 |
| Our Bordeaux itinerary |
 |
| The River Queen |
 |
| Lobby of the River Queen |
The ship was beautiful: the cabins were a bit cozy but well-designed and comfortable, and the common areas were elegant and spacious. We can't say enough wonderful things about the staff and the cruise director--all were knowledgeable and gracious and fun.
Much of the week the weather was rather gray, but that never stopped us from enjoying the well-planned itinerary, sights, and events, and getting to know some of our interesting shipmates. Knowing that our floating home was awaiting our return made for a great end to each day.
 |
| Chateau d'Arsac |
Our first stop was the village of Pauillac, gateway to the legendary Medoc wine area and the prestigious "chateaux road". Pauillac is positioned at the intersection of the Garonne River and Gironde estuary, in the middle of what is called the "Left Bank" of the Bordeaux wine region (i.e., facing upriver from Bordeaux, the area is on the left).
 |
| Wine tasting test |
The Chateau d'Arsac was our first vineyard visit. There we were treated not only to a wine tasting, but also a class aimed at helping determine our personal preferences for wine types - the results of which were delivered to us on ship later that evening. The chateau grounds included interesting contemporary sculptures juxtaposed against the traditional grand chateau and vineyards.
Philippe Raoux, is the fourth generation wine-maker at this estate. The estate was abandoned for many years until he bought it in 1986 and began replanting the vineyards and restoring the site.
In all, our driving tour took us through the famous Haut Medoc communes of St Estephe, St Julien, Margaux and of course Pauillac (considered by most to be the heart of the Medoc wine region). And we of course saw many of famous sites of Bordeaux wine production, including the spectacular Chateau Margaux.
 |
| Chateau Margaux |
By the time we were returning to Pauillac and the ship, it had begun to rain! Fortunately from here on out the weather would steadily improve.
 |
| Classy visitors to the chateau |
Never to be daunted, just before reaching the ship, we hopped off the bus at the Pauillac Maison du Vin to purchase some very special bottles of wine for dinner. While lingering over these world-class wines and trying to decide which to buy, we met another couple from the ship who were equally engaged in the pursuit of very special wines.
 |
| Lee selects one of our wines! |
We immediately made friends and agreed to get together and to share in wine tastings featuring our prize acquisitions over dinner. And so we enjoyed several interesting and fun evenings with John and Lori, who were equally enthusiastic about this trip.
Our second full day took us to the other side of the Gironde estuary (the Right Bank), where we docked at the town of Blaye. In contrast to the very flat land of the Medoc, the area around Blaye is made up of limestone cliffs and rolling hills.
We traveled by bus along the beautiful Route de la Corniche Fleurie, thus named because many of the ship captains who traveled to far off places returned with exotic plants which they planted in their gardens situated along this road. The area has been inhabited for many thousands of years and so we also got to visit some of the ancient cave dwellings.
Our next to final stop for the day was the Moulin of Lansac, a windmill working since 1820 but originally constructed in the 16th century.
We returned to Blaye to tour the 17th century citadel built by a famous military engineer, M. Vauban. He created the fort in the form of a star to better defend it from all angles.
The fort never engaged in a battle--its reputation alone was sufficient to keep potential enemies at bay!
Back to the River Queen for relaxation, dinner and serious wine tasting and preparing for the next day's adventures.
No comments:
Post a Comment