Explore Bordeaux, Perigord, and the Dordogne with Harold Davis

Click here for the detailed trip itinerary and day-by-day PDF!

What: More than a week with a small compatible group of photographers in a picturesque Dordogne village in the lush, springtime countryside of southwest France. We will explore the romantic heart of ancient Aquitaine with our cameras, including Bordeaux, the Dordogne, and Perigord.

Where: We will be based at Le Moulin de l’Abbaye, a 4-star hotel on the banks of La Dronne river in Brantome, a small village that has been called the “Venice of the Dordogne.”   Set amid gardens with the river running nearby, and only a short walk to the bridges and restaurants of Brantome, Le Moulin de l’Abbaye combines old and new (it was renovated around a structure that dates back to the 1600s) and is an ideal place for photography.

When: Saturday, April 22, 2017 (leave US Friday April 21) to Sunday, April 30, 2017 (eight nights and nine days).

Group Size: This is an exclusive, small photo workshop (non-photographer significant others are also welcome) with very limited space availability. Click here to check out this PDF book of one participant’s experience in Harold’s 2016 Photographic Photo Workshop to the Lot River Valley in Southwest France.

How to Register: Please send us an email expressing interest right away; a completed registration requires a $1000 deposit, the trip reservation form, and a copy of your currently valid passport page.

Details: The group meets at a luxurious hotel in Bordeaux in the southwest of France on the afternoon of Saturday April 22, 2017. The port city of Bordeaux is the capital of the Aquitaine region of France, a major center of the wine industry, and the city which has the highest number of preserved historical buildings in France (except for Paris).

There are many photographic opportunities in Bordeaux itself, and we will visit some of these with a private guided tour, followed by a group welcome dinner (included in the cost).

On Sunday April 23 we will transfer by private mini-bus and visit Saint-Emilion for a guided tour of this Unesco World Heritage Site with cliffs, ruins, a Romanesque church, and viticulture.

After lunch, we’ll proceed to Le Moulin de l’Abbaye in Brantome. Brantome, on the northern edge of the Dordogne is an ancient village on an important branch of the Chemin de Saint Jacques pilgrimage trail.  This is a region of beautiful rivers and valleys, stark cliffs with ancient clinging villages, sacred pilgrimage routes, stone bridges, churches that date from the era of the crusaders, beautiful flowering gardens, and much more.

Le Moulin de L’Abbaye will be our home away from home for the next seven nights. Here’s a description: “Situated in the heart of Brantome, one of the most picturesque villages in Dordogne, the Abbey Mill is a charming 4-star hotel that will welcome you in a warm and refined atmosphere.

“A unique and exquisite setting where nature plays its role fully with this beautiful XVIIth century mill covered in ivy. On the river bank, the Mill offers a panoramic view of Brantôme, the Jardin des Moines, the “Pont Coudé” bridge and the Abbey founded in 769 by Charlemagne.

The Abbey Mill is a hotel comprised of 3 historical buildings:

– The old Mill that has had different fates : grinding grain, spinning and weaving wool and even producing electricity for the village
– The Miller’s house situated at the entrance of the caves, a few meters away from the Mill
– The Abbey house on the other side of the river, 300m away from the Mill, dating back to the XIIIth century in which Pierre de Boudeilles, abbey and lord of Brantome, lived.”

We could happily spend all our time photographing in Brantome, and right around the location of Le Moulin de l’Abbaye  (and if you choose to do so, no one will think the less of you!), but three extensive professionally-guided excursions are included in the workshop.

Excursion by private vehicle with guide will include destinations such as:

• Bordeilles Chateau, with its fortifications and views of villages and valleys
• Perigueux, with its ancient Roman amphitheater and historic Romanesque cathedral
• The Dordogne River Valley
• The gardens, vistas, and ancient fortifications of Limeuil (at the confluence of the Vezere and Dordogne Rivers)
• The ruins of the ancient Cistercian Abbaye de Boschaud in Villars

When (alas!) our time in the Dorodogne draws to a close on Sunday, April 30, transfer by private mini-bus to Bordeaux airport or train station for return to the United States or further adventures in Europe is included.

Cost: $4,795 per person (single supplement $875).

Inclusions: Eight nights lodging (one night at a 4-star hotel in Bordeaux, seven nights at Le Moulin de l’Abbaye), all breakfasts (8), meals as indicated (three dinners, eight breakfasts), walking tour of Bordeaux with licensed guide, round-trip transfers from Bordeaux to Le Moulin de l’Abbaye (Brantome), and three extensive excursions including admissions and licensed guides, and service charges; photographic guidance, discussions, and one-on-one tutorial sessions with master photographer Harold Davis.

Exclusions: Airfare and transportation to Bordeaux (Bordeaux is easy to reach by plane or train from Paris and many other points in Europe), travel insurance, meals except as indicated, admissions except as indicated, wine and spirits, personal laundry, and personal items such as souvenirs. We are happy to advise about travel arrangements on request.

Travel Insurance: Very highly recommended. More info.

To Register: Please send us an email expressing interest right away; a completed registration requires a $1000 deposit, the trip reservation form, and a copy of your currently valid passport page.