Wind Down in French Wine Country
Editor's Pick: Bordeaux
January winds can be chilly on St. Simons, so warm up with a glass of Bordeaux and start planning that early summer trip to sunny French wine country. I had the pleasure of accompanying our daughter Hunter Levitan to Bordeaux this past June for un voyage rapide, a six-day whirlwind tour. The weather was perfect. Warm, dry, not humid, or terribly hot, yet.
Yes, I ran to keep up with Hunter – she’s fast. Please plan on spending more than 6 days! While the name of this article is Wind Down in Wine Country, we did not do that…but it was still amazing.
As a Content Strategist for AmiGo, a curated recommendations travel app, Hunter (New York-based) created an itinerary of must-eats, drink, taste, and chateau, for our trip. Below are highlights from our mother-daughter tour de force.
Getting There: Take a plane to Paris and travel via train to Bordeaux Saint-Jean. Note: you must take a local from Charles de Gaulle to Massey TGV – a few stops – before boarding the TGV INOUI bullet train. (I, of course, did not know this, so French 101 came in handy.) The trip in total takes about 3½ to 4 hours. You can also fly directly to Bordeaux from London and Paris and other European capitals.
Eat & Drink:
L’Alchimiste – Coffee and pastries on a picturesque side street, near the public Garden. Stroll through the magnificent city garden, admire the topiaries, on your way for a perfect espresso and pain au chocolat.
Lunch at Panaille: Local bistronomic restaurant – Hunter writes on AmiGo –
“Innovative yet unfussy cuisine…Lunch menu was exceptional, everything was a highlight: best fried chicken I’ve ever had (delicate, lightly dusted, not oily or heavy) with spicy cucumber salad, fresh tomatoes with siphoned feta and cashews, zucchini with zaatar and piquillo sauce.”
I had what she had. It was great.
Aperitifs at Buvette, Cave de Quartier: Natural wine bar with small plates. We went here our first night and enjoyed a glass of natural, organic wine with cheese and charcuterie. I’m totally hooked on natural organic wines now. Try them.
Dinner at Ost Bordeaux: We stumbled upon this tiny former wine cellar, drawn in by the cool architectural vibe, and realized this was one of the highly recommended stops on our list. Everything is homemade and menu changes. If available, try the gnocchi with cured egg yolk, cream, and crispy Guanciale.
Museum:
La Cité du Vin: Absolutely, absolutely, go! This immersive, modern museum celebrates the millennium history of wine and wine culture around the world. So entertaining and engaging and you get a delicious glass of wine at the end.
Stay:
Maison Fernand: Lovely guesthouse in the historic district of the city center. Be prepared for stairs but worth the climb to breakfast on the roof, literally, out of a movie.
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Chateau Country - Médoc: Rent a car and begin an official tour of Chateau country. We took the scenic route through Médoc, along the left bank of the Gironde River. This picturesque region is home to the world’s most famous appellations like Pauillac, Margaux and Saint-Estèphe.
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Chateau Stay: We stayed at Le Château Réal, in Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne, Gironde. A picturesque guest house, newly renovated by a young Parisian couple living their dream life. The pool and villa have a Mediterranean feel. Built in 1800 by a high-ranking officer under Napoleon to woo a lover. Legendary!
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Please share your fabulous travel notes with Elegant Island Living when you are “off island.” While we love living here, it’s also nice to see the world.
