I can’t wait to go back to Bordeaux as I have just had an amazing week there, even if I was totally on my own and without a car.
An iPhone Photo collage I made while travelling…
Everything went as smoothly as the Bordeaux tram system, which is a great and easy way to travel from the airport to the town centre and around the city.
As you might know (if you have read my previous posts), I am currently learning about wine and, in particular, French wine, so Bordeaux was a prime location to visit.
I will share with you a few tips and I will keep a few for my students.
When in Bordeaux, one of the first things to do is head to the tourism office. They will know all the day trips, events, and activities to do in the area and have all the maps. They were not very responsive when I emailed, but they are extremely helpful when you turn up there. They organise trips with big coaches, for example, to Saint Émilion or the Médoc, and this time, it was roughly 50 euros per person for a day trip.
This year, I opted for a smaller tour to Pessac Léognan and Entre-Deux-Mers with a new tourism company called Vert Bordeaux, and I had a terrific time. Emmanuel, the manager and tour guide, was friendly, knowledgeable, and patient… He answered every single question I had. He carefully chooses the vineyards he visits, and they are all organic wineries. We had plenty of time in a big château in Entre-Deux-Mers, where we saw the property, cellars, vineyards and tanks, followed by a lovely wine tasting. We then headed to another château in Pessac Léognan (some of my favourite red wines come from Pessac Léognan). There, they produce Safran alongside the vines, and we could try some incredible Safran oil after the wine tasting. The whole half day ‘Off the Beaten Track’ felt very special as we were a small group (8 on that day) and had plenty of time to enjoy.
If you would like to book a tour with this tour agency, Vert Bordeaux*, visit their website at https://vertbordeaux.fr. Here is a code for my students to enjoy a 10% discount: FWO2024.
They also offer tours in Bordeaux with local treats, historical tours, or trips a bit further on the coast to Archachon and the Dune du Pilat. It is possible to book them for a private group.
(*I do not get any payment or commission to recommend them)
If you learn about wine, you should not miss ‘La Cité du Vin’ in Bordeaux. It is a wine education centre in the shape of a decanter, and the whole place is dedicated to wine. On the ground floor, their shops have a good selection of products and wine bottles from around the world. On the first floor, there is a small library, which is totally free and has a great range of comic strips about wine and various books. The permanent exhibition on the second floor is spacious and educational, with many videos and interactive activities. After the exhibition, you can head to the top floor of the building to enjoy a glass of wine. This time, I tried the Bulgarian wine made with Shiroka Melnik grapes and a delicious Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux dry white wine. If you have enough time, I would recommend booking one of their workshops, as it gives you a different approach to wine appreciation and understanding. They are very well-structured and informative.
La Cité du Vin in Bordeaux - It has the shape of a decanter.
I could write endlessly about Bordeaux and its wines, but remember that Bordeaux is equally amazing without the wine aspect: the architecture, the food, the shops, and the rhythm and atmosphere of the city are all worth seeing and experiencing. I would say it is a great alternative to Paris if you prefer smaller cities.
Annie
Written in London on the 10th of July 2024.