Bordeaux

Bordeaux is often referred to as "little Paris". But the Bordelais don't like this comparison at all. Because Bordeaux is Bordeaux and therefore incomparable and does not need any foreign feathers, they say. The city has enough of its own to adorn itself with. For example, the new, spectacular wine museum or the art biennial in September, where musicians, artists, architects and designers from all over the world come together. Alain Juppé has been mayor for 15 years and knows exactly how to position his city on the international stage.

In the living room
The Bordelais can get to the center, their living room in the evening, quickly from anywhere by public transport. Because it couldn't be nicer within your own four walls. According to the official statement from the tourism authority, Bordeaux has the largest world heritage site in the world with 1,810 hectares.
urban area in the world on the UNESCO list. To put it simply, the historic old town is huge. The magnificent facades from the 18th and 19th centuries make quite an impression. Especially because the buildings from the 18th century all had to be built in the same style. The architects were obliged to do so. Because Alain Juppé obliged the current owners of these magnificent buildings to renovate the façades at their own expense, la "vieille ville" now shines in a new guise. It's easy to understand why the Bordelais prefer to enjoy this magnificent center rather than sitting at home in front of the television. In terms of the number of cafés, bistros and large and small restaurants, Bordeaux certainly leads the way among French cities. And they are all well frequented, which is indicative of the epicurean character of the people and the quality of the cuisine. The bistro and evening restaurant of the newly opened Grand Hotel are elegant and popular. People meet here for a light lunch and a festive dinner in the evening. Gourmets love the chef de cuisine, Gordon Ramsay, for his bold use of spices. He does not serve bland haute cuisine! Bookworms with a penchant for sitting on the sofa are drawn to the Les Mots Bleus book café in Rue Poquelin Molière. The aroma of fresh fruit tarts wafts through the cozy rooms. The small restaurant L'oiseau Cabosse is located on Rue Sainte-Colombe. Here, Stéphanie, Josseline and Sebastian cook inexpensive lunch menus every day using only organic produce. The guests are residents from the surrounding area who like to stay for a while after their meal to discuss their everyday worries.

Symbiosis of art and wine
The Bordelais were not the first to recognize the connection between art and wine. But they indulge in this principle the most. After all, they owe their wealth to wine. No wonder they have built a new museum dedicated to the giver of life and prosperity. The old one was probably too small and inconspicuous. La Cité du Vin was opened in June 2016 to great media interest. Bordeaux hired pretty much the most expensive architects available on the European market: Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazières, who became famous for their bio-facades made from microalgae, designed the exterior facade with all ecological specifications in mind. A rotating wave rises out of a giant soufflé - that's how you could interpret the whole thing. The entertaining scenography inside was created by English architects Dinah Casson and Roger Mann, who are also anything but no-names. There are an almost unmanageable number of stately châteaux around Bordeaux, monumental proof of how lucrative the wine business can be. Antoine Beucher is a resourceful businessman. He drives his guests to various wine castles in an old English cab. There they can taste and enjoy the wines without fear of a police check and a breathalyzer test on the way home. The trip to the Château du Taillan is a frequent and popular one. Armelle Cruse, mistress of the château and the vineyard, is always happy to receive visitors. She runs the estate after the death of her father and says with feigned modesty: "Moi, je suis seulement gardienne du temple." - "I am only the guardian of the temple." The estate truly is a temple. The Château du Taillan alone, with its many art treasures, is breathtaking, and the old wine cellars, where the fine Médoc is stored in barrique barrels, really do resemble an underground temple. The Greek god of wine, Dionysus, presides here. Perhaps he will appear after a few glasses of Médoc, perhaps.

TEXT: SILVIA MATRAS

PHOTO: (c) Photos Anaka / La Cité du Vin / XTU architects

DIPLOMATISCHE VERTRETUNGEN

General information: en.france.fr
www.bordeaux-tourismus.de

Lage

Längengrad: -0.57918 / Breitengrad: 44.837789

Fläche

49,36 km2

Bevölkerung

240.000

Sprache

Französisch

Anreise

Mit Air France über Paris nach Bordeaux: www.airfrance.com
Von Wien: mit ASL vom 26.5.
bis 4.9. 2017 jeden Mo und Fr
Direktflüge Wien-Bordeaux.
www.aslairlines.fr/de
Von München: 2 Mal wöchentlich
Direktflüge mit Volotea
www.volotea.com