We've come to Bordeaux for a few days
Gare de Bordeaux-Saint-Jean - The Bordeaux Train Station
The Airbnb we're staying in is a duplex hosted by Auérlien, a nice young gentleman who is being very helpful with his accommodations and touring suggestions. Although the outside doesn't look inviting to the weary traveler, we've learned that what appears, is not always what you get.
Inside of the gates is Auérliens's parents' house. Once we're through the gates, it looks more like a small castle to us. We're staying in a duplex apartment adjacent to the main house - Although it's not a great vantage point, the photo below from our living room window. The house was designed by the Architect who designed the Grand Theatre (shown below) and was built in the 1800s.
These are pictures of the Grande Theatre, completed in April 1780. (The architect who designed our Airbnb host's house)
Looking inside the doors do the Grande Theatre
One of the outside porches of the Grande Theatre
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In the center of town is the Bordeaux Cathédrale Saint-André. This Cathedral is an Unesco World Heritage Site and it's oldest section dates from 1096. There are several exceptional masonry carvings and most of what is there today was built in the 13th and 14th centuries.
We're always amazed at the immensity of structures like this. At over 900 years old, how could these columns, roof lines, ceilings and all of the detail have been possible.
As in many cities throughout Europe, the public transportation system is wonderful. Look at the sycamore lined tram avenue.
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In an attempt to get out of the hustle bustle of the tourist area, we started walking, looking for some of the back-street sights. Sure enough, we came across a little store with an artist making her jewelry. She had lots of wonderful things that she made - some very cool earrings we purchased for Chica.
The Jewelry artist, Héline - Of course, an instant friend
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Hi everybody! At lunch in Bordeaux
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25 September 2013
Today is our day for taking tours of a few Winerys / Chateaux
Chateau Lagrange
We were told that these are all called "berries" rather than grapes (though they are grapes)
The grapes you see here are for white wine. These are all being harvested this week, just before the darker grapes that start in the coming days. The timing of the harvest is a perfect time, to the day, for the peak of ripeness. Rain is expected in the next couple of days so the push is on to get as much harvested as possible because the rain will push ripeness over the edge and they could loose their entire crop.
The first sort to be sure the berries are good is done when they are picked. This is the second of three manual sorts to get all of the stems and bad berries out.
These vats are cooled to a perfect temperature for the fermentation process, usually at least a year.
These are the computer monitors for the temperatures in all of the stainless fermentation vats
After fermentation, the wine is aged in oak barrels.
Chateau Lilian Ladouys
This is our tour guide, Boris, just outside one of a Chateaux
We went to a privately owned Chateau in Margeau...
The woman who bought this property back in 1989 had a specific purpose to have her winery on the left bank of the Medoc Region of Bordeaux. The property had been only used as a residence between the end of World War II and when she purchased it in 1989.
It took 3 years to produce the first grapes and another year to be able to have the wind processed to bottling. Today she has about 47 acres of vineyards that has vines as old as 24 years.
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Today we head back to Paris - but... Not until later in the afternoon. This gives us a chance to get to Le Musée du Vin et du Négoce de Bordeaux. (The Bordeaux Museum of Wine & Trade).
This was a wonderful walk around a stone vaulted wine cave where we had the opportunity to learn the importance Bordeaux had to the history of wine.
Heading downstairs to the wine cellars
On the left, an partially made oak barrel
A sampling of so e of the Bordeaux wines in the background
Oak barrels from the 1600s
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We had a great little unexpected lunch experience a couple days ago at a little restaurant in Bordeaux.
Our initial encounter at this lovely little place was that when we entered, we were a little too weary to try to decipher the menu that had no English translation. Once we started to leave, a fellow at a close by table said (in English) "Can I help you translate?" From that point, we entered into a wonderful world of a culinary experience.
Today... On our return walk from the Wine Museum to pick up our bags, we happened cross That same restaurant. This time, with such a wonderful experience last time, we decided to try today's lunch of the day. Again... Wonderful.
We tried out our limited French with Karina, who spoke no English, and had a great time.
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