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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E
Tours & Visits
Whether you take a bus, boat, bike, train, micro-light, hot air balloon, a chauffeured vehicle, a horse or simply walk, guided tours are an ideal way to find out the secrets or, at least, the little known facts that lie behind the historical monuments and treasures in our region. Here’s a snapshot of ideas.
La Cité du Vin GIRONDE
GIRONDE This iconic image is no camera trick, it’s a real reflection from the Miroir d’Eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool. Located in front of Place de la Bourse in Bordeaux and built in 2006, it is made of granite slabs covered by 2cm of water and creates a mist every 15 minutes which is fabulously cooling on a hot summer’s day. Did you know that there is so much more to the Saint-André de Bordeaux Cathedral than architecture, religious artefacts and stained glass windows? It is also home to the Marcadé collection of some 42 illuminated sculptures, paintings and objects. Fresh, sea air, oyster farms, 19th-century houses, views over the stunning Bay and the Cap-Ferret Peninsula are waiting for you in and around Arcachon where you can discover the Belle Epoque in its historical quarter. Interested in wines? Gironde is the land of over 8,500 vineyards and there are countless châteaux and bars offering wine-tastings as well as museums and, of course, La Cité du Vin and its ever-changing exhibitions.
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No itinerary, whether food, wine, architecture or historically related, would be worth its salt if it didn’t include the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Saint-Emilion and its medieval, narrow streets, and the 17th-century fortified Citadelle de Blaye.
The Miroir d’Eau
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