Les Chartrons, Bordeaux


I stayed in the Chartrons district of Bordeaux – a lovely area that has become one of the trendiest parts of Bordeaux.



Wine used to be stored in the warehouses lining the quays before being shipped out on the Garonne River to the Atlantic.




 Nowadays, the area is home to the Cité du Vin, a multisensory museum exploring the history of wine with a fabulous area on the top floor where you get a 360-degree view of the city while sipping a complimentary glass of wine. I also took in a wine tasting with 3 Bordeaux wines – a white, a red, and a claret. (The English were a key market for Bordeaux wines and they used to refer to Bordeaux’s red wines as “claret.” In 1995, the Bordelais reintroduced a claret, which is lighter than a red wine but darker than a rosé.)


You can walk for miles along the banks of the Garonne, taking in everything from Chartrons’ Sunday market to retail discount outlets.



The whole neighbourhood is full of lovely old buildings, bakeries, stores, and restaurants. Bordeaux’s public gardens are nearby, and the electric tram takes you quickly and comfortably to all parts of the city.


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