The Cabot Bordeaux

We start out in Bordeaux at Cabot Bordeaux, a 36-hole golf resort in France.

“Bordeaux holds a special place in the hearts of travelers worldwide, known not only for its rich history and stunning landscapes, but also for its remarkable culinary offerings and universally revered wine,” said Ben Cowan-Dewar, CEO and co-founder of Cabot. “We are thrilled to now have a presence in this iconic destination and look forward to offering guests unforgettable experiences that seamlessly blend exploration and cultural immersion with world-class golf.”

Over the coming year, Cabot will debut a complete reimagining and elevating the resort to five-star status worthy of the world’s most prestigious wine landscape. It is the only true golf resort in France where two internationally acclaimed courses by Bill Coore and Rod Whitman proudly feature in Golf World’s Top 100 Courses in Continental Europe.

Grand Saint-Emilionnais Golf Club

While staying at Cabot Bordeaux we will also play at Grand Saint-Emilionnais Golf Club designed by world-renowned architect Tom Doak.

This lush, parkland course unfolds in a valley fringed by centenary oak trees, framed by vineyards and located just 6 miles from the village of Saint Emilion. A unique feature are the 150-yard markers made from gnarly vines.

Château La Gaffeliere Winery

During our stay at Cabot Bordeaux we will visit several extraordinary wineries including Château La Gaffeliere.

“The respect of the terroir is linked to our origins. We are born here in this vineyard with its unique location backing onto the southern hillside of St Emilion. The blend of wines from the slope and the foot of the hillside produces a nectar, which is powerful, racy and silky. This harmony is found in each vintage of our estate. Château la Gaffeliere evokes a great wine, a 1st Great Growth since the beginning of St Emilion’s classification in 1959.”

The vine has been present on the lands of Château La Gaffelière since Gallo-Roman times, as demonstrated by the numerous mosaics discovered by Comte Léo de Malet Roquefort in 1969. A strange coincidence: Ausonius had a vineyard in the same spot (4th century). The Malet Roquefort family is convinced that these mosaics decorated the rooms of his villa. The quality of these decorative elements confirms the richness of this place, called “le Palat” (Palatium = Palace).

Château Troplong Mondot

Our wine visit/tasting will include Château Troplong Mondot which occupies great terroir situated on top of the Saint Emilion plateau that allows views of the entire St. Emilion village. 26.5 hectare of the vineyard are currently classified with First Growth Status.

After our private tour with a tasting session, a superb culinary experience awaits at the estates Michelin-starred restaurant, Les Belles Perdrix.

Château de Pitray

Château de Pitray – 600 years of history in each bottle! The castle of Pitray is located in the heart of the vineyards of Saint Emilion, between Bordeaux and Bergerac in France.

The Château de Pitray is one of those increasingly rare places where, once you enter the estate, you find yourself in another space and another time: time regained, time of serenity and time shared with loved ones. All in the midst of a preserved nature, which seems to have not changed since the year 1000: vineyards, forests, and old paths that cross them. In the middle of this ocean of greenery, the castle honors the great tradition of conviviality of the old families of the French Aristocracy.

Free Day in The medieval city of Saint-Émilion

The town adopted the name, Saint-Emilion, as a tribute to the man who lived a life of contemplation and spirituality. The monastic lifestyle set the tone for a community focused on both spirituality and the bounty of the earth—a dual heritage that the town still honors today.

The vast monolithic church of Europe: With an optional guided tour of 45 minutes, you will discover the Hermitage carved out of a natural cavern, the Trinity Chapel, the Catacombs and the Monolithic Church, entirely carved out of solid limestone.

The true treasure of the region lies beneath the ground, so don’t miss this immersion into the heart of the limestone rock. It offers an exclusive discovery of the lesser known side of the town, an utterly extraordinary place.

From the story of monk Émilion to the carving of the surprising monolithic church, on a guided tour, you will go through 4 monuments: Émilion’s hermitage, the Trinity Chapel, remarkable for its medieval paintings, the catacombs and the underground church.

Versailles

On the day we visit Versailles, we take a VIP guided tour through the State Apartments of the King and Queen, the Royal Chapel and the central gallery of the of the Palace of Versailles, known as the Hall of Mirrors. In the 17th century mirrors were very expensive, luxurious objects. The 357 mirrors opposite the windows created an illusion, making the hall appear more grand than it was. The architectural marvel, intending to intimidate and impress, was the venue for the signing of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, which ended World War I.

We will also have time to explore the magnificent formal gardens. The Orangerie, built by Jules Hardouin-Mansart between 1684 and 1686 was created before work on the Chateau had even begun, and it is the home of nearly 1,500 orange trees, lemon trees, palms and other species. The gardens of Versailles, a work of art in their own right, contain 400 statues made of marble. There are 700 topiaries in the gardens, trimmed into 67 different shapes.

And then there are the fountains! We can even consider the Musical Fountain Show with water features spouting to the rhythm of baroque music. Or Apollo’s Fountain, the spectacular and famous work in gilded lead, created in the time of Louis XIV, that has been restored to its former glory.

Le Golf du National

We then reach our final destination: Le Golf du National, on the outskirts of Paris, just 6 miles from Versailles.

We stay at Novotel Saint-Quentin-En Yvelines, where the Open de France is played each year. There are 131 rooms, all with air conditioning, some with views of the famous Ryder Cup 2018 course. Traditional meals are served in the hotel restaurant, Novotel Café, and there is also a clubhouse with a bar where golfers can enjoy drinks and tasty food.

Propelled into the spotlight by Europe’s awesome Ryder Cup victory in 2018, the Albatross course at Le Golf National has cemented itself as a must-play European golf course. The second course at Le Golf National is the Aigle. It was designed with linksy undulating fairways and is considered a very pleasant sister to the harder Albatros.

NOTE: The Albatros course, the venue for the 2024 Olympic Games, will close down on 20th October 2024 for 18 months for renovation.