The Terrace in Bordeaux - Apartment to rent in Bordeaux

A superb apartment in Bordeaux

2010-06-01T05:30:00.001-07:00

Bordeaux Accommodation

Finding accommodation in Bordeaux used to mean hotels, but now apartment accommodation is available.

La Terrasse à Bordeaux is one of the relatively few apartments available for holiday rental in the heart of the ancient and historic centre of Bordeaux. More than that, it is the only apartment we know of that has a wonderful terrace large enough to dine on or simply take in the fabulous view of the river, the ancient Porte de Bourgogne and Napoleon's Ponte de Pierre - the bridge that took his troops to Paris.

Modern comfort in an historic city.

A majority of our visitors are looking for an apartment to rent while exploring the Bordeaux region and usually with an emphasis on discovering the wines that have made the area world famous. Wine tourism is a huge industry and attractive apartments for holiday rental are hard to find. At some times of the year there is little or no accommodation within 50 kilometres of the city - so plan ahead and book early!

Our apartment's World Heritage listed staircase

Bordeaux's historic centre has been revitalised in the last few years and is now one of the biggest pedestrian precincts in Europe - yet compact enough to be visited on foot. In the area adjacent to our apartment - La Terrasse à Bordeaux- are wonderful cobbled streets with some of the best restaurants and bars as well as an open-air food market and antique and bric-a-brac market on weekends.

The Porte de Bourgogne sits at the end of the Victor Hugo Avenue, where once one of the city's gates stood. To the left of our apartment we have the Quartier de la Rousselle, with its beautiful old houses, at our right ( a one minute walk away) we have the Quarter Saint-Michel with its amazing cathedral and directly in front of our terrace we have the La Garonne river and the famous Pont de Pierre . For a lot more information on what Bordeaux has to offer please explore our Bordeaux Weblog.

The apartment has WiFi internet access, a selection of board games, DVDs, music and TV. For the wine connoisseur there is a wine decanter and filter! The photograph at the top of the page and the small one at the side will give you a pretty good idea of the spectacular view from our apartment terrace at sunset.

Visitors' comments.

I thought I would drop you a quick line to say how much we enjoyed our Easter break in your Bordeaux apartment. It has all been done up really smartly and what an amazing location! We were lucky with the weather for most of the trip and it was lovely having coffee on the balcony in the morning and wine in the evening. You have really made it feel like a home! - Emma (UK)

Thank you! great spot - a really handy apartment in a gorgeous city - Mark & Anne-Maria (Brisbane Australia)

Absolutely loved staying at your place. What an astonishing view! - Wayne (Brisbane Australia)

A great weekend spent in an incredibly warm and homely apartment. Great views and perfect location. I already want to come back! - Mark ( Dublin, Eire)

The perfect pied a terre in Bordeaux - Review Submitted: March 29, 2009 Date of Stay: October 2008

It is difficult not to fall into a trap of using too many superlatives when describing the Bordeaux Terrace and so losing the impact that any review of this Bordeaux apartment merits. The location is ideal for anyone visiting Bordeaux -- right next to the old town with all its little cobblestoned streets, its sights, vast choice of shops and restaurants, conveniently next to the main tram line, right on the river bank overlooking one of the most beautiful bridges in France -- the Pont St Pierre, and with something very special for Bordeaux -- a terrace on the top floor of the building overlooking the Gironde River. The apartment is tastefully but simply furnished and equipped with everything a visitor needs to feel completely at home. Bordeaux is a National Heritage Site and a must-see on a visit to France, and the Bordeaux Terrace apartment is the only possible place to stay! Wilna Lalinde, France

Recommended for: Girls Getaway, Sightseeing, Families with Teenagers, Romantic Getaway, Tourists without a Car

See my holiday home on www.holidayhomeland.com. Property Number 4438

Lafite Rothschild - the best Bordeaux 2008?

2009-04-22T01:58:00.000-07:00

Lafite Rothschild has been named as the best wine of the 2008 Bordeaux vintage, according to a survey of 230 professionals.
The wine beat Latour and Ausone to the title, based on votes recorded by buyers and sellers questioned by Liv-Ex, the fine wine exchange which monitors price trends.
Pontet Canet topped the "best value for money" category while Montrose was named as the vintage's most disappointing wine.
Overall, those questioned gave the 2008 vintage a score of 91 out of 100, with the consensus being that it was better than expected.
Respondents also predicted that release prices for a theoretical basket of 10 Bordeaux wines will be down 38.3% on last year's levels and 56.1% down on the 2006 figure.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Vintage 2008 drop in price - reactions

2009-04-21T10:02:00.000-07:00

The low prices of 2008 Bordeaux futures mean the 2007 and 2006 vintages are 'doomed', say UK and US merchants.

But there is a difference of opinion on either side of the Atlantic, with Americans bemoaning the loss of value of these vintages, and UK merchants cautiously welcoming the fillip low prices of the 2008s have given the market.

Washington DC-based MacArthur Beverages is offering its remaining stocks of 2006 Bordeaux at half-price, selling at a loss after the pricing of the 2008s 'destroyed' the value of the 2006s.

'I am reliving the 1997 vintage all over again,' said store manager Mark Wessels. 'It is more difficult to sell stocks when you have comparable bottles [the 2008s] at half the price.'

Christian Navarro, co-owner of Wally's Wines & Spirits in Los Angeles, said lower prices for 2008 wines would not help.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

2008 Vintage - good, bad or indifferent?

2008-09-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

Jane Anson in Bordeaux writing for the online wine site Decanter.com gives a mixed report about the 2008 vintage.

Putting a brave face on predictions for the harvest the Bordeaux wine bureau (CIVB) is comparing 2008 to 1988 'a drier than usual year'.

Yields are down on 2007, and a rainy start to September further disrupted what has been a difficult growing season.

Rain continued until September 10, but sunshine returned this week with more sunshine hours in five days from September 11 to 15 than had been seen in the previous ten days.

The CIVB (Bordeaux Wine Bureau) issued a press release last week comparing the vintage to 1988 in terms of temperatures and rainfall but the reaction to this was sceptical.

John Salvi MW, who writes the monthly Bordeaux Weather Report, told decanter.com, 'Let's be honest, it hasn't been good. August was a terrible month and early September was far from wonderful, with Merlot being affected more badly than Cabernet Sauvignon.

'The situation yet again this year is that those who can afford to treat their vines will have got away with it, and the rest will have suffered enormously.'

Michael Broadbent, in Vintage Wine, describes the 1988 vintage as 'the first of a trio of very good vintages the spring of 88 was more than usually wet the summer, from July to September, was drier than usual.'

This year, according to the meteorological office in Merignac, Bordeaux suffered eight storms in August, and had 17 days of rain, meaning mildew has been a problem once again. Night-time temperatures reached as low as 11ºC, without reaching 20ºC once.

But producers are cautiously optimistic about the current fine weather.

Jean Luc Thunevin, negociant and owner of Chateau Valandraud, said, 'If the weather continues like this for the next three weeks, we will be calling 2008 the miracle vintage.'

Link to The View from Fez

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Canneles- a must try in Bordeaux!

2008-09-16T16:09:00.001-07:00

Canneles are a specialty kind of cake that originated over 2 centuries ago in the Bordeaux region of France. The little pastries are unique in that they have a crispy, caramelized outer coating and a soft, custardy center. Because of this contrast in textures, in addition to the fact that they are usually flavored with vanilla, canneles are sometimes referred to as “portable creme brulees.” They range from about 2-3 inches in height and for such small cakes have the impressively long baking time of over an hour. The pans are prepared with melted butter and beeswax to allow the sides of the cake to properly caramelize while preventing them from sticking to the molds.

The canneles come six to a box and are fully baked. They are traditionally baked - beeswax and all - before being frozen, and all you need to do is defrost them for 20 minutes before eating. Alternatively, they can be heated in the microwave for a few seconds to warm them up.

Unfortunately, these are no substitute for a real, fresh cannele. The flavor is good, and both the caramel and vanilla are very strong. The center is custardy, slightly better when warmed up. The problem lies in the exterior of the cannele. After being frozen, it isn’t crispy and the pastry isn’t going to recover that just-baked texture in the same way that you can’t quite recreate a fresh-from-the-oven cookie without starting with dough and an oven. The thin beeswax coating also contributes a slight chewiness to these that isn’t noticeable in the fresh version. So, they’re tasty and will make an enjoyable snack, but they’re not going to satisfy a craving for the real thing.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Parc des Expositions in Marsac sur l'Isle

2008-09-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

The biggest event in the Dordogne is taking place right now at the Parc des Expositions in Marsac sur l'Isle (just outside of Périgueux)!

It's the annual, 10-day Foire Expo with 20,000 m² of exhibition space and 300 exhibitors.

There's lots to see and do and it makes a great day out. The venue has five exhibition halls filled with local businesses presenting their produce or service - it's a great opportunity to find out about everything that's available to you locally. You'll find car dealers, kitchen companies, and any number of businesses demonstrating their products. You can taste (and buy) fine wines, a locally produced chestnut beer and so much more...

You have a choice of six restaurants and there's entertainment for the whole family with a free fun fair and shows by the acrobatic act, The Flying Men from Mexico!

The fair is open till 23:00 tonight and Friday night. Otherwise opening times are 10:00-20:00 through till Sunday 21 September. Entry is €5.50 (from 12 years old) or €2 (5 to 11 years) with the under 5s getting in free.

Click here for a map to the Parc des Expositions

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Stunning apartment to rent in Bordeaux

2008-08-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Modern comfort in an historic city.

Our apartment's World Heritage listed staircase

Porte de Bourgogne

Shock and anger over Bordeaux wine decision

2008-07-02T22:42:00.000-07:00

The Bordeaux region's St Emilion wines have been stripped of their top classifications by a French court, which has ruled that coveted "grand cru classés" labels should be taken off bottles.

The ruling follows a year-long legal fight by four wine makers whose wines were demoted in 2006. They argued that the system used to rank wines after a tasting was "partial".

"It's an aberration to condemn the classification over so little," said Nicolas Thienpont, owner of Chateau Pavie-Macquin, recently awarded the second highest rank of St Emilion premier grand cru classé.

"All those who have worked so hard to move up the rankings are being told today: 'sorry, because of four imbeciles who don't agree with it, we will cancel everything'," he said.

Christine Valette, owner of Chateau Troplong-Mondot, also recently promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classé, was livid: "I am in shock. The team at the chateau is in shock. I never imagined this could happen," added Mrs Valette, who said she has spent the last 20 years working toward winning the prized title.

Founded in 1954, the ranking, which applies only to the St Emilion region and is reassessed every 10 years, consists of three classifications - premier grand cru classé A, premier grand cru classé B and grand cru classé.

A jury of brokers, merchants, oenologists and a wine professor conduct blind wine-tastings of vintages from the previous decade. They also judge a range of other criteria, such as terroir - quality of the soil - the blend of the grapes, bottling conditions and price.

The rankings are said to boost the price of the wine by about 30 percent, and thus also affect property prices.

A new list of top wines for 2006 to 2016 shrunk from 68 to 61 the number of grands crus classés.

The rankings were suspended last year pending a final judgment. The suspension was lifted last autumn, but Tuesday's decision is final.

The St Emilion Wine Union is awaiting a decision from INAO, the government body that manages French wine classifications, and the French agriculture minister as to whether they will appeal the decision within the allowed time period of two months.

But legal sources said an appeals process could take up to two years.

"I would not want to be one of the four plaintiffs. Saint Emilion is a small village."

For many in Bordeaux however the situation without the St Emilion classification system would be impossible.

"The whole situation is ... idiotic and absurd, they can't stop the 60 or more chateaux that have the rankings from using them," said Jean Baptiste Bourotte of Audy, a Bordeaux wine merchant who had just heard the news.

"I don't see how we could sell the wine."

Mr Thienpong said he would defy the ruling. "Some people have already sent their bottles with the labels on. I was just about to put mine on and intend to do so despite the ruling. It's too late to change everything. I hope the fraud squad have the good sense to see that."

"If the court maintains this position and the government does so, I would not want to be one of the four plaintiffs. Saint Emilion is a small village," said Bordeaux merchant Jeffrey Davies.

"They have pissed off a lot of people and cost them a lot of money."

Guadet - one of the four "spoilers".

The four St Emilion châteaux behind the legal action are château Guadet Saint-Julien, château La Marzelle, château Cadet-Bon and château La Tour du Pin-Figeac.

They argued that the classification jury had shown "partiality" by visiting only seven of the 95 candidate châteaux.

Some of the losing châteaux allegedly complained that some of the brokers and merchants on the jury may have had vested interests in some châteaux, because they sell local wine.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

10 Years of the Bordeaux Wine Festival

2008-03-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Bordeaux Wine Festival will take place from the 26th to the 29th of June on the quays of the left bank of the Garonne River, from the Pont de Pierre to the Bourse Maritime.

The Bordeaux Town Hall and the Tourist Office present visitors this new change of setting to mark the tenth anniversary of the Festival. Lovers of wine, food, festivity and culture are invited from all over the world to share these celebrations in the heart of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Saint Petersburg, guest of honour

The city of Saint Petersburg will be the guest of honour at the 2008 Bordeaux Wine Festival, following in the footsteps of Oporto, Munich, and Fukuoka. A pavilion will be devoted to this city, with which Bordeaux has developed numerous exchanges in the fields of aerospace, scientific research, language, education, art and culture.

Furthermore, Russia is the 15th largest export market for Bordeaux wine and has a strong growth potential.

A Wine Road between the river and XVIIIth-Century façades

Thanks to a TASTING PASS (costing 13 Euros, which includes a glass, glass case, tasting notebook and numerous tickets with special offers), visitors can, at their own pace, explore the rich diversity and quality of wines from Bordeaux and the Aquitaine region at the new Pavillon des Appellations and Pavillon des Négociants.

There is also a new DUO PASS this year. For an additional 3 Euros, visitors can have an extra glass and glass case to share this unforgettable event with a friend or partner.

Musical performances

The Bordeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra (conducted by the talented Kwamé Ryan) and the Bordeaux Opera Choir will open the festival with a concert on the 26th June. The musicians and singers will perform Carmina Burana on Place de la Bourse.

For the first time, there will also be a ‘son et lumière’ show on the 27th, 28th, and 29th June: accompanied by music, giant images will be projected onto the Palais Gabriel.

The Port de la Lune will be illuminated as a different firework display brings the end of each evening to a brightly-coloured close.

Numerous wine-related special events

Placing special emphasis on matching food and wine, the six restaurants at BORDO’MUNDO will be open on the banks of the Garonne starting on the 20th June.

A parade of Confrèries (Wine Brotherhoods), the giant Banquet de Bacchus and barrel rolling competitions will constitute other highlights of the festival.

For those who wish to go on a tour of the wine country, a VINEYARD PASS costing 70 Euros provides an excellent opportunity to visit three Châteaux or estates on the same day with a tour guide (nine different itineraries).

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT ‘BORDEAUX FETE LE VIN’

The ‘BORDEAUX FÊTE LE VIN’ site is open to the public between 11am and midnight from Thursday 26th June to Sunday 29th June. Entry is free.

A FEW IDEAS FOR A STAY

Ideally situated apartment available!

The Terrace in Bordeaux has had a cancellation and so the wine festival is available. Accommodation for four persons (two bedrooms) at an all inclusive price of 1200 Euro per week. Compared to 4 or 5 star hotel prices our saving is considerable. To book contact bordeauxterrace@gmail.com

The ‘BORDEAUX FÊTE LE VIN’ package deal, offered by the Bordeaux Tourist Office, includes

• two nights in a double room in a 2, 3 or 4-star hotel
• a tasting pass (including 13 tastings and other services)
• a meal at Bordo Mundo
• a vineyard pass
• a free access card (available on request) valid for 2 days for the urban public transport network
• a guided tour of the city
• a free access card for the main sites, monuments and museums.

Price per person : €185 for a 2-star hotel, €225 for a 3-star hotel, €300 for a 4-star hotel. Bordeaux travel agents also offer all-inclusive packages for ‘BORDEAUX FÊTE LE VIN’; information on www.bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com.

Recap of 2006

In 2006, ‘BORDEAUX FÊTE LE VIN’ was host to almost 300,000 visitors hailing from every region of France and around twenty countries. 200 French and foreign journalists received accreditation and covered the event. 30,000 Tasting PASS cards were sold, over 2000 wine-lovers attended the workshops set up by the ‘École du Vin’ and over 400,000 tastings were organized.

‘BORDEAUX FETE LE VIN’, an initiative of Bordeaux Town Hall, with the support of the C.I.V.B., the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce and Industry or ‘CCI’, and the participation of partners, both public (The Bordeaux Urban Community or ‘CUB’, the Conseil Général de la Gironde, the Aquitaine Region) and private (Castel, Cordier Mestrezat, Ginestet, Casino Barrière, Cofinoga, Veolia, Suez, Sud Ouest…), is an event taking place under the aegis of the Bordeaux Tourist Office, and organized by ‘Bordeaux Grands Évènements.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

From the Bordeaux Tourist Authorities...

2008-02-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

A FEW GREAT THINGS TO DO IN AND AROUND BORDEAUX

Bordeaux

Pedestrian rallies in Bordeaux’s streets, with a simple questionnaire leading guests on to a fun and entertaining exploration trail.

Night tours in the UNESCO-listed areas, featuring its most stunning spots and monuments in a new light.

The City on Stage: a visit and a show in the medieval Jurats quarter.
An actor will lead your party through the picturesque Saint Eloi district. His name is Jean Mercadiou and he lived in the 15th century. He will tell you about his, his brother’s and his belle Isabelle’s take on the end of Hundred Years’ War

Regional cuisine classes with a top Bordeaux and the recipe for a typical local treat.

The vineyards

The world’s best-known wines come from the areas called Médoc, Saint Emilion, Pomerol, Entre deux Mers, Sauternes, Graves and yonder, lying north, east and southeast of Bordeaux.
And this experience is packed with insights on the history and rituals that have nurtured this area’s unspoiled culture.

Tasting experiences
An introduction to the aromas, blind tasting, guided comparisons featuring grand-cru wines, how to assemble a wine cellar, wining and dining, etc.

Bordeaux’s finest vineyards
A wine trail featuring tasting experiences in your favorite winegrowing area’s top chateaux – and the winegrower’s savoir-faire firsthand.

Chateau dining
Several chateaux serve lunch or dinner in their dining rooms. The choice ranges from basic “grape-picker-special” to first-class “prestige” meals, so there is bound to be one that suits your group. Introductory tasting experiences and games, live classical music, troubadours, close-ups, dances and clowns are a few of the optional extras.

Enthronements
Have your VIP guests enthroned in a brotherhood, in the course of a traditional ceremony dating back to medieval days.

Sports

The 200 hectares of pines between the Atlantic Ocean and the lakes make the Gironde waterfront the perfect venue for events involving a whole gamut of sports.

Sports challenges
The choice includes more than 20 disciplines for groups of up to 1,000 people. Kayaking, mountain-biking, archery, mountain climbing, pedal-boating and orienteering are a few of the options you can pick and mix for teams to contend in.

Custom attractions
Mountain biking, tennis, golfing, surfing, windsurfing, quad riding and more, when the working day’s done. Go-karting on ice, cycling and bowling are a few of the team-building and sales-staff-motivating options nearer hotels in downtown Bordeaux

Contact

BORDEAUX GIRONDE CONVENTION BUREAU
12, cours du XXX juillet
33080 Bordeaux cedex - France
Tél: 33 556 52 53 11
bgcb@bgcb.com
www.bgcb.com

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Hats off to the French (green) wine trade.

2008-02-25T03:20:00.000-08:00

A great news story being reported around the world is a French initiative to save carbon emissions by shipping wine by sailing boat. Strange but true and there is more to the story...

The Belem, a three masted barque, has an interesting history. It was the last French merchant sailing vessel to be built and was launched in 1896. Named after a Brazilian port, it was first used to transport chocolate from South America. It is to be the the first of seven planned to be working by 2013. Seven private investors have contributed 70 per cent of the business's start-up costs of £40m. Bank loans have provided the rest.

The first route will be a four day voyage from Bordeaux to to Dublin. The wines will be delivered to Bordeaux by barge using the Canal du Midi and Canal du Garonne, which run across southern France from Sète in the east, via Béziers in Languedoc.

Another nice touch is the fact that each bottle will be labelled: 'Carried by sailing ship, a better deal for the planet.' It is estimated it will save 4.9oz of carbon per bottle.

But there is still more - Ships will return to France with an equivalent tonnage of crushed glass for recycling into wine bottles at factories in Bordeaux and Béziers. Despite the time involved in transporting it, the wine should also remain relatively cheap, at between €7 and €20 a bottle.

Frederic Albert, founder of the shipping company Compagnie de Transport Maritime à la Voile says 'My idea was to do something for the planet and something for the wines of Languedoc. One of my grandfathers was a wine-maker and one was a sailor. We chose the best wine in the area, but it must also be made in a sustainable way, using as many natural products as possible'

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Apartment accommodation in Bordeaux - 2008 update.

2008-02-04T17:07:00.000-08:00

With the surge in interest in wine tourism and of course the fabulous restoration of the historic city centre, apartment accommodation in Bordeaux is at a premium. According to the figures available, accommodation requests are at an all time high across all categories from hotels to self-catering apartments. This is especially true of June, July and August.

So this is a timely reminder that if you plan to visit Bordeaux in 2008 - start booking now!

To discover more about what the city and region of Bordeaux has to offer as a holiday destination, please explore our site. The archives (bottom of left panel) have some fascinating insights into everything from wine to upcoming festivals.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Bordeaux Wine News - The Chinese have arrived!

2008-01-30T23:49:00.000-08:00

The predators have been circling - the Indians, the Russians, the Singaporeans - and now they have all been pipped at the post by the Chinese. International companies with a few million Euro to spare have long had an eye on the prestigious Bordeaux Wine industry. The Japanese were one of the early investors, with Suntory buying their own château - Château, Lagrange, in Saint Julien - back in 1983.

The Indians have tried and failed and the Russians have offended almost everyone with their belief that all they need in money. Much to the chagrin of the Russians, local owners have preferred not to sell rather than let the crude Moscow Mafia approach to succeed. What the Russians fail to realise is that you can not buy class, culture or Frenchmen proud of their wine heritage.

On the other hand, the Chinese, with a more subtle approach have just purchased an obscure Bordeaux château, the 500 year old Château Latour-Laguens. The 60 hectare property was sold to the Longhai International Trading Company Ltd for an undisclosed sum. Located near the village of Saint-Martin-du-Puy about 50 kilometres southeast of Bordeaux, it produces about 160,000 bottles a year.

Also in the news is the decision to clamp down on the ability of producers to market the same wine under the name of different "Châteaux". In an attempt to simplify Bordeaux wines for the consumer, estates are being told to stop using several different chateau names for the same wine, bottled at the same property. It will curtail the marketing of companies such as Château Falfas in Cotes de Bourg which has been selling under three different names. Lurton properties such as Château Quantin and Château Coucheroy will also have to cease the same marketting.

A 1921 decree supposedly outlawed the practice, but it has not been enforced in recent years so that it is now hard for consumers to select a wine that comes from a genuine château. While there are over 12,000 châteaux the region has over 7,000 winemakers.

The Bordeaux wine union, the Federation des Syndicats des Grands Vins de Bordeaux (FGVB), has been given until 31 January 2008 for properties to decide which of their current names they wish to keep. They have been allowed a maximum of two. The eventual aim is to bring the number of names down to under 10,000.

'A chateau may use only one name,' a spokesperson at the FGVB told decanter.com. 'With the possibility of a second if it can be proved it was in use before 1983. Two properties may also be vinified in the same cellars, as long as the vinifications are carried out completely separately.'

The 1921 decree states that only one chateau name per property may be used. Over the years, however, the rule was less and less strictly applied. In 1993, a new decree was issued restating the rule, but it wasn't until the crisis of 2001/2002 that its application became a priority.

The decision will affect chateaux across the region, including Chateau Falfas in Cotes de Bourg, that currently bottles under three different names. Lurton properties such as Chateau Quantin and Chateau Coucheroy will also be affected.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Festivals in Bordeaux - upcoming events

2008-01-23T17:33:00.000-08:00

If you are planning a wine tasting trip to Bordeaux you might like to pick a time when there are other festivals taking place. For some of these events accommodation should be booked well in advance.

This year there are a number of interesting events:

Fêtes des Boeufs Gras (Bazas Beef Festival)

This annual event is scheduled for January 31.

If you are a lover of fine beef, this is for you. It is the celebration of the fatted oxen that are destined to become the prized Bazas beef.

Huge numbers of oxen are adorned with ribbons and garlands to take part in a race around Bordeaux city.

Visitors can then enjoy this tender beef in restaurants around the cathedral square. More information at: Fetes des Boeufs Gras

Weekend des Grands Amateurs

Make your travel plans around a great weekend - May 17 & 18

For the third year in a row, the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux offers wine lovers from around the world an entire weekend in which to enjoy their passion.

This includes tasting the greatest wines of Bordeaux, dinners, and visits to famous châteaux.

Tastings, dinners, visits

Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 May 2008

More than 100 Grands Crus to discover and taste...
Under one roof in Bordeaux.

Visitors may choose to take part in one or several activities :

Saturday's Tasting

Saturday 17 May 2008 • 10:30 am to 5:00 pm

at Hangar 14 - Quai des Chartrons - Bordeaux
Saturday's Dinners

Saturday 17 May 2008 • 8:15 pm

The owners of the Grands Crus will welcome visitors to their châteaux in the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes, Saint-Émilion, and Pomerol regions.
Brunches and vineyard tours

Sunday 18 May 2008 • 10:00 am to 5:30 pm

Discover the châteaux and terroirs of the Médoc, Graves, Sauternes, Saint-Émilion, and Pomerol regions, with the possibility of playing against château owners in a golf tournament.

For more information visit: Great Wine Weekend

VTV (Velo Tout Vigne) Le Medocain

The date is May 31.

This year will be bigger than ever as the celebrate their 10th year. This bicycle race boasts some 5500 competitors. But if you don't have a spare set of wheels, don't fret because held annually allows visitors to cycle through the Châteaux where tastings and festivities are laid on for cyclists and spectators alike.

Circuits are between 25km and 75km, all leaving from the town of Arsac.

More information: www.medocainevtt.com

Fête le Vin

Chateau Lascombe in Margaux near Bordeaux

The dates June 26-29

This is a massive bi-annual festival and as Europe's biggest wine festival, not to be missed. Each appellation of Bordeaux has a tasting stand around the Place des Quinconces and along the river banks of the City.

Be warned! Accommodation is very hard to find so book early

See our full story here: Bordeaux Wine Festival 2008.

Oyster Festival

Starting August 11 - Many of the towns around the Bassin of Archachon will hold festivals to celebrate the famous oysters of the region.

Marathon du Médoc,

September 6 - This must be one of the world's most attractive marathons - runners get to sample wines from some of the local estates as they run through 59 vineyards.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Flights to France.

2008-01-19T05:32:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Chateau LaLinde for an article in The Telegraph, herewith a list of all the airlines that fly from the UK into France. Just about every region and/or airport in both countries is covered -- and you are sure to find a convenient and reasonably close airport from - and to which you can fly to come enjoy a marvellous holiday in France this year!

Aer Arann (0870 876 7676) Cardiff to Nantes.

Air France (0870 142 4343) Paris from Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Newcastle and Southampton; Nice and Strasbourg from London City.

British Airways (0870 850 9850) Bordeaux, Geneva, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris and Toulouse from Heathrow, Gatwick and London City.

BMI (0870 607 0555) Heathrow to Lyon and Nice; Manchester to Lyon.

BMIbaby (0871 224 0224) Bordeaux, Marseilles, Nice, Paris and Perpignan from Birmingham, East Midlands and Manchester.

Eastern Airways (0870 366 9100) Southampton to Angers.

EasyJet (0905 821 0905 - premium rate) Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Geneva, Grenoble, La Rochelle, Lyon, Marseilles, Nice, Paris and Toulouse from Gatwick, Luton, Stansted, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle.

EasyJet is taking over GB Airways, which offers summer-only services (from May) from Gatwick to Montpellier, Nantes and Ajaccio and Bastia in Corsica - the flights are already bookable with EasyJet.

Flybe (0871 522 6100) Avignon, Bergerac, Brest, La Rochelle, Limoges, Nice, Paris, Perpignan and Rennes from Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Southampton.

Flyglobespan (0871 271 0415) Edinburgh to Geneva and Nice.

Jet2.com (0871 226 1737) Avignon, La Rochelle, Nice, Paris and Toulouse from Belfast, Edinburgh, Leeds-Bradford, Manchester.

Lyddair (01797 322207) Lydd to Le Touquet.

Ryanair (0871 246 0000) Angoulême, Bergerac, Béziers, Biarritz, Brest, Carcassonne, Dinard, Grenoble, La Rochelle, Limoges, Marseilles, Montpellier, Nantes, Nîmes, Paris (Beauvais), Pau, Perpignan, Poitiers, Rodez, Toulon and Tours from Stansted, Luton, Birmingham, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Liverpool, East Midlands, Glasgow and Manchester.

Skysouth (01273 446400) Shoreham to Paris (Pontoise), Deauville, Caen and Le Touquet, in eight-seater planes.

Thomsonfly (0870 190 0737) operates summer-only flights to Corsica from Gatwick, Birmingham, Bristol and Manchester.

Aéroport de Bergerac Périgord Dordogne
Route d'Agen
24100 BERGERAC

aerobergerac@dordogne.cci.fr

Tél. : 05 53 22 25 25

Fax : 05 53 24 35 43

Sita : EGCAPXH

Telex : 541064 F

Code IATA : EGC

Code OACI : LFBE

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Chateau Lalinde : The perfect venue for your event

Wonderful apartment to rent in Bordeaux

Relocation Orientation in France

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Mixing your drinks in Bordeaux - Pastis & Lillet

2008-01-18T14:31:00.000-08:00

One of the joys of getting involved in another culture is discovering the "local". Local food, local expressions, local customs. And then there is alcohol. Now, ask most people about France and alcohol and they will say wine, Pernod and Absinthe - of course if you happen to be in Bordeaux high up that list will be pastis and lillet.

While pastis (usually either Pernod Ricard or "51") is well known few visitors get to experience Lillet. The aperitif, which is based on wine and fruit liqueur, is very much a local drink and comes in two forms - blanc and rouge. It is served very cold with a slice of orange peel floating in the glass - and it is delicious.

And now news has arrived that Pernod Ricard is about to take over the buy aperitif manufacturer Lillet. Pernod Ricard's move may well have been prompted by the drink being featured in the latest James Bond Casino Royale.

Philippe Savinel from Pernod Ricard's Ricard claims Lillet is a growing brand that will boost the company's aperitif product range and reinforce its strategy of increasing premium products.

The giant is gobbling up the minow... Little Lillet, which is based near Bordeaux has 7 employees, but I guess they are in for an exciting few months.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

New flights from Ireland to Bordeaux

2008-01-11T18:14:00.000-08:00

Of the four new routes in Aer Arann deal one is Bordeaux with the airline saying that the new services - to Amsterdam, Bordeaux, Malaga, and Faro - will come into effect on May 1 from Galway Airport and Waterford Airport.

They are the result of a franchise deal between Aer Arann and Nex Aviation. Nex's 100-seater BAE 146-200 jet will operate alongside Aer Arann's current fleet. The services will be sold as part of the Aer Arann network.

Flights will operate daily from both airports to alternate destinations.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Vineyard Auction

2008-01-10T22:58:00.000-08:00

If you have a spare 6 or seven million to spare and want to do more than just cellar a few bottles then here is your chance to own a top Bordeaux vineyard.

Chateau Badette is an eight-hectare property which makes grand cru Saint-Emilion wines and is being sold at auction with a starting price of 3.7 million euros ($5.45 million), according to an email from the office of the notary handling the sale, Francois Coutant. The auction will take place at the town hall in Saint-Emilion on Jan. 23.

The auction will be conducted in traditional manner 'a la bougie' (literally, 'by candle') at the Mairie de St-Emilion. A candle is lit to mark the beginning of the sale and replaced by others during the bidding. The extinction of two candles without further offer announces the last and successful bidder.

According to experts, tje wines to date have been of mediocre quality but the clay-limestone soils offer the potential for improvement. Neighbouring estates include Clos de Sarpe and grand cru classé Château Haut Sarpe.

If you prefer to stick to buying a few bottles, here is a list of coming European wine auctions:

Jan. 16: Sotheby's, London (New Bond Street).

Jan. 21: Christie's, London (South Kensington).

Jan. 23: Chateau Badette vineyard auction, Saint-Emilion.

Feb. 14: Christie's, London (King Street).

Feb. 20: Sotheby's, London (New Bond Street).

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

September in Bordeaux - a special event

2008-01-07T23:48:00.000-08:00

Angoulême is a placid city, even with its fifty thousand or so inhabitants. But that all changes on the third weekend of September each year. The reason is one of the world's great classic car races - the Circuit des Rampart - held on a street circuit unchanged in layout since it first hosted the event on 2nd of July 1939. Apart from a break for the war, the race has been held ever since - the highlight of the program is a race devoted to Grand Prix Bugatti.

Situated some 70 miles to the north of Bordeaux, Angouleme is located in the heart of Charente district with an attractive town center and its cathedral occupying the high point in front of which lies the starting line for the racing.

The meeting takes the form of an entire week-end festival beginning with a Concours d'Elegance under floodlights in a natural amphitheatre alongside the rampart walls on the Friday evening. Saturday commences with a Rallye Touristique Internationnal and the the prize giving ceremony takes place at the Hôtel de Ville at 6pm. Drivers stay in town and merge into the crowd, joining them refreshing their thirst with a lot of well earned beer. The sounds of engines and exhausts are soon replaced by music and laughter.

The Mairie presents the prize to the winner of each group – the equivalent of his weight in Cognac - a highly cherished trophy! Yet again, this is cause to celebrate French style, and the celebrations start in earnest.

Sunday morning open with practice on the circuit for the afternoon's racing, and for new entrants it is the only opportunity to drive on the closed streets before being let loose in a race.

This is an event worth attending and we suggest you book accommodation early. Trains from Bordeaux are the best way of travelling if you want to enjoy the cognac!

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

The Terrace in Bordeaux - an updated view

2008-01-05T23:01:00.000-08:00

La Terrasse à Bordeaux is one of the relatively few apartments available for holiday rental in the heart of the ancient and historic centre of Bordeaux. More than that, it is the only apartment we know of that has a wonderful terrace large enough to dine on or simply take in the fabulous view of the river, the ancient Porte de Bourgogne and Napoleon's Ponte de Pierre - the bridge that took his troops to Paris.

A majority of our visitors are looking for an apartment to rent while exploring the Bordeaux region and usually with an emphasis on discovering the wines that have made the area world famous. Wine tourism is a huge industry and attractive apartments for holiday rental are hard to find. At some times of the year there is little or no accommodation within 50 kilometres of the city - so plan ahead and book early!

Bordeaux's historic centre has been revitalised in the last few years and is now one of the biggest pedestrian precincts in Europe - yet compact enough to be visited on foot. In the area adjacent to our apartment - La Terrasse à Bordeaux- are wonderful cobbled streets with some of the best restaurants and bars as well as an open-air food market and antique and bric-a-brac market on weekends.

Our apartment's World Heritage listed staircase

Porte de Bourgogne

The photograph at the top of the page and the small one at the side will give you a pretty good idea of the spectacular view from our apartment terrace at sunset.

RECENT GUEST COMMENTS.

Hi Suzanna and Sandy,

Just a note to say thanks for letting your lovely apartment to us.

Bordeaux was a beautiful city for us to experience a European Christmas. The lights, lanterns and Christmas trees were everywhere in the city centre and it really looked magical at night.

Pascal helped everything run smoothly with our arrival and departure. It was good to know he was around while we were there, though we didn't want for anything as you have paid such attention to detail with regard to equipping the apartment.

Bon anee to you both!

Anne-Maree & Mick

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Bordeaux 2008

2008-01-02T14:36:00.000-08:00

With the festive season out of the way it is time to look forward to the coming year. If you have any intentions of visiting Bordeaux during the wine festival, then booking now is essential. Other times during the year are also filling up, so now is the time to hunt for accommodation. While there are still a good number of hotel rooms available, the supply of apartments is limited.

Book a bed now!

Using Bordeaux as a base for trips around the Perigord and Dordogne regions is becoming more popular, but do leave yourself time for the city of Bordeaux itself. Apart from some of the best shopping in France (yes, even the good folk of Paris make the trip to Bordeaux to shop!) there are wonderful weekend markets, 900 restaurants and interesting galleries and museums.

The general consensus among our visitors is that a two week sojourn in Bordeaux is about right, but longer would give them time to have an really good appreciation of the wine industry, day trips and gourmet experiences available.

The rise of Bordeaux's popularity is great for the city, but it does mean you now need to plan in advance and book early.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Magret de Canard au Poivre - my favourite recipe.

2007-11-16T19:44:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite dishes! Magret is best and of course most tender when cooked rare, is allowed to rest after cooking, and finally is sliced thinly on an angle just before serving. The quantities below should serve four people.

2 duck breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
tablespoon of whole black peppercorns, crushed
1 tablespoon rough( rock) salt salt
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup brandy
2½ cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon red currant jelly
½ cup heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat oven to 230 degrees celsius

Score the skin side of the magret in deep (almost through to the meat)and tight criss-cross pattern. Brush both sides with olive oil. Mix 2/3 of the crushed peppercorns with the salt. Rub the mixture generously over both sides of the magret.

Heat heavy-bottom pan over low heat. When the pan is hot, place breast skin side down. Brown the magret without turning until skin is crispy (about 7 minutes) Pour off any fat.

Turn the magret over and place the pan into preheated oven for 5 minutes, or until centre is rare. Remove from oven. Let rest on a board for 5-7 minutes.

While magret is resting, discard any fat from the pan. Return it to the stove over high heat and add the white wine and brandy. Reduce by 2/3, then add the chicken stock and remaining crushed peppercorns. Reduce again until the sauce has a syrupy consistency.

Strain sauce through a fine sieve or cheesecloth. Return to low heat. Add red currant jelly and heavy cream, but don't allow to boil.

Serving:

Slice the margret, skin side up on a 45-degree angle, into thin slices.

Ladle 2 tablespoons of sauce onto the centre of each plate. Arrange magret slices in a fan shape over the sauce.

ENJOY!

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

A Tale of two cities....

2007-11-07T01:10:00.000-08:00

It's not problems that make cities unique, but solutions.

Yesterday in Toronto the mayors of Turin and Bordeaux shared the stage at the Royal York Hotel to talk about how they have revitalized towns that as recently as 10 or 20 years ago had bottomed out.

Speaking at a conference titled The Infrastructure Challenge, both men focused on familiar questions. But it was transportation that emerged as the key to urban regeneration.

Turin has managed to construct a new network of subways, tram routes and high-speed rail lines. Indeed, working with the Italian government, the European Union and the Region of Piedmont, Turin will have invested 6 billion euros ($8.1 billion Cdn) in public transit by 2011.

But the standout city is Bordeaux, a town that in its mayor's words needed "shock treatment," has built 45 kilometres of tramline in less than a decade. "In the 1990s, our transit system was 30 years out of date," Alain Juppé told delegates. "Bordeaux was sleeping."

The result of the city's 1.3-billion euro ($1.75 billion Cdn) investment is a 20 per cent drop in traffic in Bordeaux, 30 per cent downtown, and a three-fold increase in bicycle use.

Juppé, former French prime minister, noted that the 21st century will be our most urban yet. For the first time in human history, more than half the world's population lives in cities, and that's growing.

"Towns are on the front line of all battles in the contemporary world," Juppé said. That's true whether we're talking about housing, education, sustainability, security or integration.

Bordeaux, cities and Turin that have turned themselves around in less time than it has taken most cities to even contemplate such changes.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

What is Premier Cru - or First Growth?

2007-11-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

First Growth (French Premier Cru) is the status given to certain wines in the classification system used primarily in the Bordeaux region. We will take a look at each of these in future posts.

The need for a classification of the best Bordeaux wines arose from controversy at the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris. The result was the list of the top wines known as the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855 which named the Grand Crus Classés (Great Classified Growths). As there are several thousand different Chateaux producing their own wines in Bordeaux, to be classified is not only a mark of high prestige, but a huge marketing advantage.

Within the Grand Cru Classé list wines were further ranked and placed in one of five divisions. The best of the best wines were assigned the highest rank of Premier Cru; only four wines, Château Latour, Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Margaux and Château Haut-Brion were deemed worthy. Of all the 61 great classified wines, all but one came from the Médoc region. The exception was the Premier Cru Château Haut-Brion, produced in Graves.

The big five

The 1855 list remained unchanged for over a hundred years until finally Mouton Rothschild was promoted to Premier Cru status in 1973, after decades of relentless lobbying by its powerful owner. There are still many critics who say this was not deserved. Of lesser importance, in 1988 the premier cru Château Haut-Brion was changed in appellation from Graves to Pessac-Leognan to represent apparent changes in soil structure caused by the urbanisation of areas surrounding Bordeaux.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

The great wines of Bordeaux #2

2007-11-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

Today another one of the iconic Bordeaux wines - Château Margaux. This is a wine with an ancient heritage.

During the Middle Ages, Margaux was a small dry ridge located between the forest and river. Back in 15th century there was a fortified castle known as Lamothe where in 1750 one Mr de Fumel planted a large quantity of fine grape-varieties. The castle changed hands in 1802and the new owner, Marquis de la Colonilla, razed the old castle to the ground and built a new one. New owners acquired and exchanged plots to form the complete vineyard we know today. In the 17th Century, the D’Aulede family took over the vineyard, and later took a half-share in Haut-Brion.

As with most of Médoc's châteaux, the 18th century saw the wine develop from a pale watery drink that faded within only a few years, to the dark, complex liquid that has been stored in cellars ever since. At Château Margaux this transformation was largely due to a manager named Berlon, who revolutionised techniques of wine-making by introducing novel ideas such as forbidding harvesting in the early morning to avoid dew-covered grapes, and acknowledging for the first time the importance of soil quality.

By the 19th century, the estate's wine was well known. Thomas Jefferson placing it number one in his personal classification. The 1855 classification ordered by Napoleon III confirmed its status.

Château Margaux produces over 300,000 bottles every year.

Margaux later saw the Compte d’Agricourt as its eminent patron, then passed through the hands of two bankers before the Ginestets took its reins in 1935 and restored it. Finally, Andre Mentzelopoulos inaugurated Margaux’s era of renaissance with remedial work in the vineyards and modernization of the cellar. However, he did not live to see the fruit of his labor, as he passed away in 1980. Andre’s daughter, Corinne, has been at the helm since then. Connoisseurs often debate whether Margaux 1982 or 1983 is the Margaux wine of the century.

The present day vineyard of Château Margaux covers about 100 hectares (250 acres) and according to the experts the source of the distinctively delicate and perfumed wines of Margaux lies in the soil – a thin stony top soil over coarse gravel of lime and sand that is supported on a layer of clay.

Another distinction is that unlike many wineries, Margaux has its own cooperage (barrel-making facilities), along with gardeners, masons, painters and mechanics. And the varieties? 75 hectares of the 250-hectare estate is planted with 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 5% Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Commentators claim that the overall quality dropped in the 70's, but the 1978 vintage was a turning point and there has hardly been any real weakness. The pick ( if you can find and afford it!)? 1982

Around 30,000 cases are made annually, with production divided between the famous Premier Cru and the additional Pavillon Rouge. A small amount of Sauvignon Blanc is also grown to make the Pavillon Blanc wine. Average vine age at Chateau Margaux is 35 years.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

The great wines of Bordeaux #1

2007-11-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

Visitors to Bordeaux are not all experts and the variety of wines can be daunting. So over the next few weeks we will feature some of the great Bordeaux wines. Starting with one of the heavyweights - Château Haut-Brion.

The first written mention of the wine appears in the Diaries of Samuel Pepys. While visiting the Royal Oak Tavern in London on April 10, 1663 Pepys wrote "There I drank a sort of French wine called Ho-Bryan (sic) which hath a good and most particular taste which I never before encountered....." The Chateau Haut-Brion was founded in 1525 and over the years has had many famous owners including admirals, archbishops, and mayors of Bordeaux. In recent years, the estate came under the ownership of Clarence Douglas Dillon, Ambassador of the United States in Paris and Minister of Finance under President J.F. Kennedy, making it the only American-owned First Growth property. Currently, Dillon's granddaughter, the Duchesse de Mouchy, oversees many properties, including Haut-Brion, under the public limited company of "Domaine Clarence Dillon."

Château Haut-Brion is also the only First Growth classed property from the 1855 Classification that lies outside of the Médoc and Sauternes. Located in Pessac, within the Graves region, just one mile from the city of Bordeaux, Château Haut-Brion is highly sought after, landing it among the most expensive and prestigious wines in France.

The estate vineyards are planted with both red and white varietals: 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 63% Sémillon and 37% Sauvignon Blanc. The average vine age is 30 years with soils dominated by gravel and interspersed clay. Wine production includes fermentation in stainless steel vats, aging for 24-27 months in oak barrels, and clarification using egg whites.

And the wines? They exhibit a distinctive 'gout de terroir' or taste of the terroir, which sets them apart from the Medoc wines. At an elevation of 27m above sea level, the soil of Haut Brion's vineyard is gravelly and runs as deep as 18m in some places.

Very early on, Haut Brion acknowledged the contribution of research in the fields of oenology and viticulture, and thus pioneered the use of stainless steel vats and fermentation temperature control in Bordeaux during the early 1960s.

Haut-Brion is characterized by earthy scents, ripe fruit, tobacco and mineral that reveal aromas of chocolate and smoke creating an elegant and harmonious wine that is highly structured, allowing it to age seamlessly.

Drink now until 2010

And, talking of age, my pick ( if only I could afford it!) would be the 1985 Haut-Brion. According to James Suckling reviewing for, Wine Spectator... "Back on form with the '85 after a slightly less-grand '83, this is a gorgeous, harmonious wine. Beautiful ripe fruit and tobacco aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and velvety with a fine rich finish."

And the controversial Robert Parker has this to say "This has always been one of the more seductive, savory, complex Haut-Brions of the eighties. My notes have always suggested that it is the quintessentially elegant, finesse-styled Haut-Brion. The color remains a deep ruby/purple with slight lightening at the edge. The knock-out nose of intense jammy black fruits, smoke, cedar, herbs, and new oak is followed by a generously concentrated, rich, gorgeously proportioned and layered Haut-Brion with no hard edges. Everything - alcohol, acidity, tannin - is beautifully integrated into the seamless personality of the 1985".

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Le Gout et le Pouvoir (Taste and Power) - a great wine controversy.

2007-11-01T02:33:00.000-07:00

Mondovino (Italian for "World of Wine") is a 2004 documentary film written and directed by American film maker Jonathan Nossiter. It was nominated for the 2004 Golden Palm Award and a César Award.

The controversial film explores the impact of globalization on the various wine-producing regions, and the influence of critics like the notorious and now discredited, Robert Parker and consultants like Michel Rolland in defining an international style. It pits the ambitions of large, multinational wine producers, in particular Robert Mondavi, against the small, single estate wineries who have traditionally boasted wines with individual character driven by their terroir.

Mondovino was originally intended to be a two month affair as a break between feature projects upon the completion of Nossiter's film Signs & Wonders (2000). The film gave Nossiter a chance to utilize his knowledge as a trained sommelier from his time working at Balthazar in New York as well as an opportunity to visit some of great wine regions of the world.

Jonathan Nossiter

And now the US-born film director Jonathan Nossiter has released his first book -- an "anti wine guide" which like his 2004 documentary slams overly influential critics and outrageous prices.

Launched here in Bordeaux on Tuesday evening, Nossiter said the book, Le Gout et le Pouvoir (Taste and Power) was aimed at demystifying wine and make it more democratic.

In a veiled attack on powerful critics such as American Robert Parker, whose arithmetical ratings of Bordeaux wines influence sales and prices, Nossiter says it is treason to taste 300 wines and then issue mathematical calculations. And he has a point Parker, it is said by other critics, does not even taste all the wines he rates!

"If there were 40 people in the room tasting we would have 40 different experiences," Nossiter said.

"This book is an anti-guide," he said, not aimed at imposing one person's tastes but instead at championing the taste of the individual over that of well known critics.

The book, which will be available in English late next year, "is a call to find another way to talk about wine, to find words that include people, not exclude them," he said.

It follows hot on the heels of another book launched last week that also criticises Parker, accusing him of croneyism and lack of independence.

Aside from slamming wine buffs and their snobby talk, Nossiter also takes on outrageously priced restaurants as a barrier to enjoying wines.

Describing a visit to one trendy Paris restaurant which aims to bring good foods to a wide audience, Nossiter said the wine prices were "punishing" with a simple white burgundy at 17 euros a glass.

"Scandalous," he says for a wine that could have been priced at 1.50 euros. "More than 1,000 per cent mark up, when the norm is between 250 and 300 per cent," the book says.

Another wine, selling at 13 euros a glass, normally costs six euros a bottle, he says, a 1,300 percent mark-up.

When the restaurant's sommelier is asked if the wines by the glass come from bottles opened that day or the day before -- as wines change taste and lose freshness when opened for too long -- the sommelier says he doesn't know and that it doesn't matter.

"That is like saying to a film maker, you can screen your film on the pavement instead of the screen, no difference," writes Nossiter.

Asked at the launch about fears that both critics and supermarkets will eventually impose standardised wine tastes, Nossiter said: "Despite mafia-like efforts to standardise our tastes, I think intelligent people will not accept this, and they will become more and more sceptical about wine and other things."

But one local winemaker was far more cynical about the future. He said the paperwork allowing him to sell his wine had been withdrawn on the grounds it was not "woody" enough -- a style associated with new world wines and with Parker.

"Let me tell you about the future. It's that my chateau has been in my family for five generations and now my son wants to sell it."

Nossiter, who chose to wrote his book in French, made waves at the Cannes filmfest in 2004 with "Mondovino", a documentary about the good, the bad and the ugly in world wine.

It portrayed a troubled world, one of big business taking over the vineyards of the world. Nossiter travelled three continents to recount the family sagas of billionaire Napa Valley growers, the rivalry between two aristocratic Florentine dynasties and the efforts of three generations of a Burgundy family to preserve their vines.

"Wine is a kind of guardian of Western civilisation," he said at the time. Lets hope his push against the likes of Parker have some success and that the independant winemakers of Bordeaux can once again compete on a level playing field.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

A day trip from Bordeaux - to Lalinde

2007-10-29T23:53:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite day trips from Bordeaux is to Lalinde. The train trip takes an hour and a half as it meanders its way through the beautiful French countryside. Lalinde is a specially beautiful town right on the Dordogne river and is a hive of cultural and culinary activity. There are some fine restaurants and a magnificent small chateau.

Chateau Lalinde

The market square will provide you with some great coffee and the bakery is superb.

However, to get a real feel for Lalinde, treat yourself to a night or so in the Chateau. The chatelaine, Wilna Wilkinson, is justifiably famous for her hospitality and her great culinary skills. Moreover, every meal is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, as Wilna's sense of style is second to none!

Wilna Wilkinson

All of which brings me to one of the oddities about the chateau - the guest book.

Now, while almost every guest house and chateau has a guest book, I venture than none has one as interesting as that at Chateau Lalinde. It is a wall! Yes, a wall on which the guests leave hand prints.

Over the last year or so the hands have developed into a work of art in their own right and I suspect will continue to do so for years to come.

Wilna makes up a water-soluble paint which the guest lays their hand in before transferring it to the wall. The range of hand sizes and shapes would make an interesting study in itself.

(Find out all about Lalinde here: Lalinde)

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Travelling from London to Bordeaux? Try Eurostar.

2007-10-29T17:32:00.000-07:00

On 14 November 2007 the new Eurostar High Speed service will be launched from the magnificent new Eurostar station in London, at St Pancras International. London and Bordeaux are now a short distance apart!

London to Bordeaux in 5 hours?

It's easy to reach Bordeaux with Eurostar; simply change at Paris and travel on to Bordeaux on the TGV. So say the advertisments. But lets have a reality check. In fact you do need to change at Paris Gare du Nord and then take Metro line 4 to Montparnasse-Bienvenue and then walk to Gare Montparnasse (or take a taxi) for frequent connecting trains. Our suggestion if you are taking this route is make sure you don't have a lot of luggage!

The typical journey is not in fact 5 hours but around 6 hours 45 minutes if you include time for you to change in Paris.

When you arrive in Bordeaux you will be at at Bordeaux St-Jean Station, a 20-minute walk south-east of the city centre. The station is connected to the very good public-transport network (tram, train and bus), but if you have luggage, take a taxi from the rank outside.

Boost for Bordeaux.

The real upside of the new train link is the amount of advertising Bordeaux is getting. Eurostar are pushing several aspects of Bordeaux tourism such as the following examples:

Bordeaux Wines

Heard it through the grapevine? The ONLY thing to drink in Bordeaux is wine - and lots of it! Try a smooth, fruity Merlot or an oaky Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany meat dishes. For fish, you can't go wrong with a citrusy, pale-gold Sauvignon Blanc or, for pudding, a sweet Sauternes. Head out of town to explore intoxicating Médoc, with its miles of verdant vines, speckled with 18th-century châteaux. Taste St-Julien and Pauillac's grand crus , sniff out fruity bouquets in Margaux and drink wine from centuries-old vines in St-Emilion. A votre santé!

Bordeaux Seafood

A stone's throw away from the Atlantic, restaurants in Bordeaux serve fresh lobster and melt-in-the-mouth Arcachon oysters – best served with white wine. Tuck into tender Pauillac lamb with parsley, juicy Aquitaine beef and sizzling entrecôte à la Bordelaise (steak with red wine, bone marrow and shallots). Local dishes are often cooked in goose fat, while verjus (the juice of unripe grapes) substitutes for vinegar. Other local delights include Périgord truffles and macaroons from St-Emilion.

Bordeaux night life!

Bordeaux buzzes after dark, glittering around the illuminated Pont-de-Pierre. Share your night out with drop-dead-gorgeous students in vibrant La Victoire, Gambetta and the bars, bistros and clubs strung along the quays lining the Garonne. Mingle with the in-crowd in converted warehoues and floating nightclubs along the trendy Bassins à flot (renovated docks), wind up on café terraces in modish St-Rémi or savour the views of the city from jumping Bastide on the other side of the river.

Bordeaux through the ages

Revisit Roman times at ruined amphitheatre, Palais Gallien, and admire the silvery turrets of medieval Grosse Cloche, the belfry of the former Town Hall. Glimpse the dreaming spires at Gothic Cathédrale St-André, and the golden sandstone walls of 18th-century townhouses punctuating the Quartier de Chartrons. Trace the region's history in the cavernous Musée d'Aquitaine and get bang up to date with a ride around town on a sleek new tram.

When in Bordeaux…

… go where the Bordelais go. Scour the stalls at Sunday's quayside Marché Colbert, where locals come to enjoy oysters with a glass of dry white wine before midday. Window-shop in the flashy designer boutiques of the Allées de Tourny, but shop in the maze-like alleys off rue Ste-Catherine for quality clothes that are actually affordable.

Also check out our ESSENTIAL LINKS TO BORDEAUX

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Fermes Auberges: tradition and gastronomic excellence!

2007-10-29T16:59:00.000-07:00

There are few places left where traditions and gastronomic excellence are life styles rather than values but my friend Wilna Wilkinson who owns the beautiful Chateau Lalinde recently wrote a superb article about Fermes Auberges and at the same time takes us to the gastronomic heart of the Dordogne. Here is an edited version of her story:

For most people the move to a foreign country would be traumatic enough - adjusting to a new culture, a new language, a new way of life is in itself difficult to do, no matter how easy and laid back you may be. But probably the biggest adjustment - the biggest culture shock - and one that not many think of when planning their Big Move, is the adjustment from city life to country living.

After having lived a lifetime in big cities, I knew there would be a change in life style when I moved into the country. I expected a slower pace, a different approach to life in general, a more relaxed routine, less rush and less stress, more fresh air and more freedom. I was ready to change my life accordingly; whether I was adequately prepared for it though, is another matter altogether. And perhaps just as well, as the result of my ‘inadequate preparation' was that for the last 18 months in my newly adopted country, I have not had a single day go by without a wonderful little surprise, a delightful new discovery, a touch of wonder and a large dose of awe.

No cross cultural awareness course or relocation lecture could - or should - reveal all these wondrous things that come your way out here in the provinces. It is in making the discoveries oneself that add the spice and the excitement to the journey.

One of the exclamations my city slicker friends often make when I go on and on singing the praises of the pleasures of country living, is "But what about eating out! Don't you miss the fine dining of the city restaurants?"

Fine dining? Eating out? I bite my tongue, and wonder..... Do I honestly want to let out one of the best kept secrets of life in the provinces? Are we ready to share one of the most precious little gems of country living with our city slicker friends? Do we really have to tell them about the Fermes Auberges?

Fermes Auberges are ‘home industry' restaurants that one finds in several of France's provinces. They can have accommodation, but the emphasis remains on the restaurant side of the business. The rule is that at least 50% of everything that is served in the restaurant has to be home-grown and produced - agriculture being their first activity and the restaurant with their own produce the second. So it is that the Fermes Auberges in the Charente serve mainly goat products and wine, in Brittany the speciality is sea food and in the Pays Basque the auberge menu will feature pork.

Here in the Aquitaine, and in particular the Dordogne, we are fortunate to have several excellent fermes auberges. There is even more than one that sports an air strip for those gourmands from Paris and Marseilles with private planes who have a craving for the best foie gras or confit de canard.

But seeing as I am letting the cat out of the bag - or the duck out of the tree, allow me to invite you to one of my very favourite fermes auberges. It is up in the hills, 2.5 km behind Trémolat, on the Chemin de Crète, and called Les Truffières.

Yanick et Lyzianne Le Goff

Yanick -- larger than life, artist, passionate about life and love and his work, best described as a man full of bonhomie, and Lyzianne -- outgoing, highly qualified and competent, vivacious, bubbling with enjoyment and enthusiasm for her trade, welcome you at the door like old friends.

A few years ago they both decided to leave the city where Yanick was in great demand as an interior architect and Lyzianne worked as a medical secretary, and they moved to this 5 hectare farm where they converted their old tobacco drying shed into a restaurant - the interior of which would make the Michelin Three Stars salivate with envy. While Yanick was creating the perfect environment for their venture, Lyzianne went off to get her Diploma in Agriculture at the Lycée Agricole de Coulounieix-Chamiers, and three years ago they started their business.

Today they work side by side with apparent ease and pleasure, Lyzianne taking care of the raising, gavage or feeding, and slaughtering of the ducks and chickens, and her share of the meal preparation, whilst Yanick takes care of his very interesting and original selection of home made aperitifs and digestifs, as well as the front of the house and any cooking that is done in the large fireplace in the restaurant. They are both excellent cooks-- their foie gras demi-cuit is the best I have yet tasted and as for Yanick's magret de canard, sprinkled with coarse salt and a few herbs and done in strips over the open wood fire - well, my mouth is watering as I write this. If you are lucky, you will also be offered a paper thin sliver or two of their magret de canard séché or salt dried ducks' breast with you aperitif before sitting down to your meal.

Anyone who has qualms about eating foie gras, need not be concerned. Listening to Lyzianne speak of her ducks (she raises on average 800 ducks per year) would put your mind at rest. She may have a top scientific qualification, but she prefers to follow the ancient and traditional farming ways and therefore does not practise beak-cutting or spur removal, as she believes that when the birds have freedom to move around in wide open spaces - as they do on their farm, and are not kept enclosed in confined spaces, they will not damage each other with their beaks or their spurs. When the Avian Flu scare hit the Dordogne, theirs was one of the few farms where they -- literally with tears running down their cheeks -- killed 64 of their chickens rather than pump them full of vaccinations and medicines and confine them indoors in too small barns. Thus everything they serve on your plate is 100% organic, 100% natural. And 100% delicious.

The menu typically consists of an aperitif, foie gras with a Monbazillac or sweet wine, a salade de gesiers or a terrine de campagne (or other, depending on the season), a main course of duck, chèvre (goat's cheese - possibly on toast, grilled with a little drizzle of their own honey), a delicious home made dessert, coffee and a digestif - usually one of Yanick's own eau de vie. Wine is included as well. A king's fare for the meagre sum of €22. The ferme auberge is open all year round, and booking is essential.

Les Truffières

Generally the Fermes Auberges are not widely advertised -- there are a handful of websites on the internet and here and there the local town- or village councils will have a list on their websites, but possibly the reason is that more than any other industry, this is one that advertises itself through word of mouth. Not all of them are as outstanding as Les Truffières, and depending on your taste and preference, certain provinces' auberges' menus may not be to your liking, but one thing is sure though -- when you have had the pleasure of discovering a ferme auberge such as this one and enjoyed the warm hospitality and ambience and sampled their delicious fare, you are not likely to ever regret leaving the "fine dining of the city restaurants" behind!
_______________________________

For more information on life in the Dordogne visit Wilna Wilkinson's blog and website CHATEAU LALINDE

Essential information:

Les Truffières
Yanick et Lyzianne Le Goff
Chemin de Crète
Trémolat
0553 27 30 44
08 75 37 19 56

Nearest Train station: Trémolat 3km
Nearest Airport : Bergerac 30km

Ferme Auberge with landing strip for light aircraft:
Ferme de Rebeyrotte
Rebeyrotte Vicq
0553 61 13 87

Photography: Sandy McCutcheon

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

A home on the internet - for Francophiles.

2007-10-28T19:55:00.000-07:00

If you are one of those people who are planning a trip to France you are probably reading everything you can get your hands on. Well, why not spend some time among people who both know and love everything French? You can't do much better than log on and join up with the friendly bunch at FRANCOPHILIA.

You will meet people like you - and enjoy music and photographs from around France.

Give it a try. You will find them here: Francophilia

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Exploring France - with a camera

2007-10-28T19:32:00.000-07:00

France is not only extremely photogenic - and unlike Africa and countries where the harsh light can cause problems, light is soft and makes photography easy.

Street art

Wandering the streets you will find great shots everywhere!

Amalie's cafe in Paris - where they shot the movie.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

A map of Bordeaux

2007-10-27T19:46:00.001-07:00

We have had many requests for a map of Bordeaux to be available on our site - so, voila - here it is! Click on "search nearby" and enter address to locate. For example: Our apartment, The Terrace in Bordeaux, is at 1 Rue des Pontets -

View Larger Map

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

The Wine School in Bordeaux - L’Ecole du vin

2007-10-21T17:29:00.000-07:00

The Wine School in Bordeaux is a great way to introduce yourself to the wines of the region and also increase your knowledge and appreciation of fine wines. L’Ecole du vin in Bordeaux offers several courses :

INTENSIVE COURSES:

* Level 1: "Learning how to taste and discovering Bordeaux wines". Discover the diversity and the quality of the world's largest fine wine region imparting the basic knowledge enabling participants to taste, describe and appreciate wines.

* Level 2: "The essence of Bordeaux - proficiency course". Improve your knowledge about wine by setting it in the right atmosphere.

* Level 3: "The legendary Chateaux of Bordeaux : the classifications and the wines". Why do some appellations have classifications and others not? Why are some wines classified and not the neighbouring estate? What are the links between terroir, classification and price? Discover the answers to all your questions during a course including 1 day of lessons and 3 days of visits in the Medoc, Pessac-Leognan, Sauternes and Saint-Emilion appellations, where you will be able to put your knowledge into practice with comparative tastings.

WINE WEEKENDS: Discover, during a week-end, the Bordeaux vineyards and the pleasures of tasting.

The 2 HOUR COURSES : Are you coming to Bordeaux this summer ? Seize the opportunity to discover wine tasting at the "Maison du Vin de Bordeaux"

DETAILS:

Bordeaux Wine School

1 Cours du 30 Juillet, Bordeaux 33075 - France

Phone: +33 (0)5 56 00 22 66
Fax number: + (33) 5 56 00 99 30
Email : ecole@vins-bordeaux.fr

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

Visiting Bordeaux? A useful website...

2007-10-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

It is often difficult to sift your way through the hundreds of sites about France and what is happening in various areas. Well, thanks to one of our readers, Paul Johnson, we can save you time and effort.

The website A France Attraction has a comprehensive and regularly updated list of happenings in France and has a particularly good section on Bordeaux. Enjoy.

Our thanks to Paul Johnson.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

What on earth is the Dogue de Bordeaux?

2007-10-21T17:03:00.000-07:00

From time to time we get some very strange emails. The latest was a very blunt "please explain what a dogue de Bordeaux is". Well, while we love Bordeaux, we had to admit we had never heard of such a thing - but we checked and can report that according to Wikipedia...The Dogue de Bordeaux was known in France as early as the fourteenth century. Dog fighting was popular in the nineteenth century, particularly in southern France in the region around Bordeaux. Hence, the city lent its name to these large fighting dogs.

A uniform breed type of the Bordeaux Dog did not exist before about 1920. The French placed emphasis on keeping the old breeding line pure. Black masks were considered an indication of the crossing in of the Mastiff. As an important indication of purity of the breed, attention was paid to the leather-coloured nose, light eyes, and red mask. Originally bred with huge anatomically incorrect heads; a pioneer for the breed in Germany, Werner Preugschat once wrote:

"What am I supposed to do with a dog that has a monstrous skull and is at most able to carry it from the food dish to its bed."

The Dogue de Bordeaux comes in two varieties, Dogues and Doguins, the former being a considerably larger dog than the latter. Breeding of the Doguins has been seriously neglected in recent years and the variety has dwindled to near nonexistence.

New initiatives will soon be required if the Bordeaux Dog can hope to flourish again both inside and outside of France. It is hoped that the few remaining survivors of this interesting old breed will be sufficient for its recovery.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

BORDEAUX'S MUSEUM OF FINE ART

2007-10-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

If you are visiting Bordeaux, then don't miss visiting this museum. It was founded in 1801 and displays all the major trends of occidental art.

The Museum of Fine Art, which is located in the Town Hall Gardens (Palais Rohan), has just opened a new south wing in which sixteenth to eighteenth century French and European collections are exhibited (including Brueghel de Velours, Titien, Magnasco, Rubens). The north gallery is dedicated to nineteenth and twentieth century works (Delacroix, Corot, etc.). Three first class Bordeaux painters are duly represented : Odilon Redon, Albert Marquet and Andre Lhote.

Delacroix's famous painting 'LA GRECE SUR LES RUINES DE MISSOLONGHI' (1826) is its most treasured piece.

The visit of this museum is a must.

Renseignements :

Musée des Beaux-Arts
20 Cours d'Albret - F 33000 BORDEAUX

: 33 5 56 10 20 56
: 33 5 56 10 25 13

E.mail:culture@mairie-bordeaux.fr

THE MUSEUM OF FINE ART

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

The Bordeaux wine Festival 2008

2007-10-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

Chateau Lascombe in Margaux near Bordeaux

The Bordeaux Wine Festival takes place between July 26th and 29th 2008. In order to offer thousands of French and foreign visitors 4 unforgettable days, the BORDEAUX WINE FESTIVAL will take place in the heart of the city on an area of over 12 hectares. The celebrations come to an end on the final Sunday with a spectacular riverside fireworks display that illuminates the night sky.

A word of warning. Accommodation is very often completely booked in advance, so plan now if you intend to visit during this week.

The Tasting Pass

Thanks to a TASTING PASS, visitors will be able to savour a huge variety of wines from Bordeaux and the Aquitaine region at one location. Also, thanks to a VINEYARD PASS, they can visit the Gironde wine country, with its amazing châteaux and beautiful landscapes.

Valid from 29 June to 2 July, this pass enables holders to meet winegrowers and discover wines according to their preferences and at their own pace at the 8 Appellation Pavilions [Médoc/Graves, Blancs d'Or (sweet white wines of Bordeaux), Blancs Secs (dry white wines of Bordeaux), Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur, Saint-Emilion-Pomerol-Fronsac, Côtes de Bordeaux, brand wines, and wines from Aquitaine] and at the 6 Pavillons Millésime ("Vintage Pavilions"), featuring major shippers: Castel, Chamvermeil, Cordier, Ginestet, Johanès Boubée, and Lillet.

Valid throughout the Festival, the TASTING PASS includes:
- 11 tasting tickets
- 1 glass and glass holder
- 5 tickets that can be exchanged for price-reductions and free gifts

VALIDITY: every day, from Thursday to Sunday
PRICE: 12 €
POINTS OF SALE:

Office de Tourisme de Bordeaux
12, cours du juillet
Every day of the week
Tel.: +33 (0) 556 006 620 - Fax: +33 (0) 556 006 601
otb@bordeaux-tourisme.com

INFORMATION: +33 (0) 556 006 620

Website www.bordeaux-fete-le-vin.com

Getting There

Air: Bordeaux Merignac Airport is a short 30-minute drive from the city centre

Rail: Bordeaux Saint-Jean rail station is one of France's main rail intersections with connections throughout Europe. It is connected to the heart of the city by the light-rail system.

Road: Bordeaux is served by a great light-rail system and taxis are readily available.

The Terrace in Bordeaux - a private apartment with a superb river view is available during this week.

Also check out our ESSENTIAL LINKS TO BORDEAUX

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism

A Taste of Bordeaux

2007-10-13T17:22:00.000-07:00

With thanks to the Bordeaux Tourist Office.

Tags: Bordeaux, France,Wine, Travel, Tourism

Bordeaux - the essential links.

2007-10-13T16:42:00.000-07:00

A map of Bordeaux

Weather in Bordeaux (BBC)

Bordeaux Airport

Bordeaux official Tourist information site

Bordeaux Shopping Guide

Currency Converter

A virtual tour of Bordeaux

SNCF Train Bookings

Bordeau Wine Information

Tags: Bordeaux, France,Wine, Travel Tourism

AN EXCEPTIONAL APARTMENT IN BORDEAUX

2007-10-12T16:10:00.001-07:00

La Terrasse à Bordeaux is one of the relatively few apartments available for holiday rental in the heart of the ancient and historic centre of Bordeaux. More than that, it is the only apartment for rent we know of that has a wonderful terrace large enough to dine on or simply take in the fabulous view of the river, the ancient Porte de Bourgogne and Napoleon's Pont de Pierre - the bridge that took his troops to Paris.

A majority of our visitors are looking for an apartment in Bordeaux while exploring the Bordeaux region and usually with an emphasis on discovering the wines that have made the area world famous. Make no mistake, wine tourism is a huge industry and good modern apartments are hard to find. At some times of the year there is little or no accommodation within 50 kilometres of the city - so plan ahead and book early!

Bordeaux's historic centre has been revitalised in the last few years and is now one of the biggest pedestrian precincts in Europe - yet compact enough to be visited on foot. In the area adjacent to La Terrasse à Bordeaux are wonderful cobbled streets with some of the best restaurants and bars as well as an open-air food market and antique and bric-a-brac market on weekends.

Porte de Bourgogne

The Porte de Bourgogne sits at the end of the Victor Hugo Avenue, where once one of the city's gates stood. At our left we have the Quartier de la Rousselle, with its beautiful old houses, at our right we have the Quarter Saint-Michel with its amazing cathedral and directly in front of our terrace we have the La Garonne river and the famous Pont de Pierre .

The photograph at the top of the page and the small one at the side will give you a pretty good idea of the spectacular view from the terrace of our apartment at sunset.

Tags: Bordeaux, France,Wine, Travel, Tourism.

Bordeaux - A UNESCO World Heritage site

2007-10-12T16:03:00.000-07:00

Bordeaux has been officially included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites as of 28 June 2007. This distinction recognises the beauty and unity of style of Bordeaux's architectural heritage, which has developed harmoniously over the centuries and remained remarkably well-preserved. The Bordeaux World Heritage site is the largest urban entity to be so honoured. It covers 1,810 hectares, or half of the city, from the outer boulevards to the banks of the Garonne.

With over 350 historic monuments in a protected area of 147 hectares, as well as 3 churches (Saint-André, Saint-Michel, and Saint-Seurin) that were already listed as World Heritage sites on the pilgrim road to Santiago de Compostela, Bordeaux had a number of assets to convince the jury.

Bordeaux, an 18th century architectural gem, owes its beauty to architects spanning a number of periods: Jacques Gabriel Les Allées de Tourny, Victor Louis Le Grand Théâtre, Jacques d'Welles the municipal stadium, and Richard Rogers, who designed not only the Beaubourg Centre in Paris, but also the Bordeaux Court of First Instance.

Above and beyond its lovely architecture, Bordeaux was chosen for its attractive, vibrant, and cosmopolitan districts. From the narrow streets of the Saint-Michel quarter to buildings from the 60s and 70s in Mériadeck, these districts reflect the life of a city that has evolved without losing its character or identity.

Bordeaux's successful bid as a World Heritage site also relied on several ambitious urban renewal projects begun in 1996 under the impetus of mayor Alain Juppé. These include development of the quays along the Garonne River, the restoration of many façades, and a light rail transit system.

Tourism in Bordeaux had already developed considerably following the city's extensive facelift. However, it will now be entering a new dimension thanks to the UNESCO listing, undoubtedly exceeding the 2.5 million visitors a year Bordeaux currently welcomes. As of Saturday, 7 July, and in order to celebrate this event, the Bordeaux Tourist Office is organising a new tour within the perimeter defined by UNESCO - a night time tour to discover the city's most beautiful monuments under floodlights!

Tags: Bordeaux, France,Wine, Travel Tourism

Bordeaux - the centre of wine tourism

2007-10-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

The riverside water feature in Bordeaux

For the wine-loving traveller the centre of the universe is the Bordeaux region. Not only is it the area with the world's widest range of wines and the best-known estates, it has a fabulous climate and access to the great beaches of the Atlantic. It is a superb travel destination. From June 26th to 29th 2008 is the next wine expo - The Bordeaux Wine Festival.

The wine-producing region of Bordeaux is France's most extensive, covering 115,000 hectares around the city of Bordeaux. It is responsible for 26% of production in France.

The Bordeaux region is home to the most legendary estates in the world: Château-Margaux, Petrus, Cheval-Blanc, Mouton Rothschild, Yquem, Haut-Brion. However what is less well known is that the area is not just a small number of big names. At present there are 13,000 growers are involved in viticulture, and the average size of a vineyard is 5 hectares.

The Bordeaux region produces an extraordinary variety of wines: reds, dry or sweet whites, rosés, crémants and more.... red wine accounts for 75% of total production. Historically the region has looked carefully to the quality of its wines: the earliest official classification appeared as early as 1855, and it is still in force today with a few adjustments to bring it a little more up to date.

The Wine Faculty in Bordeaux has one of the finest reputations anywhere, and grape varieties from Bordeaux are used to improve the quality of vineyards all over the world.

What is happening now?

If you can't make it to the Wine Festival next year, there is still plenty to engage you.

NOVEMBER 2007

Tasting MEDOC
Every day, at the Tourist & Wine Office, Pauillac. Tasting of various Medoc wines. Fees set according to the wines tasted. (Info: mtvp@wanadoo.fr, 05.56.59.03.08)

Tasting Evening VIGNERONS INDEPENDANTS D’AQUITAINE
November 8, in Artigues-près-Bordeaux (18h45-21h00). Wine tasting evening for everyone, connoisseurs and beginners. (Info: http://www.vigneron-independant-aquitaine.com/)

Wine Show VIGNERONS INDEPENDANTS D’AQUITAINE
November 9-12, in Reims. (Info: http://www.vigneron-independant-aquitaine.com/)

Day in the Vineyard SAUTERNES & BARSAC
November 10-11 (10h00-18h00). (Info: 05.56.76.60.37)

Wine Show VIGNERONS INDEPENDANTS D’AQUITAINE
November 16-19, in Lille. (Info: http://www.vigneron-independant-aquitaine.com/)

Wine Show VIGNERONS INDEPENDANTS D’AQUITAINE
November 22-26, in Paris (Porte de Versailles). (Info: http://www.vigneron-independant-aquitaine.com/)

Day in the Vineyard LOUPIAC
November 24-25. Loupiac Foie Gras Weekend, 11th anniversary of this gourmet combination with estate visits and Saturday evening activities (upon reservation). (Info: loupiac@vins-loupiac.com, 05.56.62.92.22)

Read more about Bordeaux on the Chateau Lalinde blog.
Visit here to find out about ...The Bordeaux Wine Festival.

Tags: Bordeaux, France, Wine, Travel Tourism