What can I say about the city side of Bordeaux other than “I love it!”? Let me show you why. Join me on the Bordeaux tour. It’ll take your breath away.
Bordeaux City Tour
If I was in the business of designing a modern city, it would be just like Bordeaux.
Perhaps that’s why the mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Marie Juppé, is considered a rock star. He is regarded as a monumental player in promoting and revitalizing the city — from infrastructure to visionary new projects such as the La Cité de Vin.
Throughout its existence, Bordeaux has been a city fraught with war and nation-changing. From 300, when a Celtic tribe settled Burdigala, through the eighth century, Bordeaux was ruled by Romans (the capital of Aquitaine), the Vandals, the Visigoths, the Franks, and marched on by the Muslims, Basques, and the Vikings. (Click on the highlighted links for more history information.)
Port Cailhau, shown below, is part of the city wall from 1496.
In the 12th Century, Bordeaux gained importance throughout Europe with the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine to the heir to the French throne, Louis VI, who became King Louis VII. Eleanor later divorced Louis and married Henry of Anjou, King Henry II of England.
Some girls have all the luck!
Eleanor also spent a reasonable amount of time fighting in the Crusades and years in prison, but still … on with the Bordeaux city tour!
Cathédrale Saint-André is the site of the marriage of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Louis VII, the future king of France, in 1137.
Bordeaux City Tour: 19th Century Architecture
Bordeaux hit its stride in the 1800s when most of the city’s downtown buildings were built with such elegance that they became the model for transforming Paris into a “modern” capital. Many structures still frame the boulevards, pedestrian walks, neighborhoods, and parks today.
From the fine details of art and color found in private homes and public buildings to the massive and ornate statues and churches, Bordeaux is a masterpiece of art and architecture.
One of the places I walked past dozens of times was the Opera House. My hotel was only a few steps away. I didn’t plan ahead, and no tickets were available for the current performance; however, I sneaked into the lobby to take a few photos. Photos inside the Opera area were not allowed. (Be sure to check out the Opera’s website)
A memorial to the Girondins, a political faction during the French Revolution, is the centerpiece at the Place des Quinconces and one of the most vivid reminders of the French Revolution.
And who isn’t amazed at the Miroir d’Eau — the Water Mirror created in 2006 along the UNESCO sited Port de la Lune between The Place de la Bourse and the River Garonne?
Bordeaux Food and Shopping
Restaurants, food, and places to shop are just as diverse and colorful as the rest of the city. Here are some of the stops I made through the city.
A cheese shop here …
A canelé store there …
(a pastry that’s a legend – read more here)
Unique shopping galleries, big-name brands, and charming boutiques fill the town.
Bordeaux At Night
Perhaps the most memorable is Bordeaux at night.
This isn’t a fraction of the sights and sounds of Bordeaux. I could go on and on. Now you know why I must return!
Bordeaux Travel Guide:
Bordeaux Day 1: The Secrets of Great Wine
Bordeaux Tour Day 3: The Magnificent City
