Today is a great day – my new crew arrives! Jessica and her boyfriend Alexander is coming down for a couple of weeks. I get an AirBnB apartment in the Bordeaux city centre and go out to the airport to get them. Good to see them again and we take the night out on town with dinner and a then a stop at the wine bar. The concept of trying small sips of good wine is appreciated and we stay for a while.

The appartment in Bordeaux

Next day we have decided to dedicate to the wine museum. I said that it is really worth spending a day and we had seen the city centre the evening before. We have an early breakfast and take the tram. We spend the day here and order a taxi to take us to the bus station to go north. The first taxi company failed to deliver, first tell me not to worry and then when it is too late tell me that they did not have any taxis available. The reception in the museum jumps in and gets us another taxi that drive like a madman so we can catch the bus to Pauillac. The bus takes the route through the vineyards and I can show the castles and sights that I had been experiencing last week. A very good day that ends with ”Moules” at La Salamandre.

Jessica and Alexander

Due to the constraints of tides, we need to cut the trip to Arcachon in two and we decide to go back to Royan. There is a gale building up so I thought it should be good to stay in a good harbour near the entrance to Gironde and wait for the weather to calm down.

We start early in the morning when the tide is right and start steaming north. The weather is fine at first but the gale and the rain is soon over us but as we are in the Gironde, the sea does not build. I notice that the anchor seems a bit loose as it hangs in its holder and before this has sunk into my brain, the anchor dives away on its own! Full stop on the motors but the anchor soon hits the bottom and stops us permanently. All of the chain is out and the remaining rope has been jammed into the winch by the sudden drop. We are in the middle of the canal and large ships are running around us. In combination with the gale, some adrenaline is generated sitting here.

The winch spins around and have no power and I find that the wheel has disconnected from the motor and as I tighten it up, it starts moving again. Since we are in strong current with the gale further straining on the jammed rope, it takes some time before I can unjam the rope and start recovering the anchor. We motor towards the current and manage to get the anchor into the boat before a freighter comes too close to us. It turns out that you do not need to exercise to get a good max pulse!

The sea over the last part of Gironde is pretty rough as it is exposed to the sea and it feels good to enter the harbour. We tie up and are greeted back to Royan. It is good to know that my new friends Martin and Ariane are in the same port so we go visit them. They have their stepdaughter and her friend on visit so later we continue out on the town.

The capitainerie at Royan

Martin, Ariane and their visitor

Rain keeps falling down

Martin is an architect and explained how he sees the town. Modern but still timeless and very nice in its structure centred around the harbour with open spaces leading from the harbour and the market. No shops or restaurants in a “bad spot” but a good flow with easy access on foot. He also urges us to pay the market and the church for a visit. Last time, I just saw a lot of concrete. We spend some lazy days waiting for better weather and with these new eyes; I come to appreciate the town. The market is really a nice building – built like a shell with an open-air feeling inside. The Notre-Dame church is also very special. From the outside, it is very grey, but the inside with the large windows and high ceiling together with dark concrete gives a mighty feeling. As usual, knowing more usually leads to appreciating more.

The park in the harbour that the town is centred around

The open space with the square and the boulevard to the market

Royan architecture

The market

The modern Notre Dame church

Inside Notre-Dame church

The big windows giving a magical light inside

Last time I was here, there was a world championship of frisbee. Now there is a country festival going on and we stop and enjoy the dancers.

Country festival in the harbour.

We also take a walk to the west part of town down to the casino. Beautiful scenery although the sun is not shining.

Casselets – fishing huts

Promenade to the west parts of town

I sail down the Gironde to Pauillac that sits in the middle of the Medoc wine country. Medoc in turn is divided into Haut-Medoc on the upper part of the Gironde closer to Bordeaux and Bas-Medoc that stretches out to the ocean. Haut-Medoc is considered to produce some of the best wines in the world and I am curious to learn more.

The entrance to the Pauillac harbour

Pauillac turns out to be a very sleepy town, at least outside the tourist season. I stray along the streets and decide that I should go along with my initial plan and rent a bicycle to visit some wineries. I visit the tourist office to ask whether it is possible to get some guided tours. It turns out that the most prestigious ones want to book a month ahead and that you should have a written confirmation. Planning holidays one month ahead is simply not my habit so I continue asking. I am curious on the 1855 classification and want to get to one of the four premier cru in Haut-Medoc. Three of them are located in Pauillac so I have some hopes. Three of them only take visits from “professionals”. I wanted to ask if I did not look like a professional but I guess that the answer had been pretty blunt. To my surprise they were able to book a visit to Mouton-Rothschild the same afternoon. Off-season is often good season!

The promenade in Pauillac

They also give me books, maps and directions so I can do my planning. I love these moments when you get to a new place and start decide on how to explore it. Here I am in the middle of all these Chateaus in close distance and a lot to learn about wine. I take a coffee and make a rough plan to stay close to Pauillac the first days and then go down to Margeaux in the southern part later. I also would like to visit Blaye on the other side of Gironde as people told me that it is a beautiful city.

I take a look at Tripadvisor and find out that there should be a really good restaurant just outside town. This restaurant turns out to be a two-star Michelin restaurant and I get so surprised to get a table the same evening so I decide to enjoy a nice dinner there. The food and its display was perfect and along with the setting of the chateau and the vineyard outside the window it made a perfect evening.

Château Cordeillan-Bages

Château Cordeillan-Bages – starter on a vine

I get my bike and start by going north through the wine lands towards Saint-Estephe that is the most northern appellation in Haut-Medoc. Beautiful scenery and nice roads. Fields with vines stretching mile after mile and castles of different styles and sizes scattered in the landscape. No need to stress so I take my time and just enjoy getting lost in the landscape.

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild – sister chateau of Mouton-Rothschild

Road to Saint-Estephe

Cos d’Estournel

Chateau in the vineyard

And another chateau

Getting lost on purpose

Chateau and hotel

In the afternoon, I arrive to Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. It is a nice classy place but I expected more of the exterior. I went by Chateau Lafite-Rothschild on the way and that was a huge chateau. As expected, the reception is very formal and it is obvious that they want to keep an exclusive status on everything. The guide – dressed in a suit even if it is extremely hot outside – start by telling more about the 1855 classification. This classification was set in 1855 for Bordeaux wines on order from Napoleon III for the world exhibition. The classed wines was divided in five crus and has not changed since then. Except for Mouton-Rothschild that became a premier cru in 1973. The guide emphasizes that this has nothing to do with the power possessed by the Rothschild family but with the quality of the wine and the 1855 requirement that there should be an actual chateau on the premises. Regardless of background, this reclassification to the best of the best must naturally have a great impact of the possibility to set their own prices and the tour confirms that cost control has not been the prime focus. It is interesting that even the most conservative of rules can be bent if you have the power and perseverance to do so.

We continue to the new winery building that is intended to implement concepts from the theatre with the vats on the scene. A very neat production facility with impeccable order.

Mouton Rothschild – the theatre

Mouton Rothschild – Vats on stage

Mouton Rothschild vats of French oak

Mouton Rothschild – Wine cellar for really old wines

Mouton Rothschild – barrels

Mouton Rothschild

There is also a museum but photos is not allowed. It contained a lot of artefacts ranging from roman time statuettes to gifts by different royal families and political leaders. It has nothing to do about the wine but the family history, heritage and connections to political leaders and other establishments take up a lot of the focus of the tour.

Mouton Rothschild – gifts from Scottish Army (!)

We end with an interesting tasting session with two of their less famous wines from other chateaus (Chateau Clerc Milon and Chateau Armailhac) together with their flagship – a Mouton Rothschild from 2007 for 650 EUR per bottle. The wines from the good years of 2009 and 2010 comes at 1200 EUR…. Each year has a new label from a chosen artist where some has caused debates.

What makes the tasting very interesting is that one of the other visitors have a private guide who turns out to be a wine broker. Besides sharing his tasting experience, he also gives his insight of this tricky industry. As an example, brokers and merchants try a very young wine just aged some months – the Primeur– that is the base for negotiations. The production is then often priced and sold at this stage which must be a huge risk since these wines normally comes at their best right after at least 10 years. For some of the prestigious wines such as this there will probably always be a market but this goes for all the other wines as well. Interesting and fascinating trade.

Mouton Rothschild – tasting the wine

The yearly labels for Mouton Rothschild

I met a couple from upstate New York at the tasting and we decided to go for a dinner together in Saint-Julien which is the next city south from Pauillac. They had reserved a table at a restaurant conveniently named “Le Saint-Julien” so I take the bike back to the boat and have a shower before I bike the 15 minute ride. I arrive early so I take a quick tour of this small place and decide to go back when the chateaus are open. The evening becomes very nice talking on life and work balance and how to design your life to make the most of it.

On the way to Saint-Julien

Road to Saint-Julien harbour

Dinner with my new american friends

Next day I decide to go south. I pass chateau after chateau. Vineyards everywhere and a good peaceful setting. South of Saint-Julien, I stop by Chateau Bechevelle described as “Versailles of Medoc”. I manage to squeeze into the next English group at 11 and since I am an early bird, this gives me plenty of time to go down to the river and relax. I find a peaceful place down in the former harbour looking out of the Gironde, sit down, and enjoy life.

Château Pichon Longueville

Having a peaceful time down at Gironde in old Bechevelle harbour

The tour of Bechevelle is more relaxed and more concentrated on the wine even if it is natural to start with the history of this castle that is one of the older. The name is supposed to derive from the fact that the sailors lowered the sail in respect for the Admiral XXX who lived in the castle and this gives their logotype its meaning – a ship with lowered sails. This is another 1855 Classé chateau, which means that costs has not been spared. Good guide though, professional tour but also a pleasant feeling and a wine that sits well on my palate. After the tasting, I take a walk in the park and enjoy the magnificent castle.

The new facilities at Chateau Bechevelle

Vines

Chateau Bechevelle

Tasting at Chateau Bechevelle

Chateau Bechevelle seen from the park

A logo in real life

I get up on the bike and continue. I pass a village and decide to visit a smaller chateau. I spot Chateau Moulin Rouge and decide to give it a chance. This is a completely other setting. A very nice woman greets me, start talking of the wines until she has to go and her son takes over, and gives me the story and the tasting.

And another chateau…

Chateau Moulin Rouge

Wine tasting

Fuelled by this more energetic direct meeting I stop by Chateau Aney and walk into a building. A man shows up and is happy to show me their wines and do a spontaneous tasting. This is a knowledgeable guide if there has ever been one and we discuss a lot of the classification system that confuses me. Beside the 1855 Classé system, there is Chateau Bourgeois, Crus Artisans and cooperatives. He confirms my understanding that the 1855 classification was done at that time and since it has not changed since then it is somewhat disconnected from the actual quality. Bechevelle will be a fourth cru and Mouton Rothschild will be a first regardless of how they improve their production. Knowing that the vines has been exchanged and that most of the production techniques since 1855 makes this connection weak. What is true is that these chateaus have the name and resources to make good wine and most of them understand that this is a jewel that needs to maintained. Chateau Aney is classed into the Chateau Bourgeois which was founded 1932 for the wines that did not make the classification in 1855. This classification is renewed and thus has another meaning. Good wine and to a more modest price.

Tasting and discussing at Chateau Aney

Feeling energetic – I continue to Margeaux and have a late lunch. I manage to find a tour in English at Chateau Desmirail. As I come there, it shows out to be just me and the guide is happy to get anything to do. She describes the history of the castle, how they have decided to keep much of the traditional houses and techniques and she puts a lot of energy in the tour.

Chateau Desmirail

Chateau Desmirail – Vats

Chateau Desmirail – experiment with amphora

After this tour, I take the bike and go back through this beautiful landscape and chateaus. I arrive back in Pauillac in good time to be able to enjoy the sunset and have some seafood on the promenade.

Chateau Palmer

Chateau Margaux

Chateau Palmer from the vineyards

Back in Pauillac

Sunset

Next day is reserved for sightseeing. I read and heard about the city of Blaye and decide to bike down to a ferry down the Gironde and go over to the other side. I love to walk around in old fortresses and amaze of the work and resources put into these fortifications. Blaye has a huge citadel to block the Gironde from enemy ships. This citadel is accompanied of a fort in the middle of the river as well as Fort Medoc on “my” side of the river. First I stop at Fort Medoc before taking the ferry.

Early morning in Fort Medoc

Ferry to Blaye

Blaye is completely dominated by the view of the citadel so I walk up to this fortress and book a tour in the afternoon. Until then I ask if there are any Chateau that I could visit and get recommended to Chateau Marquis de Vauban. Vauban was the architect of the fortifications along with more than 160 (!) fortifications in France. This Chateau visit yet another type of visit. There is a small train that you can take from the citadel to the castle, and the tour was clearly intended for larger groups where you could have a lunch or dinner at the chateau.

Morning coffee in Blaye

Chateau Marquis de Vauban

Small train to the chateau from the citadel

Ready for dinner!

As it is midsummer’s day, I decide to try to find a restaurant where they serve herring. No midsummer is complete without herring. I finally find a place where they serve smoked herring and when I ask for vodka to go along with that I get a confused look from the waitress but she manage to find a bottle hidden somewhere.

Herring with Snaps!

The citadel tour guide is very energetic and again I get my own guide that is happy to have anything to do. Perfect, we have a lot of time to talk and we visit some parts that is not possible to visit with a group. Impressive citadel but I do not envy the soldiers that were put here for life. As usual when I visit these fortifications, I feel grateful that I am born in the right time and place to do what I do.

Way up to the citadel

The citadel

Blaye Citadel!

View of the town from citadel

Street in the citadel

The kings entrance

Citadel bridge

VIP tour into the secret underground passages

Private garden of residents

Citadel gardens

Next day is “Lamb day” in Pauillac. This turns out to be a street market with tables where you can have lamb and other food. As I skipped breakfast, I start with some boiled escargots that tasted delicious. There are geese walking around and people are enjoying this hot Sunday afternoon. I spend it with my German “neighbours” – Martin and Ariane – who are on a half-year trip with their classic ship built in 1907. They have went through the canals down to the Mediterranean, through Canal du Midi and are leaving next day to Royan to continue north. We have a nice afternoon, go to the cooperative for a tasting and some purchase and then we spend the evening at the La Salamandre seafood restaurant talking on how to enjoy life.

Breakfast escargots coming up

Martin on his ship from 1907

Livestock at the market

Rainbow over Pauillac

Last evening with Martin and Ariane

My plan is to leave La Rochelle and go to Pauillac in Haut-Medoc. Due to the tides I have to break the trip into two parts, one passing the Gironde entrance at relative high water and then arriving at Pauillac at slack tide since the currents are strong in the harbour. I decide to do the stop in Royan and thought it would be a good idea to go on a bicycle to Marennes from there. Marennes is famous for its oysters and a major part of France oyster production come from the Marennes-Oleron area. The Marennes harbour should however be limited in size and what is worse is that there is a power cable at the entrance that is too low for me. Bike seems to be the choice.

Melody in the harbour

Royan was a classic pre-war resort that was destroyed by English bombers in January and totally erased by American bombers in April 16 and 17 – less than a month before the WW2 ended. The latter was the first use of Napalm and it killed 1700 civilians in a horrible way. Now it is a completely reconstructed city with the only exception of the Saint-Pierre church from the 13th century. The city is centred around the beach and the harbour in a circular shape with a wider alley and square between the sea and the market that has the rooftop of a shell.

Pre-war poster for the seaside resort Royan

Morning promenade

The market

1200 Saint-Pierre church – the only old building still standing

The modern Notre Dame church

The city is filled with young people and it turns out that the world championship of Frisbee is currently going on. Amazing to see the players running around in the hot sand when it should be mandatory to stay in the water. I take a number of swims myself during the day but still feel too hot. The restaurants in the harbour offers some comfort and shadow but it is extremely hot.

World Championship of Frisbee

Teams warming up on the beach

Flags in the sun

Next day it is time to take the bike tour to Marennes. Two option – either the shorter road that has traffic and the longer that is a bike route. I think the longer route looks nices and it goes like a serpentine by the shores and is indeed very beautiful. I make stops to take a swim and enjoy the views. The last part goes through a forest by the sea which is good since the sun really takes its toll.

Going west from Royan

Plage de la Grande Côte looking west

Plage de la Grande Côte looking east

The forest at La Coubre

Lighthouse of La Coubre

The winding road makes the estimated 25 km trip turn out to be more like 50 km and I arrive in Marennes in the late afternoon. The harbour is very limited in size so even if I had the possibility to come under the power cable – I doubt that I could have found a space. The city is very sleepy and no restaurants are open. I also do not find any of the expected oyster palaces. I did not cycle all this way to eat kebab so I go into a pharmacy and ask for directions and they recommend going to the beach Marennes-Plage.

The Marenne Harbour

Marennes-Plage turns out to be a small beach community with restaurants along the beach. I manage to spot a nice seafood restaurant and can get my hard-won Gillardeau oysters. Extremely nice.

Finally. Some extremely nice Gillardeau oysters as reward

It is getting late so I bike off so I can get through the forests when there is still light and I arrive to Royan well after midnight to return my bike.

Returning the bike in the middle of the night

Getting back to La Rochelle is a nice sailing trip in light winds and the “Capitainerie” in the marina directs me to a perfect spot. This marina is the biggest I have ever seen – over 3000 berths and a forest of masts. A number of shops, restaurants and facilities nearby and a nice beach on the ocean side.

The huge Les Minimes marina

The beach next to the marina

Time to dig a bit deeper into the city and buy some stuff that I need. I decide to take the recommended city walk where you get a map and you can follow a trail with descriptions of what you see.

City sightseeing

As I like to climb towers – I get very pleased when you get a ticket where you can climb all three of the towers at the entrance of the old port. In all of the towers there are also exhibitions so this will take a while. The first tower is the chain tower where they used to pull chains between the towers to close the port. You get a good view of both the town, the port and the entrance.

The harbour seen from the chain tower

The Saint-Nicolas tower seen from the chain tower

Next tower is the Lantern Tower that looks like something picked from Disney. The view from the upper platform is great and I stay for a while.

View towards the Lantern tower

View of the marina from the Lantern tower

After a lunch in the harbour, I climb the third and oldest Nicolas tower that have a great view over the town and the harbour. It also gives a nice view of the lively and good outdoor bar Belle du Gabut.

Belle du Gabut

There are a lot of restaurants but I got a recommendation for the blue boat in the harbour that honestly looked like a fast food shack. Very basic in terms of tables and glasses but great seafood to a very decent price in an unparallelled setting in the old harbour.

Fresh oysters in the old harbour

The blue boat

I decide to get a beer in the nice outdoor graffiti bar Belle du Gabut with an alternative setting and good atmosphere. After enjoying the scene I take a walk on the streets of La Rochelle and enjoy the street life of this nice city.

The Belle du Gabut outdoor bar and restaurant area

Street life

I spend the last evening on a restaurant on the beach next to the marina. Having mussels overlooking the sun set over the ocean feels like a worthy last day of this nice visit to La Rochelle.

Last evening restaurant view

I get restless sometimes and after some days fixing the boat in a hot La Rochelle, I decide to get some wind in the sails. As Birgitta and I sailed from Île d’Oleron to Rochelle, we passed Île-d’Aix and there were a number of free visitor boys so I think that if I am lucky I can grab one of them this time. If not – I go back to La Rochelle. The holding ground should not be good and the currents are strong so I rule out the anchoring option. As I arrive, there are a number of buoys still free and I take one of the outer ones so I stay afloat regardless of tide. Time to do some exploration again!

First day, I do a quick visit but is not sure where to put the dinghy so I return after a quick look at the Fort de la Rade and the city. The weather is nice and I am securely tied up to a buoy so there I decide to stay overnight and come back tomorrow.

The main street Rue Gourgaud going north

Main street towards south

This island has historically had a strategic position in the inlet to the naval centre Rochefort. The island hosts two forts – one on the south side and one on the north side. They formed a line of defence together with the forts on Île d’Oleron, Fort Boyard, Île de Ré and on the mainland. Now it is a calm and very relaxed island with no car traffic. Oysters and Mussel beds are everywhere and there are some nice beaches.

My decision to stay is rewarded by a nice sunset over the fort on the island and with Fort Boyard in the distance.

Fort Boyard in the distance

Sun setting over Fort de la Rade

Second day, I launch the dinghy again and set course towards the large beach where I thought I could put the dinghy aground during low water. However, the bottom is muddy and not nice so I decide to try the quay where I find a place to tie up and let the tide do the rest. Sometimes, the tide comes in handy. You drag the boat so it lays still and stay for a while until it is completely dried out.

Sometimes, the tides is great. Leaving the Dinghy securely for a couple of hours

I wander along the streets in the small sleepy city that is waiting for this days delivery of tourists from the nearby citys. It is nice to stroll around in the Fort de la Rade on the southern side of Pointe Saint-Catherine and have a look over the sound to Île d’Oleron and enjoy the good looking and original lighthouse installation. Strolling through the streets gives a peaceful mindset which I can understand would not be the case in the vacation period when this city must be flooded by people.

The fortress Fort de la Rade in the southern Pointe Saint-Catherine

Fort de la Rade

Overllooking the west side of the island

The lighthouse on Pointe Saint-Catherine

First stop is to get large fresh oysters directly from the sea with a view of the oyster beds.

Oysters at the Oyster farm.

Overlooking the oyster and mussel beds in the eastern bay

No cars on this island except for the fire brigade

The island is not large so I take a promenade around it and I do a visit to the other fort on the norther part – Fort Liedot. This is a heavy battery fort and as usual I am happy that I was not born as a French soldier who had to build and live my life on one of these stone fortresses.

The Fort Liedot on the northern part of the island

Fort Liedot

The more rugged northern beaches

The sandy beaches on the west side

I even manage to squeeze in a galette before it is time to return to the dinghy before the tide comes back in. I get a very nice evening in the boat with the sun setting again and it feels like life is very, very good.

Back in town

From Bordeaux, I decide to rent a car to go to Cognac. The morning is filled with logistics of returning the keys to the host, finding the rental location, doing the contracts and finding the car and document the previous damages. Why is the car rental process still so tedious? Is it done on purpose to get you to sign all the extra fees? Should be a straight process after booking the car online. Anyhow, I get a nice C4 with GPS, roll out of Bordeaux in sunshine, and reach the small town of Cognac in the afternoon. I check into the nice but odd hotel I booked on the main street. Time to explore a new town!

Place Francois I – city center

The Saint-Léger church

The city gate by river Charante

As it is afternoon, I decide to visit the Cognac museum first and try to find tours the next day. I stroll down the city, through the city gate and reach the river Charante where the museum is located. It is a nice small museum in a nice building describing both the city and its history briefly as well as give introduction to the Cognac houses and production.

A wine press in the Cognac museum

Old production

I plan to visit two houses – Martell and Otard based on the thinking that Martell is a major brand and must be more “industrial” and Otard since I learned at the museum that this family of Norwegian and Scottish ancestry bought the castle where the French king Francois I was born and lived.

Before the visits, I take a promenade through the town, see the nice public garden and the city hall and take a detour to visit Remy Martin. They had a very nice shop with extremely nice Cognacs – the most expensive at 22000 Euros but no tasting.

Taking a walk

A Remy Martin for 22000 EUR

Nice old monastary yard

The public garden

The city hall

Nice work in public garden

Next stop is Camus which is the only family owned house left. The lady in the shop is knowledgeable and nice and let me do a tasting of all of their different Cognacs. Just a small sip and even if their XO is nice, I fall for the Ile-de-Ré Cognac where the grapes has been growing on the island and matured on the island and refilled in another vat and matured again in Cognac. The island cognacs have a taste that goes better for me so I buy a bottle.

Lineup of the Camus cognacs

With perfect timing I reach the Martell house just in time after having a galette at Creperie l’Olympia. I start to grow an addiction to these filled pancakes. The Martell tour is what I expected. Professional, well planned and with a tour through the site and ended with a tasting of the XO and the Cordon Bleu.

Display of grapes and different soils during Martell tour

The Cognac districs

Display of blending process at Martell

Right after that I run down to the Otard house down at the river and come just-in-time for the tour. Completely other setting. We are four persons on the tour and the guide is both knowledgeable and shows a lot more passion for the Otard cognac house, the production as well as showing the castle. I get to taste the VSOP, XO and even the top 1795. Very nice Cognacs and good setting.

The nice entrance to Otard castle

View of River Charante from the Otard tour

The ball room in the Otard Castle

Otard storage

After the tastings, it is time for a promenade by the river through the Francois I park which is a large green area by the river.

River Charante

The White house

View from the bridge towards the town and Otard Castle and Hennesy next to each other

Walk in the park

Walk in the park

In the morning we take a taxi down to the nice classic train station in La Rochelle. Nice start and a train that delivers us directly into the Bordeaux city centre. We have booked a hotel some hundred meters from the station so we can leave our luggage after a short walk. Time to explore this new city! The promenade after La Garonne river has a line of buildings with exactly the same facades which gives a good-looking impression but somewhat conform. We take a good walk along a suggested walking route that takes us to different monuments, parks, buildings and churches. In the evening we stroll through the old town and although it is Sunday evening it turns out that Monday is holiday so restaurants and bars are filled with people. A very interesting surrounding and we have a nice dinner in old town. 

Quai Richelieu

Old town

Cathédrale Saint-André

Inside the cathedral

Inside the cathedral

The clock tower next to cathedral

Monument aux Girondins

Old town

Old town

The morning after we go out to the Airport and Birgitta goes back home. Since I am not in a hurry, I go by the city bus back and get another view of the city since we do not go on the motorway. I stop off at Gambetta city gate with the intention to take a closer look at the Church and climb its separate clock tower. There are 233 steps and the view from the upper platform is very nice. I always love going to high towers in new towns. It gives you a good sense for navigating as well as providing stunning views.

View of the cathedral from the clock tower

View from the clock tower

Since I decided to move to an AirBnB in old town, I go back to the hotel and get my bag. I should meet the host at 15.00 so I have a lot of time to sit down and soak up the atmosphere, do some planning and have a Galette lunch nearby. Turns out that the flat is in the middle of everything, neat and in an historic building. Even if it was in the most crowded restaurant street, it was facing the yard and completely silent.

Cool staircase to the first appartment

The first appartment

The city is pretty compact and easy to walk around in so I stroll around and look at sights.

Pont de Pierre

The host recommended a wine bar and I like their concept where you can try a sip (3 cl, half glass or glass) and pay by a card. These bars are all over town and gives the opportunity to taste high quality wines to get a sense of their differences.

Choosing wine at Aux Quatrre coins du Vin

Sadly, the flat was occupied the next night, so I needed to move some hundred meters. But before leaving I decide to take a morning run and check out the marina north of town. On the entrance of the marina, there is another of these submarine bases that this coast is filled with. The marina turns out to be closed so I turn around and run over the modern bridge. As I am running over I see a row of Lagoons sitting by the river and decide to check it out. Is this a private club, a Lagoon dealer or someone else that you can see if they can provide a space one or two nights. It turns out to be a Beneteau Group production site and they could not provide space. But they were very helpful and emailed me some alternative options if I decide to sail up to Bordeaux. We will see. A better option is probably to stay in Pauillac in the middle of the Medoc wine country.

The closed marina and the submarine base

I meet the new host at 12 and it shows to be a very different but cosy apartment nearly at the “Place de la Bourse”. Interesting layout with a patio as you enter the door, a kitchen and living room after that. A French balcony to enjoy the perfect location where I actually can see both the Place de la Bourse as well as Place du Parlement. AirBnB is really a good solution to find a place to stay in the middle of everything.

Patio in the second appartment

View from the balcony out towards Place de la Bourse

View to other side towards Place du Parlement

Place de la Bourse

I decide to do a tour of the city and start by renting one of the city bikes that you find everywhere in the town. These self service bike rental stations should be a model for the rental car business cutting out the tedious experience to get a car. I go over to the other side of the river and get a nice view over the water and continue to pinpoint the activity tomorrow – the wine museum.

Self service rental bike. How can this be applied to Rental Cars?

As I like to learn more on the city, I go to the Aquitaine Museum. Since the wealth of this city is based on trade and winery, this view of history takes a large portion where the competition with La Rochelle as a centre for merchant shipping is described. The overseas trade was significant and brought a lot of capital to the city.

A map of old Bordeaux in the Aquitaine Museum

Nice ship model

Next day is put aside for “La Cité du Vin” – the wine museum. People have told me that you need at least one full day so I start early which turns out to be a wise decision. The museum is huge and with many interactive stations where wine production from all around the world is described. You can listen to stories of wine makers, watch films and even try out smells and colours. Extremely nice museum worth to watch. There is also a wine shop as well as a tasting area. A very good selection of fine wines in the same sip/half-glass/glass manner as in other wine bars. Included in the ticket is also a taste sample taken at the top of the museum overlooking Bordeaux. I thought I planned the day to cover all parts but my time budget turns out to be tight and I stay to the very last minute. Filled with impressions I take a slow walk back to the town.

La Cité du Vin – the huge wine museum

One of the many exhibitions

The tasting bar with a view

The wine shop

Station for smells

Another interactive station

Walking home by the river Garonne