Prehistoric Art & Dordogne Charm: Private Shore Excursion from Bordeaux

FAQ

• What should I expect on a Shore Excursion with Ophorus?

  As a specialized France Tour Operator and tours & activities provider, we organize worry free shore excursions departing from all cruise ports in France. Our professional team of travel advisors, drivers and guides speak fluent English, are experts in the destination and all our shore excursions take place on board premium vehicles.
  
  All our shore excursions in France include pick up and drop off at your ship, once you have exited the Cruise Port terminal. We will always indicate where your driver/guide will be waiting for you. Our itineraries and programs are customized to suit your needs and never include side visits or stops that you had not confirmed. We guarantee your return to ship on time and have a very flexible cancellation policy. All tours can be cancelled up to 48 hours before the tour.
  
  All our shore excursions are for small groups only, we do not cater for groups larger than 20 persons. Typically, we use premium minivans that will take up to 7 or 8 persons maximum. If your group is larger, then we will provide a small minibus but no larger than 20 passenger seats.

• Should I bring something specific for this Shore Excursion?

  Always check the weather before you follow one of our shore excursions. By doing so, adapt your clothing to the local weather conditions. On one of our shore excursions we will not require you to bring your passport but it is always better to have some type of ID just in case. We strongly recommend that you bring with you a photocopy of any ID. Good walking shoes are always recommended in France as you never know on what type of grounds you might be walking, especially in the Dordogne.

• What type of vehicles are used during your Bordeaux private tours?

  Our company uses only premium cars & minivans that are recent, comfortable and fully equipped including individual A/C, shaded windows and large leg space.

• Who conducts your private Dordogne tours from Bordeaux?

  We only employ accredited and licensed tour guides that are also the drivers for all tours that need visits to be conducted by certified guides. Good examples are: the visit of museums, guided walking tours in cities, visit of historical monuments and so on. On this particular tour, your local guide is an expert in History and Paleolithic Art and will be happy to answer any questions that you might have on the subject.

• Will we experience the Sarlat Market on this private tour from Bordeaux?

  It all depends on which day you are traveling. Sarlat Market is without a doubt one of the most popular markets in southwestern France. The market takes place twice a week on Wednesday and Saturday. The Wednesday market is a smaller market dedicated only to food - which in the Dordogne means a very large choice of fresh, local quality produce. On Saturday the market stretches all over the town and also includes clothing & general merchandise. The Saturday market can be very busy, especially during the summer months, so if you do choose to book a tour on that particular day then we will re-organize the tour so as to begin with the Market.

• Is Lascaux IV cave visit Private?

  It is possible for us to organize a private tour of Lascaux IV cave for you and your party. Don't hesitate to contact us and our team of travel advisors will send you all the information. By default, you will be grouped with other guests but the size of the groups is limited as there is not so much space inside the cave. We always book the English speaking tours but on some dates and at certain period of times in the year, it might be that you will need to follow a French speaking tour. In case this arrives, your English speaking guide will make the appropriate translation.

• What is the driving time from Bordeaux to the Dordogne?

  On this particular tour, you will depart from Bordeaux and your first stop is at Lascaux IV. So as to limit the number of hours spent in the minivan, your driver will take the highway directly to the Dordogne. This means that you will reach Lascaux in less than 2 hours. The distances for the next visits are quite small and the way back will also be done by taking the highway. Please note that this is a 10 hour tour.

• What is the difference between Perigord & Dordogne?

  In reality, there is not much difference between Perigord and Dordogne. Historically, however, Perigord refers to a territory that was part of the Duchy of Aquitaine that was just about identical as Dordogne today with an additional territory to the south in what was the Quercy region of France. Dordogne refers to the name of the Departement that was created during the French Revolution and takes its name from the main River that crosses the area.
  
  The name Perigord could have disappeared with time but the values and identity of the name are so strong, bonding it with local History, Food & gastranomy, that it has become a 'brand' of its own. That is why, when traveling to the Dordogne, you will certainly encounter the names of the 4 tourist regions which are Perigord Vert (green for the prairies of Dordogne to the North), Perigord Blanc (White for the limestone area), Perigord Noir (Black for the color of the local oak trees) and Perigord Pourpre (purple for the vineyards towards Bergerac).
  
  For many travelers this is confusing but whatever the name of the area Perigord or Dordogne, you are in one of the most beautiful regions of France.

• Is lunch included on this Shore Excursion from Bordeaux?

  No, we never include lunch on our private tours. If you would like to include lunch then just let us know and our team of travel designers will be happy to select a local restaurant for you and make the necessary arrangements. It is also possible for you to ask your guide for suggestions in the morning, on the day of the tour.