Day 50: The City Of Wine

Well this was a jam-packed day. Bakeries, a crazy wine "museum", wine coaching, food and then some more food. Strap yourselves in, people. There are a lot of photos to get through from our first day in Bordeaux.

This is the bakery that our Airbnb host told us about – Au Pétrin Moissagais. From a bit of Instagram stalking, some say it's the oldest bakery in Bordeaux and that their oven is older than the USA. It's also home to the most incredible pastries I've ever eaten in my life. Just looking at this photo makes me sad that I won't be going back there any time soon. Le sigh.

I just pointed at a pastry and went with it. This was filled with custard cream and was so flaky I kept finding bits of pastry the folds of my top (and, if we're going to be honest here), inside my top hours later.

La Cité du Vin in its shiny, golden glory. It only opened a few months ago, so it's still sparkly and new.

You wear these headsets throughout the exhibition and you can scan different things to learn more. I made this sound really boring, but it was actually really cool and we could have easily spent more than two hours in here.

You can scan the vine leaves to learn about different grape varietals or scan the screens to hear about parts of the wine making process.

Interactive pods inside this crazy room.

Here Adam is punching an exhibit. 

I kid (how funny am I?. There is a camera above us and when you move over the screen it looks as though the wine is moving. Ugh, I am aware I'm really sucking at explaining the exhibits. I'm going to stop, but just know they are really interesting and you should go.

Your €20 ticket includes a free tasting of one wine up in their viewing/tasting deck. There were other wines you could try that weren't French, but when in France...

I saw some "youths" doing this and thought it was a good idea.

The wine shop where you can buy wines from around the world – even Japan!

Adam and Crazy Eyes Magoo have a ticket to ride. The trams. All day for €4,50.

Le Petit Commerce, Bordeaux 

Le Petit Commerce kept popping up on lists so we decided to give it a go. We started our meal off with some local oysters which were some of the best oysters of my life. 

We opted for their €15 lunch menu which consisted of an option of two entrees and two mains. I couldn't read the menu to save my life so we had one of each.

This was a Caesar salad of sorts with chicken. I tell you what, the French know how to do salads.

And this was roasted red vegetables with mimosa eggs. Those eggs are so old school but they were delicious, so I suppose if it ain't broke etc.

Roast lamb with mash, mushrooms and eggplant. Also, let me just say that mash potato is one of the best things in this world. I've met a few people on this trip who don't like it. I don't understand. What's not to like?!?! Seriously, if you don't like it, can you tell me why in the comments?

Bonito with butternut pumpkin. Simple, tasty, and I am going to try and make this one at home one day.

I made a friend! God I love him. Look at that face.

One of the staff ran out of their restaurant across the road with this incredible fish for reasons I'm not sure of and presented it to a group of people who'd just dined at the restaurant. Cool story, Sophia.

Backstreets of Bordeaux.

Windy day at the Miroir d'eau.

It was cold running through the mist, but worth it.

While we were in town there was a huge fun fair on with tonnes of rides I wouldn't risk my life on and a heap of food stalls. Looked like fun though.

I wonder if they do HSPs here.

Yo Vino! 

Okay, this was awesome. We went to "wine school" in Bordeaux which ended up being a private wine coaching session with Edgard who runs wine workshops called Yo Vino out of his apartment.

Over the course of two hours he taught us about wines from Bordeaux and we tried five wines he selected. We tried wines we'd never tired before and he gave us a great restaurant tip (with a suggestion to match sauternes with foie gras), which we did...

Chez DuPont, Chartrons

A popular locals spot, this is the place Edgard suggested we go for dinner. Luckily for us, the French eat late, so we were able to get a spot at 7.30 with no reservation. 

Here is the foie gras with the sauternes in the background.

Classic duck with potatoes.

Everyone was ordering this even though it was €24 which I suppose isn't crazy expensive, but wasn't cheap either. Steak with frites. Cooked almost rare, it was a big (and delicious) boy and we couldn't get through the whole thing. Which is funny because of how much Florentine steak we ate the other night.

Apple tarte tatin to finish. I never usually get dessert but it's apple tarte tatin and that's one of my favourite desserts sooooo there you go.