A Stroll Through History: The Citadel of Blaye

The Citadel of Blaye, built in 1639, sits on the Gironde Estuary, on the opposite bank from Fort Médoc, with Fort Pâté on an island in the middle. The three fortifications, designed by famous military engineer Sebastien de Vauban, form the Bolt of the Estuary, also known as Fortifications of Vauban. Built on the orders of Louis XIV, its aim was to protect the city of Bordeaux.  The Fortifications are classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

 

 

 

 

The largest of the three fortresses, Blaye has both landward and seaward defences with dry ditches dug out of the rock.  There are commanding views of the surrounding land and water.

 

 

 

The site of the Citadel was first occupied by a 7th century castle, the ruins of which lie within the fortifications.

 

Access to the citadel is by foot through porte Dauphine to the south or by car through Porte Royale to the east. There are guided tours, which take you through the citadel tunnels, every day. They leave from the tourist office which is found in the citadelat rue du couvent de Minimes; tel 05 57 42 12 09. 

The Citadel of Blayye is included in Tango's 6-night, all inclusive Bordeaux River Cruise.  Visit CanalsofFrance.com for details.

Photo credit - all photos Dawn M. Shepherd

Exploring Bordeaux: The Marvelous Médoc

Bordeaux's Médoc region produces some of the most highly prized wines in the world, and is home to over 1,500 vineyards.

Médoc is located on the left bank of the Gironde estuary, north of the city of Bordeaux. Its name comes from Medullicus, or "country of the Medulli", the Celtic tribe that made their home there in ancient times.  The area is known for the prestigious appellations Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Pauillac, St Estèphe, St Julien, Moulis, and Listrac. You will find no less than 60 Grands Crus Classés vineyards, a few hundred Crus Bourgeois, as well as dozens of Crus Artisans and cooperative wineries in the Médoc region.

Visiting a Grand Cru Classé Chateau is a beautiful and impressive experience. But, don't overlook the smaller, less prestigious châteaux, which have often been owned and operated by the same family for generations.  You'll receive a warm welcome and unforgettable meeting with the men and women who grow the grapes and produce the wine themselves. They are passionate about their craft and will happily share their history and wine with visitors.

Médoc also has pine forests and long sandy beaches. The Médoc's geography is not ideal for wine growing, with its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean resulting in a comparatively mild climate and high rainfall, making rot a constant problem. It is generally believed that the nature of the region's wine derives from its soil or terrior. Although the terrain is flat, gravel in the soil provides the necessary drainage, and allows heat to be retained, encouraging ripening, and extensive root systems for the vines.

Fishermen's shacks are a common sight along the banks of the Gironde estuary.  The Gironde Estuary is formed by the meeting of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It is the largest estuary in Europe. This unique natural milieu includes an archipelago of nine islands.

The depth of the estuary can rise as much as 7 meters between low and high tides, which requires waterside structures to be perched on tall stilts.  Docks are built on pontons which allow them, and the vessels moored to them, to rise and fall with the changing tides.  

Fort-Médoc, designed by famous military engineer Sebastien de Vauban, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Along with The Citadel of Blaye on the opposite bank of the Gironde, and Fort Pâté on an island in the middle, these fortifications form the Bolt of the Estuary, also known as Fortifications of Vauban. They protected Bordeaux from foreign naval attacks.

 

Médoc is included in Tango's 6-night, all inclusive Bordeaux River Cruise.  Visit CanalsofFrance.com for details.

Photo credit - all photos Dawn M. Shepherd

Experiencing Bordeaux: La Cité du Vin

La Cité du Vin, an immersive, sensory experience, housed in a captivating architectural complex, will triple your understanding of this region's fabled wines. Celebrate your new expertise with a dégustation in the elegant Belvedere room on the 8th floor, which offers a panoramic view of the city and the surrounding landscape.

La Cité du Vin, an incredible setting designed by Anouk Legendre and Nicolas  Desmazières  of  XTU  Architects.

La Cité du Vin is a unique cultural facility dedicated to the universal, living heritage of wine. It offers a spectacular journey around the world, throughout the ages, across countless cultures and civilizations. La La Cité du Vin building is owned by the city of Bordeaux. La  Cité du Vin is run by the Foundation for Wine Culture and Civilizations, accredited charitable organization by Ministerial Decree since 11 December 2014. La Cité du Vin is the only cultural center in the world offering this approach to wine to a wide audience. It is a place accessible to as many people as possible and open to all: people with disabilities, families, international tourists (trilingual signage and hand-held guide available in eight languages). Since its opening on the 1st of June 2016, la Cité du Vin has become an essential feature in the Bordeaux tourist circuit, but is also a lively social venue for the inhabitants of Bordeaux and its surrounding area. La Cité du Vin is a place to see, visit and experience.

THE PERMANENT TOUR

At the heart of the visitor experience and the identity of La Cité du Vin, the immersive, multi-sensory permanent tour occupies some 3,000 m≤ and features 19 different themed spaces, the majority of which are interactive. Visitors are free to wander around the exhibition space as they see fit, with no fixed, compulsory route. The permanent tour is an invitation to a voyage of discovery, a journey through time and space exploring the evolution of wine and its civilisations. Young and old alike will get to grips with the very rich imaginary world of wine and how it has affected the societies and regions of the globe for millennia, from 6,000 BC to the present day. From legends, terroirs and landscapes to graphic arts, architecture and literature, the culture of wine is an extraordinary epic which has inspired and shaped the lives of humans for centuries.The permanent tour allows the visitor to wander freely. Visitors can browse around at will, depending on their interests and the time at their disposal. As a participant or a spectator, sitting or standing, they can alternate between experiences which may be individual, collective, informative, fantasy or multi-sensory. Everyone is free to organise their own individual visit.Visitors are joined on this odyssey by their personal hand-held guide, connected to an innovative device which detects the wearer s position within the exhibition space and sets off the appropriate multimedia content. The digital guide delivers the explanatory dialogue in real time in the user's selected language (8 languages available), ensuring that as much of the material as possible is available to visitors with (visual, auditory or cognitive) disabilities. The guide also features a specially-de-signed programme for younger visitors. Visitors can also use the personal digital guide to highlight their favourite moments in the exhibition experience, and at the end of their visit they will be presented with a personalised information booklet filled with opportunities to learn more about their chosen subjects.

BELVEDERE

Discover a selection of the world’s wines with a 360° view of Bordeaux

Located on the eighth floor of La Cité du Vin, the belvedere is perched at a height of 35 metres. The culmination of a visit to the permanent tour, it invites visitors to discover the Gironde city and surrounding area with a 360° perspective.An invitation to contemplate, this unique panoramic view es-tablishes natural continuity between a visit to the permanent tour and the culmination of this cultural experience: tasting a glass of wine from the very best wine regions of the world.In this exceptional space, a monumental chandelier made of thousands of bottles and a 10-metre-long oak counter enhance the uniqueness of the location. Visitors round off their visit by tasting a wine of their choice from a regularly updated selection of twenty from across the world.  Younger  visitors  can  discover  a  grape  juice  specially  chosen for them.To  ensure  that  a  wide  range  of  global  wines  are  available  in  the  Belvedere,  La  Cité  du  Vin  has  established  partnerships  with  inter-professional  organisations  in  various  wine  regions  across the world.

Spectacular 360° views from the Belvedere room overlook Bordeaux, including a drawbridge crossing the Garronne River.

A venue open to all, La Cité du Vin offers numerous public areas hosting life and exchange. Visitors can discover the building, take advantage of the lands-caped garden next to the Garonne, wander through the different exhibition areas, have a bite to eat, head to the souvenir shop, or spend a while in the reading room perusing the various books and multimedia items for reference use.

Guided Tour

La Cité du Vin, spotlight on architecture DURATION: 1 HR 30 mins.  The  presenters  delve  deeper  into this exceptional building and its architecture, materials, symbolism and construction.Note: French and English-speaking guided tour.

Advance tickets are available at https://ticket.laciteduvin.com/en-GB/home

Public Opening Hours

From 1st July to 31 August:
daily from 9:30am to 7:30pm

From 1st September to 31 December :
week days from 10:00am to 6:00pm
weekends, public holidays and school holidays from 11:00am to 7:00pm

La Cité du Vin is included in Tango's 6-night, all inclusive Bordeaux River Cruise.  Visit CanalsofFrance.com for details.

Photo credit - all photos Dawn M. Shepherd