If you arrive by train or plane, we will be happy to arrange a transfer for you from your arrival airport — Tarbes-Lourdes or Toulouse or from the TGV train station in Tarbes.
Transfer is inclusive.
Arrival at Château Lestéous from 15:00
Evening reception with aperitif — when the weather is nice and the temperature is good, in the castle garden or in the château
We will then serve you a 3-course meal and round off the first day with good conversations and a digestive from the region...
Breakfast
Drive to the fortified town of Marciac, founded at the end of the 13th century in the heart of Gascony.
Marciac gained international fame with its annual International Jazz Festival, held from late July to early August.
Visit to the old town and the market.
Visit to the 14th-century Gothic church of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption de Marciac.
Lunch at the historic Tillac.
Drive to Saint Mont.
Guided tour of France's only vineyard listed as a "Monument Historique," which has preserved largely unknown grape varieties from extinction.
Tasting of unique wines made from indigenous varieties such as Maseng Noir and Tardif.
Return to the Château.
Free time.
Dinner with wines from the Saint Mont region
Ending the day with good conversation in a small group
Extensive breakfast
Drive to Auch, capital of Gascony
Visit to the weekly market and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sainte-Marie Cathedral
Exploration of the medieval old town with its romantic alleyways
Lunch in Auch
Continue to the Bas-Armagnac wine region
Tasting of the unique Armagnacs
Stroll through the park and vineyards, which also serve as an open-air gallery of contemporary artworks
Visit to the distillery and aging cellars
Return to the Château
Dinner with wines from the Armagnac region
Ending the day with good wine and good conversation in a small group
Breakfast.
Drive to the Atlantic coast to Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Coffee break in the medieval town of Sauveterre de Béarn.
Individual exploration of the historic port city of Saint-Jean-de-Luz.
Lunch in a typical Basque restaurant.
Afternoon guided tour of a unique Basque winery, whose wines mature 15 meters deep in the Atlantic Ocean.
Tasting of these special wines from the sea: six wines accompanied by matching pintxos.
Return to the Château.
End of the day with Basque cheese, Basque ham, good Basque wine and good conversation in a small group.
Breakfast.
Travel in an air-conditioned minibus to the thermal spa town of Bagnères-de-Bigorres at the foot of the Pyrenees.
Visit the impressive producers' market in the old town and the central market hall.
Enjoy wine and fresh oysters or tapas as an aperitif in the market hall.
Continue your journey to the Pyrenees.
Lunch will be at a Pyrenean inn.
Drive through the Pyrenees with spectacular views.
Stop at the Col d'Aspin, a Pyrenean pass also known from the Tour de France.
Return to the Château.
Free time.
Dinner.
Ending the day with good wine and good conversation in a small group
Generous breakfast with local products and fresh eggs from our organic chickens
Short hike – guided or self-guided – to the neighboring hills with breathtaking views of the Pyrenees
Light lunch at the Château
Transfer in an air-conditioned minibus to the Pyrenees
Guided tour of a mohair goat farm
Visit to a neighboring cheese dairy
Dinner at an exclusive, top-class restaurant in a small Pyrenean village (drinks are paid separately by our guests)
Return to the Château
Ending the day with good wine and good conversation in a small group
Extensive breakfast with local produce and fresh eggs from our organic chickens
Trip in an air-conditioned minibus to Pau, the birthplace of Henry IV.
Visit to Henry IV's castle
Walking through the old town
Lunch at a gourmet restaurant in the Jurançon mountains (drinks are paid separately by our guests)
Wine tasting in an excellent small winery in the Jurançon
Drive back to the Château
End of the day with good Pyrenees cheese, wine from the Jurançon region and good conversations in a small group
Extensive breakfast with local produce and fresh eggs from our organic chickens
Free time.
Travel in an air-conditioned vehicle to Bassoues and have a tour of the medieval town.
Lunch in Bassoues (drinks not included in the tour price).
Continue to a small winery in the Madiran wine region.
Visit and tasting of the wines, accompanied by chocolate specialties from a local manufacturer.
Return to the Château.
Dinner.
Ending the day with good wine and good conversation in a small group.
After a delicious breakfast, set off on your individual journey home.
We arrange your transfer to the respective airports Tarbes-Lourdes and Toulouse or to the TGV train station in Tarbes. Transfer is inclusive.
• Pick-up and drop-off at Toulouse or Tarbes-Lourdes airports or the TGV train station in Tarbes
• Accommodation at Château Lestéous (2–6 people, 3 double rooms)
• 8 continental breakfasts with eggs from our own chickens, Pyrenean cheese, fresh fruit salad, fruit juice, coffee and tea, local ham, croissants, baguettes, and country bread
• 6 lunches at selected restaurants (drinks not included)
• 1 dinner at a Michelin-starred restaurant in the mountains
• 7 dinners at the Château including wine, water, and soft drinks
• 7 guided tours to the region's special features and highlights
• 5 wine tastings (Saint Mont, Armagnac, Irouléguy, Jurançon, Madiran)
• Entrance fees
• Use of the garden, terrace, lobby, and lounge at the Château
• High-speed Wi-Fi (fiber optic)
Travel price for 8 nights at the Château including half board and 7 guided day tours
• per person in a double room "Bordeaux" or "Toulouse": € 2.680
• per person in the double room "Pyrenées" (Private shower room): € 2.880
• per person for single occupancy: + € 320 single room supplement
The daily programs are carried out by us through our own company Explore Occitanie offered and carried out. Explore Occitanie takes you to your destinations with an air-conditioned Mercedes Vito or similar and accompanies you as your personal guide. We speak German, French and English.
The day trips are fully organized so you can sit back and enjoy. The maximum group size of 6 people also makes it possible to make spontaneous program changes due to the weather or the common desire to stay a little longer in an exceptional location.
All tours start and end at Château Lestéous — no need to pack your bags every day, just arrive, enjoy, experience, relax...
