Fort Médoc and Margaux, France
- Amaris Scipione
- Apr 16
- 4 min read
My morning started early with yoga. The class was at 7:30am in the main lounge. Mats were set up and three guests including me joined for yoga. I missed the class yesterday and the feedback was that it was too easy. This class was much harder than yesterday, but not as hard as the yoga I normally do back home. Part of that is that the class is only 30-minutes and it went by quickly. The most delightful part of class is that mango smoothies were available at the bar right after the class. It was a nice way to end it!
This morning we are docked by Fort Médoc, and a walking tour is available for all guests on the ship. I think almost every guest attends, so it was busy in the lobby. We were all grabbing our devices to hear the guide and using the kiosks to check-out of the ship. Once outside, it felt much better. The lady talked about the history of the area, and we walked around the premises. There are sheep here too! We finished with tastings from local companies. There was honey, macarons, wine, and oysters. I’ve never had an oyster, but it seems like the place to try one! I tried one and I am definitely not a fan. My face turned bright red and I got really hot. I had this lingering taste in my mouth, so I swig the last sip of my wine sample. It’s not enough so I buy a cupcake from one of the vendors. The chocolate cupcake with pink frosting makes the taste in my mouth much better, but I’m still dealing with the hotness. My friends help with holding my stuff but then laugh at me as I peel off three layers of clothing because it was a nice day so four layers may have been excessive. I was comfortable until the oyster! After a few minutes, I determine that I’m having an allergic reaction to the oyster so it’s back to the ship for me. I take allergy medicine and the problem dissipates. No more oysters for me!
Back on the ship it’s already lunchtime. I’ve just eaten an oyster and a cupcake, but I round out my lunch with some pesto pasta.
There is another set of excursions this afternoon. I’m on the e-bike tour. We had to sign a waiver for this tour. We need our listening devices which I think is strange for a biking tour, but I bring it anyways. I also bring my crossbody and a bottle of water. We move off the ship and onto buses and it’s a short ride to Margaux. The bus stops and we quickly see a long row of bikes. There are about 14 people in our group and 12 people in the other group that is also doing the bike tour. It’s a lot of bikes! The bicycle has a little basket on the side which is perfect for my crossbody and bottle of water. We spend the first few minutes adjusting the bikes and then we’re given a short tutorial on the e-bikes. They are a little different than the e-bikes at home. The bikes assist with power, but ultimately you still need to peddle to go. Once everyone is ready, we hop on the bikes and start moving. We ride down a small country road and our guide talks to us through the listening devices. Within the first five minutes I decide that this was the best excursion choice. We’re riding through a fairytale. Vineyards and chateaus surround us. We stop every so often to take pictures and for the guide to give us more information. I can’t fully express in words how amazing this experience was.
Before this trip, I’ve been studying a little bit about French culture. One of the things that I learned was a difference in how we respond to giving feedback. From what I’ve learned, French people often give so-so feedback. For example, if you like something and are asked about it you might respond with a somewhat lukewarm answer. Fully positive feedback is reserved for special occasions and rarely used. I learned about this, but sort of forgot about it until today. We are standing around looking at the chateaus and the guide asks me how the tour is going. I respond “perfect” and the guide literally stumbles backwards in disbelief. This is not something the French would say. He then basically tells me I must not get out much. Haha. It is a clash with culture and I forgot the French rules.
I have been incredibly lucky in my life to see so many amazing places and do exciting things. I am so grateful for all the opportunities that I’ve had and sometimes the wave of gratefulness can be overwhelming. This tour reminds me of how lucky I am. This tour felt like a dream. I think it may be the most enjoyable tour that I’ve ever experienced. The sun was shining, the weather was perfect, the e-bikes made the 8-mile bike ride seem like nothing, and we rolled through the countryside. There is a company called Backroads that specializes in bike tours around the world. This tour is a sign that I need to take a Backroads tour. Doing this every day of a vacation would be amazing!! The tour ends with a sweet treat. We visit a small chocolate shop for samples. I couldn’t think of a better way to end such a spectacular tour.
We return to the ship and get ready for dinner. It’s another amazing meal! I order the cauliflower soup, the chicken, and creme brûlée. Later, we watch the sunset.
I finish the day with one of the things that I was most excited for about this cruise. What excites me is understandably a little weird. Avalon Waterways has a quiet lounge on the back of the ship. The lounge has fancy water. It’s a machine where you can select a variety of different types of water. I have been so excited for this fancy water! How often do you see a dispenser for magnesium water? I end my day with a glassful of magnesium and I’m excited for another incredible day in France. It’s going to be hard to beat this day!
