Last weekend (Nov 13-15), Marissa (friend / co-worker) and I went to Bordeaux for the weekend. We found a good weekend deal, either on the Air France or SNCF (train) website, so figured, what the heck. The weekend deal, sponsored by the Tourist Bureau, included hotel for 2-nights, 2-hour walking city tour, 1/2-day tour to two wineries outside the city, free museum passes, a bottle of wine, and vouchers for a wine bar.
We left work in the afternoon and took the TGV getting to Bordeaux about 19:30. Because we had been sitting for 3.5 hours, we decided to walk around and see some of the city.
Saturday morning : we got up and headed to the tourist bureau to get our welcome information packet and then walked around the city, to some of the churches, window shopping, etc. We had lunch near the tourist office (love the goat cheese salad with honey!), which was right next to a Relais d’Entrecote (steak place, where that is the only thing on the menu, and only 1 kind of steak). The line literally wrapped around the building!
Saturday day : we did a 1/2-day tour on a bus to two wineries and the woman leading the bus group was very good, saying everything in French and English, talking about the history of the region, the wine growing areas, the small towns, and some of the wineries. Our first stop was at Chateau Maucailou, then to a photo-op stop at Chateau Margaux, and our 2nd tasting was at Chateau Giscours (with quite an interesting history).
Winery tour thoughts : I was expecting more from the tours, I think because the tours of Champange houses in Reims and Epernay were so great. Chateaus in Bordeaux just do not market themselves the way Champagne houses do. While covering the technical aspects of the wine making (in French and then English), it wasn’t thorough, the women at each Chateau did nothing to make me feel connected to their wine, their brand. In fact, when talking about it at work on Monday, I couldn’t remember the names of the two Houses! Even the tasting of the wine was impersonal - they didn’t tell us how to taste, or what tastes we should expect in what they poured (oak, vanilla, spice, etc.). I didn’t feel connected with the wine and thus found it quite easy to walk out without spending 50 Euros on a bottle. Also, I was surprised that most (all?) of the wineries do NOT age their wines once in bottles. Once the wine is bottled, the wineries sell it to distributors and such and they age it for another few years. I think to them it is wine, it is France, it is Bordeaux, so it doesn’t need marketing or fancy language or talk. (Even though the French on the tour asked a bizillion questions, with the arrogance of being experts.) As Bordeaux has been renovated, I imagine the region will get more tourists and maybe then they’ll step up their touring and tasting lectures?
Saturday evening : we stopped at the wine bar and used our vouchers, walked down to Place de la Bourse to get pictures of it at night, and then just meandered back to the hotel.
Sunday : we did a two-hour walking tour, led by the tourist bureau. It took us many of the places we had been on our previous walks, but this way we learned about the history, the new development, etc. Well worth it. I wish I could remember the description about the Girondins Monument!
What impressed me the most : the city of Bordeaux itself. It has undergone major renovation (in fact, if you look it up on google maps and go to satellite view, the view of the river front is of dirt and heavy machinery working to make it into an esplanade). The whole downtown city centre is mainly pedestrian streets ; there is an extensive new tram car system, powered by wires placed underground so as to not detract from the view above ground ; majority of buildings have all been power washed, so the stone is no longer black (literally) but back to original granite / sandstone look.
What surprised me about the city : (1) lack of wine bars and wine paraphernalia stores - no where to buy random wine stuff like tea towels, dish towels, bottle openers or stoppers, wine glasses, etc ; (2) lack of wine bars - there was 1 tasting bar across from the tourist bureau, but that was about it ; (3) the sharp contrast between the renovated city centre area and the rest of the city.
Overall, the only downfalls for me were : (1) I was so tired Friday / Saturday morning that it made it more difficult to really enjoy everything ; (2) we never made it inside any museums, so I’d like to go back to do that ; (3) the week or two before I did something to my left foot - I have no idea what. But it makes walking very painful, so I’d like to go back and be able to walk around more and do so without hobbling or wincing ; (4) I’d like to go to a different winery or two for tours, to see if the tours are any better (although I’ve heard Burgundy is better at them, better at marketing) ; and, (5) the train ride back - screaming baby several rows back, 2 fidgety toddlers behind me (one who often cried) and 1 fidgety baby in front of me who was crying, teething, and I think sick (and who’s father spent more time on his iPhone and reading his car magazine than helping his wife with his son).
