Bordeaux

[MarkS]

Planning to spend a few days this July in Bordeaux.  Will probably engage a guide for 2 days and then spend a day in town.  Any and all recommendations are welcome.  Looking at this as an opportunity to learn and taste the right and left banks as well as see chateaus and eat well.  Will spend the last night in Paris, it seems there are plenty of suggestions on where to dine there.

[Mark Slater]

23 hours ago, MarkS said:

Planning to spend a few days this July in Bordeaux.  Will probably engage a guide for 2 days and then spend a day in town.  Any and all recommendations are welcome.  Looking at this as an opportunity to learn and taste the right and left banks as well as see chateaus and eat well.  Will spend the last night in Paris, it seems there are plenty of suggestions on where to dine there.

Have a nice lunch at Le Relais de Margaux. Surrounded by chateaux in a Michelin star setting. Make sure to have dinner at La Tupina off of Quaie de la Monaie. It's a fancy bistro with a huge hearth at the front door and an amazing collection of vintage Armagnacs. They will try to sell you one from your birth year. While looking at the menu, ask for Le Bloc de Foie Gras. It comes with crusty bread that is slathered with duck fat and grilled. Make sure to get out of town and visit St. Emilion. It is the prettiest town in the area. Bordeaux is a major city with many medieval buildings still preserved. The center city is mostly pedestrian zoned. There are beautiful parks and a cool modern street car system.

[naxos]

Enjoy! But don't have your heart set on French foie gras. France has experienced another bout of avian flu and flocks have been culled . Last summer there was virtually no foie gras in the region ( unless imported ) and much the same for this year.

Nov 20, 2017 - "France Warned of Christmas Foie Gras Shortage" by Kim Willsher on theguardian.com