The Taste of the Atlantic Coast - France Sailing Cruise

Departure 11.00 pm Bilbao has always been an important port and industrial city. In 1993, Bilbao was a pilgrimage destination for lovers of modern art and avant-garde architecture. The Guggenheim Museum, with its idiosyncratic and unique design by famous architect Frank O Gehry, showcases everything that is important within its 11,000 square meters (118,403 foot). Steel used to be manufactured in Bilbao and it now plays a major role here, since other renowned architects have also been inspired to give Bilbao an attractive, distinctive look. Cross the futuristic Calatrava Bridge to reach the old town, where you can take a delightful stroll round the lanes and enjoy the art of Basque cuisine.

Climbing the rigging, untying ropes, setting sails – today is all about sailing. Time to lean back and relax in the deck chair and watch the passionate crew hoisting the sails by hand.

Arrival 12.30 pm Pauillac on the Médoc peninsula at the mouth of the Gironde north-west of Bordeaux is one of the oldest marinas in France. Its wide quayside is just under a mile long and takes a prominent position in the peaceful town center. However, it is Pauillac's location in the middle of one of the best wine-growing areas which has made it famous around the world. The town produces by far the most full-bodied wines in the Médoc and Bordeaux regions. On the outskirts of this town, which has its own 'appellation d'origine contrôlée', are no fewer than 18 of the 61 chateaux included in the list of Grand-Crus in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification, as well as three of the five Premier Grand-Cru wine estates: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour and Château Mouton-Rothschild. An excursion to Bordeaux is more than just a visit to an exquisite city with an old town which features on the UNESCO world heritage list. It is a visual and gastronomic treat for gourmets and sightseers alike.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 01.30 pm The Vieux Port dock and the beautiful front, which teems with cafés, form the center of the picturesque old town. Two imposing towers once served as lookout posts for the harbor and town, and are now the symbol of La Rochelle. The medieval town walls, town hall, churches and shipowners' offices bear testament to its former glory. Today, the Les Minimes marina is one of the largest examples of its kind in Europe. A bridge spans the 3km gap between the mainland and the Ile-de-Ré. With its enchanting beaches and dunes, little villages, cottages with green shutters and alleyways lined with hollyhocks, the 'White Isle' is a paradise for cyclists.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 01.30 pm At 54 square miles, Belle-Île-en-Mer, south of Lorient is the largest of Brittany's islands. For a few weeks every summer, the storms and crashing waves subside and the island takes on a laid-back holiday atmosphere, with lots of bicycles, beach towels and music. On the west coast, the waves break on the rocks causing white crests to dance on the water. Small, idyllic bays and beaches nestle in deep inlets in the rocky coastline, sometimes only accessible from the sea. The island's capital is the port of Le Palais with its imposing citadel and countless street cafés along the harbor and in the Place de la République. Claude Monet spent two and a half months on the island, producing 39 paintings of the wild Côte Sauvage.

Just enjoy the perfect sailing conditions with fitness, cosmetics, massage or with a good book in a teak chair.

Arrival 08.00 am, Departure 01.30 pm A piece of France fallen into the sea and grabbed up by the English' is how Victor Hugo described his place of exile in the Bay of St. Malo, which is closer to the northern coast of France than the south coast of England. Guernsey, the second largest British Channel Island, later inspired Auguste Renoir to produce a whole series of paintings. Narrow, meandering roads bordered by hedges and embankments wind through the interior of the island, which boasts luscious vegetation courtesy of the mild Gulf Stream climate, while in the south, green hills give way to rocky cliffs on the sea's edge. Here, spectacular crags, bays and sandy beaches have been shaped by the vast tidal range pummelling the rock. The pretty island capital of St. Peter Port overlooking the large sheltered harbor and castle boasts a fascinating mixture of styles in a tangle of terraces and stepped gardens.

Arrival 08.00 am Many famous impressionists caught the quaint atmosphere of this town at the mouth of the Seine on canvas in the 19th century. This small town in Calvados is still one of the most charming places in Normandy. Tall and narrow slate-clad buildings crowd around the quayside, the exquisite Vieux Bassin and the old 17th century dock. Honfleur honours its famous sons, painter Eugène Boudin and composer Eric Satie, in a museum. East of Honfleur, the breathtaking Pont de Normandie spans the Seine estuary and links Honfleur with Le Havre, an engineering masterpiece and one of the longest bridges in Europe.

Itineraries are subject to change.