Bordeaux bound

Well dear readers, tomorrow I leave the country for France. It had to happen one day. Sadly it is only for five days. Never-the-less I have booked myself a last minute trip to Bordeaux in the South West of France. I have been there before, four times in total, if I count a day trip with my blogging friend Marian a few years ago. However I haven't been there since 2009 and am excited about my impending visit. Six years is too long to be away from my favourite city in France.

 

I am staying in a hotel I haven't stayed in before, the Best Western Hotel Bordeaux Bayonne Etcha-Ona on the Cours de L'Intendance. It is in the city centre. I tried the two hotels I had stayed in before – even rang them up and spoke a little French -  but they were both complètement. I think that it what they said and I took it to mean fully booked. I tried one other, the Hotel Gambetta, which was recommended, but that too was booked up. Trying not to panic (I had already booked and paid for my flight online) I looked on Expedia and found the larger Best Western. It had good reviews and although the price of the room was a little more than I had paid in the past I went for it and got a 10% discount offer. The reviews online were generally positive too.

The Quai Des Chartons

This time round I will probably nip round a few of my old haunts like the media store FNAC and the Cinema Café Utopia (a place that has become like a second home in Bordeaux for me) but I also intend ( like in Star Trek) to seek out new foodie places and new foodie civilisations. I have a few already in mind. Firstly the main draw will be the Marché Des Cacucines – a fab looking covered market with loads of French food stalls including butchers, charcutiers, and fishmongers. Can't wait to visit that one. My eyes will be on stalks and my tummy rumbling with excitement.

Then I have read of a few other coffee places like Books and Coffee on rue St James and the popular C'est Bio store. Certainly for curiosity's sake, but probably not to eat, I must track down Bordeaux's only Fish and Chip shop called Yes Mum. Yes Mum is a weirdly brilliant name for a Poisson et Frites establishment and I make a big assumption that it run by Brits. Another place I must go back to is the wonderful Sunday market on the quay side of the river Garonne in the Chartrons district. I found it by accident in 2009 and fell in love with the ambiance and of course, the food and drink. I might even try some fresh oysters with a glass of chilled white wine this time round.

I've noticed too that that popular meat based British film is on at Café Utopia while I am there. You know – Shaun Le Mouton. Ha!

In the past (pre-blogging days) I have been in the habit of comprehensively writing up quite detailed journals about my French trips. Really these were accounts just for me and the re-living of pleasures and the terribly fond memories of great holidays. My intention this time is to make notes and take lots of pictures (possibly even video) and write several blog posts to share with the world et son chien. It is a shame I am not in the practical position to buy lots of fresh cheese, meat, fish, veg and a deliciously warm fresh baguette to cook in a cosy appartement. I can just envisage it now situated in the historic maze of narrow back streets of the St Pierre district with the evening swallow population swooping and diving overhead to the backdrop of azure blue skies of the Aquitaine. And as for that charcuterie and those luscious hams!!! I'll be wanting to bring it all back home!

See you soon!

#Bordeaux #BordeauxFrance