Vintage cruising in Bordeaux

There was, of course, the wine (all included), which reflected our voyage through the heart of the Bordeaux wine regions. And then there was cruise director AJ who combined the friendly exuberance of a game show host with the organisational acumen of a military general.

He was responsible for keeping us entertained and for marshalling us on each day’s itinerary. All the excursions to iconic wine-making destinations were included in the price too – but life was so sumptuous that passengers couldn’t have been blamed if they’d spend the whole eight days on board.

Our ship, River Royale, had all the trappings of a boutique hotel, from the airy Cezanne restaurant to neat sundeck.

When I first entered my quarters – very much a room rather than a cabin – there was a complimentary bottle of 2010 Chateau D’Arsac Margaux waiting.

Our return itinerary from the city of Bordeaux itself took in not one but three rivers – the Garonne, the Dordogne and the Gironde. By day two we were on the estuary of the latter, docking at the pretty town of Pauillac where I took a guided cycle tour along the Médoc wine route.

Cycling past row after row of green, ripening grapevines on virtually car-free streets in sunshine is a truly life-affirming experience.

The wine lovers were drooling in anticipation of a tour of Château Lynch-Bages, founded by Irish immigrant Thomas Lynch in 1749.

In a private tasting session we sampled both the Château Lynch-Bages 2007 and Château Ormes de Pez 2007. Another memorable stop was Libourne, from where we took a coach to the market town of Bergerac.

This place is simply stunning, full of medieval half-timbered houses and stylish boutiques. And the bustling farmers’ market is a must-see.

Two statues of Cyrano de Bergerac remind visitors of the 1897 play of the same name by Edmond Rostand adapted into a critically acclaimed 1990 movie starring Gérard Depardieu, although the actual Cyrano never actually lived here.

We also visited Saint-Émilion. Blessed with historic vineyards planted by the Romans, this was the first wine-growing region to be protected by Unesco.