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Bordeaux, France
S.W. French Wine Country
Diane Sukiennik, Associate Editor,
Food and Wine Access
Michael
Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access
Photo by Michael Reiss
The best way to discover Bordeaux is simply to
let yourself fall under the charm of its rich, complex identity forged
over the centuries by numerous influences. You will not only enjoy the
city's appealing lifestyle, revolving around fine wine, but also appreciate
Bordeaux's outstanding architectural heritage.
Located less than 3 hours from Paris by TGV high speed train, Bordeaux,
the capital of Southwest France, offers a wonderful lifestyle and many
tourist attractions. Bordeaux, world wine capital, has given its name
to the most prestigious and oldest vineyard region in France, known
all over the world for its great wines!
Bordeaux also has impressive historic monuments, a number of which are
floodlit at night to show off their beauty. Bordeaux has been officially
included on the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites as of 28 June 2007.
This distinction recognizes the beauty and unity of style of Bordeaux's
architectural heritage, which has developed harmoniously over the centuries
and remained remarkably well-preserved. The Bordeaux World Heritage
site is the largest urban entity to be so honored. However, despite
its magnificent 18th century buildings, Bordeaux is very much alive
and undergoing change. Among a host of projects, the building of a new
tramway and the development of the quays are symbolic of Bordeaux's
"renaissance".
Thanks to the city's far-reaching urban development program,
the Garonne is once again integrated into the life of the city, and
no longer a barrier between right and left banks. In fact, the quays
have come alive again, and are the setting for such noteworthy events
as the Fête le Vin (Wine Festival) and Fête du Fleuve (River
Festival). Numerous cruise ships also dock in the Port de la Lune, right
in the heart of the city.
Bordeaux is a city of major interest to tourists, and well-worth
discovering.
Diane Sukiennik, Associate Editor,
Food and Wine Access
Michael
Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access
Where to Eat
Bordeaux, France
Featured Restaurant
Diane Sukiennik, Associate Editor,
Food and Wine Access
Michael
Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access
La Tupina
Photo by Michael Reiss
When in Bordeaux, you've got to try the French South
West Cuisine.
One of the most renowned of the regional restaurants is La Tupina.
Since 1968, proprietor Jeanne-Pierre Xiradakis has offered
customers the experience of being in his grandma's home for dinner
where you would eat traditional country food based on the freshest
local products.
And so it is, a cozy, welcoming venue with many small dining rooms
all connected by the hearth of the home, an opened, charcoal burning
fireplace where much of the cooking is done right before your eyes.
In fact the hearth at La Tupina is at the entryway and provides an irresistible visual and olfactory welcome. Add to that the ineffable smile of Fred, the Maitre'd Cum Rotisseur who beguiles you with his smile and his culinary skill and you've got the making for a great evening.
Even before you can scan the menu at La Tupina, a typical plate of aperitif accompaniments arrives at the table. The menu offers lots of choice but is particularly strong in duck preparations, taking its cues from the region's bounty.
The wines of Bordeaux, organized by price point, provide the perfect accompaniment to the cuisine.
The close, convivial ambiance completes the picture of the quintessential dinner with grandma in Bordeaux. Bon Appetit!
La Tupina has a number of intimate dinning rooms.
In this case guests enjoy the lively wine cellar.
Photo by Michael Reiss
Favorite Appetizers:
Foie gras cold in terrine
Scallops and cepes in white butter sauce
Favorite Entrees:
The seven hours leg of lamb
Tournedos of duck
Favorite Dessert
Home made apple tart with vanilla ice cream
At La Tupina guests are immediately presented with country appetizers with an wine aperitif, while the ever-enthuisatic Fred, the Maitre'd, prepared more wine for guests.
Photo by Michael Reiss
La Tupina
6, rue porte de la monnaie 33800 Bordeauxx
Phone :0033 (0)5 56 91 56 37
http://www.latupina.com/tupina_en/index.html
Diane Sukiennik, Associate Editor,
Food and Wine Access
Michael
Reiss, Editor, Food and Wine Access
What to Do
Bordeaux, France
Photo by Michael Reiss
"Bordeaux discovery" package - www.bordeaux-tourisme.com
The Tourist Information Office offers a special
package to visitors exploring Bordeaux: 2 nights in a double room
in a two-, three-, four-, or four-star deluxe hotel, two tours, one
around the city and other in the vineyards, including a wine tasting,
a free pass to the main monuments and museums, a free travel card
for public transport in the city, and a complimentary bottle of wine.
New this year: the package includes a tasting at the wine bar at the
Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB - Bordeaux Wine
Council). Price per person: 95 € in a 2-star hotel, 130 €
in a 3-star hotel, 195 € in a 4-star hotel and 390 € in
a 4-star deluxe hotel.
You can take a tour of the Bordeaux Wine Country and learn
a great deal about wine production. Here the proprietor of a famous
chateaux explains French oak storage of wine.
.
Photo by Michael Reiss
"BORDEAUX CITY AND WINE"
In addition to the daily city tours, the Tourist Information
Office offer tastings at the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de
Bordeaux wine bar (except Sundays). (7.50 € traditional city
tour - 11 € "city and wine" tour)
GOURMET WALKING TOUR
The Tourist Information Office organizes a twice-monthly tour of Bordeaux,
focusing on fine food and wine This gourmet tour, organized in conjunction
with a local restaurateur, features several well-known city shops
where visitors can taste local produce: Bordeaux chocolate paves,
the famous canelé cakes with solid coffee (the only coffee
in the world served upside-down), cheeses from the Dordogne and the
Pyrenees, and foie gras, as well as Bordeaux wine (22 € - 3-hour
tour - 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month)
PLANET COOKING
Planète Bordeaux has started organising an exciting new programme,
with (bilingual!) cooking classes focusing on matching food and wine.
This creative workshop is run by Georges GOTRAND, a talented chef,
who presents brand-new recipes for cooking with Bordeaux and Bordeaux
Supérieur wines. (40 € - 2nd Saturday of each month from
March to October) www.planete-Bordeaux.net
OENOCHEF
L'Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux offers a fun workshop with two main themes:
learning the key rules for tasting Bordeaux wines, followed by a cooking
class where participants create their own dishes, as well as exploring
the subtle art of matching food and wine during a lunch.
(open to everyone - 108 € - March 1st, April 12th, May 24th,
June 21st, September 13th, October 11th, November 8th, December 13th
- in French only) www.ecole.vins-bordeaux.fr
YOUR WINE PROFILE
La Winery (Arsac) has launched a new concept: find out about your
wine profile and explore your tastes by sampling six wines with very
different characters, in order to identify your ideal wine among 2,000
samples from the world's best vineyards! At the end of the session,
participants have a customised cellar book, suited to their own preferences
and budget.
(15 € standard wine profile - 25 € great growth wine profile
- in French and English) www.lawinery.fr
Information and reservations
Office de Tourisme de Bordeaux - Tel. +33 (0)5 56 00 66 24
resavisit@bordeaux-tourisme.com -
http://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/
The City of Bordeaux is a wonderful walking-city with many
historic sites.
Photo by Michael Reiss