Médoc wine tour in a sidecar from Bordeaux

Ride the vineyard roads in a sidecar, then taste wine at a château

A sidecar tour through the Médoc wine region near Bordeaux where two riders take turns in the basket and behind the pilot, traveling on small dirt paths between the vines. You stop at a Grand Cru Classé château for a guided tasting with a wine professional, then return to Bordeaux. The tour runs 3.5 hours and includes helmet, gloves, insurance and a local English or French-speaking pilot.

The experience

The sidecar holds two people: one sits in the basket up front, the other behind the pilot. You can swap seats as often as you want during the ride. After a safety briefing and gear check at the start, you head out through Bordeaux's edge and into the countryside within 30 minutes. From there, the route stays on the small paths (even the dirt tracks that cut straight through the vineyard rows around Margaux), so you get the feel of the region from ground level, moving slow enough to see the vines close up.

At one of the châteaux, a wine professional walks you through a tasting of between two and four wines depending on which estate you visit that day. They answer questions about the vineyard, the vintage and what makes the wines of Médoc distinct. After the tasting, you ride back toward Bordeaux on the same network of small roads, ending where you started.

The tour is built for two riders per sidecar, so if your group is larger, you book multiple sidecars or coordinate with the operator. Helmets and gloves are provided. Insurance is included in the price.

What’s included

• Private transportation in the sidecar.
• helmet and gloves.
• wine tasting at a Grand Cru Classé château with a wine professional.
• insurance.

Before you book

Lasts 3h 30m, runs every day at 09:00 and 14:00, from € 225 per person, with a live guide in English and French, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 09:00 and 14:00

AgesAdult (4 and older) · Under 4: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Retro Tour Bordeaux

Is this one for you?You ride the sidecar yourself (one of two people per vehicle, swapping seats whenever you want), so this suits anyone who wants to feel the vineyard roads rather than watch them pass from a car window. Larger groups book multiple sidecars or coordinate with the operator to ride together.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What are the small dirt paths like that run through the vineyards?

The dirt paths are the narrow tracks that cut between the vineyard rows in the Médoc, and the sidecar route uses them as much as possible so you travel through the vines rather than just past them. The paths are passable by sidecar, and riding them is part of what makes the experience feel like an adventure rather than a standard tour.

Can I choose which seat I sit in, or do I have to stay in one place the whole time?

You can swap seats whenever you want during the tour. One person starts in the basket at the front, the other behind the pilot, and you switch as often as you like so both riders get to experience both positions.

What happens at the château visit?

You stop at a Grand Cru Classé château where a wine professional leads a tasting of between two and four wines from that estate. They explain the vineyard, the wines and answer your questions about the region and what you are tasting.

How long does the whole experience take?

The tour runs 3.5 hours from start to finish, including the ride out, the château visit and tasting, and the ride back to Bordeaux.