When the Olympic lottery system launched in early 2023, I bought a pair of men's football quarter-finals tickets. I had no idea back then that I would be getting married in the summer of 2024, but serendipitously my pre-purchased tickets fell one week after the wedding, so my husband and I hopped on a plane shortly after we got hitched and escaped to Bordeaux, France to combine the Olympics with a romantic micro honeymoon.
Two days before the trip we discovered that we'd be seeing the home nation battle their rival nation in a bad-tempered grudge match that would lead France to the semi-finals. Tensions between France and Argentina have been ongoing since the FIFA World Cup final in December 2022, but most recently flared up again in mid-July, when a video circulated, after the Copa América final, where Argentina's squad were recorded chanting racist songs about French players. Hostility occurred throughout the match and ultimately spilled over at full-time with 30 players/staff brawling on the field and confrontations continuing down the tunnel. This match did not promote the spirit of solidarity, friendship and fair play as intended by Olympism, with 30 fouls, 10 yellow cards and 1 red card, but it certainly was an electric and intense match to watch.
Olympics aside, below is some inspiration for how to spend 48-hours in France's wine capital.
ACCOMODATION
We stayed at the cozy Casa Blanca B&B, which I would highly recommend. It was set in a 200-year-old building in the Les Chartrons district of Bordeaux. Chartrons is laidback, charming, vibrant and filled with boutique shops, outdoor markets and art galleries. It's a two-minute walk from a tram stop and right near Jardin Public. The rooms are the B&B were large and airy, with beautiful furnishings. And the delicious continental breakfast was served in an understated sunroom.
WINE TASTING
The Bordeaux region is home to more than 7,000 wine chateaux producing some 700 million bottles each year, so there’s no shortage of wines to try nor vineyards to visit.
On my previous visit to Bordeaux, I went to Saint Émilion to taste, which was amazing. But, wanting to change things up a little this time, we organized a wine tasting tour through our B&B to Médoc. The tour took us to two wine estates in the Left Bank appellations of Pauillac and Haut-Médoc.
Stop 1 was Château Lynch-Bages, primarily known for their Cabernet Sauvignon blended red wines. The wines of Lynch-Bages are celebrated for retaining their power and complexity – blossoming with more flavor and complexity with time and age.
Our second stop was to the beautiful Château d'Agassac, where the wines have been classified as 'Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel' and are among the most highly regarded and award-winning in the Haut-Médoc region.
EATING/DRINKING
Bordeaux isn’t just a city with the same name as the famous French wine though. It's also known for having some of the best food in all of France. Tiny bistros and fine dining establishments, on beautiful streets, pair their innovative menus with great wines for foodgasmic experiences.
We had a lovely dinner at Le 1544 at the Gabriel Hotel, overlooking the world's largest reflecting pool, Miroir d’Eau. The bistro's cuisine was dreamy, and we paired it with a yummy bottle of 2016 Echo de Lynch-Bages to bring us full circle from our wine tasting earlier in the day.
We also enjoyed a Parisian-style lunch at Brasserie 1925, complete with snails and champagne.
Hit up YARRA wine bar on your way back to the B&B, after your long day. It's located in a typical Chartrons building, in what used to be its wine cellar. The interior is a mix of an industrial bar at the front, a comfy sofa area in the middle and a terrace out back. Yarra offers a variety of wines from famous wine regions in France as well as smaller and lesser-known appellations around the world, which they love recommending.
Although Bordeaux wasn't initially planned as a minimoon destination, it ended up being a perfectly romantic place to escape to for a post-wedding treat!
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