July 26-29, 2023
I always wondered why Aquitaine, France was so celebrated, and fought over, in European history. Queen Eleanor, former Queen of France and subsequently married to the notorious King Henry II of England was always referred to as Eleanor of Aquitaine, reinforcing her claim to that land- and now I know why! The Aquitaine contains the Bordeaux region and it is AWESOME! A beautiful and fertile land of rolling hills and farms, filled with chateaus, vineyards, churches filled with all kinds of golden fittings, and above all, great wine. Two rivers run through it, the Dordogne and the Garonne, bringing plentiful water to above said farms, peasants, chateaus etc.
To fill you in about the royals of yesteryear: Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine were wed for many a year in the mid-1100s. She was formerly Queen of France but subsequently married Henry who was King of England. She owned several provinces in France, and Aquitaine was one. They had a lot of kids, and tussled mightily over who would be the heir to the throne, a throne that included all of England and a goodly section of France. Henry wound up imprisoning her for attempting a coup against him. Whaa??? He sired, among many, many others, Richard the Lionheart who ultimately inherited the throne and was a redoubtable warrior. How do I know all of this? Hey, I was a Theatre major in college! And I read The Lion in Winter. Also, I saw the movie. This family put the FUN into dysfunctional. All the plotting and scheming and ripping each other psychologically. And at Christmas time, no less. Everyone knows you just need to drink a lot and try not say anything vicious, and it will all be over soon. But then, there would be no drama, and no The Lion in Winter.
But I prevaricate. Let’s move on to Bordeaux! This ancient and important city sits at the mouth of the Garonne River- that flows to the Atlantic Ocean! And shipping lines! And markets throughout the world! All those great vineyards producing delish wine needed that port to keep their economy going. Hence, the importance of Bordeaux. In fact, it’s so important it’s called the Bordeaux REGION.
When we first arrived in Bordeaux, we went to our hotel and were surprised to find ourselves at a huge shipyard filled with very large industrial type boats floating in a suitably large lagoon. Soon enough, we realized these boats were there for repair. The surrounding area was filled with new construction of large buildings bursting with restaurants, food courts, bars and more that attracted massive crowds. PAR-TAY! The boatyard was a happening place! Until 4 AM on some nights.
We found that Bordeaux has an extraordinary transportation system of trams that quickly and quietly take you all around the large city. 5 Euro buys you a 24-hour pass and you can ride the rails everywhere. Even to a winery chateau in Pessac at the end of one tram line. In addition, there were large public plazas and garden areas all over the city that make Bordeaux very walkable and livable. There was even a huge ferris wheel at the Quinconces public garden.The river provides a center of activity and there is a huge riverwalk where bikers, hikers, families and just about anyone can spend many pleasant hours. The architecture is gorgeous, as you will see, and this combines with modern stores that blend seamlessly into the mise-en-scène. I am currently tossing around French phrases with wild abandon! (We former theatre majors are adept at that.)
So let's get to the wine. Although the vintners do make white wine here, you really would never know it unless you ask for it. I think they keep it in the back room because the red wine is so divine, it's what everyone wants. French red has its own profile- very much different from California and Italian wines. They are mostly a blend of grapes, but with a dryness and balance that is inherent in even the very inexpensive wines. There are lots of wine regions in this area and each have their own signature. Cognac is made Cognac, champagne in Champagne etc. The champion of all these regions is St. Emilion, only a 1/2 hour train ride from Bordeaux.Though responsible for just 6% of wine output in France, the wines are highly acclaimed and trez expensive. But worth it! Pro-tip: Bergerac is right next door to St. Emilion and makes a lot of wines. They come from similar soil but not as hyped and still very good. And not as expensive. Try the red from Bergerac!
We loved the city, it's architecture, it's cleanliness and easy transportation, it's exciting vibe, the great food and friendly people.
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