Place de la Bourse Bordeaux
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44°50’30.4188″N, 0°34’8.0148″W

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Porte Cailhou Gate
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44°50’19.6476″N, 0°34’6.5064″W

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Porte de Bourgogne
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44°50’10.8168″N, 0°33’58.4244″W

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Grosse Cloche
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44°50’7.6164″N, 0°34’16.7808″W

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Musee d’Aquitaine
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44°50’9.3624″N, 0°34’30.7524″W

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Cathedrale Saint-Andre de Bordeaux
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44°50’14.6976″N, 0°34’39.5220″W

Today we did a LOT of walking. We walked from our hotel to our first stop – the Place de la Bourse Bordeaux (stock exchange or Old Royal Square)

Photo above – fountain at the Place de la Bourse.

Photo above – Catherine sitting at the edge of the reflecting pool across the road from the stock exchange

Photo above – the reflecting pool is in-between the river & the stock exchange. This entire area is so incredibly well done. Also very calming.

Photo above – our next stop – the Porte Cailhou Gate

Photo above – the Porte Cailhou gate was built in the 1500’s & was the former bell tower for Bordeaux City Hall. Lots of tourist like us walking through the gate & taking photos.

Photo above – our next stop – the Porte de Bourgogne arch. This is like a small scale Arch d’ Triomphe without a roundabout. However, it was located at the foot of a major bridge crossing the Garrone River so there was lots of traffic whizzing by.

Photo above – our next stop was another gate to the old city – the Grosse Cloche – an interesting clock tower.  I would have liked to have spent some more time looking at this but there was a lot of construction in the area plus there was a group of noisy “street people” by the gate that a security guard was trying his best to move them out of the area. We didn’t feel very comfortable at that location so we walked by pretty quickly.

Our next stop was supposed to be the cathedral but we were getting hungry so we stopped at a small cafe to get a bite to eat. By the time we were finished our lunch the cathedral had closed for their lunch & weren’t opening for another 90 minutes so we walked down to the city museum.

Photo above – a Roman carving recovered in the city.

This museum has a lot of artifacts & exhibits recovered from the Bordeaux area that date from before Jesus was born, through the Roman occupation, into the middle ages & into the 1700 & 1800s.

Photo above – a section of the museum was dedicated to Bordeaux’s maritime history including some great models of sailing ships. For a time Bordeaux was the second largest port in the world after London. Sadly, Bordeaux was also a key European port in the slave trade until the mid 1800’s. This was detailed in museum exhibits as well as honouring the contributions of people of African descent to France and Bordeaux in particular.

Photo above – our final stop of the day was at Cathedrale Saint-Andre de Bordeaux.

Photo above – inside the cathedral

Copied from Wikipedia: In 1998, UNESCO designated the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France as a World Heritage Site, including the three main churches of Bordeaux: the basilica of St Severinus, the basilica of St Michael and the cathedral of St Andrew. (I couldn’t have said it better myself).

Historic records date the original church building on this site around year 814 & then various records document the cathedral’s expansions over the next several hundred years.

Photo above – looking forward towards the altar. The acoustics in this building are amazing. There were posters outside listing concerts that were being performed here but unfortunately none while we are in the city.

Photo above – every planter needs a little lampshade, doesn’t it?

We had reached the end of our epic tour for the day. We did a lot of walking but all of these amazing places were surprisingly close together.

The historic part of Bordeaux is very compact & also very flat so getting around wasn’t all that bad. My biggest challenge was constantly trying to avoid being run over by all of the people on bicycles – especially the delivery people who were riding like they were in the Tour de France.

Tomorrow we head to Biscarrosse on the Bay of Biscay. The forecast for the next 3 days calls for rain. Hopefully we will get some sunny periods too.

Cheers!

Maison Manege
27 Rue de Manege
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44°50’27.2148″N, 0°35’7.8756″W

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Bordeaux Wine Museum
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44°51’16.4052″N, 0°34’10.0668″W

Today we toured the Bordeaux Wine Museum. This was a very interesting place.

The city tram is very close to our hotel & we found the line that would take us directly to the museum.

Photo above – city tram. Very reasonable cost at €1.50 per person & that includes transfers within an hour of the first ride.

Photo above – Bordeaux Wine Museum.

This building has a very unique shape & the exhibits/displays are unique as well. Each visitor is given a headset & handset which is about the same size as a large smartphone. Visitors walk from one exhibit to another.  When you see something you want to learn more about you tap your device on a special symbol beside the exhibit & you get an audio commentary about that exhibit. There are also multiple short video exhibits.

Photo above – a video explaining the history of vineyards throughout the world.

Photo above – the tour also includes a scent sniffing section.  This was very interesting & fun to try to identify the scents associated with various types of wines.

We wrapped up the tour with an elevator ride to the top of the building where there was an outside viewing platform that gives you very good views of the city. This was accompanied by a free wine tasting – but only 1 glass.

We really enjoyed this museum. It was very well done & a great way to spend a few hours learning more about wine.

After the tour we stopped at a market beside the museum & had a light lunch. Then we were back on the tram for a ride back to the center of the city.

Photo above – this statue is in Place des Quinconces. At 12 hectares it is one of the largest city squares in Europe.

The square is beside the tram terminal at the city centre. The main monument commemorates the victims of the reign of terror during the French Revolution.

Photo above – the bronze statues from the fountain at the base of the monument were removed by the Nazis during the occupation in 1942 & were supposed to be melted down to make cannons but were later recovered, restored & put back in place.

Photo above – the Opera National du Bordeaux, built in 1780 is just a few steps away from the square.

Photo above – carousel & a wedge shaped building at an intersection across the plaza from the opera house.

Bordeaux is a very walkable city. The opera house is only a 20-30 minute walk from our hotel. Even I can do that!

Tomorrow we plan to do some more exploring in the historic center of the city. We will also check out (sample goods from) one or two of the many patisseries we passed by today.

Cheers!

Angouleme Train Station
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45°39’13.1868″N, 0°9’53.5428″W

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Bordeaux Train Station
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44°49’35.5008″N, 0°33’22.3488″W

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Maison Manege
27 Rue de Manege
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44°50’27.2148″N, 0°35’7.8756″W

After breakfast this morning we walked from our hotel to the Angouleme train station.  It was an easy walk as it was downhill all the way.

Photo above – in front of the train station. I’m still working on taking decent selfies.

We arrived at the station at 10:30 & our train was not due to leave for another hour so we had a bit of time to reflect on our trip thus far & also about what was ahead.

Our train to Bordeaux arrived in Angouleme right on time & after a quick boarding process we were underway.

Photo above – the TGV to Bordeaux.

Riding trains in France is a totally different experience compared to Canada. These trains are electric, very fast & very smooth.

Screenshot above – I opened the driving navigation app on my phone to see how fast we were going.

We boarded the train at 11:20 am & by 11:34 we were speeding across the countryside at 293+ km/hr! Just like on the trip from Paris my navigation app was going nuts with all kinds of excessive speed warnings & sharp curves ahead. I had to mute the sound to avoid disturbing the other passengers.

The company that operates the trains in this part of France is called SNCF (Société Nationale des Chemins de fer Français or French National Railway Company). I think it could also be called Smooth Nice Clean Fast. It’s unfortunate that we can’t get this kind of service in Canada – at least in-between major cities & population centers.

Photo above – Bordeaux Train Station

We arrived in Bordeaux right on time. We still had 2 hours before we could check in to our hotel so we decided to have lunch at one of the restaurants across the street from the train station.

After lunch Catherine went back into the train station to get some information about public transit in the city. She learned that we could take a bus that would drop us off just a couple of blocks from where we were staying.

The bus ride was easy, even with our luggage & we found our “hotel” without too much effort. The place we are staying is really, really nice. There are only 5 guest rooms but they are large & very comfortable. The entire building was renovated a few years ago to a high quality standard. This must have been a large private residence at one time or a few apartments.

Photo above – Catherine standing outside the entrance to Maison Manege. 

Photo above – our room

Photo above – luxury is having a queen size bed in a French hotel room.

In some of the other places we have stayed this bed wouldn’t even fit in the room! We feel like royalty!

The hotel is located near the center of the city & just a few steps away from a vibrant commercial area.

We would certainly recommend this place to anyone visiting Bordeaux.

Photo above – the view from our hotel room window.

Photo above – this part of Bordeaux has an interesting mix of classic & modern architecture. Look at how this office building is cantelivered out over the street below.

Tomorrow we will explore Bordeaux. Catherine has booked a tour of La Cite du Vin – The Wine Museum. That should be a great start to our adventures here in Bordeaux.

Cheers!

Nicols Boat Charter Depot, Sireui
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45°36’20.8692″N, 0°1’30.6804″E

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Hotel Mercure Angouleme
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45°38’58.4376″N, 0°9’27.9864″E

The whole crew was up before 7:00 am this morning. Oddly enough, last night was the best sleep I had for the past week. Catherine even had to wake me up! Perhaps subconsciously I didn’t want to leave the boat.

It’s hard to believe that we left Paris a little over a week ago. Time seems to have flown by, but, on the other hand, our few days in Paris now feels like a long time ago!

Screenshot above – our TGV trip from Paris to Angouleme on Saturday, September 7.

We had a continental breakfast aboard – sounds better/more sophisticated than coffee, juice, fruit, yogurt & granola. Then we cleaned up the galley & finished packing.

We were all ready to go shortly after 8:00 am – plenty of time before our Uber ride to Angouleme.

The Nicols agent came aboard to inspect the boat. We had paid extra to have the boat cleaned so her inspection was really just focused on looking for any damage.

We passed the inspection with flying colours. Plus the boat was very clean inside & outside primarily thanks to Valerie’s fastidious housekeeping for the past week. Valerie, you are a dynamo with a broom & a dust cloth. You can crew with me anytime you like 🙂

Screenshot above – the route we took from Sireuil to Jarnac & back again.

Here are some basic statistics of our week aboard charter boat Royan:

• Travel from Sireuil to Jarnac and  return
• 10 locks each way (20 locks total)
• 27 kilometers travelled each way (54 km total)
• 6 hours engine operation time each way (12 hours total)
• 3 – 4 hours average travel time per day including passing through locks
• Bottles of wine consumed (lost count)
• Euchre games played (lost count)
• Happy memories created – too many to count

All in all, we had a wonderful adventure but the time went by much too quickly.

We took an Uber back to the hotel in Angouleme. Our Uber driver had a spotless Tesla Model S. Very nice!

David & Valerie had a few hours before they had to catch their first train on the route to Spain so Catherine & I dropped our bags off at the hotel & then we all went to a local cafe for some coffee & breakfast.

After breakfast we walked down to the train station with David & Valerie & said our goodbyes.

Photo above – David & Valerie at the Angouleme train station.

While we were all sad to say goodbye to each other we were all excited about the next stages of our adventures.

David & Valerie are off to Spain to walk a significant portion of the Camino de Santiago. This is something they have wanted to do for a long time. We are excited for them to be on this special journey.

Catherine & I are off to Bordeaux to explore the city for a few days. Then we will rent a car for a week & do some more exploring around the Bay of Biscay & the Dordogne region before heading back to Paris.

Photo above – after checking in to our hotel & resting for a few hours we went out for dinner at a nearby Italian restaurant that we had been to a week earlier with David & Valerie.

We were just getting comfortably seated in the restaurant when we received a WhatsApp message from David & Valerie. They had arrived in Spain & were checked into their hotel.

Photo above – David outside their hotel in Spain. Travel safely dear friends. We look forward to seeing you soon back home in London.

Tomorrow Catherine & I take a morning train to Bordeaux.

Cheers!

Mosnac-Saint-Simeux Mooring Wall
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45°37’17.5332″N, 0°1’34.9824″W

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Nicols Boat Charter Depot, Sireui
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45°36’20.8692″N, 0°1’30.6804″E

6 kilometers & 3 locks

Another chilly morning. I was up around 6:00 am & put the kettle on to make hot tea & coffee for the crew & to warm up the galley area a bit.

This also a pretty good time of day for me to begin working on the blog. It’s quiet & I can get a fair bit done before anyone else gets up.

I used to do a lot of my blogging while I was laying in bed at night but these past few years I find it harder to hold my phone steady because I keep drifting off & then whack myself in the face with it. Sitting at the table in the mornings with a cup of coffee or in the afternoons with a glass of wine has proven to be much more productive & less risky.

We left our mooring spot in Mosnac-Saint-Simeux about 9:30 am. We had 6 kilometers to travel & 3 locks to go through to reach our final destination so it was a relatively easy day.

Our first lock was less than a kilometer away & the sun was already getting stronger. Valerie & Catherine volunteered to operate the locks & David & I handled the boat.

Photo above – Catherine & Valerie working the locks at Mosnac-Saint-Simeux.

The staging area upstream of this particular lock is where we spent our first night on the boat 6 days ago.

After we passed through the lock we took a few minutes to look around &  recall the beginning of our boating adventure.

Photo above – the vineyard beside the lock at Mosnac-Saint-Simeux. We think these are the kind of grapes used to make Cognac. This was right beside where we were moored.

By the time we got back underway the sun was really beginning to warm us up. David was manning the helm & I was checking the charts to figure out how far it was to the next lock.

Photo above – We noticed swinging/swimming ropes tied to trees with nicely overhanging branches at several spots along the river. Looks like it would be fun to try – but not on this trip.

It wasn’t too long before we arrived at our next lock.

Every lock on this part of the Charente River has a house right beside it. “Back in the day” when the rivers & canals were important transport routes a lock master & his family would have lived in the house. He would have been  responsible for operating & maintaining the lock & perhaps even for collecting a toll fee for the use of the lock.

The rivers & canals lost their importance as main transportation routes when railways & highways were developed. Lock masters were no longer needed so the houses were often rented or sold off to people who had nothing to do with the locks other than the fact that a lock was right in front of their house.

Photo above – the lock masters house near the village of Champmillon has a small fenced in area beside it. When we got off our boat to get the lock ready we found that our activities were being closely watched by some of the residents from their comfortable perch.

And now there was just one lock left to go. At the previous lock a couple from Frankfurt, Germany caught up to us just as we were preparing to exit the lock. We had met & chatted with them a few days before. We helped them prepare the lock for their lift up & then we moved on. We told them that we would wait for them at the next (& final) lock of our journey.

Photo above – our German friends enter the lock before we close the gates & began filling.

Photo above – Catherine & Valerie take in some scenery & sunshine while we were en route to our destination, which was just past this bridge.

We arrived at Nicols Boat Charter depot around 1:30. We were glad to have made such good progress but also a bit sad that our boating adventures had come to an end.

Our galley was pretty low on provisions & there was a small pub/restaurant just a few feet away from where we were tied up so we went there for lunch.

After lunch Valerie & David decided go for a walk. Catherine took a nap & I worked on the blog.

We all had a pretty lazy afternoon & then spent some time organizing our belongings so we could be ready for an 8:00 am checkout the next morning.

Before we knew it, we were starting to feel hungry again. David & Valerie volunteered to be in charge of a galley cleanout dinner.  Catherine was in charge of preparing the vegetables. The crew came up with a very tasty salad & penne pasta with vegetables & meat sauce. I could take no credit for this meal so I volunteered to clean up the galley after dinner.

Photo above – David & Valerie working their galley magic.

Photo above – in no time at all we were enjoying another fine meal aboard our little boat named “Royan”.

After dinner & the galley cleanup we played a few more hands of euchre. I’m almost beginning to understand what I should be doing.

Even though we had not travelled far today we were all pretty tired so we turned in early & agreed to get up early to have breakfast, finish packing & do the last bit of cleaning before our checkout inspection.

Cheers!