One of the best things about living abroad is the ability to snag inexpensive plane tickets. In January, Jon and I spotted a great deal for a three-day weekend in Bordeaux. One of the things we wanted to do this year was visit a vineyard, so there’s no way we could say no.
This past weekend, we took our quick hour and a half flight to French wine country. We were lucky to have some beautiful sunny weather. It was so nice after the last busy month to take a long weekend to relax and explore.
I highly recommend making time for a long weekend in Bordeaux, especially if you’re a red wine lover.
Read below for all my recommendations for a weekend in Bordeaux. And keep an eye out for those inexpensive flights!
Xx, Kelsey
HOW LONG WE STAYED
We took a three day weekend, arriving in Bordeaux Saturday morning and departing Monday evening. It was a good amount of time to see what we wanted to see, but you could easily see everything in two days. We spent the first day exploring Bordeaux, and the second visiting vineyards in Saint Emilion.
WHERE WE STAYED
We stayed at the Golden Tulip just south of the city center. It was a bit further away, but Bordeaux doesn’t have a ton of hotels, especially in the center. It only took ten minutes or so to take the tram into the city, and it was worth it to stay somewhere we got more for our money.
WHERE WE ATE & DRANK
L’Embarcadere – I was really looking to get some seafood while we were in Bordeaux since it’s close to the ocean. Surprisingly, moules frites weren’t as easy to find as I expected. This place had just what I wanted and a steak option for Jon.
Masaniello – After our long day in the vineyards, we had a major craving for pizza. We had walked past this place the night before, and it was packed. I was surprised how good it was for where we were.
Mama Shelter – We stopped in to this funky restaurant for lunch. I wish we’d been there for dinner because they have a rooftop bar open after 5p.
For wine – Stop in to literally any cafe or restaurant for an amazing selection of wine. We made it a point to try glasses from Medoc, Saint Emilion, and Graves so we could taste wines from the whole region. Not one of them disappointed.
WHAT WE DID
Walk around Bordeaux – Bordeaux is an extremely walk-able city. Since we’ve visited a lot of European cities, we didn’t feel the need to get deep into visiting churches and monuments. But it was nice to walk around and admire the French architecture.
Porte Cailhau – This was the original gate to the city and looks like something out of Cinderella
Promenade Sainte Catherine – Bordeaux actually has the longest shopping street in Europe. You can get just about anything you want. I stopped in to a French pharmacy and picked up a few skincare products from Caudalie.
La Cite du Vin – This wine museum just north of city center (easy by tram) is shaped like a giant decanter. Give yourself at least an hour to walk through the exhibit and learn about the history and culture of wine.
Wine Tasting Class – For only 14EUR each we took an hour long wine course at La Cite du Vin. We took a course on Bordeaux wine and learned so much about the region. You get three healthy pours, so it’s totally worth the money.
Biking Tour of Saint Emilion – This was the highlight of our trip, by far. I found this full-day tour via Trip Advisor and was very impressed. It’s a decent amount of biking if you’re not used to riding, but I found it so amazing to bike past miles and miles of vines.
Our small-group tour consisted of a walking tour of the most adorable village of Saint Emilion. The views were insane, and we got to tour a wine cellar and do a tasting. Then we enjoyed a fabulous lunch of duck confit and potatoes at a chateau (plenty of salad and potatoes for this vegetarian!). We then biked through the vineyards to visit another chateau and taste some wine.
Overall, don’t expect to be drinking a crazy amount of wine. The tastings are true tastings, but lunch had a few really amazing glasses. We learned so much on this tour, and it was an amazing experience to see the real working chateaus of the region.
Massages – Since we weren’t doing another wine tour of a different region, our last day was pretty relaxed. We booked massages here, which was a nice way to end our trip. If we had planned ahead, I would have loved to visit the Caudalie spa outside the city.
WHAT WE’D DO DIFFERENTLY
Next time we visit Bordeaux, I’d love to find a chateau to stay at our an airbnb in Saint Emilion itself. The wine region there is just stunning. Bordeaux is perfect for ease of transportation – no car necessary. The tours drive you to the vineyards.
I’d also like to visit other areas if we were to go again. We tried lots of wine from Medoc and Graves, so it would be cool to see those regions too.
OUTFIT DETAILS:
Chicwish yellow dress | Woven flats are from last year, but a really cute pair of mules can be found here | Gap jean jacket | Glamorous bag
