For a long time, Bordeaux had a reputation problem. Magnificent, yes. Grand, undeniably. But also, a little stiff perhaps, a little sleepy and, away from the châteaux, not entirely sure of itself. The wine was world-class. The city-centre, less certain.
That changed. An ambitious waterfront overhaul stripped away decades of post-war neglect, a mayoral decree restored blackened limestone facades to their pale, golden splendour, much of the city centre was pedestrianised and welcomed the world’s first non-cabled electric tram. In 2016 the opening of the innovative Cité du Vin heralded a new era. Bordeaux finally found its footing. It is still serious about wine, of course, it would be peculiar if it wasn’t, but it is also, these days, seriously good fun. The food scene has caught fire. The hotels are a luxury lover’s heaven. On a night out, a youthful vibrancy buzzes in the streets. And for sports fans, the place lives and breathes rugby. The city along the Garonne river, with its grandiose architecture and boulevards, has had a glow-up deserving of its nickname: La Belle Endormie. The sleeping beauty has woken up.
The lay of the land
Bordeaux is a crescent city, curving around the east bank of the Garonne, and it rewards walkers. The historic centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007, is compact enough to cover on foot, though you will almost certainly get drawn into a wine bar somewhere around Saint-Pierre to let an afternoon slide by. It would be rude not to.
The Place de la Bourse and its extraordinary Miroir d’Eau, a vast shallow reflecting pool that turns the neoclassical facade into something cinematic, is the postcard image most people carry home. But the real pleasure of Bordeaux is in the streets behind the monuments. The best way to discover the city’s secrets is with one of its great characters. Meet Bruno Beurrier, who provides endlessly entertaining private walking tours of Bordeaux. During our afternoon together Bruno takes us to discover some of his favourite Bordelais treasures. Including L’Intendant, one of France’s most remarkable wine cellars set across five spiralling floors housing some of the finest vintages including a €12,000 bottle of Petrus.
You cannot come to Bordeaux and not visit La Cité du Vin – whether you partake in the bacchanalian ritual or not, this immersive experience (below left) walks you through the history of wine making throughout civilisation. I was most impressed with the cutting-edge storytelling and cinematic exploration of oenology.
Like a private members’ club
The Chartrons quarter, once the domain of wine merchants, is where I step inside the elegant wrought iron gates of the Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes, my city base. ‘History on the outside, design within’ is the tagline. The hotel, originally built as the cellars of the renowned Calvet winery, dates to the 19th century. Its Neo-Gothic facade has a gable bearing a United Kingdom coat of arms set above the arched doorway – a nod to Bordeaux’s historic commercial and royal links to Britain.
Reimagined by French design impresario Philippe Starck, the five-star hotel opened (below) in 2023. On entering, the sultry lighting makes it feel like you are slinking into your favourite private members’ club. This was exactly Starck’s intention. To create a home away from home where guests can fully relax. The 97 rooms and suites have been designed as cocoons, intimate spaces bathed in soft, harmonious light.
“This hotel is a warm place, with a rare quality of staging and lighting. Above all, it is a place to feel extremely well, a place that is clearly French and Bordeaux, but that will transport you elsewhere,” Starck reflected upon completion.
One of the unexpected places the hotel will transport you to is Japan. The Mondrian Bordeaux has exclusive access to the playful and expressive creations of renowned Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Indeed, Morimoto is his first restaurant to open in Europe. Born in Hiroshima, Japan, the world-renowned chef draws inspiration from Japanese tradition and the most innovative culinary techniques to create a surprising and refined cuisine, based on the subtlety of Japanese products and the excellence of French gastronomy. My suggestion is to kick proceedings off with the deliciously refreshing Kinzo pisco cocktail. Then onto miso soup with fresh clams followed by the showstopper Aburi sushi, which is flambéed at your table, releasing the most irresistible barbecue aroma.
The spa is at the heart of the experience. With customised treatments by beauty houses Codage and Kos. The swimming pool, with its large windows, opens onto the terrace. This peaceful haven includes a steam room diffusing head clearing menthol eucalyptus (useful if you have indulged in one too many heady Bordeaux reds) and an infra-red sauna. My advice, if you’re staying here, is to get the sight-seeing done first. Once you step inside you are not going to want to leave.
Vintage establishment
But leave you must if you are to discover what has made Bordeaux’s fame and fortune worldwide. And that of course lies in the vineyards. Twenty minutes outside of the city is Château Smith Haut Lafitte. In the 14th century, Verrier Du Bosq signed the first recorded deeds for a few vine rows. George Smith, a Scottish wine merchant, acquired the property in the mid-18th century and named it after himself. Today the estate (below) extends to 87 hectares and is in the hands of the Cathiard family who have spent decades lovingly restoring and cultivating the vines with their team.
The estate is one of the few in Bordeaux to have its own Cooperage where those all-important French oak barrels are made. A fire is set inside the barrels for differing amounts of time. A short firing results in gentle, vanilla-esque aromas. Longer firing leans toward chocolate and darker, smokier notes.
Then it’s down to the impressive underground ‘Cathédrale’ where over 1000 barrels lie in reverential peace to age for 18 months.
Château Smith Haut Lafitte has the Fleur de Lys in its coat of arms and can trace links to French Royalty. It is no stranger to modern royals either. In 2023 King Charles III and Queen Camilla stopped by as part of an official tour of the region. Originally scheduled for a one-hour visit, the Royal couple stayed for three. The Cuvée Charles III is the unique secret blend offered to their majesties.
Les Sources de Caudalie
Within the wine estate sits Les Sources de Caudalie, a Palace-rated hotel set in a bucolic hamlet of guesthouses, suites and rooms. It also has a double Michelin-starred restaurant, and the world’s first Vinothérapie spa. It was Alice Tourbier, the younger of the two Cathiard daughters, who opened Les Sources de Caudalie with her husband Jérôme in 1999. Her sister Mathilde gave the world cult beauty brand Caudalie, which guides the philosophy of the spa. Weaving my way past an idyllic lake and ‘potager’ (aromatic garden) I find my suite set in a charming ‘Village des Pêcheurs’ (Fisherman’s village). The architecture evokes the ‘cabanes tchanquées’ of nearby Arcachon Bay. If the Garden of Eden was French, it would be here.
When it’s time to rest from the wellness activities on offer – the 1,500 square-metre spa, forest bathing, yoga, tennis and cycling – three restaurants await to delight your palate. The 2 Michelin starred La Grand’Vigne, Le Rouge wine bar and the bistronomic La Table du Lavoir.
I plump for the latter’s ‘Menu de la Lavandière’ which changes every day, always revolving around the seasons and local produce. ‘La suprême de pintade’ (guinea fowl) is a highlight and the raspberry and pistachio tarte a total treat.
Should any of this entice you to spend your next long weekend in the Bordelais region then the good news is that Bordeaux-Merignac airport runs direct flights to and from the UK and Ireland, and the city is only a two-hour high-speed train ride from Paris. Just enough time to share that €12,000 bottle of Petrus, eh? Tchin-Tchin!
About the author
Rebecca McVeigh is a French Riviera-based travel writer and producer. She’s worked for the BBC, ‘The Sunday Times’, ‘France Today’, and ‘Fodor’s’, among others. Check out Rebecca’s adventures on her trip to Saint-Paul de Vence here.
Images: Cité du Vin © Rugby Journal Mark Parren Taylor
Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes: © Gaelle Le Boulicaut
