Bordeaux

Yesterday (Tuesday) was the first day in over 11 weeks that it rained all day. We were going to drive around this Medoc region, but between the rain and being tired after two tough nights (bugs and Peter being sick), we decided a day off for rest was in order.

We found a mall about 20 minutes from here where we picked up a few things we needed and groceries. We spent the rest of the day in our beautiful house enjoying lunch and naps in the afternoon. It was a very pleasant way to spend the day.

Here are some of the pictures of the house I took today. As you can see the sun is shining again.

Here’s our cute little house. Our hosts (Patrick and Maya) live in a much bigger house next door.
They have a ton of acreage, and the backyard is beautiful.

Today started cloudy but turned into a sunny, warm day. We drove to a park and ride about 20 minutes from here and took the tram into Bordeaux. Because there are strick guidelines as to what can be built on the left bank of the Garonne River (old town side), it looks much like it did in the 18th and 19th centuries.

We started out with a tourist bus around the city which gave us a great overview of the city. Then we walked back to a few of the places we wanted to see more up close and personal.

Grosse Cloche; the old clock tower. This was taken from the bus as it was too far to walk back later. This is one of the oldest belfries in France. The 18th century bell weighs 17000 pounds and sits over and sits over an old dungeon.
The Pont de Pierre sits over the Garonne River. It was built by instructions of Napoleon I and is 200 years old this year.

After the bus tour, we started walking down the Esplanade but first we stopped for a local sweet treat. The canele is a small pastry flavored with rum and vanilla with a soft custard center and a dark caramelized crust. It was delicious. I don’t like rum, but it was so lightly flavored I couldn’t taste it.

Monument des Girondins
A clseup of the fountain at the base of the monument.
There is an amusement park set up in the park. By the time we were leaving mid-afternoon, it was open.

We stopped for lunch and since it had been over a week since we had pizza, we split this delicious one.

The restroom in the restaurant was through the wine cellar.

This is the Place de la Bourse with the Three Graces fountain. The original fountain was of King Louis XV but that was destroyed during the French Revolution.

Porte Cailhau is one off the original city gates and was constructed in 1450.

Our final stop before heading back to the tram was the Cathedral of St. Andrew. By the time we got there it was closed for lunch so we didn’t make it inside but it was gorgeous from the outside.

Bell Tower
Close up of the gold statue on top of the tower.
Carving above the main door.
From the side.
From the front.

After the Cathedral it was a walk down the pedestrian street back to the tram. We were home by 3:15 so had plenty of time to enjoy some wine on our beautiful patio.

Tomorrow, we head south to Bayonne. Hopefully the nice weather will hold while we’re at the beach. Love to all.

12 thoughts on “Bordeaux”

    1. We really are having a great time in spite of a few extra challenges. So glad you’ve come along with us. Love to you both.

    1. There are a few more challenges than we’ve had on past trips, but we’re still having a great time. Thanks for following our adventures. Love to all.

  1. Finally got around to looking at your blog. I think we’ve finally recovered from our trip and Covid. You’ve done such a good job of choosing accomodations. Love all the places you’re calling home on your travels. You’ve planned the trip of a lifetime. Hope you both continue to feel well. Looking forward to seeing you when you get back in December.

    1. So glad you’re both feeling better. I spend quite a bit of time picking Airbnb flats. Even the bug palace was nice, right up until the time they started coming out of the walls. Given that the weakness in Peter’s upper body continues to get worse, this could be the last trip we take so I’m glad everything is coming together. We’ve been gone 82 days. On the one hand it’s gone so quickly but on the other it seems like forever since we were in London. You’ll be getting ready for your next trip soon. It will be so good to get together when you’re back from the river cruise and we can swap travel stories. Miss both you and the big lug.

  2. Two comments:
    -When we were in our 20’s we poo pooed tour buses, now they are so valuable.
    -You must take notes like crazy to retain those details. Good job.
    I am enjoying your travels. Terry

    1. HI Terry. I’m not a fan of big tours. In fact, every time I see a big group like that we run in the other direction. So, it will be interesting to see how I do on our tour of Israel next month. It will be my first ever fully guided tour. I’m so comfortable in Europe that I have no problem getting around by myself but since I don’t know anything about Israel, I thought this was the way to go. We’ll see.

      As for the detail of our day, no notes….just a mind like a steel trap. No, actually, that’s why I have to do the blog the same day or I have no idea what we did. After a while (and it’s been almost 3 months on this trip), everything starts to blur together. I’m so glad you’re enjoying reading about our adventures. Have a great day, or I guess it’s night there. Lynn

  3. How wonderful to be able to share in your adventures! Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures.
    Hugs, Michele

    1. Thanks so much Michele for following us on our travels. I appreciate the time you take to read my ramblings. Hi to everyone in chorus. I look forward to the Christmas concert.

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