The city of Bordeaux does city life and culture so well, it’s highly unlikely you’ll have any desire to leave. Yet its enviable location – on the banks of the coffee-brown Garonne River, a stone’s throw from the Gironde Estuary and Atlantic Coast – is enough to pique the curiosity of every urban explorer.
After you’ve crossed the city, sampling fine wine and exploring streets and squares threaded with elegant mansions, consider a nearby excursion. Day trips deliver exciting encounters with unique natural landscapes, beaches and go-slow sea adventures – not to mention face-to-face meetings with the talented makers behind some of France’s finest wine.
In line with metropolitan Bordeaux’ first ecological commitment, the best trips can all be handled by low-carbon trains and bicycles. So what’s the hitch? Finding time to do it all.
Here are some of our favorite day trips from Bordeaux.
Travel time: 35 minutes by train
Older and more prestigious than any other Bordeaux wine, St-Émilion clarets (as the English have called Bordeaux red wine since the Middle Ages) fueled the merrymaking at Eleanor of Aquitaine’s wedding to future king of England Henry Plantagenet in 1152, and were the viticultural star of England’s King Edward I’s court in the 14th century. Discover one of the world’s most prestigious reds for yourself in the medieval village of St-Émilion, where AOC St-Émilion wines continue to be crafted with care, passion and priceless ancestral savoir-faire.
The village is diminutive in size and best navigated on foot; allow a day to take in the wine-info center Maison du Vin de St-Émilion and its enchanting, church-clad streets. Wine aficionados eager to sip over dinner or enjoy a guided tour with tastings of one of the village’s surrounding château wineries should overnight: you can’t go wrong doing both at the dreamy Château Troplong Mondot, with its modern eco-winery and Michelin-starred vineyard restaurant.
How to get to St-Émilion from Bordeaux: Count 35 minutes by regional TER train from Bordeaux’ Gare St-Jean to St-Émilion’s wee station, a highly scenic 1 mile (1.7km) walk past vineyards from the village proper.
Travel time: 50 minutes by train
Follow in the 19th-century footsteps of Bordelaise aristocrats to this lovable seaside town on the Atlantic Coast. You won’t find a longer, wider, softer strip of velvety golden sand for miles, and Arcachon’s four romantic quarters, each whimsically named after a season, are an architectural delight. Come lunchtime, feast on fresh seafood and a view of the big blue at gastronomic Chez Pierre or its cheaper neighboring Café de la Plage (owned by the same team).
When the sun-mad beach crowd gets too frantic, move into the slow lane with a guided kayaking
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In the summer months, Tarr Steps heaves with families and visitors who come to cross the medieval clapper bridge that spans the River Barle. But in winter the woodland is tranquil, with lovely walks to the picturesque village of Dulverton. The Tarr Farm Inn – set right by the Steps – dates back to the 1600s, with nine comfortable rooms that come with fluffy bathrobes and Egyptian cotton, and homemade biscuits and fresh milk on the tea tray. Settle in for hearty dinners of chermoula-spiced scallops and a rack of Somerset lamb, with cream teas available until 5pm each day as a reward for a hearty walk. Doubles from £90 B&B; tarrfarm.co.uk
Demand for plant-based food has soared in the UK in the past few years, thanks in part to the popularity of movements and campaigns like Veganuary. With the latter came a blossoming of the country’s vegan dining scene, which now spans from fine dining to street food. While some establishments focus on lifting vegetables to stardom, others use meat substitutes to entice non-vegans. The biggest change, though, is the diversity of cuisines available — you can now just about eat your way around the world, whether you’re after flavours from Asia, Europe or the Americas. For those contemplating a dietary switch, here’s a selection of fully vegan restaurants around the country to get you started.
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