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Visit Bordeaux
Eleanor of Aquitaine
The history of Aquitaine is very interesting and romantic, though I am sure people did not think so at that time. In the 12th century Eleanor of Aquitaineís court at Poitiers was the most sophisticated and luxurious of all the kingdoms of France. She encouraged the troubadour tradition and introduced the art of chivalry and courtly love, knights dedicating their service to an ideal but unapproachable lady; thus the idea of romantic love was born. Courtesy and romance were introduced in art and music.
Eleanor of Aquitaine (1121-1204), daughter of William X, duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers, inherited his vast kingdom on his death in 1137 when she was only 15 years old. The same year, she married Louis VII, King of France. She was beautiful, intelligent and courageous. She joined her husband, Louis, on the Second Crusade but on their return the marriage was annulled in 1152. They had two daughters. Six weeks later she married Henry, duke of Normandy and Anjou, a Plantagenet, who soon afterwards in 1154, became Henry II of England, but she still remained ruler of Aquitaine. She was 30 and he was 19 years of age.
Eleanor and Henry had eight children including Richard I (the Lionheart) and King John, of Magna Carta (1215) fame. At that time King John was King of England, Lord of Ireland, Duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, and Count of Anjou. Thus Aquitaine was under English rule for 300 years and that influence can be seen throughout the region. In later years, Eleanor incited her sons to rebel against their father (1173), and when this failed she was thrown into prison where she remained for sixteen years until Henryís death. In 1189 she was released from prison by order of her son Richard when he took the throne and he then proceeded to place her at the head of the government. She did not embark on revenge, but devoted herself to good deeds. In 1202, Eleanor retired to the monastery at Fontevrault, Anjou, where she died in 1204. She goes down in history as one of the greatest female sovereigns.
Alison Weir has written a very good book about her ëEleanor of Aquitaineí. Katherine Hepburn was perhaps well- suited to play Eleanor in the film ìThe Lion in Winterî. In 1224 the French conquered Poitou and Aquitaine in the next century. English victories during the Hundred Yearsí War enabled Edward III of England to reconstruct the old duchy in the 1360s, but France finally conquered the remainder of it in 1453.
Regional Specialities
Great food and great wines combine to make this part of France a gastronomic experience. The most famous produce are fois-gras, truffles and walnuts, also there are local grown Marmande tomatoes, strawberries, melon, and asparagus. Below are some of the regional specialities:
With such a predominance of wines, it is used in the cooking of nearly every dish and the term 'a la bordelaise' means 'with a wine sauce'. Many of the regional dishes of the Atlantic coast are seafood, for example:
* Bouilliture - a stew with wine, mushrooms and prunes
* Chaudree - a fish stew
* Mouclade rochelaise - mussels in a cram and curry sauce
* Pibales - baby eels
* Soupe aux huitres - oysters floating in a rich soup made from egg, shallot, leek, butter and cream
* Also Macarons - soft biscuits made from almond flour, egg whites and sugar; brought to Saint Emilion in the 17th century by Ursuline nuns, and Touron, a loaf of marzipan with pistachios, hazeluts and fruit.
Dourdogne Specialities
* Confit-de-canard - preserved duck. 'Duck aux cepes' is made from confit of duck with wild mushrooms and garlic. There are many dishes using duck.
* Confit d'oie - preserved goose
* Cou d'oie farci - goose's neck stuffed with pork and veal mince
* Cailles au foie gras - quail, foie gras, white grapes, and white wine
* Fresh truffles cooked in an omelette, which brings out their earthy flavor
* Boeuf a la sarladaise - fillet of beef stuffed with pate de foie gras
* Enchaud Perigoudin - roast pork with garlic
* Boeuf a la sarladaise - filet of beef stuffed with pate de foie gras
Pyrenees
Stretching from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees form a natural some 450km long between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Continental Europe. In some cases villages to the north and south of the Pyrenees share common language and culture, while there is rivalry between valleys on the same side of the mountains. During the Second World War, the Pyrenees were a natural escape route for allies. Escape routes were operated by Spanish farmers and shepherds who had fled from their homes during the Spanish civil war. Smuggling has been a way of life for centuries together with the farming.
Customer Reviews
"Once again, thank you very much! We had a wonderfull day! If you ever plan to come to Puerto Rico, do not hesitate to contact me." PT
"Larry, thank you for organising the wine tasting, it was most enjoyable. Please pass on our thanks to Francesca." IR
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Wine Routes
Start inl Bordeaux and depart for the well-known wine region of Médoc . Moulis, Margaux, Listrac, Saint Julien, Saint Estèphe : the names of the villages on this route des vins are an indication of the fine wines to be found between Bordeaux and Pauillac where some 1200 vineyards are in activity : from crus bourgeois to the Premiers Grands Crus : château Margaux, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, Lafite.
While every wine-maker is seeking perfection the techniquesare often different: stop at two vineyards for a closer look : a Cru Bourgeois and a Grand Cru Classé.
Let Us Plan Your Trip to Bordeaux & South West
Aquitaine and the West Coast of France is an immense region stretching south from Brittany to the north of the Pyrenees, and Bordeaux is its heart and center. Bordeaux is famous for its legendary vineyards, for its great chateaux, the rich historical towns of the Bordeaux countryside and the spectacular scenery. On a curve of the river Garonne, the historic and elegant city of Bordeaux has many museums, places to visit, festivals, and sporting and outdoor activities. It is a favorite city break for the British due to its combination of culture and nightlife.
The very English life of Bordeaux is due to the fact that from 1154 to 1453 it was under English rule. Paris to Bordeaux takes 3 hours by TGV, 580 kms. Station 15 mins. from city center. By plane from Paris 1 hr. Airport 30 mins. from city center.
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Explore the South West
Escorted Group Tours
Have you seen the Pink City of Toulouse or hunted for Truffles . Now you can.
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Visit Toulouse
The unique 'pink' brick used for building in the upper Garonne valley has long inspired poets and artists. Our escorted tour lets you discover the magic of these ancient villages and cities as the southern French sun touches off the soft glow of the brique rose... The Tour is based in la ville rose itself, Toulouse.
Truffles
The truffle market in Lalbenque, the largest in Southwest France hardly needs introducing: it's a veritable ceremony to which the initiated flock to buy the 'Black Diamond' at the price of gold.
Off the Beaten Path
This is an escorted tour for those visitors who have already seen the tourist spots - Paris, Provence and the Riviera. This tour cuts a swathe through the South-West, exploring an unknown France rich in topography, architecture and history and brimming with unexpected delights: ancient castles, unspoilt villages, vineyards and prehistoric cave paintings.
South West Discovery
9 days / 8 nights cutting right across southern France by way of Sarlat, the Lascaux caves, the Dordogne and Lot valleys, Toulouse and Carcassonne and into the Languedoc. Visiting Nîmes and Arles before entering Provence and the Riviera
From Bordeaux to Biarritz
From the Atlantic coast at Bordeaux this escorted tour wriggles across southern France all the way to Nice on the Mediterranean coast. Highlights include visits to Biarritz ("Reine des plages pour les Rois de l'Europe"), the holy city of Lourdes, the mighty mountain range of the Pyrenees, the Roman city of Arles and magic Luberon in Provence.
Wine & Gastronomy
This escorted tour concentrates on what the French do best: food and drink. Starting in the relatively unknown wine regions of Corbières and Limoux the tour visits two UNESCO world heritage sites before heading into deepest Quercy and Perigord for some real french cuisine experiences. It finishes in style among the prestigious vineyards of Bordeaux
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Barge Vacations
Stretching from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic, the waterways of the Canal du Midi and the Canal Lateral a la Garonne form France's longest navigable artificial waterway. Together they are called the Canal Des Deux Mers.
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West from Toulouse the canal becomes the Canal Lateral a la Garonne, passing through Moissac, Agen and Castets-en Dorthe ending at the beautiful the 18th century city of Bordeaux. Started in 1666 and built by as many as 12,000 men, the Canal du midi runs 235 kilometres and requires over 100 locks to join the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Plane trees and poplars line the banks of the Canal du Midi against the hot summer sunshine. From the pink city of Toulouse to the port of Sete, the canal cuts through Southern France.
St Louis . 6 Nights . Canal du Midi
Our main cruising route is between Montauban and Agen, but we can always tailor-make a cruise for you anywhere on the waterways between Bordeaux and Toulouse.
Alouette . 6 Nights . Canal du Midi
During the summer season the Alouette cruises between Béziers - Carcassone or Carcasonne and Toulouse.
In the early autumn the Alouette will retrace her steps through the Midi, the Rhône and Saône, returning home to Burgundy and the Franche-Comté to finish the season.
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Cooking in South West France
Join one of our chefs for a week of cooking in the Dordogne.
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Cooking Week with Jim Fisher in the Heart of the Dordogne
The cookery was absolutely superb. We learnt so much: the exploding mouth-watering tastes; the cutting, rolling, squeezing methods; the searing heat and the leaping flames. Each and every experience was one of pure joy and fascination. Cookery is an art and a delightful pleasure to continue to enjoy in our daily living. You have put the fun back into cooking, changing the mundane daily dish into something quite differing with a little more care. Thank you both so much. Sheila Campbell - Pechaude, France
Cooking Week in Quercy
The Chateau de L'Hoste is situated in deepest Quercy, between the Lot river valley and the valley of the Garonne, in a land of stone-built villages and fortified castles, of vineyards and sunflower fields
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Walking & Cycling Holidays
France has a well established network of well signposted trails of different levels of difficulty. Here are a few of our self guided tours.
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Great Vineyards of Bordeaux - 7 days / 6 nights
Bordeaux is known all over the world thanks to its famous vineyards. So, this is the logical starting point for your cycling trip, with a such rich city in cultural & historical places. Let you bear away on the sweet atmosphere and follow an itinerary which will guide you from the 'Entre deux mers' area to the land of 'Haut Médoc'. Smell the delicate & fruity fragrances diffused from the famous wine properties with suggestive names, and dream about the glorious & turbulent past of these old properties that you will cross.
Discover Dourdogne - 8 days / 7 nights
An escape along sumptuous rivers to discover the Quercy, its way of life, the fabulous vertical city of Rocamadour and the black Perigord with its beautiful landscape : nothing as change since prehistory ! Travel through the deeply embanked Dordogne and Vézère rivers and their numerous châteaux than marked out this historical route.
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Chateaux Stays
Aquitain has lovely Chateaux. Read about 3 we like.
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Château du Clair de Lune
Find yourself in a dream as you enter the Château du Clair de Lune! Forget the world as you wanted through the floral terrace, immense park, and secret paths. Choose from romantic rooms in the manor or those in the Hunting Lodge with a terrace. Also enjoy numerous golf courses or water treatments. Two new Suites with private swimming-pool.
Ostapé
Alain Ducasse has chosen the very heart of the French Basque Country to locate this exceptional property. Nestled among mauve hills near the Pyrenees mountains, this country inn celebrates nature and silence. Rooms offer great comfort, service is warm and thoughtful. The final touch to this unique experience is a traditional Navarrian cuisine, based on the best local products.
Château Camiac
Between Saint-Emilion and Bordeaux is this enchanting Château in a magnificent valley surrounded by an 8 ha park. You will discover a young and dynamic team, ready to show you the life in a château through its hospitality and gastronomic cuisine. You may visit wine properties, start a winemaking course and wake up your senses.