When you leave a beautiful place, you carry it with you wherever you go

Alexandra Stoddard

Here’s to exploring another city of France after not being so impressed by Paris. It definitely wasn’t love at first sight but just one day in and I was absolutely in love with Bordeaux! It’s my humble opinion that this city is a lot prettier than Paris. Happy to take you through my week spent in Bordeaux.

The words “terroir” is etched in my mind whenever I talk about Bordeaux and you’ll find out why later in my post. Yes, say the name Bordeaux and everyone is going to tell you it’s a type of wine, isn’t it? I decided to spend a week here to really understand what exactly is Bordeaux wine. I had absolutely no idea and I am happy I came back with some fair knowledge, enough to call me a very amateur wine taster. NO, I wouldn’t go so far as to even think of calling myself anywhere near a connoisseur. I would be cursed for even thinking that.

Vibe

Bordeaux was only partially destroyed during WWII, 40% of the city was then named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007 and it is home to over 362 historic monuments. The city has since been protected which made wandering around felt like I was traveling through time. I was absolutely marvelled by every street and corner that I walked into.

Albeit a big city, it is surprisingly easy to get around. The TBM (Transport Bordeaux Metropole) covers everything from bus, tram and even the boats! My recommendation is to stay within the vicinity of the city anywhere along the tram lines (A,B,C,D).

Rue St Catherine is one of the notable and vibrant streets in Bordeaux that stretches 1.5km from Place de la Victoire to Place de la Comedie. While it’s free from cars, do watch out for the occasional motorbikes. We visited during the summer and it was definitely crowded. Everyone was out to enjoy the sun! I found walking along St Catherine to be very helpful to sort out my bearings in the city. I could also easily take short detours to see some iconic structures such as the Grosse Cloche and Porte de Bourgogne. From there you could also take a scenic walk along the bridge Point de Perre to cross over to the other side.

One of the things I love about countries in Europe are the squares. You can reference it to some sort of plaza if you like. Place du Parlement is a massive square with a fountain in the middle surrounded by plenty of eateries with outdoor patios to satisfy your people-watching fad (if that’s your kind of thing). Walk further east, towards the river and you will spot the Miroir d’eau which literally translates to “Water Mirror” – which bodes a beautiful reflection of the Place de la Bourse.

The City of Wine

Have you truly visited Bordeaux if you have not learnt anything about the Bordeaux wine? Where to begin? That was the burning question as I was planning this trip. Well, the La Cite du Vin is a great place to start. Also known as the wine museum, their permanent exhibition is like an impressive library of wine from all over the world. I think this is one of the must-visits even if you’re not a wine drinker. I found that an enjoyable way to get there is via the boat transport. If you have purchased the TBM ticket, it includes the boat ride.

There are about 53 appellations in Bordeaux alone and each has it’s own unique “terroir”. There really is no English word to translate “terroir”. The aspect of “terroir” is absolutely vital in defining a wine because it literally refers to every single element that would affect the wine – from the soil to the humidity, the elevation, the time of the year, etc. It’s relevant to know a bit of these appellations because Bordeaux labels wines by sub-region instead of grape type. So don’t expect to see a Shiraz or a Pinot Noir on the shelves.

The other thing I found out about Bordeaux wine is that it’s really mostly a blend. Though I didn’t try all the wines in Bordeaux, I did try enough to know many of them consists of a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. For context, a châteaux in Bordeaux do not mean a castle but instead it is used to refer to vineyards. In essence, many of these vineyards were once manors or had big castles but the châteaux word is now commonly understood to refer to vineyards.

If you have more time to spare like me, then I’d also recommend you to take a day trip to the very famous Saint Emillion. The beauty of this place is absolutely understated. It’s a medieval village where it is said that a monk, named Emilian lived. It’s quite common to find many day trips to Saint Emillion which includes one or two vineyard tours. We decided to visit at our own pace instead by taking the bus to Saint Emillion where a return ticket would cost you about 4.60€ pp (ticket purchased on the bus). It departs from Quinconces, located near the Office de Tourisme.

We strolled along the enchanting cobbled streets of Saint Emillion, walking up and down the hills, amazed by the largest Monolithic Church in Europe. I’ve heard it’s a tour worth paying for to visit this church. Although we didn’t do the tour, we explored the abundant local wine shops and participated in wine tastings for a small fee. It was a great way to taste the variety of Bordeaux wine from different regions.

Bordeaux Wine Festival

I was thrilled to find out about Bordeaux Fête le Vin. Of course, a 4-day wine festival is only befitting to the city of Bordeaux. My 2024 ticket comes with 11 tasting pass, 1 wine glass souvenir and 1 workshop.

French Appetite

There are a few staples I must have when I visit France – croissant, pain au chocolat, baguette, butter, crepe, eclair and beef tartare. But there are known specialty dishes in different parts of France and the one in Bordeaux is not a dish, but a dessert called canelé. Now, the origin of this dessert is one I find fascinating – you see, back in the day egg whites were first used to clarify wine. And you can only imagine the amount of wine being produce back then in Bordeaux, so the leftover egg yolks were then used by the nuns to feed the poor. Eventually though, through creation, turned into this popular dessert. Head over to Canelé Bailllardran to have a taste. It’s not my favourite dessert but it’s definitely worth a try.

Another great place to satisfy your French appetite is the Les Halles Bacalan located just outside La Cite du Vin. I swear I literally had the best confit de canard of my life here. It’s super vibrant with a nice crowd. Arachon Bay, which is about an hour’s drive from the city of Bordeaux is where Cap Ferret lies and has one of the best oysters in France. They were honestly so good and you can find them in oyster bistros in the city like Chez Jean-Mi. I had mine at the wine festival and it was the perfect pairing!

OTHER RECOMMENDATION

Bistro Régent is a hidden gem in Bordeaux where they have affordable plat du jour compared to all the other bistros we’ve came across. And the best bit is that it comes with unlimited refillable fries! Their mains are authentic French ranging from beef tartare, salmon tartare, grilled steak and magret de canard.

A neat trick to make your wine discovery a bit more affordable is to visit the châteaux during “Portes Ouvertes” (meaning open doors) that are held once a year. It is hosted by the wineries themselves and usually includes a free tour and free tasting. You can find out more here.

I got my inspiration in choosing to visit Bordeaux through this blog. Bordeaux really embodies what I thought visiting France would feel like. The amazing food, wine, the romance in the air, the quaint cafes and pretty streets. If you only have time for one city in France, I’d recommend you start in Bordeaux.