A Taste of Bordeaux, France Today - Bordeaux's Changed

Bordeaux has certainly moved up in the world in the past five years. When I was last here a mere five years ago, it became clear to me that the charm had long since left this town. It was a place that lived for its wine creating soul, and for little else. Everything seemed to be dry and crumbly around the winding little by lanes of the town. Europe hasn't been doing very well since then, but they've somehow found a way to inject a lot of cash and life into this town; today, Bordeaux, France is on the ascendancy again. There is actual French elegance to be witnessed; they've reclaimed the disused docklands, and hordes of workers have been pressed into service scrubbing the city clean of what could only be hundreds of years' worth of deep dark soot on every imaginable surface around. And somehow, the new life authorities have been trying to bring in, has inspired local entrepreneurs; the city is awash in a new kind of creative entrepreneurial energy. Everywhere you look, you see creative little boutiques, exciting new artist spaces, wonderful sparkling little bars that let you taste the local wine, restaurants could stand with the best of them. Let's look at some of the best character-filled bars, galleries and shopping around Bordeaux today.

Let's start with the best wine bars in Bordeaux, France. If it's an elegant time spent tasting Bordeaux wines that should interest you, you could do no better than the LAutre Petit Bois at 12, place du Parlement. This Bordeaux institution has been around nearly forever; but somehow, their fresh French attitude and the wonderful aromas that hang in the air make it seem fresh and new. For a great menu to have the wine go with, you can dine at their tables set among fake indoor trees, andorder a great goat cheese salad, tomatoes with mozzarella and other inventive recipes. The wine list is just spectacular, and you get stuff from outside the region as well.

If wine tasting in Bordeaux, France is your thing, how about going high-tech with it? Bordeaux has something called an Enomatic winetasting machine. It stocks wines from eight different famous wine houses around the region; you buy a 50 Euro tasting card, and hold your glass under the spout to have your glass filled for a taste at the touch of a button. They don't ruin it with the way they store it inside either. It's kept the right temperature, and there is no overt oxygenation. Visit MaxBordeaux.com for the details.

Sunday shopping in Bordeaux is special. Head for the March des Quais for a kind of jumbled-up shopping experience. There are foods of every kind, and the seafood is especially famous. Head off to the North African quarter at March St.-Michel for a lot of colorful and fun rummage sale shopping; you'll find lots of great forties stuff, luggage, radios and the like. For a more modern shopping experience, try Pantalons et Pastis; it's by the Garonne River waterfront and fills all the old warehouses that were built there in the colonial era. The outlet stores there are mindbending in their creativity.

One of the best galleries in Bordeaux, France is the one over at Rue Bouffard called the Muse des Arts Dcoratifs. It didn't always use to be this way; all they used to have up until last time I visited Bordeaux, were ancient musical instruments, vases and other stuff from Bordeaux's palaces. The new wing that's opened recently though, is devoted to the city's new spirit; it offers an insight into Bordeaux, 20th century style. They have avant garde French designer stuff from the early 20th century, strange and fashionable dressers, mirrors and the like.

If you're going to be flying to Bordeaux, France anytime soon, try the LAvant Scne hotel over at Rue Borie; it is as affordable as it is fashionable, and you get a great view too.