Scenic Cruise - Day 11 Saturday - Disembarkation

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Cruise Day 11 – Saturday - Disembarkation

We received a printed sheet with the departure time for each cabin and a colour coded tag for bags. Rooms were to be vacated at 08:30 with bags left outside. Our departure time was 14:00, so we thought to take a leisurely breakfast, but the breakfast buffet ended at 08:30 and the tables we mostly cleared 30 minutes before. 

Our intention to have buttered toast and marmalade came to nothing as they had run out of butter. How can a place that bills itself on its cuisine run out of butter when it is moored in the centre of a city with shops and supermarkets a short walk away? 

The staff were laying tables for dinner, chatting among themselves and generally making us feel unwelcome.

We sat in the lounge reading, and then enjoyed the dis/embarkation lunch and a last glass of Champagne before being driven to the airport. Check-in and security didn’t delay us long. 

Bdx Airport - This new footpath crosses the road - but the crossing doesn't join the footpaths

Scenic had booked us home with KLM via Amsterdam. Because of the chaos we experienced at Amsterdam Schiphol in April, we paid €11 each to move our seats to nearer the front, but the connection at Schiphol was – apart from a long walk – painless. There was no hand baggage security and only a very short line at immigration to get the important Schengen exit stamp in our passports.

 

Bordeaux from air

 

Our Scenic driver was waiting in the arrivals hall and we arrived home about midnight.

Scenic Cruise - Day 10 Friday – Bourg to Blaye to Bordeaux

 

Cruise Day 10 Friday – Bourg to Blaye to Bordeaux

Our last full day. At 07:00 the boat sailed to Blaye and moored beneath the ramparts of this huge castle at 08:00. There were four tours; most people went to Chateau la Roche Courbon, there was an active bike tour from Blaye, and two guided walking tours of the fortress, one active and the one we took.

Blaye castle was built to control the estuary to defend Bordeaux and to tax passing merchant ships. But cannons of that time didn’t have the range to shoot the width of the estuary, so another fortress, Fort Medoc faced it on the other bank, and on an island in the middle was a third fortress. Between them their cannons could cover the entire width of the estuary. We had moored at Fort Medoc on day 3 and 4 of the cruise.

The castle was impressive with dry moats and layers of defences, and our guide knew its history. Afterwards we walked a short distance back to the boat.

 

At 13:30 the ship sailed back to Bordeaux. We waited mid-river with other boats till we could pass under Pont de pierre. The Viking Forsetti went first.

The invitation to dine at L’Amour didn’t say where it was and we had to ask at reception. It turned out to be some tables behind the lounge bar. We were greeted with a glass of what we were told was Champagne, but it wasn’t – it was Limoux from the Languedoc. Scenic’s website promises “Five-course menu with regional specialities, paired with wines from the region’s best wineries.”

 Like much of Scenic’s hyperbole the actuality falls short unless one thinks that a branded white Bordeaux (€12.60) and Perrin’s Ventoux red, shown on the wine pairing list as a Bordeaux wine but actually from the Rhone, are   the best the region can produce. Only one wine came from the local Bordeaux region and none could be said to have come from the ‘best wineries’.

Afternoon glass of Duval-Leroy Champagne

The boat remained moored overnight at Bordeaux.

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Scenic Cruise Day 9 - Thursday - Bourg

 

Cruise Day 9 - Thursday - Bourg

Two tours today: an all day visit with a long coach drive to the town of Cognac and the Remy Martin distillery, or a morning walking tour of the ancient hill town of Bourg. We took the latter.

 

The walking tour leaves at 10:00 and returns at 12:00, visiting the old town of Bourg, its Citadel and carriage museum and the historic surprise kept to the end. (I'll keep it a surprise so as not to spoil it for future cruisers.) 

As usual, there was free time at the end and the guide suggested a street of shops that led off the square where she released us. We continued up that road to the top where in another square at the highest point was the Boutique Vins de Bourg. 

They spoke English and gave a free tasting of the wines of the day and below was a light arched limestone cellar with almost 200 different Bourg wines for sale.

The disembarkation talk was that night, followed by the Captain’s Farewell Cocktail and a Gala Dinner, the disco night with the ships musician. The recommended red was a Bordeaux, huzzah! It was the grandly titled Dourthe La Grand Cuvee Bordeaux Rouge, a negotiants wine sold by Carrefour for €7.20.

We received, at last, our invitation for dinner on Friday at the gourmet L’Amour. Every passenger is promised at least one invitation to L’Amour during this trip. Passengers on the top deck also receive invitations to eat at La Rive.

The boat remained moored overnight at Bourg.

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Scenic Cruise - Day 8 – Bordeaux to Bourg

 

Cruise Day 8 Wednesday – Bordeaux to Bourg

Three tours this morning: seaside resort of Arcachon, Dune de Pylat (the tallest sand dune in Europe), or by tram to Cite Du Vin, the newish wine museum. We went on the latter and were given tram and entrance tickets. Our guide showed us how to validate the tram ticket on board and we walked past the short queue at Cite Du Vin who were waiting to buy a ticket.

Cite du Vin - the building is designed to represent the swirl of wine in a glass

The ground floor of this temple of wine is free to all and contains an extensive shop of wine related goods, a restaurant and a wine shop with both local and international wines. Up one level is the hands-on wine museum. One scanned the ticket to gain entrance and then was given a listening device on a lanyard and earphone. 

You chose the language wanted and the exhibit soundtracks came in your language. You could select to listen to winemakers from around the world explain their terroir and wine. You could just wander around where your fancy took, or use the machine to guide you based on your interest and how long you had.

Tickets entitle you to a glass of wine on the top floor. I chose a rare Humagne Rouge from Switzerland.  

Submarine pens - seen from 8th floor of Cite du Vin

As I wandered with my glass on the 8th floor there were great views of the city from both inside and an outside walkway.

Pont Jacques Chaban-Delmas - The lifting bridge

At 18:00 there was a sundowner on the sun deck and the ship departed for Bourg.

Scenic Diamond Restaurant

Evening entertainment in the lounge was by a guest guitarist Jeremy Dupuoy.

The boat moored overnight at Bourg.

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Scenic Cruise - Day 7 Bordeaux

 Cruise Day 7  Tuesday - Bordeaux

In the morning there was the choice of three tours: shopping with the chef followed by a Culinaire Class. A bike tour of Bordeaux or a coach and guided walking tour of Bordeaux – there was also a ‘gentle’ walkers option. We went on the walking tour but bailed out when the group was to enter a cathedral.

Lunch - Fish & Chips

We walked back to the ship, along the shopping street which ended at the Intercontinental Bordeaux Grand Hotel. Here we joined the gentle walkers tour with a guide we’d had before who was a wine expert. He was taking the group to the nearby wine school where they could use the toilets for free, or taste and buy wine and snacks. I’d been there before but he explained symbolism on the large illuminated glass panels inside which added a whole new layer.

Back at the ship there was a tasting of fresh oysters brought from the sea at Arcachon. We had an early dinner at 17:45 because there was a tour to the Bassins de Lumiere. It was a short coach ride to the old submarine pens. The massive concrete walls and roof resisted allied bombing and it was not possible to demolish it after the war. Built by Nazi occupiers between 1941-43 the massive ugly structure housed U-Boats of the German and Italian Navies, giving them access to the Gironde and out into the Atlantic. As it was impossible to demolish, it has been repurposed as an arts venue.

Currently there are light shows. Scenic had an exclusive evening for us. After entering we were given a glass of fizz and invited to sit in raised concrete steps facing the water of one of the pens – tip, sit on the wooden seating parts. The show started in total darkness, then as the theme from the TV/movie ‘Das Boot’ blared out, the blackness in front of us opened as doors parted and the prow of a submarine came towards us. Unfortunately that was the end of any reference to the reason the structure was built. The works of two artist’s paintings of Venice were projected covering walls and floors. After perhaps 20 minutes we were told that there were different shows in other pens and at least half the people got up and wandered about the pens.

Light Show

Scenic Diamond remained in Bordeaux overnight.

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Scenic Cruise Day 6 - Cadillac to Bordeaux

 

Cruise Day 6  Monday – Cadillac to Bordeaux

In the morning were two tours; cycling with a wine tasting, and a coach tour to Sauternes with a wine tasting. 

Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey

There were four coaches and the one we were in went to Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey, a 1st Growth Sauternes wine now owned by Silvio Denz, CEO of Lalique luxury crystal brand. The building dates from 1618 and now also houses a luxury hotel and a Michelin starred restaurant.

The winery guide was excellent and if English wasn’t her native language she’d spent a long time in English speaking countries. 

She showed us the vineyards, the old part of the chateau including the ancient chapel and the barrel cellar with is unique crystal barrique filled with Sauternes, before leading us in a tasting of their dry white and luscious sweet Sauternes. (93% Semillon, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 1% Muscadelle).

 (The other two coaches went to Ch Mayne le Merci which the current owners bought in 2017 and are farming organically. This is not so grand, not classified, and thus their wine is less expensive.)

After lunch on the ship there were three afternoon tours: a visit to a truffle farm with tasting, a guided cycle tour to and tasting at Ch Faugas or a tour by coach to Chateau Roquetillade. We went on the latter.

The chateau is built on a promontory and is a classic style of square castle with round towers on each four corners and a deep dry moat. Inside the walls is a tall keep. The castle is privately owned and family members are among those who show visitors around.

After the tours got back the boat sailed to Bordeaux where it moored over night. 

Evening entertainment was by the resident pianist.

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Scenic Cruise Day 5 - Cadillac

 

Cruise Day 5 Sunday – Fort Medoc to Cadillac

 

At around 07:00 the ship departed for Cadillac. It had to wait at Pont de pierre until the water was low enough at pass under it. The Viking Forsetti was also waiting, and both ships passed under the bridge one after another.

 

After lunch was a guided walking tour for everyone of the town of Cadillac named after the dukes who founded it and the restored Château des ducs d'Épernon à Cadillac, variously the duke’s residence, a prison and a girl offenders and orphan’s home. 

Château des ducs d'Épernon à Cadillac

We also heard how the name Cadillac was appropriated by a con-man who went to America where he founded Detroit and after whom the car is named.

 

After dinner was dancing to the sound of guest entertainers Audrey & Julien. 

The boat remained at Cadillac overnight.

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