The BEST Day To Visit BORDEAUX By Bike 🎨

Day 53. 26km (86133kms 8yrs)

After hosting me so generously Christine and Michel also invited me to join them on their ride into Bordeaux to meet their cycling friends. At the river they went north and I went south with a day to explore the city. I’d searched in vain for a Bordeaux host all week with no luck until all of a sudden – I now had three! (Like the old saying about buses!) So after accepting Christine and Michel’s offer, I’d postponed my arrival to Aurelie and cancelled one other.

So I was now in the rather wonderful position of having a full day to explore Bordeaux by bike. On top of that it being the first Sunday of the month, the museums were free, and the streets were car-free for the day. I enjoyed the installations at the Musée d’Art Contemporain, and paintings at the Galerie des Beaux Arts. As I rode between Lonely Planet recommended churches the neighbourhoods surrounding each one changed rapidly. For the first time I was hearing languages other than French from people of immigrant descent. I was buoyed hearing Arabic music coming from a little canteen in a busy market. I stopped for free coffee and cake at a stall in an African neighbourhood. I hadn’t noticed at the time but the four weeks I’ve been riding in France have been utterly white until now.

The first synagogue I’ve seen in a long time had dozens of fresh yellow ribbons tied to the gates. I made a final stop at a ruined 3rd-century amphitheatre of the ancient city of Burdigala before making my way finally to chez Aurelie. Negotiating Gibbo down the low street entrance to the cellar I learned this beautiful house is in the typical Bordeaux style; it would be my home for the next 2 nights.

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