Jump on board for a pleasant train ride across the continent from Paris or London, headed towards Bordeaux wine and region. Bordeaux is Franceโs wine capital, and the France that weโve fallen for.
Bordeaux is romantic โ pretty, chilled, walkable, with street after street of 18th Century glamour, reminiscent of the good old days when this place was wealthy on the business of wine.
The city is historical, yet fresh, thanks to an ongoing regeneration project led by the local council. Itโs like exploring an open-air museum, full of stunning old squares and beautifully designed spaces set along the Garonne river. If youโre like us, youโll not spend a lot of time on the crowded pedestrian shopping hot-spot Rue Sainte-Catherine though: rather, veer off into the back streets filled with surprises like Parliament Square, featuring quaint French fashion boutiques and brasseries serving espresso and cheese platters.
The grand Place de la Bourse built under King Louis XVโs reign in the 18th Century isnโt far. Itโs positioned on the riverfront, and magically mirrored by the worldโs largest reflecting pool, the Miroir d’Eau (mirror of water).
Take a tram along the riverfront to La Cite du Vin which is, oh yes, a museum dedicated to wine! Your entry pass scores you access to the Belvedere Barโs panoramic viewpoint; an opportunity to view 120 high-tech multimedia displays and thoughtful exhibits; participate in workshops and taste wine from a selection of the museumโs 7,000 international wines.
Bordeauxโs wine story is as fascinating as the building that all this is housed in (are the 900 glass panels and 2,500 aluminium panels designed in the shape of a large wine decanter, or wine swirling around a large glass?). Real abundance arrived when the astute Eleanor of Aquitaine married Englandโs Henry II, and established Bordeaux winesโ significant export trade. The rest is history, and you can relish in it all right here.
If youโre hungry afterwards, thereโs a stylish food market across the road, Les Halles Bacalan. We were tipped off about it by our helpful Bordeaux Tourism walking tour guide, Veronique, who also led a half day excursion from Bordeaux to the Medoc wine region that we happily found ourselves on. We couldnโt help but get swept up in the wonder of it all that sunny afternoon. With thousands of chateaus and wine growers, hundreds of merchants and brokers bringing Bordeauxโs 113,000 hectares of international business to life, we were literally immersed in wine.
Our trip took us to famous Chateau Maucaillou and historical Chateau du Taillan to learn about wine production, view their spectacular grounds and cellars, and taste special vintages. You may think you canโt appreciate wine any more than you already do, but after visiting these places, trust us, you can.
In Bordeaux thereโs a strong sense that the people here really care about their city and culture. Itโs clean, interesting and liveable.
Ask a local about when the city markets are on (we liked Marchรฉ des Capucins for people-watching, and Marche des Quais, Sundays along the river), and which galleries they recommend โ itโs easy to immerse yourself in all thatโs fresh and delicious here. Itโs your chance to try the best bits about being French! ๐