By Jake Curran
Growing up, I spent my summers in Bordeaux/Saint-Émilion, and before my journey at Corney & Barrow began, I lived with my family in Saint-Émilion whilst working for a vineyard around the corner from many of our C&B agencies. Most of my favourite memories are of this incredible region, so I jumped at the opportunity to share my thoughts on visiting.
I thought I’d start with a simple question: “Jake, how would you spend 24 hours in Bordeaux?”
09:30: British Airways’ smooth landing wakes me up and I look out the window, not a cloud in the sky… today is going to be a good day. 24 hours start now.
09:45: I have a French passport and a backpack, I’m through security and waiting for my tram to Bordeaux Centre in all of 15 minutes. I board Tram F to Hôtel de Ville, where I enjoy my Petit déj’ at Le Café Rohan, in front of the impressive Cathédrale Saint-André.
11:30: I’ve annihilated my Formule Classique, collected the hire car, and I’m on my way to Pessac-Léognan for a visit to a château (I will leave which to your imagination!), collecting some friends along the way.
13:00: After a splendid visit, tasting (yes, I did spit) and lunch, we’re back in the car, navigating the rocade extérieure /intérieure, which I still find confusing.
14:00: We’ve checked into Badon Boutique Hôtel and we’re off to our next visit. I’ve had enough driving, but Château La Gaffelière is only a short walk down the road, where we can admire the slopes of Ausone along the way.
18:00: We’ve had a wonderful visit/tasting at La Gaffelière (I didn’t spit this time) and ambled around the town. Now on the Place du Marché in Saint-Émilion, I’m armoured with a linen shirt and a refreshing pint of Leffe at Amelia Canta before dinner.
20:30: Dinner, you ask? L’Envers du Décor is the obvious option, but Pizzeria Le Vieux Lavoir is the insider’s choice. I choose “La Reine” pizza, accompanied by a bottle of a Second Wine (take a look at Marc Ditcham’s blog), before taking a stroll down to St-Em’s hidden gem, Sous La Robe, to close the night.
10:55: After a great night’s sleep, I’m feeling fresh on my flight home and reflecting on my trip and whether we needed that third bottle at Sous La Robe… Yes, technically this has been 25 hours and 25 minutes, but I’ve decided to treat myself!
Of course, if you were to have more than 24 hours in this fantastic region, here is what else I’d suggest:
Inside the city
Whatever stage you are at in your wine journey, La Cité du Vin is a must. It offers interactive and immersive education stations and even tasting workshops. After all that learning, you can head up to the 8th floor to enjoy a complimentary glass overlooking the city and La Garonne.
Outside of that, it may come as no surprise that Bordeaux has an excellent dining scene, but if I could choose one restaurant, it would be FuFu Ramen on Rue Saint-Rémi. No reservations, it seats about 20 people and serves up the best value Ramen I have had, dare I say… ever.
Wine Tours
Bordeaux is a vast region with an average of approximately 100,000 hectares of vines (around 247,105 acres) to explore. This can be daunting to tackle, especially if you have never been before, so booking a tour is the best way to start!
The agencies have fostered close relationships with some of the best names in Bordeaux, big names and up-and-comers alike. Travel, lunch reservations, and bookings are all taken care of, and there’ll be many an anecdote on the journey from one château to another. These come in all shapes and sizes, private or group tours, Left Bank, Right Bank or both — there is even a cycling route! Definitely don’t overlook this option when booking your next trip.
Wine aside?
Bordeaux offers plenty, from the more relaxed activities like tours of the catacombs in Saint-Émilion and bird watching in the marshes of the Gironde Estuary to the more intense activities like cycling the Route des Châteaux.
For me, when I’m a little wine-d out, Cap Ferret and Arcachon are a no-brainer. Only a couple of hours outside the city, these are excellent places to enjoy the sun and eat as many oysters as you can muster. It is also here where you can find Europe’s largest sand dune, La Dune du Pilat! One could be forgiven for thinking that it is skiable, but I can confirm it is not.
Bordeaux, and Saint-Émilion in particular, is home away from home for me, and a place that every wine lover should visit at least once. The châteaux are so welcoming, offering brilliant tours and tastings; if you are lucky, you may even get to taste from the barrel!