A Trip to Bordeaux, France

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Bonjour!


I have been in France for 42 days! I wanted to spend a little time talking about my recent trip and hope it doesn't make you too "bordeaux". (Ha. I may be improving my French, but my sense of humor remains unchanged.)

As you may or may not know, Bordeaux is a lovely city in the southwest part of France. The region (Aquitaine) is especially known for its wine! A friend and I took advantage of the week-long school break and planned a small trip to go on a wine tour. We were interested in learning more about the wine-making process since wine is such an important part of the French culture!

To get to Bordeaux, we first had to take a bus from Caen to Paris and then a train from Paris to our destination. While the train was nothing like what I expected (the Polar Express or the Hogwarts Express), it was exciting, nonetheless.

Upon arrival, I fell in love with the beautiful train station and even got to enjoy an enthusiastic French man perform beautifully on a public piano! (It's amazing to me that France makes such an effort to highlight the importance of art whether through music, sculptures, paintings, or architecture! I love it all!)

We stayed in a cheap hostel across the bridge and dined at local restaurants. The wine tour was very interesting. Our guide spoke both French and English, so we didn't have to worry about missing out on any information. Every detail was explained, even down to the history of the importance of wine to the region and country as a whole. I learned much about the importance of soil in the wine-making process, as well as the importance of the wood a barrel is made of and even the cork that stops up the bottle of wine.


While our time in Bordeaux was short-lived, it was unforgettable. On the way back to Caen, we stopped in Paris for lunch. To traverse the lovely city of Paris, my friend and I had to utilize the underground metro system. (C'est trés difficile.) Instead of the expected French cuisine, my friend suggested a lovely Chinese restaurant. The food was delicious. Also, I was able to see with my own eyes the amazing Eiffel Tower (la Tour Eiffel).

All in all, the trip was a major success! I had an amazing time and learned so much! I am falling in love with France and all the amazing things this country has to offer! I can't believe my study abroad is almost 1/3 of the way over. Until next time!

A bientot! -Albrianna