Tailormade tour Gastronomic tour of Aquitaine, Dordogne and Tarn fly-drive France

You arrive in Bordeaux and collect your hire-car. It is a short drive of about 90 minutes to your first hotel in the town of Cognac.

You have a full day to explore the vineyards of Cognac or to venture towards the coast at La Rochelle or Royan. Further afield, near Bordeaux you could visit the wine-producing town of St Emilion or even follow the Gironde estuary to Margaux and other producers in the Médoc.

Today you leave the Bordeaux area to drive for just over two hours into the heart of the Dordogne to the village of Tremolat on the northern bank of the river. In terms of the route, we would suggest that you spend some time visiting along the way. Perhaps this is the day to visit St Emilion as you leave Bordeaux and possibly to call into the Bergerac before reaching your destination for the night. You spend three nights in Tremolat. Make the most of your days in Trémolat, walk into the centre of the village to appreciate the imposing and austere Saint Nicolas Church. Its riverside position makes it ideal for kayaking and fishing, and the neighbouring hills make for fantastic hiking trails.

The Dordogne is renowned for its rich and hearty cuisine and the region produces all manner of fascinating food stuffs, from walnuts to mushrooms, from cheese to truffles, from foie gras to pork delicacies. There is wine too, at Bergerac and Montbazillac. The Dordogne has a great number of very picturesque small towns, most of which have markets on various days of the week. Sarlat is probably the best known but Domme, La Roche Gageac, Les Eyzies and Beynac are worth seeking out. Some of the towns also have night-time markets where you can eat, drink and listen to music. You have two full days in this area to become acquainted with all manner of foodie things but also to experience the rich culture and history of the region, from the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux and Les Eyzies to the mediaeval fortresses that perch on rocky crags above the meandering valley of the Dordogne, to beautifully fashioned gardens, at Eyrignac and Marqueyssac for example.

Today’s journey takes you south through the historic region of the Quercy, and perhaps to stop at the town of Cahors in the Lot valley for lunch before reach your final stop on this gastronomic tour of the south-west of France, north of Gaillac in the village of Cahuzac-sur-Vère. You stay here for three nights.

Set in the heart of the Gaillac vineyards, Le Chateau de Salettes produces its very own red and white wines which can be sampled along with a selection of other wines from the cellar. The Michelin-starred restaurant serves creative and refined cuisine, with a tasting menu that allows guests to sample an assortment of dishes, accompanied by matching wines. Cahuzac-sur-Vère, the official home of the Château des Salettes, is known for its sugared almonds, biscuits with jam, and the excellence of its chocolatiers, making it the ideal gastronomic stop-off point for any food-lover with a sweet tooth. Drive out to the Musée de l’Art et du Sucre in the Maison Prunet at Cordes-sur-Ciel to see the high-quality sugar products and chocolate turned into works of art. As home to some of the most renowned wine estates in the area, Cahuzac-sur-Vère itself has much to offer. To whet the appetite, perhaps, visit the Domaine des Tres Cantous and sample the Vin d’Autan and Vin de Voile. Venture out into the Gaillac vineyards to discover the fairy-tale, fortified villages and their wine. Famous as the area is for its dry and sweet white wines, look out for Mauzac, Ondenc, Muscadelle and Loin de l’Oeil on your travels. For a concise overview of everything wine-related that Gaillac has to offer, head into the town itself, and the Maison des Vins de Gaillac, to learn more about the wider variety of grapes grown in the area and to taste more of the wine available. Also nearby is Albi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and bursting with the remarkable history of France. The most immediate point of interest in this small town is its red-brick mediaeval cathedral, St. Cecilia’s. Witness how its imposing exterior blends into the delicate wood and stone decoration of its interior. Adorning the whole western wall are extensive murals depicting the Last Judgement. Just next door, the Bishop’s palace houses the Toulouse Lautrec museum, dedicated to the works of the post-impressionistic iconographer Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. From outside the cathedral, you can make your way west to the square which overlooks the River Tarn or pass the museum to walk across the thousand-year-old Old Bridge. Albi retains the look and feel of its traditional way of life and holds a farmer’s market on the Place Fernand Pelloutier on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Another pretty village is that of Rabastens, that also has a lively market, and lots of historical buildings including the Notre-Dame-du-Bourg church. You can take hiking trails from the village through vineyards and orchards nearby.

Today you head back to Bordeaux or you can fly from Toulouse with British Airways.