Bordeaux is synonymous with some of the world’s greatest wines but even teetotallers will find the city and its surrounding countryside packed with appeal.
As the capital of Aquitaine, Bordeaux became English through royal marriage and stayed that way for several centuries. The links are still strong, particularly in the wine trade and several fine museums spotlight the connection.
Bordeaux’s wines, grown on the riverbanks of the Garonne and Dordogne, are some of the best in the world. Without them, the city might never have survived and wine remains at the heart of this city’s raison d’être. It hosts a wine festival (river festival every two years) each summer and is the base for tours of the world-class vineyards of St Emilion, Médoc, Sauternes and Graves. This year, the tourist office has launched a new programme of excursions for wine-tasting at some of the most famous châteaux. Perfect if you’re on a short break.
Set on the River Garonne, which runs into the Gironde estuary with its rich oyster beds in the Bay of Arcachon, Bordeaux was a thriving port until the late 19th Century. Wine merchants’ warehouses still line the quays of the Chartrons while their sumptuous townhouses vie for grandeur with imposing public buildings of the city’s 18th Century boom years.
As a university town and with a population of 280,000, Bordeaux has a youthful atmosphere and a great nightlife. The small, elegant centre is particularly attractive with plenty of good value places to eat, sleep and shop.
It has recently undergone extensive reconstruction and now has a tramway with three lines open. Line C goes from the train station to the city centre (Place des Quinconces). The price: is 1.30e (one hour) and €4 for the day. This ticket can also be used on buses.
Beyond the town and its vineyards, are the pine forests of Les Landes opening onto the windswept sands of the Côte d’Argent and Arcachon, an easy-going, unpretentious resort-town, home to Europe’s highest sand dune. Well worth a day-trip.
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Start with coffee and croissants then take a peek at the old religious quarter, dominated by the gothic spire of Saint Michel and the numerous convents which bear witness to Bordeaux’s strategic location on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. If you’re feeling energetic, climb all 229 steps of the Tour Pey-Berland bell tower for some great views of the city.
It would be a pity to miss the canvasses of Rubens, Matisse, Renoir and gang, so pop into Musée des Beaux Arts, close to the cathedral. In addition to the impressive permanent collection held in the two buildings that frame the Hôtel de Ville, temporary exhibitions are held across the road at Galeries des Beaux Arts.
Lunch at any one of the good restaurants and wine bars at place du Parlement and place St-Pierre, there’s something for all tastes and budgets from sandwich bars to full-blown, four-course dinners.
After lunch, and if you’re only in town for a day or two and want the full wine experience, make your way to Maison Du Vin, 1 cours du 30 juillet, where there’s a wine bar with experts on hand to explain what you’re drinking. A two-hour Initiation to Wine Tasting course, offered in English, will leave you confident enough to understand the swankiest establishment’s wine list. Visit www.vins-bordeaux.fr or tel: +33 (0) 5 56 00 99 30.
The Bordeaux Tourist Office organises tours in prestigious vineyards (Saint Emilion, Médoc…) and tasting at the Bordeaux Wine School seven days a week and all year round. Every Thursdays, there’s a wine and cheese tasting (€21).
Head back to your hotel and slip on something smart - what could be better than a night at the opera? Seats in the gods start from as little as €7 and you’ll be surrounded by trompe d’oeil paintings, towering gold columns and a chandelier weighing 2,860 lbs.
End the evening in the relaxed atmosphere of St Michel with a late dinner and good bottle of Bordeaux.
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Plenty of one- and two-star hotels are available right by the train station, particularly on rue Charles-Domercq and cours de la Marne.
But for better options and more luxury, go to the city centre where there’s a wide choice from basic to five-star hotels. Reserve a few days ahead in summer and especially in June when the Vinexpo trade fair takes place in odd-numbered years and the Fête du Vin is held in even-numbered and Bordeaux gets packed out. Centrally located, the two-star Kyriad Bordeaux St Jean Hotel is within walking distance of the railway station and shops. The 89-room hotel offers a restaurant, bar and spa. The Quatre Soeurs Hotel is in a renovated 18th century building close to the Grand Opera House and all main shops. Reservations on +44 (0) 871 900 8297. www.flybehotels.com
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By car: Explore the city and the countryside in comfort and style at great prices! Get the best deal by checking Flybe's partner Avis for the best available car hire rates at www.flybe.com/avis
By road: Bordeaux’s autoroute ring road passes close by the airport, which is located 20 kms (12 miles) to the west of the city centre. The A10 Paris autoroute and A63 autoroute to Spain’s Basque country can be accessed without needing to drive into the city. Contact Flybe’s car rental partner Avis for the best available car hire rates.
By bus or coach: The airport’s Jet’ Bus service into central Bordeaux operates every day from 07.00 to 22.45 every 45 minutes.
By train: There is no rail station at the airport.
By taxi: Seven taxi operating companies offer radio cab services or taxis can be accessed adjacent to the terminal.
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The CGFTE bus network (tel: +33 (0) 5 57 57 88 88) serves the city and suburbs. Maps are available at the train station and information offices. The Carte Bordeaux Découverte allows unlimited city bus and tram use, one-day costs €4. In the place de Quinconces, the Réseau Trans Gironde buses travel to over 50 neighbouring towns including Martillac and Pauil. Taxis are available in front of the train station. Bike rental is free at place des Quinconces with an ID and deposit on the first Sunday of the month or all year round at La Maison du Vélo – 69 cours Pasteur – Tel. +33 (0) 5 56 33 73 75.
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Less than an hour away is the Atlantic Ocean with its endless white sand beaches, dominated by Europe’s largest dune, Pyla. This gives way to another of Europe’s largest natural wonders, the Landes Forest which is perfect for walkers and hikers. Then there are the region’s 4,000 vineyards and their châteaux including St Emilion, Medoc, Graves and Sauternes.
It’s easiest to explore the vineyards by hiring a car, but St Emilion and Pauillac make good daytrips by train. The tourist office gives afternoon tours of the most popular vineyards in English for around €26. The owners of the châteaux are usually happy to give private tours, but it’s wise to ask first. The tourist office will call ahead for you. And, of course, it’s possible to buy wine direct from all the châteaux who usually offer very good deals.
For a taste of the Atlantic surf, Arcachon is one of the best in a chain of beach towns on the Côte d’Argent, Silver Coast. It’s known for two outstanding landmarks: Europe’s highest sand-dune, the Dune du Plya, and the Banc d’Arguin, a 1,000-acre sand bar.
Take the 40-minute train ride from Bordeaux across flat, sandy forests to the white sand beaches. Although in summer it gets crowded with families, Arcachon is at its best for a daytrip - easygoing, unpretentious and made beautiful by nature.
Once you’ve had your fill of the beach, there are plenty of good restaurants, cafés line avenue Gambetta and boulevard de la Plage, offering heaving plates of oysters and seafood and €10 platters of moules frites.
Also close to Bordeaux is the Perigord region, full of prehistoric sites, medieval villages and castles, while the Spanish Basque country is just across the border.
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Plenty of choice for culture-vultures in the old town, and admissions to all museums is free in Bordeaux on the first Sunday of every month.
Cathédrale st-André: place Pey-Berland.Tel: +33 (0) 5 56 87 17 18. Open April-October daily 8-11 am and 2-5.30pm and November- March 2.30-5.30pm. The interior features some impressive Gothic architecture, but most noteworthy is the great upward sweep of the twin steeples, heightened by the adjacent bell tower, Tour Pey-Berland, which juts 50 metres into sky. You can climb the 229 spiralling steps for the view of your life. Entry costs €4.60, tel: +33 (0) 5 56 81 26 25.
Museé des Beaux Arts: 20 cours d’Albret, near the cathedral. Tel: +33 (0) 5 56 10 20 56. Open Monday and Wednesday to Sunday 11 am-6pm, entry €5.50 with concessions. Originally used to display Napoleon’s captured war booty, Bordeaux’s fine arts museum now houses a vast collection of works by Titian, Caravaggio, Rubens, Matisse, Picasso and Renoir, amongst other big names.
Grand Théâtre: The austere neoclassical façade conceals a sumptuous interior, considered among the most impressive opera houses in the world. Attend an opera, concert or play or daytime tour conducted in English. It’s on Place de la Comédie, tel. for tickets: +33 (0) 5 56 00 85 95. Open Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm.
www.opera-bordeaux.com
Place de la Bourse: An imposing focal point on the quayside and is next to Musée de Douanes (Tuesday-Sunday 10am-6pm, entry €3) which gives a rundown on Bordeaux’s port and seafaring past. Across the square is the Palais de la Bourse, the old stock exchange.
Eglise St-Michel: The most Bohemian district of Bordeaux, ideal for sipping mint tea at one of the many cafés surrounding the church or browsing the markets that fill the courtyard each morning, especially Saturday and Sunday. Climb to the top of the tower for the best cityscape. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-6pm, tower open June to September 2-7pm, entry €2.50.
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Unlike many French cities, Bordeaux does stay awake once the sun goes down making it a good choice if you’re searching for a stag or hen weekend with a difference. Clubs and disco bars cater for the student and young exec populace while sightseers can marvel at the spectacular ‘Plan Lumiere’ scheme which floodlights key buildings and monuments.
The tourist office has a free brochure of lively bars and nightclubs, Clubs and Concerts. Place de la Victoire and place Gambetta are the student hotspots during term-time, if you’re looking for something more mellow, try St Michel where locals gather at café tables and stay well beyond midnight. If you’re a real night-owl, you can eat and drink at place Marché des Capucins all night and mingle with the early-morning market workers.
The majority of the night clubs are located Quai de Paludate near the St Jean train station (Tram C).
Try the Port de la Lune restaurant where one can enjoy oysters and listen to a jazz concert. (59, quai de Paludate – +33 (0) 5 56 49 15 55).
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The Bordeaux area is one of France’s most appealing regions to live and work in. It features 270 km of sandy coastline, boasts Europe’s largest forest and highest sand-dune, offers the Continent’s best surfing, has miles of uncrowded ski slopes close to hand and, on top of that, is the biggest producer of quality wine in France.
If you’re looking for sport, everything’s on tap - surfing, wind-sailing, fishing, horse-riding, cycling, skiing, snow-boarding, golf, gastronomy and, of course, wine-tasting.
Aside from the thriving academic and wine business in Bordeaux itself, the nearby Grand Angoulême region between Bordeaux and Nantes, is a first-class industrial centre for electronics, electromechanics, food agriculture and industrial equipment, with 30 international companies located here. www.bordeaux.cci.fr
www.business-in-europe.com
Even better news, is that house prices within just over an hour’s drive from the airport are still exceptionally good value. Currently on offer is a pretty two-bed shuttered, cottage in a village setting for £123,156 or a lovely two-bed villa-style house set in the heart of a pine forest with landscaped garden and pool for £181,987. If you’re happy with DIY, village cottages can be had for well under £100,000 and the short flight from Bristol or Southampton makes them ideal for weekends in the sun. www.aquitaine-property-4u.com
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Unlike most folk, who choose a bottle of wine to go with their meal, the Bordelais choose a vintage first and then create a menu that will complement the wine. This can take time, the region’s cuisine is wide-ranging, from the famous entrecôte à la bordelaise steak to the more humble pleasures of lamprey, which is in season in April and May.
Dining out is still great value compared to the UK and quality is consistently good. Look out for breaded lamb with truffles, lobster and pigeon dishes and mouth-watering desserts like poached pineapple with kirsch sorbet. But plan ahead, many restaurants shut on Sundays.
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