Of course, Bordeaux is famous above all for its connections to wine, but there’s much else to enjoy. That includes delightful riverside quays to wander or cycle and hundreds of monuments historiques, from Roman remains to medieval towers, plus 21st century stunners like the Miroir d’Eau and the Cité du Vin. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a centre of gastronomy and culture.
The 10 episodes in our City Break Bordeaux series bring you all the background history and culture you need to fully understand this beautiful city. In short, here is all the research you’d do yourself if only you had the time.
Each episode centres around a podcast, available here or on all the usual providers. As a minimum, you’ll also find an introductory summary plus useful links and ideas for further reading. Eventually, there’ll be full blogpost with lot more information and pictures.
BORDEAUX : HISTORY & CULTURE
EPISODE 1: Introduction to Bordeaux
Bienvenue à Bordeaux. Welcome to Bordeaux. This relaxed, elegant city is famous for its wine, for its delightful riverside quays and for its layers of history from Roman remains and medieval towers to 21st century stunners like the Miroir d’Eau and the Cité du Vin. As the French say, ‘On y va!’ – Let’s go!
EPISODE 2: A Stroll
This episode takes you on a stroll through central Bordeaux, introducing the highlights and giving a little background history. Key moments from the past include a 12th century royal wedding and the demise of revolutionary heroes who died for Republican values. The architectural highlights include medieval turrets, 18th century mansions and a quayside 21st century stunner.
EPISODE 3: Roman & Medieval Bordeaux
This episode ‘visits’ the Bordeaux of two important past eras: the Roman and the medieval. A little history, plus lots of ideas for places to visit today: the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, turretted towers and the churches which became stopping points on the pilgrims’ route to Santiago de Compostela. Plus, of course, the story of Eleanor of Aquitaine.
EPISODE 4: Riverside Heritage
This post is all about Bordeaux’s riverside heritage. We’ll be looking at a number of museums which explore the links between Bordeaux, the River Garonne and its trading prosperity, including the dark stain of slavery and how that is remembered in the city today. We end with ideas for the many ways to enjoy the riverside in Bordeaux, plus ideas for exploring the Gironde Estuary and its unique history and wildlife more widely.
EPISODE 5: World War II
Strolling through Bordeaux today, you can be largely unaware of the fascinating story of the city under German Occupation between 1940 and 1944. This episode recounts a little of the history and highlights three places to visit in the city today to find out more. Prepare for tales of hardship, persecution, courage, betrayal, resistance and, eventually, liberation.
EPISODE 6: Wine
Bordeaux wine – could two words be more inextricably linked? No, said the author Henry James: ‘Bordeaux is dedicated to the worship of Bacchus’. This post gives a little background, then focuses on where in the city to find out all about this most important product, whether than is learning about it, buying it, drinking it. We finish with 5 quirky reading ideas, everything from a great wine scandal to what Samuel Pepys thought about Bordeaux wine.
EPISODE 7: Art Galleries
This post introduces 3 Bordeaux art galleries, the long-standing Museum des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), the always surprising Musée des Arts Contemporains (Museum of Modern Art) and the Bassin des Lumières, France’s largest digital art gallery where parts of the World War II submarine base have been re-purposed to provide a new way of enjoying art in an unexpected setting. And finally, a little about the Bordeaux-born artist, Rosa Bonheur, 19th century animal painter extraordinaire who has recently been enjoying something of a renaissance.
EPISODE 8: Food & Shopping
Food and Shopping: two of the major reasons for visiting Bordeaux! This episode lists some of top-notch products from Bordeaux’s Atlantic coastline and the rich agricultural land surrounding it and highlights the areas of the city and some of the restaurants where you can enjoy them. Then we do the same for shopping, listing specialities and highlighting the shopping streets and markets you should look out for in different areas of the city. Don’t forget, there’s already been an episode on Bordeaux’s wine.
EPISODE 9: St Emilion & Day Trips
This post gives ideas for day trips from Bordeaux, focussing first on nearby St Émilion, attractive both for its history and its world-renowned wine industry. To wander its cobbled streets is to find photo opportunities on every corner, both architectural gems and splendid scenery. Then we cover ways to explore the countryside around Bordeaux and also the beaches and resorts along the nearby Atlantic coast. Hikes and bike rides, boat trips and oyster tastings are all ways to enjoy the Nouvelle Aquitaine culture surrounding Bordeaux.
EPISODE 10: Anthology
Our introduction to literary Bordeaux begins with the 3 most famous Bordeaux authors, the ‘3 Ms’, that is the philosophers Montaigne and Montesquieu and the novelist François Mauriac. There are statues of them all in the city. There are mini biographies and pointers to their works. Then we follow up with more books set in and around Bordeaux – historical fiction, two very different detective stories and the true account of the web of spies – French, German, British – operating in Bordeaux during World War II.
BOrdeaux: links and reading
Two useful websites for tourists
Bordeaux Tourist Office
Visit Bordeaux
2 Guide Books
Lonely Planet Pocket Bordeaux
Bordeaux France by P G Preston
4 History Books
Eleanor of Aquitaine by Sara Cockerill
Eleanor of Aquitaine by Alison Weir
Histoire de Bordeaux by Madeleine Lassière (in French)
Petite Histoire de Bordeaux by Marion Philip and Xavier Lacarce (in French)
True Stories and Memoirs
Game of Spies by Paddy Ashdown
The Last of the Cockleshell Heroes by William Sparks
The Billionaire’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace
Novels set in Bordeaux
The Summer Queen by Elizabeth Chadwick
Dark Summer in Bordeaux by Allan Massie
The Frontenac Mystery by François Mauriac
Thérèse Desqueyroux by François Mauriac
PODCASTS to get you started
OTHER CITY BREAK IDEAS
LATEST ARTICLES
GALLERY
