The Saturday City: Bordeaux
Located in the western part of France near the Spanish border, this port city on the Garonne River lures throughout the year with its food, wine ,. History and charm
I, of course, was for all these reasons, to Bordeaux - but mainly because a friend had invited me down. And I never turn down a chance the local version of a famous city to see, especially because I love good food and wine.
An expensive flight from Amsterdam later and I arrived in Bordeaux. It was August and most locals had gone to the southern beaches, provide me with a quiet time to get to know the city.
In historical times, Bordeaux was a settlement of the Celtic tribes. Later it became the capital of Roman Aquitaine, especially during the 3rd century in bloom. reappear come in the late 6th century the city as the seat of a county and an archdiocese in Merovingian kingdom of the Franks. The city fell into obscurity as royal power waned in southern Gaul in the late 7th century.
The 18th century is the golden age of Bordeaux was. Many downtown buildings are from this period. Baron Haussmann used Bordeaux 18th century huge rebuilding as a model when he was asked to turn Paris into a "modern" capital of Emperor Napoleon III.
All in all, the city has a long history, a particularly related to wine. Wine lovers who plans to one day have to do a wine tour in Europe, Bordeaux is a city that I long wanted to see.
my friend had a fun weekend promised me the food, drink and sights, and I was eager to do all three. At the end, we really only the first two. There were no visits to wineries, no visit to tourist attractions, not the city stroll. Yet it was still fun to fall into the local pace of life.
The food in Bordeaux is excellent, and we had a great fish and sandwiches at the cafes and restaurants, while large drinking red wine. We rode bikes around the city and went to the Dune de Piya with some other friends to rendezvous.
Three fast days there was hardly enough and a return visit is guaranteed in any case. If you find yourself doing in Bordeaux do (and you would be crazy not to), there are a lot of things in this city:
The main industry and activity in Bordeaux Wine. With over thousands of hectares of vineyards and 9,000 wine chateaux there is always wine available. You can get everything from amazingly expensive wine to cheap bottles that do not break the bank. But remember in France, and the French love their wine. Also crap what they consider is likely still damn good.
There is also the city of Bordeaux, the 18th century one of the largest architectural urban areas across Europe. Because of its amazing buildings and level of preservation, it has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is the Grand Théâtre, which was built in 1780, which is really nice. There is the infamous Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux, which was consecrated in 1096 by Pope Urban II and was impressive to see, although the last cleaning time of his old, Gothic charm rid. Nothing says Gothic like a little dirt.
For the walkers and shoppers, visit Rue Sainte-Catherine, a shopping street, which is 1.2 km long filled with great shops, restaurants and cafes. It is the longest shopping street in Europe.
If you have time, take a trip from the famous Dune de Pyla. This sand dune is about an hour outside Bordeaux in Pyla Sur Mer, a resort town is where many of France's well-to-do "summer". The Dune de Pyla is the largest sand dune in Europe and is the result of winds eroding shore of the bay and blows on the other. The dune offers a magnificent view but is a pain to walk up (albeit really fun to run down!).
Bordeaux is a wonderful place in France to visit. It is about a 5 hour train ride from Paris and one that takes you through the stunning French countryside. If you love wine, food and architecture (and who is not?), Bordeaux is a place you should visit on your next trip to France.
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