Our dart landed on The Bay of Biscay. An unfamiliar territory to both Russ and myself. We saw that Bordeaux was close… we LOVE wine AND a historic surfing town called Biarritz was only a 2 hour train ride …DONE!

We flew into Bordeaux, jumped on a train and headed to Biarritz. This beautiful seaside town is tucked away in the southwestern corner of France. It borders up to the westernmost end of the Pyrenees Mountain Range, which is a natural border between France and Spain. It is located in the Basque Country on the Atlantic Ocean.

We grabbed a taxi at the train station and headed over to our Airbnb, which was perfect for us, only the shower was located in the bedroom, which was alittle weird. The town’s population is 25,000 but it feels like a small village. You can literally walk everywhere. The roads are windy lined with cobblestone benches. We copped a squat at Le Cafe De La Grande Plage overlooking the Atlantic and enjoyed a delicious dinner while watching the sunset.

The next morning we hit the streets…this place is gorgeous! The city’s grand architecture reflects its aristocratic past, while its laid back vibe appeals to both surfers and cultural explorers…it’s such a unique mix! We jumped on the Promenade up to the Biarritz Lighthouse which was built in 1834. This walking path goes through tree lined residential neighborhoods right next to the ocean. It takes you all the way to the top. The views are breathtaking! The gardens surrounding the lighthouse are even more beautiful…the hydrangeas are HUGE!

If you haven’t noticed yet, our trips are pretty short so we try to pack everything in wherever we are. Onward! We stroll back down the pathway back to town and jumped on Le petit -train de Biarrtiz…of course we did ;). This little train gives you a scenic tour of the city with alittle history. We jumped off and headed over to The Cité de l’Océan et du Surf, which is a very cool modern museum. It’s great for both kids and adults. It’s very interactive and beautifully designed by Solange Fabiao, Steven Holl Architects.

I signed us up for a surfing lesson later that afternoon. Russ and I were walking over to where our lessons were and saw the waves…we were like “let’s not”. We opted to hit the Aquarium de Biarritz instead. What a cool spot this is! We enjoyed getting lost in the beauty of the ocean…and it’s creatures! We experienced a ballet of jelly fish!

We switched it up and went big on our last day/night and checked in to the Hotel Le Cafe de Paris. This hotel is beautiful and located right in the center overlooking the beach….Ahhhhhh. We got back to our room to chill for a minute before getting ready to enjoy our last night on the town!

We went over to check out the Hôtel du Palais, which is an iconic gem of Biarritz. Napoleon III had it built for his wife, Empress Eugénie. It’s where history and charm meet the extraordinary. He chose this location because it was close to her family in Spain. We enjoyed a glass of wine while we walked around the property….I can’t get enough of this place!

While cruising around all day, the shops, the restaurants, the beach….I felt like I was in an Instagram post. We had dinner at Chez Albert, Restaurant du Port des Pecheurs…a MUST! We had passed the casino a few times and Russ was feeling lucky so we finished our evening at Casino Barriere Biarritz. Russ couldn’t stop winning! He walked away with $700! BAM!

Bon Soir Biarritz! Merci Beaucoup!

Bordeaux, here we come!

We jumped back on the train and 2 hours later we arrived in downtown Bordeaux. The architecture…it’s just oozing with history! I LOVE Europe! We find our Airbn’b, which is right in the center of the city with a rooftop! Russ is SO good at finding places to stay. I don’t know how he does it! We decide to take the Hop on Hop Off Bus around the city to get our bearings and learn alittle more about this stunning city. Of course, we bought a bottle of wine for our bus ride. When in Bordeaux! 😉

We jumped off of the bus and headed over to La Cite du Vin which another beautifully designed museum, designed by Anouk Legendre and Nicolas Desmazieres; XTU Agency. Ok, THIS is what I’m talking about! Learning the history of wine in Bordeaux, France…YES, please and thank you! We purchased a couple of bottles of vin, grabbed some snacks, bread and cheese and headed back to our roof top to watch the sunset. We kept it close and grabbed a bite in our neighborhood at Chez Boulan Bistro, followed by a glass of champagne at Grands Hommes.

The next morning we walked into the city to find our wine tour shuttle. Russ booked us a wine tour in Saint Emilion on bikes with a lunch tasting at Chateau Cote de Baleau…COME ON! The company that we used was biketours.com This was a 10 out of 10. It was beyond incredible AND we learned alot! We rode around Saint Emilion and stopped at a few wineries and then we finished our day strolling. around Saint Emillion, proper, which is a beautiful medieval village and, wait for it….a UNESCO World Heritage Site…of course it is!

I didn’t realize that in order to call your wine a Chateau, the entire process from start to finish needs to be on the property; from growing the grapes, fermentation, bottling, and tasting! ;). I love learning new things.

We get back to Bordeaux, we had a few more snacks and vin on the roof top and packed up to move over to our next destination…La Maison Bordeaux. This place! I told you earlier, Russ knows how to pick em! It’s SO beautiful. We did have alittle bit of a snafoo; Russ booked it for 2 weeks later than our arrival date. Thankfully, they were able to accommodate us….and boy, did they! Our room was magnificent and we had our own roof top deck…I truly believe that my Dad is with us on all of these trips and he is the one that makes the magic happen! Thanks Georgie!

We are right across from the Palais Gallien, which was built in the 2nd century AD, during the period of Roman rule in Bordeaux. It was built as an amphitheatre to accommodate over 22,000 spectators.for public events, including gladiatorial fights, animal hunts and theatrical performances. The building was only used for 10 years. In 276 the Franks burned the arena for 2 days. The stone walls are the only remnants left. I mean….I feel so small surrounded by this rich history!

The New York Times had just featured Bordeaux in March of 2017. So, we were on point and current with our sites. They mentioned a newer restaurant, Dan, which adds an asian influence to a traditional native style. We chose this place for our last supper…so to speak. It was so cozy and so delicious from start to finish! We went with the chef’s menu and had a 7 course meal and it was incredible! Every detail was perfection! We were lucky enough to have the chef come out and chat with us at the end of our meal. Tres Chanceux!

What an incredible trip this was! The Europeans do it right! Again, they have been doing it for so much longer than we have. We’ll get there! It’s just going to take us a minute…I hope and pray that we will get there. In the meantime….GO TRAVEL! Experience new places, try new things, eat new foods, see new EVERYTHING! It’s humbling, it’s important, it makes you stronger, wiser AND more grateful!