Tours – Bordeaux Expats

Let your phone guide you around Bordeaux!

Mike Foster — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:12:00 +0000

Are you keen to get under the skin of the city? Over at partner website Invisible Bordeaux, author Tim Pike has produced a set of self-guided walking tours around Bordeaux for iPhones and iPads.

The English-language tours are aimed at providing visitors and locals alike with interesting itineraries through the city that take in a host of sights of architectural, historical and cultural significance. As well as written word, the guides feature full audio commentary and original photography.

The tours are available via iTunes. You will first need to download the free GPSMyCity application, which then offers a simple interface to be able to select and download the individual tours. Light versions can be downloaded free of charge while the full GPS-enabled ad-free upgrade versions can be purchased for €2.49.

Four tours are currently available:

The Bordeaux Essential Landmarks tour provides a fifteen-stop guide to the sights that have to be seen by any self-respecting visitor, giving the full background story to postcard-friendly places such as the Grand Théâtre, Place de la Bourse, the Miroir d’Eau, Place Pey-Berland and Esplanade des Quinconces.
The Bordeaux Secret Sights tour enables users to uncover some of the more curious, less visible and lesser-known sights and stories in the city. These include Cour Mably, Utopia Saint-Siméon, the Grosse Cloche clock and its solar equation dial, Place Fernand-Lafargue and Hôtel Saint-François.
The Elegant Bordeaux Tour takes in the fine architecture, picturesque streets, peaceful market squares and magnificent churches of the Chartrons and Saint-Seurin districts. Sights include Saint-Louis and Saint-Seurin churches, the Jardin Public, the replica of the Statue of Liberty, Place du Marché des Chartrons, CAPC modern art museum and the Palais Gallien Gallo-Roman coliseum ruins.
The Bordeaux Right Bank tour lifts the lid on the underexplored streets and sights to be enjoyed across the Pont de Pierre. Stops include the former Alcazar theatre, the botanic gardens, the Maison Cantonale, the statue of Toussaint Louverture and the city’s first railway station, Gare d’Orléans.

Further tours through other parts of Bordeaux will soon be available, as will Android-friendly and French-language versions, so check back regularly to the dedicated website: bordeauxwalks.blogspot.com

News when it comes in will also be announced by Tim on the Invisible Bordeaux website (www.invisiblebordeaux.net) or via Twitter.

Direct access to the tours on iTunes, via free GPSMyCity walks catalogue.

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Bordeaux Expat Interview – Tim Cowley

Mike Foster — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 12:01:00 +0000

Tim is an ex-rugby professional who came to Europe 11 years ago.

He spent the first 5 years in the UK where he played for the Cornish Pirates. He then made the move to France, reluctantly at first, but as he had always wanted to play in the Top 14, an opportunity with Bourgoin Jallieu came up, where he played for 3 years.

After missing the sea and finishing his pro-rugby career, he decided to stay with a friend in Bordeaux. Like most people he fell in love with the place and couldn’t leave.

He was born in New Zealand but has dual nationality, as his father was born in Samoa. A country that he proudly represented.

Where are you originally from?
Originally from the Waikato in New Zealand.

Where are you living at the moment?
Place Tourny, Bordeaux

How long have you lived in the region?
3 years

Why did you move to France and why did you choose Bordeaux?
I choose to move to France to follow my dream to play in the French Top 14. Bordeaux seemed like a great place to live after living in a small town near the French Alps. It has more of everything!

What was one main reason for moving here?
I wished to be nearer to the sea. Everything else was a bonus.

Did you find it easy finding accommodation when you first moved here?
Accommodation was really tough. Being a single rugby player made near impossible.

What do you do for a living?
I’ve just started my own wine tour business which is paying the bills at the moment.

Was it easy finding work?
Starting a business is not easy. Especially being someone from outside of Europe. I think being French would probably be difficult enough!

Has it been easy meeting people?
Meeting people is quite easy. Having expats that are all in the same boat means you usually have similar things in common. Meeting French people seems to be easy enough too. I find the Bordelais seem to treat foreigners better than other French. Maybe that’s just what I like to believe.

Did you already know French?
I had a good base before arriving from the Rhone region. Yet, it has improved a lot more since I have been here.

How do you find the cost of living/lifestyle in Bordeaux?
Cost of living is pretty good. If you want to step it up and act rich it’s possible, but if you only want to do that from time to time it’s possible also. The thing I find hard is often having friends come to visit, as I always want to take them to the nicest places in town. In saying that there are nice places that aren’t too expensive.

What’s the best thing to do in Bordeaux on a summers day?
Take a bottle of wine, blanket, cheese and charcuterie and head to the quay.

What’s the best thing to do in Bordeaux on a rainy day?
Don’t really know of much to do on a rainy day in Bordeaux. I sometimes go to the cinema.

What are the positives of living here?
Where do I start. The wine, ocean, history, architecture and the food…

What are the negatives of living here?
Dog shit. Can’t stand it. Fines should be hefty if they want to eradicate it.

Are you involved with any groups / associations / teams, etc?
I’m involved with the groups that go to the pub. Less frequent these days as I’m working a lot.

Do you have a business / website / blog?

Providing wine tours around Bordeaux. Strictly in English (Kiwi English). The business is called Rustic Vines.
www.rusticvinestours.com

Any closing comments?
This is really a special place. One I can now call my home. It offers so many things for me but one that stands out are my relationships with expats here. We really do have each others backs.

Get in touch with Tim to book English Wine Tours: rusticvinesbx@gmail.com

Check out his tour selections here: www.rusticvinestours.com/tour-options.html

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English Wine Tours in Bordeaux

Mike Foster — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 11:35:00 +0000

Rustic Vines – Wine tours in English

For the ultimate blend of tasting, learning and sightseeing in this stunning region, look no further. Rustic Vines takes an altogether more relaxed approach to the world of wine, perfect for wine-lovers of any age! Not only do they visit some of the grandest of Bordeaux châteaux, but also some amazing family-run estates, what they like to call the Two Worlds of Wine.

You’ll be invited to taste and compare numerous varieties of wine, but don’t panic! If you’re at the very beginning of your journey into the world of wine, you’ll finish your day feeling much more experienced and confident about sharing what you’ve learned. If you know your Pauillac from your Pomerol, put your skills to the test at the tasting tables!

If you don’t quite know what you want from your Rustic Vines experience, just sit back, relax, and enjoy the wine and the scenery! With a great choice of Châteaux spanning 3 world-famous regions, you can choose your perfect tour!

The Regions:

Saint Emilion
Saint Émilion is overflowing with charm. For over 1000 years Saint Émilion has had an impact on France in some way or another, but notably in wine.
Named after the Monk Émilian who took refuge here in the 8th century to avoid prosecution for helping the poor. Saint Émilion is now a world heritage site. Hardly surprising really. Once you visit Saint Émilion you can really appreciate and feel the history that once filled the village.

Médoc
Médoc is one of the youngest regions in the Bordeaux area. But the evolution of its rich soils began over 50 million years ago.
In 1855 Napoleon III decided to classify and rank the most prestigious wines in Bordeaux. Nearly all of the best wines were from the Médoc. This classification still stands today and since this classification there have only been a few changes.
Once covered in boggy marsh lands, the Médoc has become one of the best wine producing areas in the world. The Freash wine experts say sometimes the terroir has to go through dramatic changes from the worst conditions possible in order to create the perfection that is now the terroir of Médoc. With the Grand Châteaux such as Châteaux Lafite Rothschild and Margaux its easy to see why.

Grave
Unlike most Bordeaux appellations, the Graves region is just as famous for its white wines as its reds. Pessac-Léognan and Graves have a long wine-making history. Red wine from this region was much loved by the English during the 300 years that Aquitaine was under English rule, from 1152 to 1453. Described usually as having a blackcurrant and cedar flavour with and commonly described as earthy, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular grape but there’s also a strong blend of Merlot.

www.rusticvinestours.com
www.facebook.com/rusticvinestours
https://twitter.com/rusticvines

Bordeaux Ghost Tours – A Theatrical Journey into Bordeaux’s dark side‏

Chris Tighe — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 09:22:00 +0000

Bordeaux Expats recently caught up with George Hruby of Bordeaux Ghost Tours for an exclusive interview.
It turns out that as well as wine, the city is also full of lethal spirits!

Bordeaux became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007 and over the last 8 years the number of tourists visiting the city (both leisure and business-related) has literally skyrocketed. Voted ‘European Best Destination 2015’ the city expects to see upward of 6 million visitorsthis year bringing in 100’s of millions of €uros in revenue. Attracted primarily by the plonk, wine-related visits including vineyard tours etc. have risen by around 80% since 2007 – this trend can only continue with the opening of the Cité des civilisations du vin next year and the LGV link with Paris in 2017.

Aside from the allure of getting drunk in SW France, huge numbers of tourists are drawn to Bordeaux by the cultural wealth of the historical buildings on display. As the largest UNESCO Heritage site in the world, the city has 350 buildings officially classed as historical monuments not to mention the Grand Theatre, Auditorium, National Orchestra and profusion of museums which see more than 400 000 visitors annually. Add to this the game-changing and far-reaching visionary work of Alain Juppé over the last 20 years to revolutionise the city’s urban landscape, the abundance of events hosted each year and the ever increasing number of quality restaurants and bars, the future is looking profitable for the Port de la Lune..!

Juppé’s certainly filling Bordeaux’s coffers…

Despite the mass tourist explosion of recent years, the tourist industry has been remarkably slow on the uptake (even for the French). When comparing Bordeaux’s wine tours with Napa valley it quickly becomes clear that France is still in the stone age when it comes to tourism (and particularly Oenotourism). Although this classical and traditional exclusivity may be appealing to the snobbier of Bordeaux’s wine visitors, it certainly doesn’t cut the mustard with the rest of us and particularly visitors from the Far East.

On a recent visit to the tourist office I was standing behind two Korean tourists who were desperate to do a wine visit and tasting somewhere. Sadly but predictably, the best the tourist office woman could do was to aggressively hand them several maps and tell them in monosyllabic English that they had to phone the vineyards themselves and try to speak in French. Compare this to Napa valley where they have a ‘wine train’, ‘wine trolley’ (tram for the uninitiated), balloon tours, horse-drawn carriage tours, bike tours, wine & dine tours and countless limousine companies available in all major languages operating 24/7, Bordeaux’s efforts are laughable for somewhere that is supposed to be the world wine capital and has a 10% unemployment rate.

Napa Valley – where the wine economy is booming!

The same can be said for the majority of the city’s guided tours. Coming from London where there is every kind of tour imaginable on offer – from graffiti street art walking/bike tours to the Duck bus (a duck shaped tour bus which converts into an amphibian vehicle for the 2nd part of the tour cruising the Thames), Bordeaux tours are utterly mundane and sober in comparison.

To add insult to injury, the official guide association Agica along with France’s tourist authority are determined to block out independent operators and have created an insurmountable bog of tedious legislation to prevent anyone hustling in on their racket. If you ever manage to contact them which is almost impossible you will be fobbed off to various websites before eventually discovering that the only way to obtain an official Bordeaux ‘guide conférencier‘ carte is to take a one year, full time Master course which costs at least €12 000 (tuition fees) and is only available in Paris, Lyon, Toulouse, Angers, Clermont-Ferrand, Perpignan, Corsica, Strasbourg, and Nice. There used to be one in Périgueux but it got shelved…

Bienvenue en France..!!!

However us expats are not so easily defeated and over the last few years there have been a range of small tour-guide companies springing up to provide tourists with what they really want – a fun, informative and user-friendly experience in their own language and where they won’t be ripped off or made to feel inferior by an incomprehensible French smarty pants..!

Bordeaux Expats recently caught up with George Hruby, the founder and director of Bordeaux Ghost Tours – part of a new wave of innovative companies that are changing the face of Bordeaux tourism.

The basic concept of BGT is to experience the dark macabre locations of Bordeaux and see where ghastly deaths occurred, and hauntings still take place.

The Roman amphitheatre – rue Palais Gallien

Tour groups have the unique privilege of standing where gladiators were killed and others executed while crowds cheered. They can see where 292 people were guillotined during the French Revolution and learn all about the grizzly details as well as where real witches held their rituals before being caught, tried, and executed. Then there’s a visit to Bordeaux’s most haunted pub with several ghosts and much poltergeist activity and they can discover a genuinely haunted hotel and its resident ghost (including the window where the ghost of a little girl is often heard crying..!). There are also mummies to be found in Bordeaux as well as far more in over 2000 years of sinister history.

6th-8th Century Cemetery – Bordeaux, France Underneath a public park lies this City of the Dead. Paths and buildings (mausoleums) existed in this 6th-8th century cemetery, some still with brightly painted fresco’s. In this picture, while in the background can be seen a sarcophagus, in the foreground are amphora’s in which children were buried.

Check in starts 15 minutes before, the tour is 2 hours long and covers 1.78 miles (2.88 km) – there is a loo break half way through the tour. They run Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday Night at 9pm and are €25 cash only per person, payable to the Bordeaux Ghost Tour Operator (no credit cards or cheques accepted) at the start of the tour. Check-in starts 15 minutes before tour (Bordeaux Ghosts Tours are closed in January and February).

Berenika leading a tour up rue St Catherine – site of an ancient Roman road…

Tours are met by one of the ghostly guides from the past, directly in front of the Grand Opera House and Grand Hotel just one block south of the Bordeaux Tourist Office. A costumed guide will be waiting in front of the Opera House in the center of the square between both visible clocks.

To book a tour, simply go to BOOK TOUR and submit the request. Same day tours must be submitted no later than 6pm (18h00) of the day of the tour.

The guides are specially created personas who bring a highly original edge to the tours – each of the characters has their own personal life story to draw the tour group into the historical atmosphere…

Monsieur Oscar Wheatly

Monsieur Oscar Wheatly, born in 1776 in Salem, Massachusetts in America. He arrived in England in 1815 but soon arrived in Bordeaux, one of the richest trading ports in the world. Quick to make a quaint business for himself here, he has learned to marry the business opportunities of both France and America. He has resided here in Bordeaux since 1820 and is now at your disposal.

Mademoiselle Berenika Pilsner

Mademoiselle Berenika Pilsner was born in Bohemia in 1798. She arrived on board ship to Bordeaux in 1819 where she has resided ever since. Born the daughter of a well-read and influential writer of the enlightenment, she came to Bordeaux to learn French. Working as a Governess for a local shipping magnate, his wife and their children, she is now at your disposal.

The Bordeaux Expats Interview

Across his hugely varied and mindbogglingly impressive career, George’s credits include military dog handler, film director and archaeologist. Over the last couple of years he’s been managing an archaeological dig at Chateau Leymonie near Perigueux.

1. Where are you originally from?

San Diego California

2. How long have you lived in the region?

I moved to Paris in 2010 and Bordeaux in 2012

3. Why did you move to France and why did you choose Bordeaux?

In both cases, because of a woman! Ha ha…

4. What do you wish you knew before moving here?

Nothing! I have enjoyed learning it all as I go along.

5. Did you find it easy finding accommodation when you first moved here?

I found it easy to find accommodation in Paris but Bordeaux has been much more difficult.

6. What do you do for a living?

I am an Independent Film Director and Producer. I am also the CEO of Dig France which is an archaeological company here in France. I also own the new and upcoming Bordeaux Ghosts Tours.

7. Was it easy finding work?

As I own my own companies, my problem is finding people who share the American work ethic. The working difference between cultures can affect a company’s functioning, productivity and its eventual success.

8. Has it been easy meeting people?

If one has money, it is easy because as long as you are spending money in restaurants and pubs, or funneling money to organizations to join, then it is easy to meet people. But if one does not have a lot of money, it can be difficult. This can be further complicated if you do not speak the language.

9. Did you already know French?

10. How do you find the cost of living/lifestyle in Bordeaux?

I love it! Very cost-effective to live in Bordeaux and it’s a very relaxed and comfortable lifestyle here.

11. What’s the best thing to do in Bordeaux on a summers day?

Jogging, cycling, or rollerblading along the river and enjoying watching life going on all around.

12. What’s the best thing to do in Bordeaux on a rainy day?

To hangout in the museums and exhibitions going on throughout the city.

13. What are the positives of living here?

Living in France has been for me as an artist a tremendous asset both in Paris and in Bordeaux, as well as throughout France. It is a country so rich in history and art, as well as cuisine and wine. It is rich with philosophy and wisdom from over 2000 years of history. For me, I can never stop getting enough of this beautiful country, its people, and its culture.

I feel that Bordeaux is an excellent place to live due to the cost-effectiveness of the location and the laid back lifestyle. But Bordeaux is also an excellent location that serves as a doorway to the rest of the world no matter where you choose to go.

14. What are the negatives of living here?

For an American, the single biggest negative here in France is the snail’s pace that anything gets done. As an American running a company in France, I now have to schedule that what would normally take one day in America to get done, takes at least one week to get done in France. Something that would take 72 hours to get done in America, here in France will take 3+ weeks. This hurts business, slows down a company and minimizes productivity. Countries such as Germany and America are very business orientated and strive for streamlining systems and efficiency. This includes their governments who help serve the needs of private businesses (and thus their economy).

15. Are you involved with any groups / associations / teams, etc?

Due to the nature of doing business here, I have had the pleasure of working with many organizations, communities, and individual businesses. However, it is only recently that I have actually begun to join several organizations here as I have begun to work on networking. With my company, Bordeaux Ghosts Tours, I have started a new trend by helping to promote other individual businesses here in Bordeaux by advertising them on the company webpage in the hope that our customers will have a better selection to choose from for fun and exciting things to do in Bordeaux, while also helping out other businesses in the local area. In this sense .. wanting to inspire a team effort here in Bordeaux between businesses. This is especially so with Expat related businesses.

16. Do you have a business / website / blog?

I am very proud to offer the very first Ghost Tours here in Bordeaux. Bordeaux Ghosts Tours take place at night and conducted by our professionally costumed and trained guides. It is a fun and exciting way to learn about some of Bordeaux’s history while also learning about its dark past and a few of its resident ghosts.

One of the Medieval Gates to the City – Bordeaux, France
In the early morning hours.. you wonder if you can still see pilgrims from the 12th century enter this gate as they continue on their pilgrimage along the Way of St. James which passed through this ancient gate south towards Spain.

Look out for George wandering around in costume with his advertising board… BGT also has a stand at Place St Projet once a month.

They currently get over 1000 hits a month on their facebook page, have 134 000 hits on Google+ and the tours are going from strength to strength.

Berenika looks after the French tours and George hosts the English ones and they regularly get turnouts of 15 or more people. While the English speaking tourists are interested in the buildings and atmosphere of Bordeaux, the French groups are apparently keen to get below the surface and discover all the hidden people stories. They have posted their flyers all over town in all the relevant pubs, restaurants and are in the tourist office. George also keeps a handful of business cards handy in the event of the (frequent) photo requests when they are walking around town in costume.

This is the front original entrance of a huge 70-window hotel built in 1855. The red doors were where it’s restaurant once operated. Residents still reside here in this old building as well as some ghostly ones including that of a little girl that is seen playing, and running up and down the grand staircase.

The ultimate aim, says George, is to hold a giant monster bash Halloween party in a spectacular Bordeaux venue complete with DJ and the rest. Watch the Bordeaux Expats site for a future heads up!

Looks like the monster mash is set to become a permanent feature on the Bordeaux landscape.

HAPPY GHOST HUNTING..!!!

For further information, please visit the BGT online at –

www.bordeauxghoststours.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bordeaux-Ghosts-Tours/1028160330541802?fref=ts

https://plus.google.com/110389126372221648509/posts

BORDEAUX GHOSTS TOURS

Tel (English): +(33) 0783770625
Tel (Français): 0783627055

info@bordeauxghoststours.com

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Free Walking Tour Bordeaux

Chris Tighe — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 10:45:00 +0000

The weekend is closing in… Looking for something to do? How about taking part in one of our fantastic Free Walking Tours..!

Free Walking Tours Bordeaux is the ultimate way to discover our beautiful city – on any budget.

The concept is simple – join us at our meeting point, without any booking and take part in a free two-hour walk around the streets of Bordeaux.

We have two tours with two unique routes…

The Classic Walking Tourhas been designed to show you the top landmarks, reveal various secret stories and help you to discover hidden parts of the city (Place des Quinconces, Grand Théatre, the Cathedral, Utopia Cinema, Place du Parlement, Place de la Bourse).

Our Medieval Walking Tourcovers the medieval city and will give you an insight into local life in the Middle Ages. We also throw in some wicked stories about kings and witches that you won’t easily forget (Grosse Cloche, Rue des Bahutiers, Rue Neuve, Rue de la Vache, Porte Cailhau)!

Our dynamic and international guides know Bordeaux inside-out and they are happy to share their local knowledge about life, food and – of course – the wine!

Our tours are in both English and French (simultaneously – a great way to brush up on your French!). You can choose your language when you arrive.

“We do our very best to give you a warm welcome!”

As we are all volunteers, your tips and donations are the best way to support our project, so they are always welcome

Where to meet us?

Classic Tour start-time – Sunday at 2pm.

Meeting Point: Monument des Girondins, Place des Quinconces.

Medieval Tour start-time – Saturday at 2pm.

Meeting point: Tour Pey Berland, Place Pey Berland.

Or contact us…

walkingbordeaux@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/FreeWalkingBordeaux

Hope to see you soon,

your Free Walking Team

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Bordeaux Free Walking Tours

Chris Tighe — Mon, 21 Aug 2017 12:25:00 +0000

Bordeaux Free Walking Tours – the ultimate way to discover Bordeaux through the eyes of a guide born and raised in Bordeaux

Bordeaux Free Walking Tours is the only free tour company with three different tours and three unique routes…

The City Free Walking Tour shows you Bordeaux’s most beautiful landmarks as well as secret squares and areas off the beaten track. It also packs in loads of fun and fascinating local Bordeaux stories. Highlights are the Cathedral, the Utopia Cinema, Place de la Bourse, the Grand Theatre and Place des Quinconces.

The Medieval Free Walking Tour transports you 800 years into the past with tales of witches and black magic, love and infidelity, legacy and destiny and will give you an entirely different perspective of the city. It features the Grosse Cloche, Rue Pillet, Rue des Bahutiers, Rue Neuve, Rue du Muguet, Rue de la Vache and Porte Cailhau to mention a few.

The War Tour – learn why Bordeaux was the capital of France three times. We will show you locations where all the dramatic decisions were made in Bordeaux’s more turbulent times!
All the tours are completely free of charge! If you want to support us and help us to carry on in the future, you can leave a small contribution at the end!

For more information and to get in touch, here are the links!

https://bordeauxfreewalkingtours.com

https://www.facebook.com/bordeauxfreewalkingtour/

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Bordeaux Free Wine Tours

Chris Tighe — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 13:15:00 +0000

Welcome all wine lovers!

Have you ever wanted to learn more about wine?

Have you ever wondered why Bordeaux’s wines are so expensive?

Are you keen to learn about the history of the chateaux in Bordeaux?

Do you want to know how to pick the right bottle of wine with your food?

Then you’re in the right place…

Free Wine Tours is for anyone who wants to learn about France’s wine and cheese culture.

What to expect…

In our Free Wine Tour, we will unveil the history of the chateaux, the secret behind the production of their delicious wines and show you how to analyze wine like a professional. Be prepared for a sensory explosion and the full wine-tasting experience!

How does it work?

On our Free Wine Tours, visitors organize their own transport to and from the chateau as well as paying for the wine tasting (wines at the chateau start at €2.50 for a glass and bottles are available from €5). If you like the tour and want us to be able to continue the project, you are most welcome to leave a tip!

Free Wine Tours is a sister project of Free Walking Tour Bordeaux.

Our project also supports a charity in India to help put deprived children through school. Any support you give us will also contribute to a valuable cause.

What next?

Check the available tour dates on our facebook page and fill out our registration form.

It’s first come, first serve. So like our page and be the first to find out about new dates and upcoming wine events.

Due to various cancellations or people simply not showing up at the start of the tour, we kindly ask you to respect the time and effort it takes to organize a project like this – if you can’t make it, please give others the chance to be on the tour. Thanks!

Hope to see you soon!

Until then, let’s all enjoy Bordeaux and its wine!

Your FreeWineTour Team

Check out and like our facebook page for more information –

www.facebook.com/FreeWineToursInBordeaux/

Here’s a snapshot of our first tour –

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EXPAT INTERVIEW – LANGUE ET TERROIRS

Chris Tighe — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 15:57:00 +0000

Bordeaux Expats recently grabbed an interview with Langue et terroirs – a fresh approach to teaching French by taking students on the road… Happy reading!

Langue et terroirs is a brand new concept that offers French language lessons combined with in-depth cultural tours of the Sud Ouest. They blend teaching and tourism, giving learners the opportunity to practice their French and build speaking confidence while getting an insight into the cultural heritage of South West France – all in a warm and relaxed environment. What better way to learn a language!

“Langue et Terroirs – more than learning French, it’s practising, it’s speaking for real”

Their background

The company is the brainchild of Virginie Cabot and Sophie Martin, who have taught French across the globe in secondary schools and universities – Bulgaria, China, Finland, Hungary, Morocco and Turkey to name but a few! Sophie helps to run study holidays in the Tarn/Hérault, and Virginie develops tours in the Bordeaux and Entre-Deux-Mers region.

Virginie was born and raised in Bordeaux. Following the dramatic transformation of the city over the last twenty years, she has developed a range of tours to help visitors get to the beating heart of the metropole.

“Although French is taught as a foreign language in secondary schools all around the world, it is often not as well-spoken as it could be. People have a genuine desire to practice the language, both for leisure and professionally – it’s all about finding the right situation to start practising!”

A fresh concept

Langue et terroirs offers an original alternative to language schools for people that want to enjoy a cultural experience and practice their rusty French, while visiting Bordeaux and the Sud-Ouest – Virginie and Sophie are always on hand to give students the time they need and tips to improve.

“It’s about picking up French in a fun and carefree environment, without the fear of being judged.”

Prior to running tours in Bordeaux, Virginie and Sophie were living in the Tarn and Hérault region to work on their project: their aim has always been to work closely with local people and promote tourist areas off the beaten track (unlike Provence or Brittany), to benefit both visitors and the local economy.

The tours

Langue et terroirs is geared towards tourists who want to practice French as well as local expats. Indeed, expats may be keen to learn more about the area they’ve settled in, or break their weekend monotony with a breath of fresh air and fun, as well as welcoming newcomers to the local international community!

A tour with Langue et terroirsis a discovery of the local natural and cultural heritage while practising French with experienced friendly teachers. Forget the classroom – we are offering enthralling museum visits, stimulating hikes, cultural bike or kayak tours and a range of other activities. You will discover local hotspots, hidden places to sample the best local cuisine and wines, as well as quiet and more peaceful areas – an experience to share with friends, partners, family, classmates and colleagues.

Our tours are designed around one “langue” and many “terroirs” – Bordeaux and the surrounding area, Tarn/Hérault, and coming soon – Charente-Maritime, the Dordogne and the Pays Basque!

Get in touch to find out more and we look forward to meeting you!

Virginie and Sophie

www.langueetterroirs.com

their blog ::: www.langueetterroirs.com/blog-langue-et-terroirs

www.facebook.com/Langueetterroirs

www.instagram.com/langueetterroirs/

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EXPAT INTERVIEW – BERIT SIMONSEN

danny@makam — Mon, 07 May 2018 19:45:00 +0000

Berit Simonsen left Denmark for France when she was 19 and instantly fell in love with French savoir-vivre and stayed for 28 years!

After 10+ enjoyable years teaching English in public schools, Berit trained as a business coach and did paid and pro bono coaching for business startups needing “last-minute” confidence. What could be more natural after moving to Bordeaux than to focus on her personal passion, wine? Berit worked for 5+ years in Bordeaux’s famous châteaux in the three major wine districts: Saint-Julien (Medoc), Saint-Emilion/Pomerol and Graves, before starting to accompany visitors to the different vineyards. She found her “calling” in sharing her passion and knowledge with visitors.

Thanks to her experience, Berit has the “inside track” to the gems of Bordeaux wine country, both big and small properties. Her in-depth knowledge and fun facts about wine, combined with a friendly and “down-to-earth”-style puts her guests at ease, helping them to see the vineyards through her lens, and experience the savoir-vivre that she fell in love with. Berit’s love for and knowledge of wine, and the need to share this with people through a memorable, personal experience gave birth to B for Bordeaux.

To change it up a bit, I went with a set of questions to best understand Berit Simonsen and ‘B for Bordeaux’.

Savoir-vivre: What does that mean specifically, to you?

The French have an epicurean way of enjoying life. To me, it’s all about the good food and the French cooking their meals from scratch with fresh produce. Even the younger generation with their busy lives, still go to the market to get seasonal stuff from the local producers. It’s meeting for drinks under any/no pretext, at any hour, in bars and restaurants, often. It’s doing what you want to do, when you want to, with not much fuss. I’m not sure that the French always know how cool, lucky and laid-back they seem to the rest of the world! It’s living in the moment and not rushing, rushing all the time.

What brought about your interest in working with Bordeaux wines?

I’m almost ashamed to admit how little I knew about wine when I moved to Bordeaux in 2000. But you know, we live right in the middle of the legendary “Bordeaux” vineyards. After Paris, I thought a career shift to the wine business would be perfect. After a job interview in the very prestigious Chateau Latour, I learned quickly that I would need wine schooling. I signed up for night wine classes after work in a hurry! That’s what ignited the whole wine passion and – later – a career in the chateaux. Best job ever!!

Fast forward 2018, what about Bordeaux attracts you the most?

When we moved, Bordeaux was nothing like Paris. Everything was run down. Beautiful 18th century buildings were disgracefully black from neglect and pollution. Under our noses, the city began a bold – and expensive – transformation. Facades were sandblasted, ugly warehouses along the docks were torn down, a sleek tramway was created, and, a beautiful promenade along the river was born. Bordeaux now stands like a lovely small-scale Paris with historic monuments, boutiques, bars and restaurants (lots of plazas) and it’s very walkable. It’s only an hour’s drive from the Atlantic Ocean, local oyster farms, and two hours away from the mountains and Spain. Today, I have no regrets leaving Paris – at all!

What kind of work did you do at the vineyards? What made you decide to create B for Bordeaux?

There are about 10,000 chateaux producing wine in Bordeaux. The name is globally famous, and people have been attracted to Bordeaux wines for ages. However, 8-10 years ago, it was almost impossible to do a wine tour. Chateaux were reluctant to let visitors in, especially the prestigious Grand Cru Classé estates. Something needed to be done. I’ve been building up and/or facilitating wine tourism in the three chateaux I worked in. Making wine tours possible, making reluctant estates more approachable, and most importantly, making complicated wine information more comprehensible to visitors, is really what I’m doing with my own company “B for Bordeaux”.

What’s the most exciting thing in planning these tours?

Listening to what people want and then setting up their perfect tour. There are legendary and prestigious chateaux, but also small individual producers in Bordeaux; historic and beautiful buildings, but also old, dark and moldy cellars with just one brave man doing all the work. There’s traditional viticulture, there’s organic, or even biodynamic viticulture in the region. Ideally, I like to show people all sides of Bordeaux winemaking, but my tours are tailormade. So, if guests want “bling” for 3 days, we do Grand Cru Classé chateaux nonstop; or “all green”, we do a 100% organic tour. Both are great! There is so much to discover in Bordeaux! I love giving people the tour of their dreams.

How do your tours work?

I plan the entire tour (one or several days) based on my clients’ requests and pick them up at their hotel. We then spend the day(s) together in the vineyards. I suggest a great restaurant in one of the wine regions to fit their taste and budget. Unless people are well informed about Bordeaux beforehand (or are jetlagged and just wish to sleep ), I give them background info on Bordeaux on the way to the chateaux. In my experience, people in the chateaux tend to talk to visitors as if they are knowledgeable about wine and Bordeaux. So, I make sure throughout the day, that they are comfortable with all that they hear and see. No such thing as a silly question!

How can people get in touch with you?

The best way to get in touch with me is email (bforbordeaux@gmail.com) and tell me about yourself and what you expect from a wine tour. You can also check my homepage (www.bforbordeaux.com) and fill the contact form. To speak with me directly, please call + 33 6 01 96 01 37. I look forward to it.

Outside of wine tours, what do you enjoy doing?

You’ll think that I’m a complete wine nerd, but I enjoy wine tastings as a hobby – there’s plenty of that. Thankfully you spit a lot of wine, my liver is still doing fine . I love food and we are lucky to have several great restaurants in Bordeaux just waiting to be “discovered” (so much hard work!). I do yoga and am thinking about organizing sessions with an instructor in the vineyards.

Do you still coach?

Once a coach, always a coach. I use coaching tools in my everyday life, not consciously I haven’t had much time to coach for the past 7-8 years, but I would like to pick it up again in the low season. It’s such a great way for people to get to a better place in very few sessions, and I think that Bordeaux is finally ready to embrace coaching (it seemed a little “un-French” or “smart” 7-8 years ago).

Berit Simonsen ‘B’ for Bordeaux
Private Wine Tours | Tours Privés dans le vignoble
+33 (0) 601 960 137
www.bforbordeaux.com

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EXPLORING THE GIRONDE ESTUARY

Mike Foster — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:47:52 +0000

The Gironde Estuary is the largest in Europe and holds many secrets. Namely, the Right Bank is a an amazing treasure trove of hidden gems.

Written by: Marie HALLIER / Bordeaux Cognac Tour Guide

The right bank of the Gironde Estuary offers landscapes totally different from those of the Left Bank (Médoc). Once we cross the largest estuary in Europe from the left to right: we leave a low lying land coastal marshes and the world famous vineyards. On the right bank we discover a hilly region protruding with abrupt limestone cliffs, a stark contrast to what we experience on the other side of the river.

To understand the contrast between these two landscapes separated by only a few kilometres, we must understand how the estuary was formed back in a time when the limestone bedrock broke apart and was divided.

This story begins millions of years ago. The estuary is perched atop of a limestone plateau, which was deposited about 150 million years ago! The landmass was strained by the arrival of the Alps and Pyrenees Mountain ranges, before eventually breaking apart. To the west (the left bank, Médoc) collapsed and was swallowed by the ocean. However, the land to the east (the right bank) rose up with large limestone plateaus forming steep cliffs. The waters and tides rode against these cliffs and in turn saw the Gironde estuary being born.

With the end of the ice age, the sea level rose and the rivers slowed resulting in large beds of alluvium (clay & silt) being deposited across the region. The banks became increasingly regular and stable due to the accumulation of sediment in the creeks and river systems. In some places like Mortagne-sur-Gironde, we can still admire today the ‘dead cliffs’. At the feet of these cliffs, there was so much sediment that accumulated and the water ceased in running.

The succession of this phenomena has led to the landscapes of today. Over the centuries men have tried to domesticate. Historically, inhabitants always lived along the banks of the estuary but this is never easy as it is always in a constant state of evolution!

In order to maintain clear navigation for boats on the estuary, authorities are forced to redraw the navigational charts due to the changing depths for passing vessels. They also need to determine where to drag the estuary in order to maintain these navigation channels!

Some 2,000 years ago, marshes formed on both banks of the estuary. However, it is only since the 16th century that the marshes were drained and used for cultivation and farming. Sometimes though, rare occurrences change everything!

For example, near the hamlet of L’Echailler, you can see that the dike protecting the marsh from the onslaught of the estuary was destroyed by a large storm in 1999. It was then decided to let nature take back what is rightfully hers, of which saw the start of the land being returned to the water.

With the blocking and silting up of certain parts of the shore, we saw the necessity of accesses channels being dug in order to maintain port activities.

Other evolutions of the landscape lead us to the appearance of one of the largest reed beds of France in Chenac-Saint-Seurin d’Uzet. Since the 1960s & 1970s, this vast reed bed separates the cliffs of the estuary. It is sometimes nearly 1.5 kilometres wide and serves as a shelter for many species of birds. A real paradise for them but also for their fervent observers!

Meschers-sur-Gironde

Suzac Point WWII bunk-house

Mortagne-sur-Gironde

Talmont-sur-gironde

Other ‘must see’ visits on the Right Bank of the Estuary are these villages and surprising sights:

Suzac Point – Amazing series of blockhouses from the German Occupation in WWII (part of the Atlantic Wall)
Meschers, cliffs and beaches nestled between the rocks that are called here “Conches”

The magnificent village of Talmont-sur-Gironde founded in the twelfth century in the name of the King of England. Stroll the narrow streets, visit it’s Romanesque church and its amazing marine cemetery.

Mortagne-sur-Gironde with its charming harbour, “dead cliffs” and its unique belvédère on the Gironde estuary

The enigmatic “Tour de Beaumont” perched high between St Fort and Mortagne – which served as a landmark for navigating sailors on the waters of the estuary.

About the author:
Marie Hallier is a local tour guide who operates Bordeaux Cognac Tour Guide. She grew up between Bordeaux and the Bassin d’Arcachon but today makes Charente-Maritime her home. She is passionate about the region, wine, Bordeaux & Cognac and has written a book about the estuary of the Gironde. She offers a range of different regional tours, all of which can be viewed here.

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