Gironde Estuary France
43
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
CroisiEurope (43 Cruises)
MS Cyrano de Bergerac
43 Cruises
| 12 June | 6 days | Round-trip from Bordeaux, France |
450-628-6241
Call us
|
| 12 June | 5 days | Round-trip A cruise in Aquitaine the great wines of Southern France |
450-628-6241
Call us
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| 5 September | 5 days | Round-trip A cruise in Aquitaine the great wines of Southern France |
450-628-6241
Call us
|
Frequently Asked Questions
The largest estuary in Western Europe, formed where the Garonne and the Dordogne meet at the bec d'Ambès. It runs 75 kilometres to the Atlantic and reaches 12 kilometres across at its mouth.
Because of the sediment that tints it ochre. These silty waters are not a sign of pollution but the signature of a living estuary, whose landscape shifts with every tide.
Carrelets by the hundred — stilt fishing huts whose square net swings from a long pole — and low reed-fringed islands shaped by the currents. The navigation itself is the experience.
A 30-metre lighthouse on the Île de Patiras, first lit in 1879, which guided ships for over a century before going dark in 1992. Restored by the Conservatoire du littoral, it can be visited and some excursions land there.
The citadel built by Vauban in the second half of the 17th century to close the approach to Bordeaux against English and Dutch fleets. The fortified ensemble is UNESCO World Heritage and ships berth at the foot of the ramparts.
Yes, a few minutes from the quay takes you through the stone gates. Inside, lanes lined with former barracks lead to viewpoints looking straight down the full width of the river.
Pauillac opens the door to the Médoc, on the left bank. The quay is steps from the centre and the vineyards start almost immediately behind the last houses. Excursions run to châteaux among the most prestigious in French wine.
An upper town perched on a limestone promontory, where the Dordogne joins the main channel. It looks down on the old port, linked by stairways and steep lanes. Calls here are more intimate than elsewhere on the estuary.
Several hours depending on direction and tide, and that time is exactly what it takes to grasp its scale. Ships heading up to Bordeaux or back down cross 75 kilometres of these silty waters.
The euro, cards accepted at Blaye, at Pauillac and at the wine châteaux. French is spoken; Médoc estates host international visitors and run tours in English.
