Day 3 - Tour guests are invited to have fun on a free morning to explore the area, consider a visit to the Rocher de la Vierge in Biarritz and then have lunch on your own. In the afternoon, we'll take a drive along the Basque coastline and see the towns of St. Jean de Luz and San Sebastian. After returning to the Hotel du Palais, we'll refresh ourselves and enjoy a wonderful dinner at the Starred Michelin restaurant in the Hotel du Palais.

Day 4 - This morning we depart for Dordogne as we take in the vistas during our drive and have lunch on the road. On our way, we will visit the winery, Chateau de Tiregand, which is owned by Bertrand's cousin, François de Saint Exupery. The winery, located in the heart of "Purple Perigord", is only 10 minutes East of Bergerac. Reaching Dordogne, we will check into Vieux Logis Hotel in Tremolat and afterwards we will have dinner at the one star Michelin at the Vieux Logis www.vieux-logis.com

Le Pays Basque
The Basque country straddles the Pyrenees, encompassing parts of Spain and France. The town of Biarritz, on the Basque coastline, was 'discovered' around the early 19th century. Records show that Spanish nobility holidayed there in the 1800s. When Eugenie de Montigo became Empress of France her husband Napoleon III accompanied her and Biarritz was 'made'. Following his first visit in 1854, Napoleon had a grand seaside villa constructed for his wife - the Villa Eugenie which is now the splendid L'Hotel du Palais. Today it offers the Vieux Port with its yacht basin and wonderful surfing.

When visiting Biarritz, a walk to the Rocher de la Vierge is a must. The winding seafront stroll takes you past the Port Vieux, a marvelous example of the town's former seaport. The view during the day is spectacular with the seagulls chasing the rolling waves and the sailboats on the horizon. During the night, the walk is absolutely magical. Never has there existed a city so beautifully lit, a show of lights that plays in harmony with the magnificent ocean front and mountains in the background.

Hendaye is a seaside town on the Spanish Coast with beautiful beaches and a bird sanctuary where various waterfowl can be seen. The town of St Jean de Luz is within an enclosed harbor and has been an important fishing port for centuries. In the 10th century St Jean was a whaling center with fleets traveling as far as Greenland and Labrador.

The Pays Basque is one of the best regions in France for good food with traditional Basque cuisine that is often is well seasoned with the particular feature of Espelette red peppers. Because the area is coastal, fresh fish is a specialty on many menus.