GETTING TO BORDEAUX
This was another day with a fairly long drive. Long for us in France being about 4 hours. We were headed on the superhighway from Chinon to the Medoc region. There were two options for the trip, one that involved going to La Rochelle and then south to get a car ferry across the Gironde River. We had been advised, if going that route, to check ferry schedules online ahead of time and be prepared to wait for the next ferry. The other option was to go to Bordeaux and take the ring road and then branch off at the end of the river; in other words, roads all the way.
Using ever faithful Waze, we selected a route that didn’t go to La Rochelle, and we assumed avoided any ferry. The change in route meant we wouldn’t have lunch in La Rochelle. Instead we opted to stop at one of the A10 service areas and accept whatever was on offer. Today we ate what was basically a hamburger without bun and French fries. Not particularly healthy, but mostly satisfying.
Once we got off the highway, we were on a series of small roads through fields or, in this case, across vineyards. France seems to specialize in these roads in the middle of a field where nothing surrounds you except greenery or grape vines. Very pretty too.
Much to my surprise, when Waze directed us to get off A10 at Blaye, I thought we’d take some smaller roads to then get ourselves headed north to Vertheuil on the other side of the river. Instead, Waze took us right to the ferry dock in Blaye. We drove the car on, paid the fare, and crossed the river there. Our timing was impeccable—-the ferry began moving within about five minutes of boarding. It’s a much narrower crossing than the one at the northern end and took about 25 minutes over calm waters.
From there it was less than 30 minutes to B&B La Graviere.
DINNER IN PAUILLAC
The nearby village is tiny with only a café. Thus, we drove about 15 minutes to Pauillac, the largest town in the Medoc region. Close by are three top Bordeaux vineyards: Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and Chateau Latour. You are never far from a vineyard or a tasting room, although many of the latter require reservations.
On the recommendation of our host, we booked at Café Lavinal for dinner. It’s a casual bistro with maroon cushioned booths and dark wood. We thought it echoed the cellar doors, restaurants associated with a winery, we experienced in New Zealand. Very good food, but not overly fancy.
The Chief Penguin went full on for local fare with foie gras terrine followed by roast veal and potatoes and then the opera cake. I tried the tataki tuna (barely cooked thin slices with micro greens and a vinegary soy dressing) followed by salmon steak with tomato mousseline and then citrus salad topped with lime sorbet. Of course, we sampled some of the Bordeaux and local Medoc wines, white for me and red for the Chief Penguin.
An American couple seated next to us inquired about what we had ordered, and we struck up a conversation about our respective travels. Lisa and George are from Houston and were in France for a quick 8-day trip. They too had started in Giverny. Part of the fun of this trip is chatting with other travelers about what they’ve seen and done.
B&B TRAVEL
Each of the B&Bs we have stayed in has had a distinctive character. Each building or home is different, and the personalities of our hosts vary as well. All have welcomed us warmly and taken care of our needs. Since we are traveling this way, our accommodations take on a bigger role in the trip and are definitely something that enriches the overall experience.
Ask any host and they will say that they run a B&B partly to meet people from a wide variety of places. Madeleine here gave us a complete tour of this property inside and out including the spa, pool, and grounds. She also made us aware of a refrigerator we could use and the washer and dryer. Needless to say, we are eager to do a wash!
We are the only guests now, but other people arrive today. So, breakfast was just us. Madeleine provided the usual croissants and baguette along with granola, yogurt, orange juice, and some cheese. This morning, I took up the offer of scrambled eggs. A neighbor keeps chickens and the eggs are always fresh.
Note: All photos ©JWFarrngton (some rights reserved.)
