Luxury hotels in Bordeaux

Bordeaux guide

Bordeaux: the Water Mirror and the great vineyards

The Place de la Bourse reflected at dusk, the Cité du Vin and a day in Saint-Émilion or the Médoc.

The Place de la Bourse, reflected in the Miroir d'Eau, the world's largest reflecting pool, is Bordeaux's most cited sight, magical at dusk. The city's eighteenth-century centre, the Port of the Moon, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Cité du Vin museum tells the story of wine.

The most cited excursion is to the vineyards: the medieval village of Saint-Émilion, itself a UNESCO site, or the great châteaux of the Médoc, which need appointments. September and October, at harvest time, are the most beautiful months.

Saint-Émilion

Saint-Émilion, a medieval village about forty minutes from Bordeaux, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site together with its vineyards and the most cited wine excursion from the city. Its Monolithic Church, carved into the limestone in the twelfth century, is unique in Europe.

The surrounding estates produce some of the world's most famous Merlot-based wines, and visits to classified châteaux need appointments, which we arrange in advance. The village's macarons, made to a recipe from the seventeenth century, are a local tradition.

The Médoc and the Route des Châteaux

The Médoc, on the left bank of the Gironde north of Bordeaux, is home to most of the châteaux classified in 1855, and driving the Route des Châteaux through Margaux, Saint-Julien and Pauillac is one of the most cited wine experiences in the world.

Visits to the great estates are by appointment and often include a tasting in the cellars. Lunch in Pauillac or at a château table completes the day, and the harvest, from September to October, is the most exciting time to go.