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The Railway Touring Company · Escorted rail tour

Steam in Dordogne and the Pyrenees

Eight-day rail tour through southwestern France, Bordeaux to Hendaye, heritage steam railways

Illustration of Steam in Dordogne and the Pyrenees

The Railway Touring Company's 8-day Steam in Dordogne and the Pyrenees tour travels from London to southwestern France on Eurostar and TGV services, ending in Hendaye on the Spanish border. You spend four nights based in Bordeaux, the Atlantic region's wine capital, visiting the UNESCO-listed wine town of Saint-Emilion with a vineyard tasting at Chateau Soutard, and riding the Haut Quercy heritage railway on French and Polish steam locomotives through the Dordogne. From three nights in Bayonne, in the French Basque Country, you ascend La Rhune, an 881-meter peak on the Franco-Spanish frontier, aboard a 1924 rack railway with original teak-bodied coaches and vintage Swiss engines, then take a rail excursion along the Atlantic coast to the border station at Hendaye. The tour includes first-class rail, quality hotel accommodation with breakfast, five dinners, and a UK Tour Manager from start to finish. A full leisure day in Bordeaux lets you explore at your own pace, and the itinerary balances rail journeys with guided visits and free time.

What to know before you look closer

  • Only one departure listed for 2026 (August); confirm current availability with the operator.
  • The Ground Only option (GBP 2165) excludes UK rail, flights, and hotel transfers on arrival and departure; these must be arranged separately.

Day by day

  1. Day 1railovernight: Bordeaux

    London to Bordeaux by rail

    Eurostar from London St Pancras to Paris Nord, then TGV from Paris Montparnasse to Bordeaux. Check into a centrally located hotel with a complimentary tram rover ticket. Dinner at the hotel.

  2. Day 2overnight: Bordeaux

    Saint-Emilion and vineyard visit

    Visit the 12th-century fortified wine town of Saint-Emilion, including the Ursuline's Convent, the Great Wall and Brunet Gate, plus a vineyard wine-tasting experience nearby. Return to Bordeaux in the afternoon.

  3. Day 3overnight: Bordeaux

    Leisure, museums and tramways in Bordeaux

    Free day in Bordeaux to see the Miroir d'Eau reflecting pool and the UNESCO Cathedrale St-Andre, using the complimentary tram ticket, with optional admission to the Musee des beaux-arts de Bordeaux.

  4. Day 4railovernight: Bordeaux

    Steam in the Dordogne at the Haut Quercy heritage railway

    Coach transfer through Aquitaine to the Haut Quercy heritage railway ('Le Truffadou'), a 13km round trip between Martel and Saint-Denis-les-Martel with French and Polish-built steam locomotives and open-sided coaches. Time to sightsee Martel before returning to Bordeaux.

  5. Day 5railovernight: Bayonne

    On to Bayonne and the Basque Country

    TGV to the historic city of Bayonne, at the confluence of the Adour and Nive rivers, near the Bay of Biscay. Base for the next three nights, exploring Bayonne and nearby Biarritz.

  6. Day 6railovernight: Bayonne

    La Rhune rack railway in the Pyrenees and a visit to Spain

    Ascent of La Rhune (881m, opened 1924) on the rack railway from Col de Saint-Ignace, using original teak-bodied coaches and vintage Swiss locomotives, with views to the Atlantic and a stroll across the Franco-Spanish border at the summit. Coach on to Biarritz.

  7. Day 7railovernight: Bayonne

    By rail to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye

    Short railway excursion from Bayonne via Biarritz to the seaside town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, continuing to Hendaye, France's southwestern-most border station with Spain, with time to walk the pedestrian border bridge to Irun. Final group dinner in Bayonne.

  8. Day 8rail

    Return to London

    Travel from Bayonne to Paris Montparnasse, transfer to Paris Nord for the return Eurostar to London St Pancras.

The moments this trip is built around

  • Day 2Walk the 12th-century fortifications of Saint-Emilion and taste wine at Chateau Soutard.
  • Day 4Ride the Haut Quercy heritage railway on French and Polish-built steam locomotives in open-sided coaches between Martel and Saint-Denis-les-Martel.
  • Day 6Ascend La Rhune (881m) on the 1924 rack railway in original teak-bodied coaches with vintage Swiss locomotives, with views across the Franco-Spanish border.
  • Day 7Travel by rail to Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Hendaye, France's southwestern border station, and walk the pedestrian bridge into Spain.

Included

  • Eurostar Plus seating on all Eurostar services
  • First Class seating on TGV and other train services (where possible)
  • 7 nights quality hotel accommodation with breakfast included
  • 5 dinners
  • All visits as detailed in the itinerary
  • All seat reservations and transfers
  • The services of a UK Tour Manager throughout

Questions travellers ask

Is train travel included?
Yes. The tour price includes Eurostar Plus seating, TGV first-class services, the Haut Quercy heritage railway, and La Rhune rack railway. Ground Only pricing excludes UK rail and flight services.
Is this an escorted tour?
Yes. A UK Tour Manager accompanies the group throughout the 8 days.
What is included in the price?
Eurostar and TGV train services, 7 nights of quality hotel accommodation with breakfast, 5 dinners, all visits and experiences, seat reservations, transfers, and the Tour Manager.
Where do you stay?
Four nights in centrally located Bordeaux and three nights in Bayonne. You receive a complimentary tram rover ticket in Bordeaux.
How much free time is there?
Day 3 in Bordeaux is a full leisure day; you can visit the Miroir d'Eau and Cathedral St-Andre using your tram ticket, or opt for museum entry.
What is the physical demand?
City walking tours in Bordeaux and Bayonne, a climb to the 881-meter summit of La Rhune on the rack railway, and a walk across the Franco-Spanish border; otherwise coach and rail transport.

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