Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux is the capital of the southern France Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and with a metropolitan population of 1.4 million ranks as the 6th most populated city in France.  Situated on the Garonne River just 70km from the Atlantic Ocean the city was one of the major 18th century ports of Europe with the river deep enough to accommodate ocean going ships.  In 2007, 40% of the city located around the historic center was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with more protected buildings than any other French city except Paris.  Tourism, especially wine tourism, is a major industry with over 287,00 acres of vineyards in the Bordeaux area producing large quantities of everyday wine, as well as some of the most expensive wines in the world.

We came to Bordeaux 6 years ago and fell in love with the city.  Are we still in love with Bordeaux?  I think over the past 7 years of full time travel what appeals to us about a city or town has evolved.  6 years ago we stayed a tram ride away from the city center in the suburb of Talence, this time we are in the heart of the city and can walk everywhere.  What I don’t recall from our last visit was how prevalent the homeless situation is, it’s sad and a little disturbing.

So why did we come back?  Earlier this year some nomad friends were here and I was reminded how much we enjoyed our first visit, so having time in our schedule we decided to return for a few days.  Our apartment was close to the Garonne river, one block off Rue Sainte Catherine (the longest pedestrian street in France) and walking distance to everywhere in the city center.  So we parked the car and walked, and walked, and walked.  Our first day we joined a free walking tour around the historic center of Bordeaux.  Much of the information we already knew but it was a good refresher, plus we picked up a few ‘local’ tips and met some fun people.

We love wine tastings and what better place than Bordeaux to indulge that passion.  Our favorite place to while away a few hours sipping the fabulous Bordeaux wines is Le Bar a Vin in the Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux (the Bordeaux wine school) where flights of wine, charcuterie platters and cheese platters are very affordable.  Bordeaux is the worlds major wine industry capital producing over 960 million bottles each year.  We did our best to try a wide variety of the regional wines 🍷🍷 and recommend checking out Le Bar a Vin if you are in the city.

Another favorite memory from our 2018 visit was the Miroir d’eau but sadly it was closed for the winter, as are all the fountains in Bordeaux ☹️  So while November is quiet on the tourist front, there are many attractions closed for the winter .  Perhaps October would have been a better choice but I really did not realize, or research, how much got shut down in November.

The Girondins Fountain is one of my favorite fountains in Europe so I was disappointed that it too was shut down for the winter.  It has been described as a “riot of horses” and if you look you can see their feet are webbed claws and the back end of the horses are part fish.  These creatures are called Hippocampus and probably the most well known ones are in Rome’s Trevi Fountain pulling Neptune’s sea chariot.

The Cathédrale Saint-André is an impressive Gothic cathedral located in the heart of Bordeaux, known for its stunning facade, tall towers, and ornate interior.  The Cathedral was consecrated as a church in 1096 and made famous in 1137 when at the age of 13 Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII here, becoming the Queen of France a few months later.  She subsequently divorced Louis and in 1152 married Henry II to become the Queen of England, and mother of King Richard the Lionheart and King John of England.  At the beginning of the 13th century it was decided to transform the church from the Romanesque to French Gothic architecture and the old sanctuary was gradually demolished.  Changes, additions and restorations continued well into the 20th century to preserve this beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The cathedral is also a key stop along the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route.  (click on any photo to enlarge)

Our walking tour took us past a beautiful small church tucked away near the Opera House.  The church of Notre-Dame de Bordeaux was built between 1684 and 1707 by the Dominican order and is an excellent example of late 17th century Baroque architecture.  From 1971 to 1981, the church was closed following the collapse of part of the vaults.  It was completely repaired and restored in 1982, uncovering the original blond stone.  The abundance of exquisite sculptures and decoration on the exterior contrasts with the simplicity of the interior design.

The Grosse Cloche de Bordeaux (literally “Big Bell”) is one of the few remaining medieval gates of the city.  Over the centuries the gate has also served as a defensive fort and as a prison for young offenders.  The most recent bell was installed in 1775, weighs about 7,800 kilograms and is 2.10 meters in diameter.

Opened in 2017, the Cite du Vin is a museum as well as a place of exhibitions, shows and academic seminars on the theme of wine.  The building is quite stunning and an easy walk or tram ride from the historic center of Bordeaux.

We thoroughly enjoyed our return visit to Bordeaux and find it an interesting city with many historic sites, endless restaurants, incredible wines and a great boardwalk along the river.  Outside the city there are many beautiful places to visit from the wine region of Saint-Emilion to Cap Ferret and the beaches near Arcachon.  Although we did not venture out of the city this time with only being here 4 days, we can see returning for a longer stay.

Next up, Lourdes…..

 

 

 

 

TRIP TIPS

If you are driving a car into Bordeaux it’s worthwhile to buy a one week pass if you are staying more than 2 nights.  We parked at Indigo Camille Jullian and the daily rate was 30 Euros but a one week pass was 66.65 Euros.