Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin

Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin

For the next five days Janelle and I will be exploring the Bordeaux wine region. Bordeaux is the land of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot and the famous Grand Cru houses. Today we are exploring Bordeaux’s La Cité du Vin. This unique wine museum opened in June of this year. La Cité du Vin celebrates the glorious history of wine and showcases wine regions from around the world. Wine education is at the forefront of the museum’s exhibits and displays. What are the smells in wine, the texture, and how can wine best be enjoyed? These are just a few of  the themes displayed. La Cité du Vin is an architectural standout, designed by Anouk Legendae and Nicolas Desmazieres. The stunning structure sits on the shore of the grand Garonne River. To do justice to visiting La Cité du Vin, plan to spend 2 to 4 hours roaming the museum. There are two restaurants in La Cité du Vin, one at the high end and the other more casual. The final activity of the museum is a stop at the top floor. Here with your entrance ticket, you may choose one glass of wine from a choice of wines from the major wine countries around the world. Stroll around the top room to view the exciting scenes of Bordeaux. This part of the city is enjoying a revitalization, thanks in part to the museum.

From our hotel located in the city centre, we hopped on a sleek tram system that runs throughout the city of Bordeaux. For 1.5 Euros, you can tool around the city on this electric-powered transit system. The current is supplied by a unique in-ground power system. There are no overhead wires to propel the tram cars. It is very quiet and futuristic looking.