The picturesque hinterland of Bordeaux

When most people hear Bordeaux, they probably don't think of the 100 Years' War or the rather attractive city, but instead associate it with what can be found in expensive bottles.

I admit that I also have a bit of a lack of education when it comes to Bordeaux, but for me it's more the wine that, as an avowed white wine drinker, I didn't have in my glass that often - I'm certainly miles away from being a connoisseur!

We discovered the hinterland for ourselves, there is the Foret de Burgogne, the small towns that sit on the hills almost like in Tuscany and also have terracotta roof tiles, but that's all a bit deceptive. The area was hotly contested by the French and English, which is why there are quite a few bastides, or fortified castles, in which beautiful villages can still be found today. These villages are full of charm, unfortunately they are a bit dying out, it's not uncommon to see "Á vendre" signs on the doors....

I'll now give a few examples, but please don't expect historical accuracy here! We were in Rions, Cadillac, Largon and a few other villages/small towns. They all have this combative nature, in some you can even walk around on a city wall. This is really nice when it's not raining, because cobblestones can get very slippery.

We were also in the tourist hotspot of Saint Emilion, where we didn't go from one cave to the next for tastings, because my palate certainly wouldn't taste any difference. I use vanilla and sour cherry on the taste buds as a "always works" standard answer, do I really taste it? Usually not.

We didn't try any wine or buy any wine, but explored the small town in the sunshine. She was very nice, very touristy and overall I liked the village of Rions better today.

Some of the vineyards are not steep slopes, but rather gentle hills. The vegetation reminds me a lot of Tuscany, because the figs and chestnuts can be found everywhere. I think it's nice because not everything is geared towards tourism, but the people are refreshingly themselves. You are greeted on the hikes. which is often not the case in Italy. If a French person notices that you only speak a smattering of French, but at least make an attempt, they respond politely with a stream of French. Every now and then someone takes pity on me and switches to English.

I like this! It's uncomplicated, friendly and always fun to exchange! I also found the jewelry in the Rions market hall very beautiful, which unfortunately I didn't capture in the picture.