bordeaux :: culture, canelés & cathedrals

06 January 2015

When we arrived in Bordeaux, it was drizzling and grey, mild but windy. Despite the dreary weather, I immediately fell in love. It's a strange thing, that chemistry you can feel with certain places - regardless of what ties you have (or don't have) with a city, town or even a building, some just sit right with you. I had this odd feeling with Bordeaux.

Our first full day in the city, we visited the Museum of Fine Arts (a beautiful gallery made up of two separate wings, the collection isn't particularly big but there are some wonderful Renoirs which were my favourite), walked around town scoping out the shops and seeing the cathedral. It has a typically French Bourgeois feel - I would say that it's kind of a bigger city version of Aix-en-Provence. Everywhere you look, the architecture is stunning and the shop windows are gorgeous. 

There is a Bordeaux original sweet pastry snack called canelé, which has a caramelised outside with a sort of baked custard with rum in the middle. So good and moreish, we had more than our fair share during out stay. 

It was a lovely first day of exploring - especially as we spent most of the latter part of the holiday spending time with the others in our (amazing) rented apartment. More Bordelais goodness to come!






























9 comments:

  1. What beautiful photos! That looks like such a gorgeous place- I'd love to go myself one day. I'm particularly swooning over all those lovely cafe and patisserie shots (probably because I'm now on the post-Christmas diet, sigh!). xxx

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  2. Gorgeous photos. I particularly love all the pastries ;) x

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  3. What gorgeous photos! Macarons!!!
    I've pinned some of them to my wanderlust board, I really hope to go one day :)
    Lots of love,
    Angie
    SilverSpoon London

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  4. Oh wow! All the cakes and pastries look so good. Lovely photos :)

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  5. Oh, it all looks so good! I really wanna go. You are an amazing photographer! I love the way the macaroons are illustrated ;)

    Cylia

    http://noshandchat.blogspot.dk

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  6. Just exquisite. I've heard that Caneles were created to use up all the egg yolks leftover from fining the wine with egg whites. I really want that to be true :)

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  7. I certainly know what you mean about that feeling of chemistry between yourself and a place. Sometimes I will have this feeling of instant belonging, like the place envelopes me into its open wings; and sometimes a place will make me feel quite odd.

    Bordeaux is gorgeous, and I certainly miss the canelès! I used to get one or two from the small boulangerie near my apartment while I lived in Lyon :).

    I love your blog, and your photos are always so truthful, they entrance me. Thank you :)
    Zoe - http://life-gazing-and-wildstrawberries.blogspot.com/

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  8. The architecture in Bordeaux looks amazing! What a pretty place for you two to explore together :) I'm dying to try one of those kouignettes with salted caramel - and a canelé too! It's so nice to travel to a new place and instantly click with it - I felt that with Florence the first time I went there on my own. Can't wait to see more from this lovely city! xx

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  9. Oh man I miss Bordeaux so so much. The architecture there is just incredible and the food and wine...yes please! I LOVE that picture of the beautiful macarons, so gorg. And I know that feeling that you're talking about...that's what I felt the first time I was in Paris...it's just an amazing moment.

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