THE THOMS SUNDAY TRAVEL SECTION
We’ll Take a Glass Together
I believe that most people know of the word Bordeaux. It’s a wine, isn’t it?
And some drink Bordeaux wines, considered some of the best in the world.
So how come few people know where the wine got its name?
Bordeaux is one of my favorite cities in France. This magical place is in the southwest of France. Sitting on the Garonne River, it is approximately one hours drive to the Atlantic Ocean due west. Paris is just over an hour away by plane or four hours by high-speed train.
The city and countryside are spectacular. There are indications of a settlement here dating back to 567 B.C.
The terrain varies from the sandy beaches on the Atlantic to the limestone fields of Graves. Then east to the rolling hillside near Saint-Émilion.
For history buffs, this was the Nouvelle-Aquitaine (New Aquitaine) region, once part of Aquitaine. One of the most powerful of the ancient fiefdoms and home to Eleanor of Aquitaine.
She held many titles including Duchess of Aquitaine, Queen of France, and Queen Dowager.
A list of her husbands includes King Louis VII of France and King Henry II of England.
Three of her sons became kings including Henry, John, and Richard the Lionheart.
Today, the citie’s historic area is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Unfortunately for your feet, it is the largest urban UNESCO World Heritage Site in the world. Bordeaux has more preserved historical buildings than any city in France, except for Paris.
Explore Bordeaux
Place de la Bourse is at the center of town. This iconic 18th-century square features traditional architecture around a fountain. Here, you can see a reflecting pool, the Miroir d’eau, one of the world’s largest.
Place du Parlement is a square, dating from 1760. It is a historical monument to the Parliament of Bordeaux that helped govern from 1451 to 1790.
Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux is a grand theatre and temple of the Arts and Light. Building began in 1780. Garnier copies ideas from it for his opera house in Paris.
Place de la Comédie Square is where the Grand Theatre, Grand Hotel, and the city’s main streets converge. It is also the shopping area. Meet me by the clock.
Explore Bordeaux’s Other Squares
Place des Quinconces, dating from 1820, is one of the largest city squares in Europe. Several impressive statues and fountains decorate the square including the Monument aux Girondins.
Place Pay Berland is the main square of Bordeaux. Why? It is not the largest. But here is where you will find the Hotel de Ville (City hall). See Tour Pey Berland, the bell tower that lends its name to the area. And what is a bell tower without a cathedral? Here you will find the Cathedral of Saint Andrew of Bordeaux, dating from 1096 A.D. Much of what you see today dates to the 14th – 15th centuries.
The Grosse Cloche (Big Bell) hangs above Saint-Eloy Gate, also known as Saint-James, dating back to the 1400s.
The current belle, dating from 1775, weighs 7.8 tons and is 6.5 feet tall and wide.
Today, it only rings on New Years Day, Bastille Day, Bordeaux Liberation Day, and Armistice Day. Tours are available.
Another picturesque gate, closer to the river is Puerta de Cailhau, dating from 1495, is a combination of both decorative and defensive elements.
Explore Bordeaux’s Other Great Church
Basilica of St. Michael, Bordeaux, dating from the 14th century, is a flamboyant Gothic style basilica easy to spot. The intricate pulpit representing Saint Michael slaying the dragon is worth seeing.
Basilica of Saint Severinus of Bordeaux dates from the 11th century. It is still a stopping point by pilgrims on the Ways of Saint James of Compostela.
Church Saint-Éloi, is adjacent to the Big Bell. This historic gothic church is a French historical monument.
Explore Bordeaux’s Other Treasures
Pont de Pierre is a stone bridge, dating from 1819 A.D. It was the first bridge across the Garonne River near Bordeaux, and remains the only bridge until 1965. Visit and learn why there are 17 arches.
Explore Bordeaux Museums.
Bordeaux has 11 significant museums ranging from Art to Wine. Some of these include:
Musée d’Aquitaine is a history museum covering Bordeaux’s history from early times until today.
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux sits in a former palace housing classical art. Pieces range from the Renaissance to the 19th century. It is one of France’s most significant museums outside of Paris.
Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle occupies a former mansion from 1781. It became a museum in 1858 and its immense collections number over one million items. After completing a significant renovation, it re-opened earlier this year.
Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux is the original wine museum of Bordeaux. Housing a high-tech wine collection, it covers 2000 years of wine history in Bordeaux. There are displays and tastings.
La Cite du Vin is more of a wine experience than a museum. It explores the many facets of wine (not just local) through time. It also features the Belvedere, where you can taste a glass of wine and enjoy a 360° view of Bordeaux.
Explore Bordeaux Wine.
We cannot talk about wine museums and not speak about Bordeaux wine. It is the capital of the French wine industry, producing more than 700 million bottles of wine per year.
The wines range from everyday table wine to some of the most prestigious (expensive) wines in the world.
Reds make up the vast majority of wines with sweet and dry whites coming in a far second. You can also find rosé and sparkling wines in small quantities.
There are more than 8,500 chateaux (manor homes) producing Bordeaux wine. Within Bordeaux, there are 54 appellation d’origine contrôlée (A.O.C. means a protected designation of origin). These safeguard wines, cheeses, and butter by geographical location or source.
In preparation for the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, Emperor Napoleon III wants to impress the world with everything French.
He requests the best wines and a classification system for them.
The rankings have changed very little since 1855 with wines from the Médoc, Graves, Margaux, Pauillac, and St. Julien areas covering most of the reds.
Sauternes and Barsac are leading the listings for the whites.
Just a few of the most famous (and expensive) labels include Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux, Château Latour, Château Haut-Brion, and Château Mouton Rothschild. These wines, selling at auctions, have sold for more than $200,000 a bottle.
In France, one does not just drive up to the chateaux and ask to taste the wine. You must make reservations in advance. Be aware; they may change at the last minute due to something unexpected at the winery. Viniculture comes before tourism in this area, sorry.
Read more about Bordeaux Wines.
Explore Bordeaux Cuisine
The cuisine of Bordeaux is a reflection of its surroundings. In a way, Bordeaux has water on three sides. The Garonne and Dordogne rivers separate regions within the area. The Atlantic Ocean delivers fresh seafood daily. The Arcachon Bay, an hours drive west to the coast, has more than 300 oyster farmers. Between them, they are responsible for over 10,000 tons of oysters each year.
So, the Bordelais must live on seafood alone, Oui? No!. Beef and lamb are significant players in the diet and on their menus. The major cow breeds here are boeuf de Bazas, the Blonde d’Aquitaine, and Simmental. These are quality beef breeds. You will also find Free-range chicken, turkey, pigeon, goose, duck, and other fowl on local menus.
As of 2019, there were eight restaurants in the Bordeaux region with Michelin stars. Three of these restaurants have two stars.
Read more about Bordeaux Cuisine.
Explore Bordeaux Outside the City
Although the city has enough to keep you busy for several days, there is lovely scenery outside the city. You can sightsee, wine-taste or both in most of the wine regions. I highly recommend making reservations as soon as you know you are going. Once again, have a plan B as they may rescind the ticket if something comes up at the winery.
The village of St. Emillion is an excellent plan B. It is approximately 45 minutes drive east, through scenic countryside.
Here you can taste local wines, visit an underground church, and eat Macaroons from France’s oldest recipe. Or so legend says.
The village of Cognac is approximately two hours drive north. This charming village is a delightful place for lunch, and their brandies are not bad. I recommend reservations at the Cognac distilleries.
So what do you think of Bordeaux? The city and the surrounding area have so much to offer for everyone.
Is it time for you to explore Bordeaux?
PLEASE scroll down to the “Leave a Reply” section at the bottom and tell me your thoughts on:
What would be the first thing you would do in Bordeaux?”
Please help me spread the news by liking, commenting, and sharing this blog. – THANKS!
“See Rhodes Greece” Continued on Page T3 “Taste Paros” Continued on T11
Sounds very interesting! I would love to tour the city and the countryside with you on one of your tours.
Tours are coming soon.
I enjoy the history and photos of the churches and cathedrals in your Sunday morning tours – this amazing architecture would be one of my first stops in any city. Wonderfully written, thank you!
The architecture would require a few days on its own…
First thing? After reading this charming article and viewing those scrumptious photos, I think my FIRST, SECOND and THIRD things would be wine, food, and …. more wine! Although I might not be quite up to spending $200K a bottle… Thanks, Thom. Bordeaux is officially going on the bucket list.
The only problem is the air… My clothes are always a little tighter after a few days in Bordeaux. After a week home, they fit again…