Bordeaux: Top NY Times 2016 Pick/Ranking

Need some ideas about where to travel and visit in the future? Seeking some locations that are different and distant? You might check out this New York Times Travel Section that was delivered this morning. They have this headline: "52 Places to Go in 2016" with this sub-headline summary: "It’s a big world out there, so we’ve narrowed it down for you. From ancient temples to crystalline waters, here are our top destinations to visit this year."

In their top five, they have two Europe locations that we have not, yet, visited. Both are now firmly on our "to-do" listing. These two rising stars are Bordeaux and Malta. Been nearby to both, but need to experience each of these in the future.

Second on their list is Bordeaux. This Times story has a few of these brief story highlights: "Next year will see the opening of La Cité du Vin, an ambitious institution along the coast of the river Garonne dedicated to the history of French viticulture. In 2007, half of the restored neoclassical city was Unesco-listed, making it the largest urban World Heritage site. A 2013 survey ranked Bordeaux France’s second-favorite city, after Paris. More recently, a restaurant boom has welcomed enticing openings by the likes of Joël Robuchon, whose namesake restaurant opened at the end of 2014 within the city’s palatial Grande Maison hotel. Gordon Ramsay recently took the helm at Le Pressoir d’Argent. French celebrity chef Philippe Etchebest has taken over the Café Opera in Bordeaux’s Grand Théâtre."

Others have ideas, tips, secrets, suggestions, etc., from your visiting to Bordeaux? Don't be shy!! Share more!

Full story at:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/07/travel/places-to-visit.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below&_r=0

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 207,915 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

We kind of think of the NYT travel in the same vein as their news "All the Faux News not Fit to Print." But when it comes to Bordeaux it is certainly in our top 3 or 4 regions of France that we have enjoyed during our many trips. There are actually a few smaller cruise ships (such as the Prinsendam) which have navigated all the way up the Garonne River and docked in downtown Bordeaux. But there are certainly other regions of France that would be higher on our list including the Loire Valley, Loire Valley, and of course Paris (DW's favorite city in the world).

Hank

I love Bordeaux. I have spent quite a few times there re land and cruise,and I find the whole area to a great place to explore. Love the fact that the streets turn into restos at night. Found the people to be really nice as well. I was there during the construction of the tram and again after completion and such an easy way to get around.The smaller cruise ships do dock in town and it is an easy walk to get any place from there as well.I would go back in a heartbeat.

Bordeaux is also on many river cruise itineraries. Could be a good opportunity for some of you ocean cruisers to discover that France is not just a pretty coastline! :)

We love Bordeaux, but it is best done as a land trip, ideally in combination with the Dordogne, one of the most beautiful regions in France. And definitely inland. It is easy driving. Any driving trip that includes a couple overnights at least in Bordeaux, St Emilion, Sarlat-le-Caneda and Rocamadour will take you through the spectacular heart of France.

River cruises can be severely limited by the tides and water levels on both the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers. You might end up taking the bus from one stop to the next instead of sailing there.

River cruises can be severely limited by the tides and water levels on both the Dordogne and the Garonne rivers. You might end up taking the bus from one stop to the next instead of sailing there.

I love Bordeaux. I have spent quite a few times there re land and cruise,and I find the whole area to a great place to explore.

Appreciate from Karen, Hank, etc., these wonderful details, comments and insights. This definitely re-enforces that this region merits our future visit/attention. We have visited most all of the major regions except Bordeaux and Brittany. Re-charging our "French Fun" battery is always exciting and so interesting.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 191,889 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

I do agree that once you decide to go inland, you may as well travel by road and/or rail and give up the idea of cruising altogether. But this is Cruise Critic, after all… :p

No, No, No. We're booked for a Bordeaux river cruise. The "hotel" moves around the area and, yeah, you take some buses but otherwise you have to drive yourself. This way you can indulge and leave the driving to others!

No, No, No. We're booked for a Bordeaux river cruise. The "hotel" moves around the area and, yeah, you take some buses but otherwise you have to drive yourself. This way you can indulge and leave the driving to others!

And follow a herd behind a tour guide holding a sign.

We have done Paris, the Champagne region, the Rhone on a river cruise, Bordeaux region and Provence.... Provence won our hearts over and there I would return. Sorry river cruises...hello ocean goers.

No, No, No. We're booked for a Bordeaux river cruise. The "hotel" moves around the area and, yeah, you take some buses but otherwise you have to drive yourself. This way you can indulge and leave the driving to others!

Good luck. If the water levels are very low or if the tides are out, the "hotel" will be stuck at one port and they will take you to your next destination by bus and back to the same spot at night. Fortunately, the cruise is back and forth over a small area, round trip Bordeaux. It is not a long distance cruise as on the Rhine or Danube.

You might want to check the river cruising boards on CC.

We have done River Cruises (Viking) and plenty of self-driving trips in Europe and there is a huge difference between those modes of travel. The boats are very convenient and easy since you just unpack once, and just go along with the crowd. Many of the better river boat cruises include tours in every port. Assuming the rivers are actually open (there have been many closures in recent years due to water level issues) it is a nice way to travel.

But with a car, you have total control and will be able to see and do a lot more on your own schedule. And consider that boats move about 10 MPH while a car can move along at 75 MPH. Boats also limit you to seeing places close to their ports. As an example, on our last driving trip in France (it was a 6 week trip) we drove up into the French Alps where there are no river boats :). And one can easily take a river boat to Avignon, but it is doubtful that those boat passengers will get to spend time at the fantastic Sunday market located at Isle Sur La Sorgue which is 45-60 min from Avignon.

One irony is that when DW and moi took a River cruise from Amsterdam to Budepest it only whetted our appetite to return to some of those same regions with a car. Our river boat rushed us through one port (Bratislava) in 3 hours which was barely enough time to breathe the air much less explore the city. With a car, we could spend a few days, sample the local cuisine, etc.

Hank

We have done River Cruises (Viking) and plenty of self-driving trips in Europe and there is a huge difference between those modes of travel. The boats are very convenient and easy since you just unpack once, and just go along with the crowd. Assuming the rivers are actually open (there have been many closures in recent years due to water level issues) it is a nice way to travel. But with a car, you have total control and will be able to see and do a lot more on your own schedule. And consider that boats move about 10 MPH while a car can move along at 75 MPH. Boats also limit you to seeing places close to their ports. One irony is that when DW and moi took a River cruise from Amsterdam to Budepest it only whetted our appetite to return to some of those same regions with a car. Our river boat rushed us through one port (Bratislava) in 3 hours which was barely enough time to breathe the air much less explore the city. With a car, we could spend a few days, sample the local cuisine, etc. Hank

Appreciate these wonderful and smart insights above from Hank. Great, as always!! Nice follow-ups from others, too. Now, Bordeaux has move up from just being on our "wish-list" to being on the definitely-ahead schedule. In June 2017, we will be doing a cruising from Lisbon to Rouen for eleven days with lots of interesting and delightful stops in Portugal, Spain and France. Lots of food, history, wine and architecture potentials along this route. This includes two days in and around Bordeaux. In addition to doing a 15-day Panama Canal, Ft. Lauderdale to San Francisco cruise in late February, we are planning and preparing for our first visit to Portugal and these western areas of France. Keep up with the great sharing. Much enjoyed and very much of benefit.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 46,488 views for these postings.

From the CNN cable news network last week, they have this headline: "17 best places to visit in 2017" with these highlights focused on this part of France: "It's home to some of the world's most prestigious vineyards and châteaux, it is as synonymous with shucked oysters as New York is with bagels. There's not a lot to dislike about Bordeaux, which, despite its grand and somnolent atmosphere, has been the object of Parisian ardor for many years."

Here are more of their highlights that might be of interest as we prepared in less than five months to visit this important part of France: " 'Paris is trapped in this commuter cycle -- we call it "metro boulot dodo" (metro, work, sleep) -- so the south of France is seen as this repository of old French charms; good wine, good food and good friends,' says French travel writer Emmanuelle Eyles. It gets even better. By the middle of the year, it'll be possible to reach some of the best French wines and food in just two hours by train from Paris. That means that a Paris-based traveler could practically commute to the city at the center of France's best wine regions, leaving before 9 a.m. and returning after 9 p.m. Add to this the recent opening of Cité du Vin -- the immersive wine-lovers' experience set in a spectacular modern building that looks like wine swirling around a glass -- and Bordeaux is beginning to shake off its reputation as a France's 'sleeping beauty.' Avoid the rush in July and August when the streets are hot and full of tourists. Instead, visit in May and June or September and October when crowds ease but the wine harvest season is still in full swing."

Looking forward to experiencing Bordeaux for the first time. And, fortunately, we will be there in June, before the big July-August tourist crowds. Appreciate those with experiences there sharing more insights, tips and ideas. Tell us more from your successes in Bordeaux!!

Full story at:

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/06/travel/best-places-to-visit-in-2017/

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 25.339 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

I am currently looking at a HAL Prinsendam sailing that stops in Bordeaux.

Is there really any chance the ship would not make it to Bordeaux, or is that only for river cruises navigating further inland?

No, definitely a possibility. I have been there twice on Seabourn's former small (200 PAX) ships and the first time (May) due to very rough weather while we were at the mouth of the Garonne River our entry was delayed. What this means is if you miss the high tide you have to wait 12 hours until the next high tide. So instead of arriving in Bordeaux at 10AM we arrived at 10PM. The second time we were much more fortunate and made the tide as scheduled.

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I am currently looking at a HAL Prinsendam sailing that stops in Bordeaux. Is there really any chance the ship would not make it to Bordeaux, or is that only for river cruises navigating further inland?

Chairsin: No' date=' definitely a possibility. I have been there twice on Seabourn's former small (200 PAX) ships and the first time (May) due to very rough weather while we were at the mouth of the Garonne River our entry was delayed. What this means is if you miss the high tide you have to [b']wait 12 hours until the next high tide[/b]. So instead of arriving in Bordeaux at 10AM we arrived at 10PM. The second time we were much more fortunate and made the tide as scheduled.

Appreciate these postings and the good questions as to docking and options in and around Bordeaux. Our upcoming schedule includes Mon., June 19, 2017, Le Verdon (Bordeaux), 8 am-11:59 pm and then for Tues., Jun 20, 2017, La Pallice (La Rochelle), 8 am-11 pm. Lots of time and potentials, if all works correctly for docking, etc.

From some preliminary research on Le Verdon, it does not have much right there at this port to see and do, but is more of a location that hopefully does get tangled up with low tide issues. Understand it is a container shipping port at the tip of the Médoc peninsula. Right or wrong? What else am I missing on this specific location? Understand it is about 64 miles from Le Verdon to Bordeaux. Not ideally handy, but if we do not have tide or water-level challenges/questions, then maybe this is good??

La Pallice is also an industrial port, but it is nearby to some great attractions and options. Right? Some have written that La Rochelle is a beautiful town and worth seeing. Added reactions?

It is my understand in 2017 that a number of cruise ships, mostly those smaller, dock in Bordeaux itself. Our ship is not super larger, but maybe it works better to be docked farther away, save the time from doing a slow sailing on a river, etc. Trade-offs? Added info, experiences and insights?

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 167,546 views for this posting.

Appreciate these postings and the good questions as to docking and options in and around Bordeaux. Our upcoming schedule includes Mon., June 19, 2017, Le Verdon (Bordeaux), 8 am-11:59 pm and then for Tues., Jun 20, 2017, La Pallice (La Rochelle), 8 am-11 pm. Lots of time and potentials, if all works correctly for docking, etc.

 

From some preliminary research on Le Verdon, it does not have much right there at this port to see and do, but is more of a location that hopefully does get tangled up with low tide issues. Understand it is a container shipping port at the tip of the Médoc peninsula. Right or wrong? What else am I missing on this specific location? Understand it is about 64 miles from Le Verdon to Bordeaux. Not ideally handy, but if we do not have tide or water-level challenges/questions, then maybe this is good??

 

La Pallice is also an industrial port, but it is nearby to some great attractions and options. Right? Some have written that La Rochelle is a beautiful town and worth seeing. Added reactions?

 

It is my understand in 2017 that a number of cruise ships, mostly those smaller, dock in Bordeaux itself. Our ship is not super larger, but maybe it works better to be docked farther away, save the time from doing a slow sailing on a river, etc. Trade-offs? Added info, experiences and insights?

.

Terry,

it would be best docking right at Bordeaux. Le Verdon is 1.5 hours from the city of Bordeaux. However, it is a good location to tour the Medoc wineries.

Yes, la Rochelle is well worth seeing.

Terry, I sailed to Bordeaux on the Prinsendam and we docked right in town along a lovely park area. Bordeaux has a fabulous tram system which can take you all over town, including right down to the street by the dock. You may want to do a tour and then go out again either walking or using the trams. The former mayor of Bordeaux, Alain Juppe, spent a gazilion dollars upgrading the town's infrastructure and ensuring that the marvelous buildings were cleaned and preserved. There is another "in town" port down by the concrete U-Boat pens left over from WWII (I think). Bordeaux is a terrific port and right up your alley. Plenty to see and do and easy to get around. Also some wonderful restaurants if you have time. Usually you are lucky on your cruises. Just keep your fingers crossed. What ship are you sailing on?

No, definitely a possibility. I have been there twice on Seabourn's former small (200 PAX) ships and the first time (May) due to very rough weather while we were at the mouth of the Garonne River our entry was delayed. What this means is if you miss the high tide you have to wait 12 hours until the next high tide. So instead of arriving in Bordeaux at 10AM we arrived at 10PM. The second time we were much more fortunate and made the tide as scheduled.

 

 

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We made it to Bordeaux, on the Prinsendam, a few years ago on their Grand Med cruise. The major problem happened after docking along the river in Bordeaux, when the French authorities stopped us from putting out our gangplank...because of a small fence that was in the way. We waited over an hour for two unionized French workers who finally removed the simple bolt holding the fence. You have to love French labor.

It was interesting that our French pilot was dropped on our ship by helicopter before we entered the river. When we departed he was later winched off our deck by helicopter.

Hank

We made it to Bordeaux, on the Prinsendam, a few years ago on their Grand Med cruise. The major problem happened after docking along the river in Bordeaux, when the French authorities stopped us from putting out our gangplank...because of a small fence that was in the way. We waited over an hour for two unionized French workers who finally removed the simple bolt holding the fence. You have to love French labor. It was interesting that our French pilot was dropped on our ship by helicopter before we entered the river. When we departed he was later winched off our deck by helicopter. Hank

Great to have this additional information from Hank and others. Love the sad story as to how French unionized workers "work" (or not). Keep these helpful and interesting items coming. Wonderful sharing. Below is a visual for a few books that I got recently from our local library and have been checking. Lots of nice pictures, details, options, etc. Much research to do!! Personally, it's nice to have today's books with more and better charts, graphics, visuals images, maps, building cut-aways, etc.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 28,983 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

Below is a visual for a few books that I got recently from our local library and have been checking. Lots of nice pictures, details, options, etc. Much research to do!! Personally, it's nice to have today's books with more and better charts, graphics, visuals images, maps, building cut-aways, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Hi Terry, just booked a lovely cruise for Spring 2018 with Bordeaux and other great ports between Amsterdam and Civitavecchia (on Prinsendam, like Hank). I look forward to your pictures and review.

Regarding guidebooks, it's great there are so many options now, including online info. I can tell you're a very 'visual' person from your photos. But I like guidebooks with lots of text and information, more so than photos and graphics. I am always lamenting that old guidebooks to sites provide so much more detail than newer ones. For example, I've been known to look for and purchase out-of-date guidebooks for places like Pompeii that provide details for nearly every single house/building on the site.

Hi Terry, just booked a lovely cruise for Spring 2018 with Bordeaux and other great ports between Amsterdam and Civitavecchia (on Prinsendam, like Hank). I look forward to your pictures and review. Regarding guidebooks, it's great there are so many options now, including online info. I can tell you're a very 'visual' person from your photos. But I like guidebooks with lots of text and information, more so than photos and graphics. I am always lamenting that old guidebooks to sites provide so much more detail than newer ones. For example, I've been known to look for and purchase out-of-date guidebooks for places like Pompeii that provide details for nearly every single house/building on the site.

Appreciate this wonderful and thoughtful above follow-up from the smart and savvy cruisemom42. Glad you have scheduled an upcoming Amsterdam to Italy cruise with stops in Bordeaux. Have heard nice things about the Prinsendam ship. I will do a live/blog with lots of pictures and details. Hope those are of interest to you and others.

Yes, I plead "guilty" to being a "visual" person. BUT, I also love details and substance!! As we get ready to leave in just a month for our first Panama Canal sailing, I am 137 pages into David McCullough's "Path Between the Seas" book about the creation and building of that famed passage. Wonderful reading and perspective as to how the world shrunk so super much in the 1800's with the railroads, Suez Canal, etc. I love knowing the "historic context". That advance preparation and research has been so beneficial in doing recent trips to Australia/NZ, Amazon River and Africa.

Interesting strategy in buying "out-of-date guidebooks" to gain more details. Having been on a major public library board for fourteen years, my approach is more "multi-level". Get the basic "over-view" where the visuals can help speed that initial review and sorting. Then move deeper and deeper with books, web searches, etc.

There's a challenge in seeking the right "balance". Some people in doing their travel-planning folk just and only want to know the basics of "what time it is"!! Their interests, right or wrong, are more more narrowly focused. Others love to know how the watch is designed and made. A few even want to know how and where the steel is made for the springs within the watch. It's great to have so many great resources and options to learn more, including on these Cruise Critic boards.

Now I have got to be back to reading the Panama Canal book.

THANKS for the great sharing from cruisemom42! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 220,355 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

From the Bing website's visual library, here is the book cover as we prepare for seeing "up close and personal" the Panama Canal in early March.:

Now it is just 47 days till we fly to Lisbon for our first visit there. And it is just 52 days till we start our cruise that has two key days, June 19-20, in and around the Bordeaux areas. Looking forward to experiencing these areas for the first time in Portugal, Spain, France, etc.

From the Travel Section of the London/UK Daily Mail a week ago, they have this headline: “Europe's jewels: From strolling through Monaco to sipping port in Porto” with many highlights about Bordeaux, etc., during a cruise in this part of the world.

Among the story aspects are: “The ship entered the mouth of the Gironde and we sailed past some of the world’s finest vineyards and most famous chateaux. Ashore, we sat in Bordeaux’s main square eating a fine lunch and admiring the architecture of this beautiful French city.”.

Look forward to any and all ideas, tips, suggestions and secrets for Bordeaux and these parts of France.

Full story at:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travelsupplement/article-4414406/Come-sail-serene-way-Europe-s-jewels.html

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Panama Canal? Just completed Feb. 28-Mar. 15, 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through the Panama Canal with our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Lots of fun pictures!! Those pictures start on the second page, post #26. See more at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

We're back!! Loved Bordeaux and so many of our various stops. You can see more on our three weeks in Europe doing five days in Lisbon, sailing from Portugal, seeing for the first time NW Spain, Bordeaux, Brittany, etc. Great sights and sites! Below are a few "samples" to prove the value for exploring these wonderful areas. For many more pictures and full details, check out this live/blog:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2511358

From the Wall Street Journal in late June, they did have this headline: “An Insider’s Guide to Touring the French City of Bordeaux” with these highlights: “Sprawling vineyards, cavernous wine cellars, formal, interminable meals—that’s Bordeaux, right? Yes, but that’s only half the bottle. France’s fifth largest city, Bordeaux rivals Paris when it comes to historical monuments. Among the most notable head-turners: the 15th-century Porte Cailhau, a turreted gate that marks an entrance to the old city, and the imposing Place de la Bourse, built by Louis XV’s architect and livened up considerably with the 2006 addition of the Miroir d’eau (water mirror), a 37,000-square-foot reflecting pool that turns into a spritzing fountain every summer. The city’s newest architectural standout, the year-old La Cité du Vin, is a high-tech wine museum, whose bulbous, gold exterior mimics a glass in mid-swish. Starting this month, the train trip from Paris will clock in at just over two hours, making it even easier to build a few days in Bordeaux.”

Fortunately, I am a WSJ subscriber, but for others, sorry, their website has a pesky paywall. If you are planning an upcoming Bordeaux trip, it might be worth checking your library for access to this highly-detailed profile and these many helpful tips, options, potentials, etc. Below are a few sample visuals from their published report. Overall, they had 18 pictures featured, plus a wide variety of tips, places to visit, dining/drinking ideas, shopping spots, etc., from four local Bordeaux experts.

Here is a little more from their profile on one of the top Bordeaux locations that we visited last month: "La Cité du Vin: The top-floor tasting room at the city’s new wine museum grants a panoramic view of the city over the Garonne River. 134-150 quai de Bacalan, laciteduvin.com"

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/an-insiders-guide-to-touring-the-french-city-of-bordeaux-1498585651?tesla=y

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 226,156 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

Here are some key visual highlights from the Wall Street Journal profile on Bordeaux. Second is one of the nice night photo of the creative/innovative La Cité du Vin structure. Third is an outdoor market within Bordeaux. Fourth is their Le Jardin Public on a busy Sunday.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger!)