For customers who love Europe but don’t love tourist traps, the Back-Roads Jewels of Southwest France tour offers the perfect blend of iconic landmarks and out-of-the-way gems.
Beginning in Bordeaux, and circling around the Midi-Pyrénées region, the 10-day tour is an eclectic mix of food, wine, and history. Travelling by mini coach with a group of no more than 18 people, the tour gives guests a front-row seat to parts of France that few Australians have seen.
Complete with an expert bilingual tour leader and a highly competent driver, travellers have the benefit of visiting hidden gems, without having to dig them out for themselves.
I was lucky enough to experience the tour for myself back in September, here was my experience:
We began the tour in Bordeaux. Known primarily as the ‘wine city’ of France, there is far more to Bordeaux than just wine: with its grand monuments, high-end shops, and fine-dining restaurants, it really gives you a feel of modern-day France.
Our first night was spent at the stylish Hôtel de Sèze. The 4-star hotel is finished to an exceptionally high standard and is situated right in the centre of Bordeaux, just moments from the Garonne River.
It was here that I first met our tour leader Charlie. Charlie was undoubtedly one of the highlights of the whole tour. Even before my arrival in Bordeaux, he reached out and introduced himself, encouraging us to make phone groups so we could share photos and ideas.
By the time we did meet on the morning of our departure, there was already a sense of community within the group. This sense of community was quickly cemented by Charlie’s easy humour and effortlessly personable nature.
Our first stop was the Atlantic Ocean-fringed Arcachon Bay where we stopped at an authentic local oyster shack and enjoyed a glass of fresh white wine and some locally sourced oysters. Oyster breeding was first developed in the bay at the request of Napoleon III in 1857. The Arcachon Bay is now made up of around 26 oyster farms with around 8,000 to 10,000 tonnes of oysters being farmed a year.
We then travelled to the Great Dune of Pilat – Europe’s highest sand dunes. Climbing the dunes (even with the steps) was no easy feat, but you are rewarded with mesmerizing views of the Arcachon Bay. The dunes are considered to be a must-see in the region with as many as 2 million people visiting the site each year. Thankfully, Charlie was well aware of just how busy the dunes get, so we were able to get there early and take in the sights before things got too busy.
The next stop was Biarritz, where we would spend the next two nights. Biarritz was easily a favourite amongst the group. A mixture of hippie and luxury, the stylish seaside city is characterised by glitzy art deco buildings, top-notch dining, and plenty of bohemian shops. It is a popular tourist spot in France and is very much somewhere where you could happily spend a week.
The Back-Roads tour provided the right balance of structure and free time. After we’d checked into our seaside hotel, Hôtel Georges VI, Charlie made it clear that we could either freely explore the city or enjoy dinner with the rest of the group. Being a sociable group, we did eat together most nights, but there was no pressure to do so.
During our stay in Biarritz, we visited the city of Bayonne, which felt like a different place entirely. Located in the northern part of the cultural Basque country, Bayonne has both Basque and Gascon influences meaning its architecture is entirely unique. Here, we visited the Bayonne Ham Museum, where the shop-owner gave us a detailed rundown of the production of the world-famous ham from pasture to table. The highlight was, of course, getting to try some at the end.
On day 4, we left Biarritz to make our way deeper into the Midi-Pyrénées region. On this segment of the tour we really got a feel for rural France, travelling through rich, green, winding roads made famous by the Tour De France.
The time on the coach – limited to four hours a day – was both enjoyable and informative. Charlie told us about the history of the region, shedding light on mysteries such as why the road signs were upside-down in some towns (farmer’s protest) and why some of the villages were highly decorated with flowers and even, on one occasion, life-size dolls (each village is given a rating for its beauty).We would regularly stop to take photos and go for toilet breaks, so it never felt like you were stuck on the coach for too long.
It was here that we visited the famous religious site of Lourdes. The Basilica of the Immaculate Conception was truly a sight to behold whilst the fast-flowing Gave de Pau river running through the centre of Lourdes created a feeling of serenity. Given the nature of Lourdes, Charlie made it very clear that we were free to engage with the site in a way we felt comfortable with. Some guests visited the grotto and collected holy water, whilst others chose to stay in the town. The town around Lourdes- complete with truckloads of Catholic memorabilia – was almost as fascinating as the site itself. Whether you are a believer or not, Lourdes is a very thought-provoking place.
For lovers of luxury, the real highlight of the tour was Hotel Du Barry where we enjoyed a group dinner. Set in the middle of the countryside, the Hotel Du Barry is a highly stylish, luxury, family-run hotel complete with a spa, an outdoor swimming pool, and the exceptional cuisine of chef Jérémy Lasserre.
Our next stop – Carcassonne – had a different feel entirely. The walled city is more than 2500 years old and is said to be one of the best-preserved medieval castles in the world. With shops selling swords and old-fashioned pubs complete with beams, you really do get the sense that you have gone back in time. With so many tourists coming to visit Carcassonne just for the day, we all felt truly lucky to be able to enjoy the living monument after hours.
The itinerary was exceptionally well-designed and at no point did we have to spend time checking in, or exert energy carrying our bags around. Once we landed in Carcassonne, porters from the hotel came out to take our luggage, meaning we were free to explore the cobbled streets unburdened.
After a couple of nights in Carcassonne, we headed to Sarlat-la-Canéda – one of the most beautiful towns in the Dordogne region. Staying at the homely Hôtel Saint-Albert, Sarlat-la-Canéda became our base for the next three nights. The town was defined by an array of exceptional restaurants, gold limestone buildings, and a rich farmer’s market selling mouthwatering produce. Whilst there, we enjoyed activities including a visit to the UNESCO-protected Lascaux cave, truffle-tasting at a local producer, and a guided tour of the Château de Beynac.
Medieval France was hardly built with accessibility in mind and some of the sites, such as the Château de Beynac, were difficult to navigate. Guests were well-informed about the reality of this, and were always given an option based on their own needs and wants. Those who wanted to walk up steep hills could do so, whilst others were free to relax in the coach.
As beautiful as France was, perhaps the biggest jewel of the lot was the sense of community on the tour. With such a small group size we had plenty of time to get to know each other, and by the end of the tour, there was a whole array of in-jokes (most are not appropriate to write here).
We still share travel updates and recommendations on our WhatsApp group which is alive and well!
For the perfect blend of culture and community, Back-Roads is a winner. You can find out more about the tour HERE.
