Docking in Le Verdon

[Travrat]

On our upcoming Marina cruise we are unfortunately docking in Le Verdon instead of Bordeaux. It is in the middle of nowhere with no public transportation or taxis available. Has anyone recently had any experience with tours or drivers from this port other than those Oceania offers.

 We would just like transportation to Bordeaux(not a tour)or possibly wine tasting in Medoc. The free shuttle list says there is a shuttle to Soulac sur Mer from Le Verdon. Does anyone know if this is still offered?

[Ocean Mouse]

Le Verdon has a railway station with services to Pauillac and Bordeaux 

[Travrat]

1 hour ago, Ocean Mouse said:

Le Verdon has a railway station with services to Pauillac and Bordeaux 

How can you get to the railway station if there is no public transportation or taxis at the dock? 

[shepherd really]

39 minutes ago, Travrat said:

How can you get to the railway station if there is no public transportation or taxis at the dock? 

I just googled and it is a ten minute walk from the cruise terminal to the train station

[Travrat]

Thank you

[Marmaduke]

Do Riviera and Marina ever dock in Bordeaux, or are they too large to sail up the river ?

[TERRIER1]

There is a train station but it is a 2 hour ride to Bordeaux. The Marina and Riviera are to big to go down the river to Bordeaux. We ended up taking a private tour with others from our call to several wineries in the Medoc.

[Ocean Mouse]

The Riviera is scheduled to dock in Bordeaux, not Le Verdon, for our cruise in June

[willmschen]

We docked in Bordeaux on Marina in September 2019. We spent two days there in the heart of the city. 

[BWV]

We docked in Bordeaux this past June - on Marina.

Edited January 5, 2023 by BWV
mistaken month

[Travrat]

We docked in Bordeaux overnight on the Marina in 2017. Not sure why they are docking at Le Verdon other than because it is probably cheaper for them. 

[Travrat]

3 hours ago, TERRIER1 said:

There is a train station but it is a 2 hour ride to Bordeaux. The Marina and Riviera are to big to go down the river to Bordeaux. We ended up taking a private tour with others from our call to several wineries in the Medoc.

Can you please give me information about your private tour. I can’t seem to find anything that leaves out of Le Verdon with the exception of one company that charges $1500-1900 for up to 7 people. I would love if you could give me the tour operator’s name and contact info

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

3 hours ago, TERRIER1 said:

There is a train station but it is a 2 hour ride to Bordeaux. The Marina and Riviera are to big to go down the river to Bordeaux. We ended up taking a private tour with others from our call to several wineries in the Medoc.

 

I must have imagined the 2 cruises I did on Marina which both had overnights in Bordeaux......😁

[LaCroisiereS'amuse]

31 minutes ago, Travrat said:

We docked in Bordeaux overnight on the Marina in 2017. Not sure why they are docking at Le Verdon other than because it is probably cheaper for them. 

It is due to the tidal range on the Garonne.....

[TERRIER1]

3 hours ago, LaCroisiereS'amuse said:

 

I must have imagined the 2 cruises I did on Marina which both had overnights in Bordeaux......😁

You aren't imagining it lol. We were on the Marina and we were told it was due to our size but it probably had to do with a combination of the draft and the tides. 

[ORV]

Add us to the ones that went all the way to Bordeaux on the Marina. Also Sept of 19. Wonderful cruise. 

[shank63]

We will be on Riviera arriving in Bordeaux on 10/01/23.  Is there a way to confirm that we dock in Bordeaux rather than out at Le Verdon?

[LHT28]

39 minutes ago, shank63 said:

We will be on Riviera arriving in Bordeaux on 10/01/23.  Is there a way to confirm that we dock in Bordeaux rather than out at Le Verdon?

port authority

[Ocean Mouse]

Cruise Mapper

[tvmovielover]

We visited Bordeaux on Nautica.  The second day everyone left for tours in town but had to return to Le Verdon or get back on the ship before it left town.  As said above, the tides are as important as the size of the ship.

Edited January 6, 2023 by tvmovielover
spelling error

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

For anyone who had to stay in Le Verdon and be taken by bus to Bordeaux, were you aware that you wouldn't be going down the river to Bordeaux beforehand?  What did your itinerary look like?  Did it show you'd be in Le Verdon 3 hours and then arrive in Bordeaux later the same day?  I'm trying to second guess whether our river cruise day will turn into a bus day!  And so far I've found info on Bordeaux as a port, with history, but the site has no schedule.  And while sites like cruisemapper are helpful, I'm pretty sure they're based on initial itineraries developed a few years in advance and often tentative. And I can find tide tables, but don't know how to use them! 

[Jayne E]

Our Marina 2019 overnighted in Bordeaux.  Wonderful 2 days!

Our Riviera cruise in May will dock at Le Verdon where you are basically “held hostage”.  This should not be a port stop at all!!
Wine Trails in Bordeaux will pick up Le Verdon for Medoc wine tour….1400€ plus additional 180€ pick up charge plus tasting fees at wineries…8 people max.  Only full day available. 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

I don't think Oceania is holding people hostage in Le Verdon, but I'd love to hear from someone who was on Marina this summer/fall when she cruised down the Garonne to Bordeaux.  We have excursions listed (Medoc wine estates, and/or Bordeaux, all ending in Bordeaux) for our stop in Le Verdon.  As previously stated, stops in Le Verdon are due to the tide situation at time of arrival. (The Port of Bordeaux website warns of strong tide fluctuations and has a link to tide tables.)   I'm thinking of staying on the ship for our cruise down to Bordeaux.  But I'm unsure of what I'll do for the 3 hours we wait for the tides to change. So if anyone has been in Le Verdon recently (or even not recently), could you please post what there was available when you visited?  Was there a shuttle to the town of Soulac or somewhere else, as some cruisers have reported in the past?  One or two taxis?  Were you there at night, so nothing?  There are a couple things near by I'd like to see, but they may be too far for me to walk.  

 

Thanks to the person who posted about the train station.  

 

 

 

 

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

25 minutes ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I don't think Oceania is holding people hostage in Le Verdon, but I'd love to hear from someone who was on Marina this summer/fall when she cruised down the Garonne to Bordeaux.  We have excursions listed (Medoc wine estates, and/or Bordeaux, all ending in Bordeaux) for our stop in Le Verdon.  As previously stated, stops in Le Verdon are due to the tide situation at time of arrival. (The Port of Bordeaux website warns of strong tide fluctuations and has a link to tide tables.)   I'm thinking of staying on the ship for our cruise down to Bordeaux.  But I'm unsure of what I'll do for the 3 hours we wait for the tides to change. So if anyone has been in Le Verdon recently (or even not recently), could you please post what there was available when you visited?  Could you walk off the ship if you were there several hours?  Was there a shuttle to the town of Soulac or somewhere else, as some cruisers have reported in the past?  One or two taxis?  Were you there at night, so nothing?  There are a couple things near by I'd like to see, but they may be too far for me to walk.  

 

Thanks to the person who posted about the train station.  I see the train goes to Soulac sur Mer and a few other places.