Great Escapes: Embracing Slow Travel in Bordeaux

What do you think of when you think of ‘Slow Travel’? May be you think of doing very little or may be you don’t think of anything at all.

The Slow Movement has been something which has if not exactly taken the UK by storm in recent years, certainly it has gently crept up upon us. A definition of Slow Travel which I find particularly palatable is this:

“Slow travel is not so much a particular mode of transportation as it is a mindset. Rather than attempting to squeeze as many sights or cities as possible into each trip, the slow traveler takes the time to explore each destination thoroughly and to experience the local culture.”

This appeals to me very much.  I have certainly done the rush from one sight or destination to the next barely taking anything in kind of travel, and had lots of fun doing it too.  Now however, the kind of travel I enjoy is less frenetic and more thoughtful.  I have also come to understand you don’t need weeks or months to enjoy slow travel.  Slow travel can take place over a day or a few days.  It is much more about the mind set rather than the length of time involved.

A very recent trip to Bordeaux as part of a summer holiday in France was an excellent opportunity to embrace the slow travel concept. Coming straight from a few crazy weeks at work and in need of some rest and contemplation, slow travel was very appealing, and beautiful Bordeaux in August was a perfect place to embrace it.

How to Travel Slow in Bordeaux

Stay in an Apartment

This felt inspired, especially when we arrived at our very central apartment overlooking the Cathedrale St Andre. We had a comfortable bedroom and bathroom, fully equipped kitchen, contemporary but classic living space and the pièce de résistance a balcony stretching along the whole length of the apartment. We had an unrivalled view of the cathedral and the perfect place to eat, read and people watch. Staying in hotels is of course lovely, but they don’t give you the freedom that comes with staying in an apartment or cottage.  Being a little more independent than a hotel allows gives the opportunity to eat little more freely when not tied to breakfast times.  You are not confined to just one room and so have more space  to relax or spread out.  Airbnb has opened up a world of interesting places to stay that may previously have been out of bounds.  I often still favour Sawday’s though, where the choice of small and beautiful places to stay is as good as any I have come across.

Buy Breakfast from a local Boulangerie

Starting the day with a stroll to the local boulangerie to buy croissants or Pain au Chocolate felt very French.  Bringing them back, brewing some coffee and then lingering over breakfast on the balcony in the warm morning sunshine as we planned the day and watched the French locals go about theirs was delightful.  We never left our apartment especially early. We didn’t need to, we were travelling slow!

Stroll along the River

I always find being by water relaxing whether its the sea, a lake or a river, and the most relaxed cities are often built along the water.  The river Garonne in Bordeaux is long and wide and has been rediscovered and rejuvenated recently.  There are many opportunites to take a boat along the river which we would certainly consider on another occasion.  This time however we were content to just walk.  The river is lined with interesting buildings, cafes and restaurants.  A delicious lunch of charcuterie and a glass of local wine was one of our highlights.  We sat looking out at the river, watching locals and tourists alike cycle, walk, skate and run past.  People are always drawn to a river so its a good place to be to if you want to absorb the life of a city.

People watch in the Numerous Pretty Squares

Bordeaux has so many pretty squares, usually lined with cafes.  In the short time  we were there we discovered new ones each day.  They are often tree lined and provide shady spots to sit a while.  The architecture of Bordeaux was a highlight for us. Squares were often lined with the most beautiful examples of ageing french buildings with paint peeling shutters and large wooden doors.

Visit The Garden of the Musee des Beaux Arts

The Musee des Beaux Arts is one of the top sights of Bordeaux.  A majestic chateaux filled with great art from the Renaissance to the mid 20th century. It was certainly one of the places I wanted to visit.  Unfortunately on the days we were there (Sunday and Monday) it was closed. However the Jardin de la Mairie, the garden in which it sits was open.  The garden is as elegant as you would expect, filled with statues, fountains and beautifully tended flower beds.  There are benches which line its borders and it really is a very peaceful place to be.  Sitting quietly here under the shade of a tree on a hot afternoon with the life of Bordeaux buzzing away in the background was a lovely way to embrace a moment mindfulness and slow travel.

Watch children and Adults Play in the Miroir de Eau

With out doubt this a fun place to be and will certainly attract crowds but it is such an essential part of visiting Bordeaux that it cannot be missed.  The Miroir d’Eau is the worlds largest reflecting pool.  A huge area of shiny black granite paves an area opposite one of Bordeaux’s most impressive buildings on one side and flanked by the river on the other.  Water is drained and refilled from the area every 30 minutes.  On a still day the reflections are marvellous as is the fun to be had when a steamy vapour is released from the ground providing ample photo opportunities.  We were there on a hot day and lingered a very long time, watching children run in and out of the water and steam and the changes in the reflections as clouds came and went.

Leave the Guide Book in the Bag and Wander

This is by far always the best way to get to know a city.  I am a huge advocate of a guide book, I would never go away with out one.  However, it is so easy to spend so long looking at it you forget to look up and see what is actually around you.  Use guidebooks as just that, a ‘guide’, not a set of rules about what you should and shouldn’t see.  Wander, people watch, embrace the mundane.  Step off the beaten track a little, and be prepared to be surprised.

However you choose to visit Bordeaux, it is a wonderful city with so much to enjoy.  I feel sure it is somewhere I will want to return to again and again.