Final-year school trip to Bordeaux and the Arcachon Basin: Place de la Bourse, the Cité du Vin, the Dune du Pilat, Cap Ferret and surf lessons (8 days)

Day 1: Departure from your school and overnight stop in the Loire Valley

• Departure from your school early in the morning, at the agreed time, and daytime drive to south-west France via Paris.
• Our drivers drive for a maximum of 3 hours, then take a 30-minute break, day and night.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival in the late afternoon at the accommodation for the overnight stop near Tours (about 550 to 650 km, 6.5 to 7.5 hours excluding breaks); dinner and a quiet evening.

Day 2: Drive to Bordeaux and discovery of the centre

• Departure after breakfast and drive to Bordeaux (about 350 km, 4 hours excluding breaks).
• Lunch at your own expense on arrival.
• Walk through the UNESCO-listed centre: Place de la Bourse and its water mirror, the Porte Cailhau, the Grosse Cloche and Rue Sainte-Catherine.
• Check-in at the accommodation in or near Bordeaux for two nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 3: The Cité du Vin and the Saint-Pierre district

• Visit to the Cité du Vin and its interactive tour of the history and cultures of wine around the world, with no tasting: at the belvedere, pupils receive a non-alcoholic drink.
• Lunch at your own expense in the Bassins à flot district, then visit to the Bassins des Lumières, immersive digital exhibitions in the former submarine base (on request).
• Back to the centre, visit to Saint-André Cathedral and climb up the Pey-Berland tower (on request).
• Supervised free time in the Saint-Pierre district and along the Garonne quays.
• Dinner and supervised evening.

Day 4: Arcachon and the Île aux Oiseaux

• Rooms vacated after breakfast and drive to the Arcachon Basin (about 1 hr).
• Walk through the Ville d’Hiver and its villas, then along the seafront and the Jetée Thiers.
• Lunch at your own expense, then boat tour of the basin to the Île aux Oiseaux and its stilt houses (cabanes tchanquées) (on request).
• Check-in at the accommodation in Arcachon, La Teste-de-Buch or the surrounding area for three nights, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 5: The Dune du Pilat and Cap Ferret

• Drive to the Dune du Pilat (about 20 min) and climb up Europe’s highest dune (over 100 m), with views over the ocean and the Banc d’Arguin.
• Supervised free time on the beach at the foot of the dune and lunch at your own expense.
• Boat crossing from Arcachon to Cap Ferret and walk to the ocean beach (on request).
• Back to the accommodation, dinner and supervised evening.

Day 6: Surf day in Biscarrosse-Plage

• Drive to Biscarrosse-Plage (about 45 min), on the Landes coast.
• 2-hour surf lesson with a surf school and qualified instructors, boards and wetsuits provided.
• Lunch at your own expense, then supervised free time on the beach and a second surf or bodyboard session (on request).
• Back to the basin, dinner and last evening.

Day 7: Arcachon market and overnight stop

• Rooms vacated after breakfast, luggage in the coach.
• Last morning by the basin and a visit to Arcachon’s covered market.
• Departure in the late morning and drive to the overnight stop near Tours (about 420 km, 5 hours excluding breaks), lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Dinner and a quiet evening at the accommodation.

Day 8: Return to your school

• Departure after breakfast and daytime drive back to Belgium (about 550 to 650 km depending on your school).
• Regular breaks on the way.
• Lunch at your own expense on the way.
• Arrival at your school in the late afternoon or evening.