Autumn 2022

BUCKET LIST
France:
Bordeaux
Janine Marsh explores Bordeauxfrom
the city to the vineyards…
Bordeaux is a truly great city – rich
in history, architecture, culture and
gastronomy. Beyond the city, the region
of Bordeaux is famous for its wines and
vineyards, many of which lie along the
rivers which made Bordeaux great. The
half-moon sweep of the river Garonne
in the city made for an ideal port and
the Romans built a great trading centre
here. Centuries later, the English made it
a central trading port, shipping out vast
quantities of wood, wool and local wines.
In the mid 1700s, the governor of Bordeaux,
the Marquis de Tourny did for Bordeaux
what Haussmann was later to do for Paris
– he regenerated the city. He knocked
down the crumbling medieval houses and
commissioned elegant buildings that faced
the river and that area is now the largest
urban UNESCO-listed world heritage site,
encompassing some 1810 hectares. The Port
of the Moon has been regenerated and the
former warehouses transformed into shops,
bars and restaurants. The quaysides are busy
with runners, cyclists and walkers drawn to
admire the Miroir d’Eau, a water sculpture in
front of the impressive Place de la Bourse.
Bordeaux has continued to evolve and
develop. The city is a mix of old and
new, glamour and avant-garde, wine and
water. There are futuristic trams, stellar
restaurants, wine bars and an ever growing
number of museums and art venues. For
visitors to Bordeaux there is so much to see
and do, it’s hard to know where to start.
Bordeaux for wine lovers
Push the boat out and take a river cruise to
see more of Bordeaux and discover some
of the finest vineyards in existence.
CroisiEurope are a French family-owned
cruise company who run 5, 6 and 7 day
river cruises from the Port of the Moon
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