! Trust us, you will sleep very well this night.
Immerse in Bordeaux (Oct 23 - Thursday)
After sleeping in and breakfast at the townhouse or 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. There are no menus, it is a blind tasting menu. This restaurant is a gastronomes delight.
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, as by about 16:00h (4pm) it will be time for us to depart the city to head out to your residences 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 at the maison 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. Dinner will be on-premise at one of the two properties, lighter fare from a large extended lunch. Maybe an evening of cards?
Our “country houses” both boast heated pools, for use even in October when France is much more temperate than Minnesota in particular.
Our trips in October will offer the colors of fall, though from the vines. The days are longer and warmer still. From the 50’s-70’s it is the perfect time of year to avoid the crowds, have beautiful weather and postpone the onset of the cold weather. And, we are going to be dining on the delights of the harvest!
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. We will eat our way into the evening, which will result after lawn games, pool time, cards, solitude, a walk in the countryside, a cycle or a stretch.
Vineyard Visit & Formal Tasting
(Oct 27 - Monday)
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. This trip, we go south, into the heart of Graves to sample from the vines that create the rarest of the rare; Sauternes. We will learn all about botrytis, or the “Noble Rot” as our visit in October will be informative on the very nature of this latest of the harvest wines, as we will be surrounded by fall colors on the vines themselves, and dine amongst them at the Michelin starred restaurant of this precious Lieu Dit.
Maybe there will still be dew in the morning, as we begin our tasting at this First Growth, Premier Cru Classe chateau. We will tour the premise, receive an education and a tasting. We will then retreat to the lawn for a few games in the gardens to enjoy our surroundings and “play” for a little while. Simply let any and all care fade away for the day. While still nimble from our tasting and after a round of lawn games, we will sit to enjoy a Michelin-starred dining experience on-premise at their legendary restaurant.
This is travel, not tourism. Nature, not just the cities are on the agenda. France is a beautiful country. We will walk through vineyards. We will see the Dordogne & Gironde Rivers, and the nature that surrounds them.
There are opportunities for walks, cycling, people watching and nature watching. We will walk an old Roman wall to a family owned winery. And, we may even spy horses working the vineyards to prepare the soil for Winter’s rest.
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, 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.
Immerse in History & Wine: Saint-Émilion (Oct 29 - Wednesday)
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.
We will have an aperitif with a view for sunset, before we dine at one of our favorite Michelin starred restaurants. This one is a must-do in Saint-Émilion, which is sure to be one of the most memorable meals of the trip, possibly even a lifetime. It’s that kind of place.
Return to Paris (Oct 30 - Thursday)
It’s back to Paris we go - departing by 9:30/10:00am for Bordeaux to take a train to Paris. We’ll check into a smart hotel with a great location for our time in Paris. There is a very solid restaurant and bar on premise, as well as rooftop vantage points. Once we arrive, we will drop our baggage off with the desk and lunch at a neighborhood favorite bistro.
After lunch, we will take a walk to the Tour Eiffel and explore Paris. Depending on time and weather, we may even hop on and off the Batobus, the water-taxi system on the Seine. 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)
This will be an epic day in Paris - count on it. After sleeping in and having a typical Parisienne breakfast, we will stroll through the streets towards the Seine where we will spend the afternoon on a boat with a VIP lunch, and a glass of wine, or two.
After our afternoon of seeing all of the things, we will retreat to our hotel to refresh and prepare our costumes for the evening, as we venture out into the City of Lights for the Night of the Dead. A gothic-vampire theme has a number of our guests inspired.
That evening, we enjoy this confluence of timing and chemistry as we enjoy the holiday in such a unique setting. Paris celebrates Halloween with many creative costumes and decor, 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.