We went to Bordeaux for a short visit in November - it was a little last-minute, which is unusual for us, but we still did quite a bit of research!
The city of Bordeaux is known for its 18th-century architecture and wide riverfront, while the region has been a wine center since the Romans planted vines along the Garonne river nearly 2,000 years ago.
[I've added quotes from the tourist office guide]
Place de la Bourse, with the Water Mirror in the foreground. (Alas, no water in the mirror, since it's winter 😕)
"PLACE DE LA BOURSE
This product of the Age of Enlightenment is the most comparable city square to Versailles. Previously called the Royal Square, along with the 'Stock Market Building' it became the place where trade prices were set in the 18th century. In the centre of the square lies The Fountain of the Three Graces."
"MIROIR D'EAU
The key element in the regeneration of the riverside carried out in 2006. It is the largest water mirror in the world (3450 m², plus an 800 m² underground reservoir) and has become the city's emblematic spot where locals and tourists alike love to gather. Off in winter."
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| Place de la Bourse |
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| Mayor's Garden |
"MONUMENT AUX GIRONDINS
A tribute to the inhabitants of Gironde lost during the French Revolution, 'Liberty Breaking its Chains' stands proud at the top of the 43m column (1895-1901)."
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| Monument aux Girondins |
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| Colonnes Rostrales |
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| Bourse, from bridge |
"GROSSE CLOCHE
A historic town belfry and the only remains of the old defensive gate of the 13th century. The weathervane on top represents a golden lion, symbol of the Kings of England. Cast in 1775, the bell weighs 7,800 kg."
A gateway into the city from the West since the Roman era, it was rebuilt by Michel Voisin between 1748 and 1753. Under Louis XV, it was called Dauphin's Gate in honour of the French Dauphin, the future King Louis XVI."
"Basilica St. Michel built in the flamboyant Gothic style with a separate tower, crypt & 19th-century organ."
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| St. Michel |
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| Gambetta |
"GRAND THÉÂTRE
A masterpiece of European architecture, the stair of which inspired the architect responsible for the Opera Garnier in Paris. It is fronted by a columned portico with twelve stone statues (9 muses and 3 goddesses (Minerva, Venus, Juno))."
"ÉGLISE SAINT-PIERRE
Built between the 14th and 15th centuries on the site of an old Gallo-Roman port. The square and the paved streets that branch off make up Bordeaux's old town."
"ÉGLISE NOTRE-DAME
Constructed by the Dominicans, the church is typical of baroque edifices of the Counter-Reformation. Its parvis has been the set of numerous period drama films."
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| Eglise Notre-Dame |
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| Fountain at Bourse |
"Pont de Pierre
Commissioned by Napoleon, this elegant bridge has 17 spans enabling it to cross the River Garonne."
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| Stone Bridge |
"PORTE CAILHAU
This defensive structure, built between 1493 and 1496 on the site of an old gatehouse, was the main point of entry into the city from the river for almost two centuries."
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| Place du Palais, Porte Cailhau |
We drove up along the Gironde estuary, looking at vineyards and chateaux
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| The Gironde (estuary) |
I had a little language fun - we stopped at a wine collective so we could compare a number of different styles. One bottle was described as containing a mixture of grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and un petit verre d'eau. Hmmm?
I said, " a small glass of water?!?"
And the wine fellow said, "oh did you want some water?"
I said, "ah, no, I was laughing about the name of the grape"
He laughed and showed me the name:
Petit Verdot! (Sounds exactly the same 🤪🤣)
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| Wine tasting - Pauillac (poh-yak) |
Back in town...
"PALAIS ROHAN
This building was originally the Archbishop's Palace in 1784, but in 1800 it became the Gironde Prefecture, then an imperial palace and royal residence, until finally becoming the city hall in 1837."
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| Palais Rohan |
"CATHÉDRALE SAINT-ANDRÉ & TOUR PEY-BERLAND
This Gothic-style cathedral hosted two royal marriages. The first between Eleanor of Aquitaine and the future Louis VII and the second between Anne of Austria and Louis XIII. The Pey Berland Tower, a bell tower built in the 15th century separately from the cathedral, offers a unique view of the city (50m)."
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| St Andrews Cathédrale |
Here's
Jaques Chaban-Delmas, Mayor of Bordeaux for 48 years
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| Palais Rohan |
Pey Berland Tower
Bordeaux at night (thanks to Marie-Claire!)
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| Château du Hâ |
I didn't stop long enough to get *any* photos of the vineyards - they were perfectly golden, beautifully reflecting the afternoon sun...
This photo by Marie-Claire along the Gironde will give a slight idea! 😊
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Our schedule:
Nov 6 - drive ~5 hrs (pouring rain!)
7 - Petit Train, Tourist office, lunch, walk town
8 - drive chateaux, see wine country
9 - more town, wine-tasting
10 - drive home (sunny!)
Details:
We drove a total of 1060 km.
Our dates were fairly fixed, so I was watching the weather forecast obsessively! At first, it was forecast for all rain, all the time, but by the time we arrived, it was mostly clear.
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| We did get rained on a bit... |
In the city, we used the public transportation system (trams and buses; there are no metros; we could have used boats, but didn't). We ordered 72-hour passes ahead of time, which took about a week to arrive (
https://boutique.infotbm.com/products/121).
The system was mostly shut down Sunday morning, as there was a half-marathon going through the center. But by the time we finished lunch, we were unaffected.
We brought an ice chest for our "Swedish Breakfasts" (sandwichs), and got coffee from the hotel. Most lunches and dinners were out.
I used details of tours from Get-Your-Guide and Hop-on-Hop-off to mark landmarks on my map. These were nicely clustered, and not far from tram stops.
The city center is not wheelchair-friendly! We constantly scraped the footrests, and always had to reverse at crosswalks.
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