Bordeaux
Bordeaux is not only a city but a wine region known to the world. It is also the region where I was born. I was lucky enough to grow up in a small town called Léognan, with a beautiful garden and a large swimming pool. The city of Bordeaux welcomed me when I was a teenager, when I needed to go out and gain my independence. I consider this city the most beautiful in the world and I like to go back there as often as possible ...
The city of Bordeaux has an incredible heritage, a multitude of museums and sensational architecture. The surrounding wine region offers an ordered, almost military, but also majestic landscape with large castles and estates.
My recommendations:
- Go visit the Cité du Vin.
- Enjoy a walk on the quays and the Chartrons district.
- Eat an entrecote at the Brasserie Bordelaise.
- Buy canelés at La Toque Cuivrée and eat them on the steps of L'opéra or the Miroir d'eau.
Arcachon bay
The Bassin d'Arcachon is a lagoon near the city of Bordeaux and home to the highest sand dune in Europe. The Arcachon basin is subject to tides which allow the operation of numerous oyster and seafood parks developing seaside tourism. I usually go there regularly in the summer to enjoy the sun and the salt water or to see friends I have made while having a season in an oyster hut.
Embracing the Atlantic Ocean, the landscapes change, the fishing villages emerge and the beaches evolve ... The water is relatively cold but the sand is fine and the tranquility is incomparable ...
My recommendations:
- Have a tasting of oysters on the grass of Chez Boulan and enjoy the hot water of the basin.
- Enjoy the waves on the beaches of the ocean at the tip (beware of the chilly!).
- Eat an ice cream along the jetty in Arcachon or drink a glass of wine at La Co(o)rniche while enjoying a breathtaking view!
Paris
In addition to being the most romantic city in the world, Paris is the capital of luxury. I love coming back to Paris for just a few days to enjoy the gardens, cafes and theaters ... This city is magnificent with its many monuments and I love to stroll through the alleys of Montmartre. The view over Paris from the Sacré Coeur is breathtaking and the cafes attract "typical" tourists ...
I can not see myself living there but I can imagine that it is so coveted. The metro is an experience in its own that I don't appreciate and the swarming activity is stifling.
My recommendations:
- Enjoy a walk : the Eiffel Tower - Pont Alexandre III - Louvre Museum - Pont des Arts - Notre Dame Cathedral.
- Take a boat trip to admire the city from a new angle.
- Spend an evening in a comedy club (Paname, Jamel Le Comedy-club etc) if you speak French or go to the Louvre.
MONACO
This brief week spent in Monaco gave me plenty of time to observe the preponderance of luxury and money that inhabits the region. Casinos, shops and luxury hotels are multiplying in the principality which is in constant renovation. There is a real contrast between the exterior and degraded appearance of the buildings and their completely renovated interiors . The constructions multiply and the space begins to lack, which is why the city begins to develop on the water. An undeniable ecological impact for marine flora and fauna.
I also take advantage of the region to discover the city of Grasse, its perfume museum and its history rooted in the development of cosmetics or the magnificent cliffs of the Cap Ferrat's coast.
My recommendations:
- Go for a cocktail on the Fairmont Hotel terrace.
- Live the "money-gasque" experience by playing at the casino.
- Spend a spa day at the Thermes Marins de Monte-Carlo.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is only 2 hours from Bordeaux so very pleasant to spend the weekend there. I went there a few times but also with my student association. Our first stopover was in La Rochelle so we organized an event in a bar in the old port and then we left the next day by boat or two days later by car for Lorient.
La Rochelle is a small city that moves a lot because there are a lot of students in business school or design college etc. The bars are therefore usually full in the evening and there are a lot of nice shops in the town center for shopping. If you move away from the center and explore the surrounding villages, you can find beautiful beaches and seaside.
My recommendations:
- Go see the fish at the legendary La Rochelle aquarium.
- Climb to the top of the Lantern Tower.
- Discover the beaches of Châtaillon-Plage.
MOissac
In Tarn-et-Garonne and only an hour from Toulouse, you will find the small village of Moissac. Located on the road to Saint Jacques de Compostela, the city is famous for its cloister and its Abbey dating from the 8th century AD. Moissac is a beautiful little village in the South of France. Its colorful streets of red brick or stone give all its character to the city. Pleasant in winter or in summer, its canal and its history carried by rugby make it a typical place.
I am particularly attached to this city because the maternal side of my family still lives there. And the city's rugby stadium is named after my grandfather Jo (Georges) Carabignac who played for the France team from 1951 to 1953.
My recommendations:
- Stroll along the canal.
- Have a coffee in the place of the abbey.
