There's More to Bordeaux Than Just Business
I first heard the word "Bordeaux" in an upscale San Francisco restaurant many years ago. I received a lesson on red wine that evening and I've been hooked ever since. Bordeaux has always held a certain mystique for me because of it's reputation as a premier wine region of the world. So when I got the chance to visit both the city of Bordeaux and the region, I was thrilled!
What was a world class wine region really like? I had done a little research on Bordeaux, the city and the region. I learned that Bordeaux city is the business center for the business of wine, and that the region was all about growing grapes and making wine. It reminded a bit of the place I grew up - an agricultural area surrounding a town with banks, hospitals, stores, rail lines etc., all designed to enhance and promote the business of farming. The difference was that we grew corn, soybeans, raised dairy cows and hogs, sadly, no wine. So for me going to another farming town, even in France, was intriguing but not particularly exciting. (When I make assumptions about anything or anybody I am WRONG 97.5% of the time.)
Strolling through a Bordeaux park.
As usual I was surprised and delighted by what I found!
Bordeaux is located in the southwestern part of France, less than 150 miles form the Spanish border, and 20 miles inland from the Atlantic. The population is about 240,000. It is located on the Garonne river, at the southern end of the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic ocean. The town is dedicated to wine. It's proximity to the ocean and rivers provides an abundance of seafood. As an agricultural area of France, it also serves up tasty meats and delicate pastries, thus providing a French dream of a place to visit. They even grow grapes as part of the airport landscape! It has the most walking streets (closed to cars) of any city in Europe which makes it very easy to get around the old town. A good tram system helps too! There are beautiful museums, gardens and wine shops galore. A local farmers market takes place on Sundays on the riverbank...more good food. Tree lined parks and fountains made the summer heat bearable.
When visiting there in late August, the weather was hot and dry, great for grape vines sending down deep roots to find water and concentrating those miraculous sugars in the grapes. My quest was to find a place to taste great wine and have an afternoon canelés. Canelés are the local delicacy, two bites of a caramelized crust, rum and vanilla flavored, surrounding a soft custard center.
Caneles at a bakery in Bordeaux.
The wine was easy to find. It was everywhere. We wanted to taste several vintages and found them at a wonderful tasting room & small plates establishment "Aux 4 Coins du Vin", Aux 4 Coins du Vin We obviously looked like tourists when we walked in - but an amazingly knowledgable young man came to the rescue. He had total command of English (wish I could speak French), and explained every wine they had for tasting, about 25 reds and 25 whites, He told us each wine's origins, tasting notes and sometimes his opinion of the wine - impressive. He was just the first encounter we had with very proud professionals we met along the way in our journey through the Bordeaux region. They sold more wine by the bottle too. It was a very popular spot on a sunny Saturday afternoon.
We left "Aux 4 Coins du Vin" carefully and made our way to a seafood restaurant we had heard about from our hotel staff. It was "Restaurant l' Embarcadère", l'Embarcadere-Bordeaux , amazing seafood of the region and beyond. I was in the mood for mussels made in that wonderfully simple European way - Mussels Mariniere, with fries of course. Yes - I ate them all, yes - I was stuffed, yes - I was happy. I would recommend this place to anyone who loves pure, unadulterated seafood!
Cherub in St. Andrew Cathedral.
The next day was Sunday so we went exploring. 83% of Christians in France are Roman Catholic, so finding the majestic St. Andrew Cathedral should not have been a surprise. It is located in a large square in the city. It was begun in 1096, but most of the existing cathedral dates from 14th and 15th centuries. It boasts many beautifully painted columns soaring towards the sky, sculptures, a huge pipe organ, rose window and gargoyles. It's a perfect example of the French renaissance cathedral.
Stained glass reflection on columns in St. Andrew Cathedral
I could go on about the charms of Bordeaux. I had only moderate expectations, but when I got there, I ended up falling in love with it. A beautiful city with a sense of purpose generously sprinkled with greatness - wine, food and history.
Then we embarked on a Uniworld River Cruise and the real fun began! But that's in another blog. 😀
