|
Wining, dining and golfing in Bordeaux-Gironde
Situated between the Dordogne valley and the Atlantic coast in
the South West of France, Bordeaux-Gironde is a most welcoming area,
with its great wines, superb food and fine golf courses.
Pétrus - the most famous wine in the world? |
The region can boast more than 120 km of sandy beaches, vineyards,
pine forest, lakes and a 75 km-long estuary, and is home to historic
sites such as the Grotte de Lascaux, the delightful medieval towns
of St. Emilion and Sarlat, and the world-famous Bordeaux wine Châteaux.
With 12 golf clubs offering 20 very different high quality golf
courses and top hotel facilities, Bordeaux-Gironde deserves to become
a favoured golfing destination. Visiting golfers are assured of
a warm welcome and good value for money; most of the courses can
be played using golf passes (affording special tariffs for visitors
- more information at the clubs) as they are working together to
help promote themselves and give visitors the opportunity to experience
a variety of courses.
Click here for a map of the Bordeaux-Gironde area's
golf courses
We were recently invited by the Comité Départemental
de Tourisme de la Gironde to sample the gastronomic and golfing
pleasures the north Aquitaine area has to offer, and given the chance
to play three very different courses and visit two more.
Château des Vigiers
Château des Vigiers, to the east of the region, is just a
20 minute drive from Bergerac Airport and an hour from Bordeaux
Airport, right in the heart of the Bergerac wine-growing area.
The handsome Château, built in 1597, has been entirely renovated
and turned into an award-winning 4-star hotel with its own 17 hectare
vineyard producing red, rosé and white wines, a beauty spa,
a fitness centre and an 18 - soon to be 27 - hole golf course.
You are guaranteed the warmest welcome and the luxurious comfort
of the rooms will make you feel relaxed and at home from the very
start.
The restaurant "Les Fresques" and brasserie "Le
Chai" (a converted wine-making cellar) serve superb and varied
cuisine using the best local produce. "Les Fresques" is
situated in the left wing of the château and offers beautiful
views over the lake and course. You will also enjoy the warmth and
cosiness of a wood-burning fire in winter at "Le Chai",
or sitting on its terrace with something cool in your hand in summer.
Tennis, swimming, fly-fishing, cycling and horse-riding are available
for those feeling like some after-lunch exercise, and the "Résidence
du Lac" will welcome you for longer stays.
The undulating par 72 18-hole course surrounding the Château
was designed by Donald Steel and offers golfers a delightful round
of golf winding through vineyards, whose product you’ll be
sampling later, plum and oak trees, and around a lake. It has already
been praised by many a press article and voted one of the most beautiful
course settings in the world in 1998.
The first six holes run up and down parallel to one another and
look fairly straightforward, dull some might even say, but only
if they can stay out of the treacherous plum trees and don't enjoy
the beautiful views provided by the Château!
The 7th is quite tricky, however, being very narrow off the tee
and sloping dangerously to the right towards a welcoming bunker
and a well-guarded green. But the 417 yard par four 9th is the highlight
of the first nine and a real joy to play. It is downhill to start
with, with the lake on the left and a pond coming into play on the
right at the foot of an ancient dovecote, leading towards the tricky
bunkers protecting the green on an upslope beneath the windows of
the Château.
After the open countryside of the first nine, things get more difficult
with the second nine on the other side of the Château. Memorable
among these is the innocuous looking short par 3, tree-lined 11th,
which slopes down towards a ditch on the left, dangerous should
you miscalculate your tee shot.
The best and most challenging holes however are the final two.
The 521 yard par five dogleg 17th and the stunning 417 yard par
four 18th. Donald Steel has described the latter as his favourite
hole among the many he has designed, a dogleg turning left over
a ridge with a semi-blind tee shot and a second over the lake onto
the green in front of the Château. The hole was described
in Golf World as Steel's "Vintage Finale".
The course features generous fairways and shortish rough, so that
bad shots are not too penalising. True, it is not the toughest of
courses, although its undulating greens are quite fast and tricky
to read, but it is ideal for people to have fun on. After all, how
many of us want to punish ourselves playing an overly challenging
course when on holiday? With strategic pin positions and longer
rough, however, it could be turned into a tough course for even
the best golfer. And the new loop of 9 holes due to open in spring
2008 promises to be tight; the course will then offer three loops
of nine, with some existing holes being modified slightly.
Offering pretty much everything you might wish for, this secluded
Château could be the ideal spot for a relaxing gourmet holiday
with friends or family. It is also an excellent base for exploring
the numerous attractions of the area such as its prehistoric cave
paintings, its picturesque medieval towns, its numerous châteaux,
world famous vineyards and - should you miss big city life - nearby
Bordeaux. If you choose to make Château des Vigiers your base
in the area, the very welcoming and friendly staff will be more
than willing to help you organise your outings.
For full details of the courses and facilities click here.
Relais de Margaux
Relais de Margaux lies right in the heart of the famous Margaux
vineyards, close to the prestigious Médoc wine Châteaux,
35 minutes from Bordeaux town centre, and 40 minutes from the airport.
Indeed, it was itself a wine-growing estate from the 18th century
until the 1980s, and the wine connection is still there as its owners
also own Château Lalaudey, whose wines are served in its 2
restaurants, the "Ile Vincent" Gastronomic Restaurant
situated in the old part of the building and the modern "Brasserie
du Lac" with its panoramic terrace overlooking the course and
the Gironde estuary.
Website: http://www.chateau-lalaudey.fr/
The upmarket Relais boasts 100 spacious and quiet rooms, 9 conference
rooms and a Spa.
The challenging 6048m long par 71 Margaux layout, which opened
in January 2006, already has the makings of a top quality course;
it couldn’t really afford to be anything else, being the bearer
of such a prestigious name! It features small greens, numerous water
hazards - among them the mighty Gironde, narrow fairways and cleverly
positioned bunkers. The fairways are lined with elms and ash trees,
and while some follow the banks of the Gironde estuary, others are
surrounded by lakes and other water hazards.
Among the most memorable holes are the 533 metre long and straight
par 5 10th, the 11th which is a dangerous par 4 with a ditch to
be crossed, and the par 4 13th with water in front. The toughest
is probably the narrow, tree-lined 14th with a ditch on the left
and a ravine with long weeds waiting for stray shots on the right
in front of the green.
The short par 3 12th has two ditches and an extraordinary elevated
green with a small vertical wooden wall on the right and the river
on the left; it becomes an island green when the tide is very high
five or six times a year and you can see a fisherman’s hut
- a "carrelet" typical of the region - behind the hole
on the right (see photo gallery).
Golf de Margaux is challenging, but an enjoyably tranquil course
to play. It will be even better when it has had time to mature and
is completely finished, as they are currently still working on the par
3 7th (late 2006). Give it a few more months and you won't be disappointed.
For full details of the courses and facilities click here.
Golf du Médoc - two championship courses: "Les Châteaux"
and "Les Vignes"
Located in the heart of the world famous Médoc wine-growing
area between Bordeaux and the Atlantic Ocean, Golf du Médoc
is home to two very different championship courses: "Les Châteaux",
inspired by the links of Scotland and "Les Vignes", built
in the heart of a pine forest.
These two natural courses are ranked amongst the best 20 in Continental
Europe and have hosted major national and international events such
as the French Open in 1999 and the Challenge Tour Grand Final in
2000, 2003 and 2004. They are therefore a "must" for golfers
who enjoy a strong sporting challenge.
The 6350 metre long par 71 "Châteaux" course, said
to be the better tougher of the two, is a natural looking
Scottish links-style course featuring gorse, heather, broom and
deep bunkers. Water – but not too much of it, bunkers and wind
make it a tough challenge, as do the very large undulating greens
- it's a good tip to use one more club than you would normally think.
Unusually there are only two par 5s, but the very long par 4s and
short, well-defended par 3s more than make up for this.
Here, the holes are named after Châteaux and the most difficult
on the course - "Château Brillette" - is the 415-metre
long 4th with a dogleg on the left, a dangerous bunker on the fairway
and a green protected by deep bunkers on either side. If you end
up with a par, you can be well satisfied.
"Château Giscours", the 424m long 16th is the longest
par 4 on the course and it also has the largest green. Although
the fairway is quite wide, watch out for dense vegetation on either
side. The prettiest hole is "Château
Pontet Canet", the 5th, which is also the most difficult par
3, with a huge pond on the right and a green that is tough to read.
Although "Les Châteaux" presents a succession of
demanding holes, you can perhaps afford to relax a little when playing
"Château Poujeaux", the 7th, which is the shortest
and the easiest. And while relief is almost at hand when you reach
the 18th, "Château Léoville Poyferre", you
will need accurate shots before tackling the very sloping green.
"Les Vignes", which sadly we didn’t have time to
play, is a 6250 metre long par 71 with long par 5s, carefully designed
greens and well-placed bunkers calling for accurate shots. It is
set in a beautiful, typically local, moorland and maritime landscape
of pine trees.
The modern clubhouse, nestled between the two courses, is entirely
made of glass and timber and offers views over the course. The restaurant
offers good regional cuisine, a buffet is available and you can
get a chance to sample the finest local produce of the prestigious
Médoc region. They have also recently built an 80-room hotel with
a swimming pool and spa between holes 10 and 18. (The hotel is in fact the reason why the "Châteaux"
is only a par 71 - to fit it in they had to shorten a hole.) It
should be very reasonably priced at around 100-150 euros.
For full details of the courses and facilities click here.
Golf Blue Green - Bordeaux Pessac
Golf de Pessac is situated in the middle of a pine forest, 15km
south-west of Bordeaux and just 5 minutes from the airport. It is
also just a few golf drives away from one of the largest Bordeaux
vineyards: Graves of the Pessac-Léognan appellation.
From left to right: A tough course. The practice range over water. The very good golf school for youngsters. |
Golf de Pessac is a flat but testing 27-hole complex, featuring
wide pine-lined fairways, tough bunkers, water hazards and quality,
contoured, fast greens. It also boasts a very good 9-hole Pitch
and Putt, an unusual practice range over water with floating balls
and a very good golf school for youngsters.
For ull details of the courses and facilities here.
Golf International de Lacanau
Golf de Lacanau is a delightful, undulating 18-hole course situated
a stone’s throw away from the Atlantic Ocean, 45km west of
Bordeaux. It winds its way through sand dunes and pine forest and
is renowned for its fast greens and water hazards. It is a varied
course which manages to remain dry all year round, thanks to its
sandy terrain.
From left to right: Course set amongst sand dunes and pine forest. View from clubhouse terrace. The welcoming clubhouse. |
After your round, you will be made very welcome in the clubhouse.
In winter, they offer a bowl of hot soup cooked in the old "marmite"
(hot pot) in the fire-place. Good value for money and friendliness
are keywords here and of course the food is superb.
On-site accommodation is available in the attached hotel’s
newly renovated rooms, and activities for non-golfers can be organised
by the resort: surfing, cycling, sailing, spa, horse-riding, tennis,
paddle-ball, squash and more. Nearby are Lacanau Ocean beach, with
its spectacular waves and beautiful sand and Lacanau Lake with its
many activities. For more than 20 years, Lacanau has been the venue
for a stage of the World Surfing Championship, competitions.
For
full details of all the courses click here.
What to do (apart from its twenty "Grand Cru" golf
courses, naturally) ?
If sightseeing is your thing, you will be spoilt for choice. Will
it be the nearby Dordogne Valley with its ancient fortified towns
and numerous châteaux, the world-famous prehistoric cave paintings
at Lascaux or the medieval towns of Sarlat and St Emilion? You may
also enjoy walking through the many local markets where you can
buy truffles, "cèpes" and "foie gras"
and wonder about the French Paradox.
For beach, water-sports and nature lovers, Bordeaux-Gironde has
126 km of fine, sandy beaches protected by a continuous wall of
sand dunes, including the highest in Europe - Le Pyla - at 112 m.
Behind the dunes you’ll find beautiful lakes and the pine forests
of "Les Landes" and "Gascony" (the biggest forest
in Europe) there to be explored.
You might prefer of course to explore the vineyards of Bergerac,
Pomerol, St Emilion, Sauternes, Médoc, Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves,
Cadillac, Margaux, Bergerac, to name but a few here which cannot
be ignored. With its 7,000 wine châteaux, the Bordeaux region
is probably the most famous and arguably the best wine-producing
region in France, much loved by the English under the name of "claret",
from the French word "clairet", meaning a wine of paler
colour than the darker reds of Burgundy.
Bordeaux can be classified into AOC, crus bourgeois and crus classés.
The wines are so good there that a specific Bordeaux ranking is
needed to classify the best of the best, many of which are universally
known: Margaux, Yquem, Pétrus, Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion...
Château du Taillan - Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
On the way to the Médoc, about 10 kilometres from Bordeaux,
Château du Taillan, a Cru Bourgeois since 1932 and a Cru Bourgeois
Supérieur since 2003, produces award-winning wines using
a combination of the traditional Bordeaux grape varieties - Cabernet
Sauvignon (giving red fruit aromas), Merlot (giving velvety roundness)
and Cabernet Franc (giving finesse and spicy notes).
The Château itself dates back to the 18th century and the
old "chai" or wine-making cellar was rebuilt in the 15th.
Both are French listed buildings.
Visits are available everyday and visitors are either welcomed by
a member of the family or the cellar master himself –Groups
should book ahead. The wine cellars can be hired for private functions.
Postal Address: SCEA Château du Taillan
56 avenue de la Croix
33320 LeTaillan Médoc
Telephone : +33 (0)5 56 57 47 00
Fax : +33 (0)5 56 57 47 01
E-mail : chateaudutaillan@wanadoo.fr
Planet Bordeaux
Learn everything about winegrowing and all the secrets surrounding
wine at "Planet Bordeaux"; fun wine tasting lessons are
organised and there’s even a children’s corner (for play
while the parents are busy – not for tasting)!
Syndicat des Appellations Bordeaux et Bordeaux Supérieur
1, route du Pasquina
33750 Beychac et Caillau
"Planet Bordeaux" is situated on the way to Saint-Emilion,
in the Entre-Deux-Mers and only 20 mn from Bordeaux; RN 89 towards
Libourne Junction 5:
Visits: June to Sept.: Mon-Sat: 10.00 am-6.00 pm
Oct. to May: Mon-Fri: 9.00 am- 12.00 and 2.00 pm-5.30 pm. Closed
in January except for group reservations.
Visit Bordeaux
Traditionally a great trading city, the elegant city of Bordeaux
is now building itself a new lifestyle. An ambitious urban project
is restoring all its prestige to the ancient "Burdigala".
From the Place de la Bourse to the Port de la Lune via the Grand
Théâtre and the Allées de Tourny, this prestigious
18th century part of town has been cleaned out and spruced up, and
is now a pedestrian area.
Where you used to see people rushing around, these days you
see them ambling, cycling or skateboarding, enjoying the sunshine
and the cafés terraces. The new tram is up and running and
small electric buses are running in some small streets (put your
hand up and they stop). Along the quays, the decaying old warehouses
alongside the river have been demolished and the area is due to
be landscaped.
For more information on the city of Bordeaux: http://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/
St Emilion
St-Emilion is a picturesque town located 35 km north-east of Bordeaux,
between Libourne and Castillon-la-Bataille, whose history goes back
to prehistoric times. The town which was named after a monk, who
settled here in the 8th century, is a World Heritage site. In the
12th century, the monks built a unique and wonderful monument dedicated
to their saint, an underground church "Eglise monolithique"
carved out in the solid limestone rock face. It is the largest of
its kind in Europe.
St-Emilion is a charming medieval town with steep hilly cobbled
streets. What makes it so beautiful and unique is the unusual yellow
warm colour of its ancient limestone buildings. You can start your visit of this fascinating town in the "ville
haute" where you can admire the panoramic view over the houses,
roof tops and Market Square with its café terrace beneath
in the lower part of the town.
Then you can make your way down to the « ville basse »
through steep and narrow medieval streets to the oldest monument
of the town the monk’s "ermitage" which is carved
into the rock, "La Chapelle de la Trinité" next
door which was built in the 13th century to celebrate St Emilion,
the catacombs and ossuary and finally to the amazing monolithic
church.
You can also visit the King’s Tower, the Cordeliers Convent
Cloister, the Collegiate Church, the ramparts and Malet de Roquefort's
15th century house and the Musée de la Poterie Populaire
"…
St Emilion wine
The Romans planted vineyards in what was to become Saint-Emilion
as early as the 2nd century. The area is known for its high quality
wines and it is indeed one of the four main Bordeaux red wine-producing
areas (the others being Médoc, Graves and Pomerol). They
all use the same grape varieties - Merlot and Sauvignon but in different
quantities.
Gastronomy and Bordeaux-Gironde Specialties
"Bien manger, bien boire" could be the motto of Bordeaux-Gironde:
you’ll be spoilt for choice. Foie gras, duck, cèpes,
oysters from "Bassin d’Arcachon", are on the menu
everywhere.
More unusual are lampreys, a river fish looking like eels and prepared
as "Lamproie à la Bordelaise" (stewed for four
or five hours in red wine and leeks to which the drained blood of
the fish is added at the end).
Another specialty, which might not be to everyone’s taste,
is "Pibales": Tiny eels, also called "civelles",
which are considered a delicacy here and can reach 300 euros a kilo.
The tiny little eels - 7mm long, are fished out of the estuary when
on their way to the Sargasso Sea where they will become adults.
They are cooked "à l’espagnole" fried in olive
oil with garlic and chili.
 Cèpes (Boletus Edulis)
In the whole of the south-west of France, "cèpes"
are regarded as a great delicacy, the kings of wild mushrooms, very
much sought after and a real conversation piece when in season (How
much…? Where…? How many kilos so and so has picked?...)
From July to October, depending on the weather (they like it hot
and humid), they are sold everywhere from temporary stalls set up
alongside roads, on markets, supermarkets and prices can reach 25
euros a kilo when scarce.
Cèpes à la Bordelaise
500 g cèpes
5 or 6 soup spoons of olive oil
Some lemon juice
3 shallots and (2 cloves of garlic optional)
Chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
1. Wipe the cèpes clean.
2. Remove the stalks. Cook the chopped heads in hot olive oil over
moderate heat. Stir them from time to time.
3. When the heads are slightly brown, add the chopped stalks, garlic,
shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook for a further 5-10
minutes.
4. Deglaze the pan with lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley and serve
as a garnish for grilled steak, goose or duck "confit",
grilled salmon or in an omelet.
Canelés
You will love the "Canelés", which are sweet
little cakes owing their name to the small tins in which they are
baked (see photo). They are flavoured with rum or vanilla and can
be eaten at tea time, with a glass of sweet white wine or served
as in the brasserie at Margaux Golf Club with dry fruit and ice
cream.
"Canelés de Bordeaux": (using egg yolks)
1/2 litre milk
2 whole eggs + 2 whites
225 g sugar
150 g flour
1 pinch of salt
50 g melted butter (+ butter for tins)
1 vanilla pod (split)
1 soup spoon dark rum
Preheat the oven to 200° C (390° F); the baking tray should
be in the oven.
1. In a medium saucepan, heat milk and vanilla.
2. Mix together 2 eggs and add 1 yolk.
3. Pour the hot milk over the eggs beating all the time and let
it cool down.
4. Mix sugar, flour, melted butter, salt and rum over cool mixture
and mix well.
5. Let the mixture rest for several hours (24 hours is ideal).
6 Butter the special "canelés" tins (be generous)
and ¾ fill with batter.
7. Cook for 60 min (or more) in a hot oven 200° C and remove
moulds while still hot.
- Make sure the "canelés" are properly cooked;
they should have a brown crust on top and be soft inside.
- The right tins are easily bought in local shops or on the internet
Macarons de Saint-Emilion (using egg whites)
St-Emilion "Macarons" are delicious little cakes made
with egg whites, sugar and almonds. Although many shops sell them,
the best are supposed to be made by Mme Blanchez who uses a recipe
handed down in generation and was originally the St Emilion Ursulines
nuns’ authentic recipe dating back to 1620!
 Madame Blanchez
9 r. Guadet
St Emilion
Tél. : 05 57 24 72 33
An easy recipe (not Mme Blanchez’ !) for the rest of us:
Ingredients :
150g ground almonds
175g sugar
2 egg whites
Icing sugar
Preheat the oven to 175° C (340° F)
1. Add half the sugar to the ground almonds and mix in an egg white.
Add the rest of the sugar, then the other egg white and mix well.
The mixture shouldn’t be sticky. (if it’s too hard add
some more egg white).
2. Allow the mixture to rest for a bit, and make little mounds on
a baking tray covered with oiled grease-proof paper. Sprinkle with
icing sugar.
3. Put in the oven and open the door from time to time to keep them
nice and soft inside.
Get them off the paper as soon as they’re out of the oven.
Mme blanchez, macarons 1 and 2
Where to stay? Where to eat?
Château des Vigiers
Hotel****, Golf course, Restaurants, Brasserie, Beauty Spa
24240 Monestier
Tel : +33 (0) 5 53 61 50 00
Email : reserve@vigiers.com
Website : www.vigiers.com
Look for special offers at
http://www.chateaudesvigiers.com/en/golf/packages.htm
Relais de Margaux
Hotel****, 100 rooms, Golf course,
Restaurants, Brasserie, Conference
and Banquets Rooms, Swimming Pool,
Tennis & Volley ball Courts, Private
Mooring, Balneotherapy
Relais de Margaux
5, route de l’Ile Vincent
33460 Margaux
Tel : +33 (0) 5 57 88 38 30
Email : relais-margaux@relais-margaux.fr
Website : http://www.relais-margaux.fr
Packages available
Hôtel du Golf de Lacanau***
Overlooking the golf course,
50 recently renovated air conditioned
rooms in a quiet natural surrounding
Hôtel du Golf - Domaine de L'Ardilouse
33 680 Lacanau
Tel : +33 (0) 5 56 03 92 92
Email : info@golf-hotel-lacanau.fr
Website : http://golf-hotel-lacanau.fr
Restaurant
« La Cuisine de l’Ardilouse »
Overlooking the 9th & 18th greens at
Lacanau golf course, friendly restaurant
specializing in Mediterranean cuisine.
Booking recommended:
+33 (0) 5.56.03.92.96
Open everyday for lunch and dinner.
Restaurant Le Bouchon Bordelais
Very picturesque and welcoming tiny
restaurant situated very close to the Grand Théâtre,
right in the centre of Bordeaux, serving delicious
traditional cuisine. Special offers available &
wine can be bought by the glass.
Also sells bottles or wine in the box to take away.
Open everyday exc. Sat. Lunch & Sun.
2 rue Courbin
33000 Bordeaux
Tel : Reservations : +33 (0) 5 56 44 33 00
Website : www.bouchon-bordelais.com
Flying to Bordeaux:
16 national and international airlines fly to and from 35 destinations in France, Europe and the rest of the world.
AEROPORT DE BORDEAUX
Cédex 40 - 33700 Mérignac
Tél. +33 (0)5 56 34 50 00
Fax : +33 (0)5 56 34 23 01
Website: www.bordeaux.aeroport.fr
There are many direct flights to Bordeaux from various locations in Europe and beyond, particularly from London Gatwick and London Stansted, Amsterdam, Munich, Dublin and Basel.
Daily direct flights from London Stansted to Bergerac operated by the "Low Cost" airline, RYANAIR®.
FlyBE operates flights from Southampton, Bristol and Birmingham to Bergerac with 2 new routes from Leeds Bradford and Exeter.
For further information on general tourism in Bordeaux-Gironde, please contact:
http://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/
Photo credits: © Château des Vigiers - Relais de Margaux - Golf du Médoc - Golf de Lacanau - GolfToday
|
del.icio.us
digg
reddit
stumbleupon
facebook
google
What are these 
Email This Page