Bordeaux situated in the south-west of France very close to the bay of Biscay is well known worldwide because of it's wine industry, considered amongst the best in the world with an annual production of approximately 960 million bottles. Wine had been produced in the region since the 8th century.
This year Bordeaux won the title "European Best Destination 2015", beating such cities as London, Rome and Barcelona. And after visiting I can say that Bordeaux absolutely deserves it. Lisbon got the second place in this competition and Athens received bronze.
The cathedral is truly beautiful from both inside and outside and is full of history.
Before you head to the park, buy some French specialities in the small local shops in the city center. The food is delicious here. Cheese and wine tasting is a must. Brie, Camembert, Roquefort, France has it all. Visit Paul to get some delicious éclairs and croissants. They have fantastic macaron cookies as well. And do not forget to taste canelés- small pastries very popular in Bordeaux.
Talking about the cuisine- specific dishes in the region are- lamb, duck confit, seafood and of course oysters from Arcachon bay. As Bordeaux is a truly wine region many restaurant offer food and wine pairings here. The most of the Bordeaux wines are blended using couple of grape species and sometimes are called "the art of blending". In the case of white the combination usually includes Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but the red one's typical are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
You can see it on a map, nothing complicated just follow the coastline and enjoy the scenery. On the next photo you can see how the part of the walk looks from above.
Being the 9th largest city in France, Bordeaux has 362 historical monuments, skipping ahead only Paris. The historic part of the city is on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2007 as "an outstanding urban and architectural ensemble" of the 18th century. There are many beautiful places in France, so do not limit yourself with Paris. My trip to Bordeaux started with a couple day visit of Paris. This was not the first acquaintance for me. Comparing my impressions of these two French cities, I personally preferred Bordeaux. So, if you like French charm, architecture, cuisine and are an expert in wine tasting you will for sure enjoy your visit to Bordeaux.
The city center is very compact, so if you choose to stay in a hotel here, there is no need to use public transport. Here is a very good map for exploring the old city sights.
But if the weather is sunny and pleasant and you are a bike lover have a ride on the Garonne river embankment. In 2015 Bordeaux was listed as the 8th most bicycle-friendly city in the world. There are 1700 bicycles available, so it's completely not a problem to get one. As in the other European cities, you can borrow a bike from any station and return it to any other. Travel time under 30 minutes is free of charge and the price per day is only 1.50 EUR. Here is detailed info about fares.
However the public transport system here is very convenient as well. There are 3 tram lines A, B and C covering most of the city.
Here you can find the information about the transport fares, timetables and maps including information about where to buy tickets.
Let's start our journey from the Bordeaux tourist office, where you can get a map and also some guidance on events that currently are happening in the city. When you will exit the tourist office you will face Place des Quinconces- one of the largest squares in Europe.
In the center of the square you will see Monument to the Memory of the Girondins that features a 43 m column and multiple fountains. After taking pictures head to embankment and have a walk in the direction of the city center. Stop near Place de la Bourse- one of the most recognisable sights of Bordeaux.
Right near the river bank you will explore Miroir d'eau or water mirror- the World's largest reflecting pool, covering 3450 square m. In summer, a system allows it to create fog every 15 minutes and makes a view really spectacular.
One more typical Bordeaux symbol is Grosse Cloche or the Great Bell that is one of the oldest belfries in France. The bell rings 6 times a year for major celebrations.
What I mostly like in the cities like Bordeaux, comparing to the larger metropolitan cities is the fact that here it is not necessary to use a map to find some sightseeing spots- just have a walk in the old town and you will see a lot of spectacular places.
Bordeaux Cathedral or Cathédrale Saint-André de Bordeaux in French. Excellent example of Gothic architecture where Anne of Austria married to the French King Louis XIII in 1615.
One more typical example of Gothic architecture is Porte Cailhau tower that stands on the river side of Palace Square. 35 m tall tower was built in 1494 and integrated to the city walls.
As it's always very typical in France - the city is full of flowers, even in autumn.
After exploring old city have a relaxing break in the Jardin Public - a beautiful park right near the city center. For me the park seemed more similar to London parks, than Paris one's.
Talking about the cuisine- specific dishes in the region are- lamb, duck confit, seafood and of course oysters from Arcachon bay. As Bordeaux is a truly wine region many restaurant offer food and wine pairings here. The most of the Bordeaux wines are blended using couple of grape species and sometimes are called "the art of blending". In the case of white the combination usually includes Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, but the red one's typical are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
One more good option for a relaxing break is le Lac or lake in English, where you can swim and have some sunbathing. There are tables for picnic right near the beach. Situated north to the city center le Lac is accessible using tram line C, exit on Berges du Lac stop.
If you are a shopocholic visit Galeries Lafayette - a four floor multibrand store located on the main shopping street of Bordeaux 11-19 rue Sainte Catherine.
When you will be tired of Bordeaux elegance and wine, take a train ride towards the bay of Biscay. Arcachon is a very good option- situated just 55 km to the west of Bordeaux. There is a frequent train connection between Bordeaux St Jean train station and Arcachon. The journey duration is starting from 50 minutes, depending on the number of stops. Check the timetable here. The regular one way ticket price is 11.50 EUR.
Arcachon is a small resort town situated in Arcachon Bay right near the Atlantic ocean featuring hundreds of beautiful villas located right on the coast with a fantastic sea view. Arcachon Bay is well-known in France for it's oysters.
Château Deganne built in 1853 and from 1903 being a Casino is the biggest building in Arcachon.
Have a walk near the coast and you will face bright white yachts all the way long. Do not forget to take your sunglasses, sunscreen and swimsuit with you.
Countless yachts, expensive villas, endless coastline... the Biscay bay area a little reminds of the French Riviera - Cote d'Azur, but is much more elegant and classy.
The best way to explore the area is to have a walk by the coast in the direction of Dune du Pilat.
Be prepared - the distance is about 12 km one way, but it's worth every step. Actually, this was one of the best walks in my life.
Arcachon is known for Europe's largest sand dune - the Dune du Pilat, nearly 3 km long, 500 m wide, reaching 110 m in height. If you are not strong in long distance walking you can take a bus number 1 from the Arcachon train station. Timetable is here.
Dune du Pilat attracts more than a million tourists every year and is second most visited natural monument in France. If the weather is nice it's a good idea to have a swim in the ocean. Information about the beaches can be found here.
In case the weather allows to make a relaxing beach vacation - book one of the Arcachon hotels for a couple of nights to build up your tan and explore the ocean. There are many restaurants, oyster bars and gelaterias in the area as well as the options for entertainment.
There are multiple signs that paragliding is not allowed on the dune, but it looks like nobody cares.
When you will finally reach the top of the Dune du Pilat, may be not from the fist attempt but still- look all the ways around, the views are breathtaking - maritime pine forest, Atlantic ocean, endless sandy beaches, dozens of para-gliders, yachts...
Sit back, relax and enjoy the atmosphere of this unique place.
If you have enough time, take a boat ride and see the beauty of the Atlantic ocean in the bay Biscay or take one of the excursion boats in the bay Arcachon. For detailed information view the tourist guide.
Not to get lost:
Bordeaux wineyard map
Bordeaux center maps
Bordeaux wine tours 2015
Arcachon wi-fi hotspots
Arcachon bay maps
How to get there:
The easiest and most convenient way to reach Bordeaux from Riga is to take a flight to one of the Paris airports.
Wizzair will take you to Paris Beauvais airport. The flights are operating twice a week - on Mondays and Fridays. The price depends on the dates of course, but is starting from some 60 EUR for a return ticket without luggage.
Here is the information on baggage allowance. Remember- only small cabin bag (42x32x25 cm) can be taken on board without a fee.
There are two checked-in baggage weight options: up to 23 kg and up to 32 kg. As the prices vary depending on a low or peak season and routes, exact baggage fee can be calculated here.
If you are planning to be frequent Wizzair flier, check the Wizzair discount club offer.
When you will arrive to Paris Beauvais airport to reach Paris city center (Porte Maillot) take the shuttle bus. One way ticket will cost you 15.90 EUR if you book online. The journey time is about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Another usually much more expensive solution is Airbaltic daily flight to Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Here are the options how to reach Paris city center from the airport. The journey time is about 1 hour.
One more reasonable option of indirect flight in this case is offered by Ryanair. The connection can be made using London Stansted or Brussels Charleroi airports.
After you have reached city center, you have to take a train to Bordeaux. Book tickets using SNCF website. Check the sales and best fare calendar.
The train leaves Paris Montparnasse station for Bordeaux St Jean, journey durations in average is 3 hours and 20 minutes and the prices vary depending the time of the day you travel and how in advance you book.
High speed trains are comfortable and landscapes outside the window are picturesque. When you will book train tickets for IDTGV- there are two options of surroundings to choose from- IDZap (area of conviviality and discovery, in easier words the regular train area) and IDZen (a spirit of calm- mobile phones strictly forbidden, soundproofed area and subdued lighting).
Some travel tips: If you want to combine a sunny ocean gateway to the bay of Biscay together with exploring the Bordeaux, the good period of travelling would be from May to September. If you have not visited Paris up to now, it's a good idea to do it during this trip as probably you will be arriving and departing from one of the Paris airports, so reserve a couple of days for Paris.
During the security check in Paris Beauvais airport before our flight back, all the Camembert cheese that I bought for my friend was not allowed to take on board in my cabin baggage. The reason that security check specialist mentioned was "Cheese is in the liquid state". Really? After the area of security check I saw a poster indicating the types of cheese that you can take on board and the types you can not. Something like that I faced for a very first time. Why this information was not mention during the luggage check-in is not clear for me up to now.
Have a nice trip full of emotions!
Julija
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