Between Bordeaux and the ocean
a:Arcachon
r:Gironde
In 2018, our pre-summer trip took us to France's Atlantic coast after celebrating my friend's birthday in Brittany. We decided on the area around Bordeaux and found a beautiful Airbnb apartment close to Arcachon. It was the Garden House of a bigger house and we were able to sit on our own terrace, enjoy the pool and use their bicycles too. I did not know this before we went, but the area is very well equipped for cyclists with bicycle lanes everywhere and a great route system. I loved exploring the area by bike, especially as it wasn't too hot and we could be active and see our surroundings. In these articles below, you will find some ideas of what do to and where to go, even if it is not warm enough to swim and if you travel before the high summer season starts.
Bordeaux - the basics
a:Bordeaux
r:Gironde
The last time I was in the city of (link: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10074&awinaffid=727981&clickref=Bordeaux&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FTourism-g187079-Bordeaux_Gironde_Nouvelle_Aquitaine-Vacations.html text: Bordeaux) was in 1996 and I felt it was time to go back. We flew Easyjet directly from Berlin, stayed for two nights, and chose the Design Hotel Seeko's as our base. It is located by the river to the north of the city center and it was easily connected to the inner city either by using the tram or by walking along the riverfront. From the airport, it takes approximately one hour to get to the city center by bus which is an easy and very affordable option. Our rate at the hotel didn't include breakfast so we ventured out to find a place where the French people go to eat in the morning. We got lucky and found "Rue Notre Dame", a beautiful small side street close to the city center with little shops, restaurants, and bars. We found an outside table at "La Petite Boulangerie Notre Dame" and started our day with a delicious pain au chocolat, fresh orange juice, and coffee. A great place for another coffee during the day is "Place du Parliament" with a great choice of food and beverage options. For our sundowner drink, we chose the rooftop bar of the Intercontinental Hotel opposite the theatre. The bar is on the top floor of the hotel and there are amazing views over the city of Bordeaux. And finally, for dinner I can wholeheartedly recommend "Place du Marché des Chartrons", The restaurants that surround the square all have tables and chairs in the middle of the square and it is a great, relaxed atmosphere where we had delicious food and that great french wine!!
Bordeaux - the sights
a:Bordeaux
r:Gironde
The beauty of (link: https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=10074&awinaffid=727981&clickref=Bordeaux&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tripadvisor.com%2FTourism-g187079-Bordeaux_Gironde_Nouvelle_Aquitaine-Vacations.html text: Bordeaux) and the feeling this city leaves you with, is a sight in itself. With the stunning old houses, the small streets, and the fascinating buildings all around. After finishing our breakfast, we went on a little walking tour around the city to take in the sights the city is famous for. We started at "Place des Quinconces Bordeaux" a wide-open square facing the river. Then we walked over to the beautiful "Église Notre-Dame" for a look around. From there we moved on to the great theatre which is the heart of the city. Afterward, our walk took us back to the waterfront where we watched "Le Miroir d'eau" in action. Especially when it is warm people gather around this water feature for the mirror images, to cool down, to take photos, and to enjoy the view from the city to the river and vice versa. Kids play in the water and adults cool their feet, a perfect stop on every sightseeing tour. After we cooled down a little we walked on to Parliament Square with its little fountain and on to "Porte Dijeaux" an 18th-century city gate. We ended our tour at Palais Rohan and Cathedral St. Andre which are located next to each other. A great day out and about!
Around Bordeaux
a:La Teste-de-Buch
r:Gironde
1. Archacon The city of Arcachon is located approximately one hour from Bordeaux by the seaside. We decided to spend a few days in this area to be close to the sea. With our fabulous Airbnb apartment as a base, we ventured out and explored a little. You could definitely tell it was still pre-summer season as many restaurants were closed and not too many people were on the street. The city however is nice for a stroll and some shopping in the evenings. We found a nice area close to the seaside to have a drink and dinner outside. Have a look for "Paris Pyla" a bar/restaurant in the southwestern part of the city which has a great atmosphere. We also liked "Etche Ona", a little further south towards the large sand dune. Another cool thing to do is climbing up the Belvedere Observatory. Only 8 people are allowed on it at any time but the view of the city and the bay is stunning. And it is free of charge! 2. Dune du Pilat Visiting the “(link: https://www.ladunedupilat-en.com text: Dune du Pila)t”, Europe’s largest sand dune was high on our agenda and so we cycled there from our Airbnb apartment. We cycled through the pine forest and suddenly arrived at this impressive site. First, you see people walking above the trees and then you realize, they are walking on the dune which is right there, behind the forest. It felt surreal and we couldn't wait to climb up to the top. The Dune of Pilat is about 2.7 km long and 110m above sea level. Either climb up using the stairs or take off the shoes and walk through the sand (which we did). The amazing views totally made up for the climb! Walk down through the forest or on the other side of the Dune to go to the water or you just sit on top and take in the beauty!! Amazing!!! 3. Lacanau Ocean The French Atlantic coast is wild and beautiful always great for surfing. Now, I don't know anything about surfing but it is still great to watch them in action and see how they master (or sometimes not so much) the waves. So for a day, we drove to the beach part of Lacanau and walked around this summer location. We found a perfect spot with "Le Beach Bar" from where to sit in a semi-shade, enjoy a cool drink and watch the beach life go by. Nice! 4. St Emilion We also wanted to do something wine-related and decided to visit the town of St. Emilion, approximately 35 km to the east of Bordeaux. We found this beautiful, picturesque town which has everything to do with wine, especially red wine. The town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Romanesque churches and ruins all along steep and narrow streets. It is definitely beautiful to look at and roam around. The wine tradition was started in St. Emilion by monks hundreds of years ago and today the area is one of the main red wine regions of Bordeaux where wine is mainly made from Merlot and Cabernet Franc. We loved walking around town and trying delicious wines with our lunch. For a proper wine tasting and a guided tour of one of the chateaus one ideally has to plan in advance and book a tour before going there.
