Bordeaux Vacations

Seafood lovers go wild for the briny oysters at La Boîte à Huîtres, beyond fresh in their seaweed-entangled cardboard boxes. Try them served with sausage or silky foie gras.

Few restaurants in Bordeaux offer a better view of the Garonne than L’Estacade. Set on stilts in the river itself, enjoy seafood and meat specialties that would make any diner’s mouth water. 

Any trip to one of the most important wine regions in the world will revolve around wine culture, and a holiday in Bordeaux should be no exception. Oenophiles can choose from several daily vineyard tours or tasting workshops to savour a tradition that dates back to the 8^th century. The École du Vin offers two-hour introductory courses Monday through Saturday from July to September.

Those who prefer to drink instead of taste enjoy evenings at Bar à Vin, a sleek but welcoming wine bar frequented by local connoisseurs.

For a classic Bordelais experience, tourists join the locals in trolling the Marché des Capucins for the freshest market fare, pausing only to sip white wine with oysters at one of the shellfish stands. The best times to go are Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings—and be sure to top off the excursion with a seafood lunch at one of the surrounding cafés.

Total (and literal) immersion in the region’s most famous export is the specialty at Spa Vinothérapie Caudalie. Get scrubbed down with crushed Cabernet before soaking in a red vine extract bath, and finish up with a relaxing Merlot wrap.