Bordeaux et La Rochelle

On Thursday we drove to Bordeaux.  Both the BBC and Meteo.fr were promising a warmer and clearer day.  It was certainly a bit clearer, we saw bits of blue sky for the first time in ten days and we were excited.  We took the fast route to Bordeaux and about two hours later I joined a slow line of traffic into the city.  As usual I was challenged for direction.  I knew that the city was on the south bank of the River Garonne but it felt like I was approaching from the south because I had already been over a river (according to the map the river I first crossed over was the Dordogne).

The first thing we noticed on arriving in city was the trams that seem to form part of the public transport system.  They were full and frequent, at least the ones we saw near the centre of the old city.  Also, they looked quite new.  We found a parking building where we could park and negotiated a very tiny space to get the car parked.  It was a bit of a squeeze for me to get out.  Driving in France is  a constant process of judging distance especially small distances when trying to park or negotiate a narrow street. 

Bordeaux ville

On going out of the parking building we saw Les Toilettes and went to use them.  They cleaned themselves after each use.  Being a gentleman I gave Bev the first use and she confidently went in it locked behind her.   A little later she came out to say there was no where to wash her hands.  Fortunately I could read French and showed her the little cubby hole that provided soap, water and a dryer.  It all worked as described.  While I was inside Bev talked with a French woman in French then it was my turn to do so while Bev used the facility.  The woman was lovely and enthusiastic, tolerated both our poor French.  She and her husband came from Lyon and had family in Bordeaux hence the visit and they do so regularly.   Then it was her turn to use it, we said au revoir and off exploring we went.  It is a beautiful city and one that I would like to spend more time exploring. 

It began raining around lunch time and it provided the excuse to go into a small café where I had  a lovely tartiflette and Bev had salmon with bernaise sauce and ratatouille.  Well cooked but the ratatouille was not the right flavour combination.  After the meal we wandered the streets and I found a Virgin store.  I mentioned to Bev I would see if I could find some music and headed off into the store.  I had a wonderful time seeing what music was available but in the meantime Bev began worrying that she had lost me and then started wondering how she would find me as she did not have her phone with her.  Finally I emerged to a slightly irritated Bev who made it clear she did not like my  disappearing act and not being able to do a spot of private shopping herself.

Beside the Garonne

We found the riverfront, which is stunning for walking along, and then saw a demonstration by taxi drivers who clogged road for a little while.  Apparently it was all about the health system proposing to tender transport services to reduce costs to the health system. 

Bordeaux chateau

After retrieving the car we heading into the Medoc to get some wine from one of my favourite wineries.  In fact it is not a classed growth but regarded as value for money.  When we arrived to do a tasting a woman came out to greet us and say that they were closed for the winter.  I said I was disappointed as we had come specifically to Chateau Siran.  She asked where I came from and I said New Zealand, then she asked where from in New Zealand and I said Wellington.  That seemed enough for her to see her boss and we were then invited in for a tasting of their wines. We got to taste Chateau Siran 2007 and 2008 as well as their second wine.  It was very nice and the woman chatted away with us in very good English. 

After a purchase we left and went looking at a bit more of the Medoc going as far as Pauillac  before returning to La Rochelle.  It took nearly three hours to return and I was a bit tired at the end of the drive doing it at night in showers with a slightly smeary windscreen.  Not fun!

Les tours de Vieux Port

Friday was our last day in La Rochelle.  The time seemed to go really fast and I feel like we only saw a little of the area.  Given it was our last day we decided to have a day looking around the place a bit more.  It was also a lovely day as the sun emerged after a long holiday behind the heavy cloud.    The temperature even reached double figures. We walked a different route to the Vieux Port and then around the Plage de Concurrence where there is an artificial beach like Oriental Bay.  We found a nice place in the sun and it warmed us slightly while I wrote some postal cards. 

Boulevard de Vieux Port

We then found a little café for lunch before exploring some more streets in centreville.  It was much busier; it seemed like the fine sunny weather had brought out the people who were happily spending money in Les Soldes (sales).  Before we settled into our last evening in La Rochelle we filled up the car with diesel so that I did not have to worry about it prior to setting off to Noirmoutier. 

The day ended with some veges and finishing off the last of the wine.  Then doing our packing in readiness for leaving.