Bordeaux archivos - Page 4 of 6 - VOLARE MAGAZINE

Salies-de-Béarn, a small town in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques is not a million miles from Bordeaux, and at the end of the journey there is the discovery of an unanticipated setting, the discreet charm of a spa town and an atmosphere all its own.

My association with Salies-de-Béarn goes back many years, I had to make a report in the area and I passed through this Pyrénées-Atlantiques village in my car without stopping. Those few minutes were enough for Salies-de-Béarn to leave an impact on me and I told myself I would return. Since then, I have returned on various occasions and it has always charmed me.

I was initially touched by the Belle Epoque atmosphere of Salies-de-Béarn, with the bandstand in the central square on which stand buildings from the end of the 19^th century: the Thermes and the Chalet which have a slight Moorish feel. On one side of this square is the Hôtel du Parc. This beautiful building dating from 1892 was the last hotel erected in the era when the thermal baths were the focus point of Salies-de Béarn. Its beautiful aspect is enhanced by its ceramic decorated facade. It has a stunning interior with a huge 54 m long and 18 m high hall and glass roof. I am very proud to be able to say that I went up on the roof with the mayor at the time and was able to see the famous canopy close up.

The first time I visited, it was managed by an association that leased rooms to its members, at low prices, that had not been refurbished for decades and were in pitiful condition. But my heart was set on staying there at any cost and they did me the honour of accepting me. One small problem, a then very well known band, the Négresses Vertes, was to give a concert the next day and I could not sleep because the team was installing sound and connections in the hall and stairs. The blows of the hammer and conversations between the technicians resonated throughout the night. No matter, I was at the Hôtel du Parc. Since then, the establishment that still bears the name has been bought, renovated and restored to its former glory. The last time I stayed there I had a very comfortable room.

Starting out from this central square, in front of the old station I found the Hameau de Bellevue, a magnificent group of hotel villas built in 1885, spread around a large park with stables and swimming pool. I asked for permission to enter and was allowed to walk along its paths but, unfortunately, I could not visit the buildings that are now occupied by a medico-social institution. Salies was so well known at one time that Marcel Proust came with his family and Francis and Zelda Scott Fitzgerald lived there. On the hillsides around the town I was also able to admire some of the beautiful properties of the Hameau de Paris.

In the town centre, the Saleys stream adds a romantic touch, into the bed of which the ancient houses that border it are anchored. But the history of Salies-de-Béarn rests on the ages old discovery of salt carried by its underground waters and from which it takes its name. According to legend, a wounded boar escaped the shoemakers, who later found it well preserved and covered with salt crystals. This would be the beginning of the tale of Salies. The exploitation of salt, a scarce and precious commodity, was divided between the Salesians of the time, who in 1587 formed an association of shareholders with very special rules which still exist today and whose rights are transferable. The salt museum is a must for anyone interested in these traditions.

The original village with its small cobbled and flowered streets and its period houses are still very authentic. I like to wander through it and look at the construction dates which are often engraved above the doors. It is also this salt rich water, ten times saltier than sea water, that is used by the thermal baths for its healing properties. And this salt is so particular that it has been recognized by a PGI and is used in the production of Bayonne Ham. I always leave with a few bags of salt. Finally, what I learned later and which especially impacts me is that a Hungarian architect whom I admire, Jozsef Vago, spent the last days before his death in Salies-de-Bearn. I searched for and found his grave in the cemetery to pay him homage.

Location: Salies-de-Béarn See on Google

Despite being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cité Frugès remains little known by Bordeaux’s residents. I discovered it several years ago and I must admit that this architectural complex is surprising.

In the suburbs of Bordeaux, in Pessac, you’ll find Cité Frugès, a housing complex built by Le Corbusier which was finished in 1929. I’d heard about it but I’d never investigated any further until my friend William told me about it. He was the precursor to the rehabilitation and recognition of this neighbourhood which had been left derelict.

As a fan of this revolutionary architecture based on a new vision of housing, he bought an “arcade”, the name given to one of the construction types within the Cité, and embarked on renovation works before moving to live there in 1974 and having it classified by Historical Monuments in 1980. William has devoted a great deal of time to gathering material, particularly via the Le Corbusier Foundation so as not to betray Le Corbusier’s ideas. At that time, he was the only one who was concerned about the preservation of the original architecture. The neighbourhood is ruins, the houses which are still occupied have been damaged by their various owners or occupants.

I saw a rustic lamp hanging from the front of one of these houses to light the way to the front door. It’s an addition which would have made Le Corbusier scream – a betrayal of what he had done. Windows had been transformed, small extensions had been added to enlarge the houses. In defence of its occupants, it should be acknowledged that these very modern houses with bathrooms, garages, general heating, roof terraces and large bay windows, in different geometric shapes and unusual colours are quite baffling.

Over time, the houses in Cité Frugès have aged badly. The roof terraces aren’t always waterproof and rain sometimes drips into the houses. The large bay windows which let in the daylight aren’t very waterproof either, letting draughts in and causing the iron frames to rust. It all explains the temptation to transform them and change the dimensions.

I had another opportunity to find out more about Cité Frugès when I wrote an article published by the Revue Archéologique de Bordeaux (Bordeaux Archaeological Review) on decorative arts in Bordeaux at the beginning of the 20th century. Because Henry Frugès, who gave his name to this neighbourhood and who put Le Corbusier in charge, was very involved in the cultural scene in Bordeaux. This sugar dealer, who ended up ruined and used to love to paint, had a mansion built for himself, hiring the great decorators of the time to work on it. While he chose an opulent, rich style for his own home, with a mixture of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, he focused on triumphant, pared-down modernity for the houses which were built for a working-class population. The project was considered mad and the neighbourhood was known as “the rigolarium” or “Frugès’ sugar cubes”.

When I went to La Chaux-de-Fonds in Switzerland to find out more about its beautiful, style Sapin heritage (linked to Art Nouveau), I felt that I had to visit the first buildings built by Le Corbusier, when he was still called Charles-Edouard Jeanneret. A native of La Chaux-de-Fonds, it was there that he made his debut before leaving the city (following a quarrel over his building sites) and settling in France.

In recent years, the town of Pessac has acquired a “skyscraper” type of house which is open to visitors and is a part of this heritage, the exceptional character of which was recognised by UNESCO in July 2016.

Capital of the seafood-loving Aquitaine region, Bordeaux lies along the banks of the River Garonne, and is home to 362 magnificent monuments, several first class museums and a pedestrian shopping zone that’s over a kilometre long. This charming city has also been famous for fine wines since Roman times, and is still at the epicentre of today’s international wine trade. Get some inside information by visiting Bordeaux’s vintners where you can sample and buy sweet whites such as Chateau d’Yquem, and exclusive reds like Chateaux Margaux, and other top wines at hard-to-beat prices. But if you follow our tips and roam off the beaten track, you’ll discover there’s a lot more to buzzing Bordeaux than historical sights, great shopping and posh grape juice.

By the Garonne and near the Bay of Arcachon, Bordeaux has various culinary specialities when it comes to fish and shellfish. Here’s a quick overview of the dishes which all Bordeaux residents love.

Some seasonal fish swim up or down the Garonne to reproduce. They are only fished during short periods, which makes them rare. My favourite fish is the shad. I look forward to eating it for two reasons: it’s delicious and its availability means that the good weather of April and May is here. The shad is a large fish which lives in the ocean and mates in the Garonne. Once they are born, young shad will return to the ocean, in turn. Shad has a tasty, smooth flesh. Its one small drawback? It has a lot of bones. Don’t mix it up with the twaite shad or the American shad, which are smaller and have drier flesh. To prepare shad, I just grill it in the oven. There’s even a shad guild.

Baby eels, glass eels and eels are also sought after. They have quite a short season, from January to February. I don’t like young eels which look like little worms and which need a lot of garlic and pepper to give them some flavour. Eels, which are the adult version, are cut up and served in small mouthfuls, cooked in garlic and parsley. The baby eels which are born in the Sargasso Sea come to the Garonne before becoming adult eels; they will then make the reverse trip.

The lamprey is a kind of big snake which lives in the sea and makes its way to the Garonne around December. The lamprey, which is not strictly a fish, is rather ugly. It’s not eaten straight away. It is cooked with Bordeaux wine and leeks and is then preserved either at home or by professionals such as Garde and Lou Gascoun. It’s a dish with very unique taste and is often accompanied by boiled potatoes.

I also like salt cod with potato mash. Cod arrived in Bordeaux thanks to cod fishermen who left to fish in Newfoundland. It was dried in Bègles, near Bordeaux. There used to be many drying plants which have mostly disappeared. An old drying plant has a ceramic work by René Buthaud, the great Bordeaux ceramist, in the shape of a cod as part of its frontage. This building housed an artists’ collective known as the “Black Cod”. Their works can still be seen in the garden but it’s all deserted now. For the last few years, Bègles has organised the Festival of Cod in June.

Lastly, oysters from the Bay of Arcachon are always served for special occasions. Pacific oysters are the most common but I prefer European oysters which have almost disappeared, with their more pronounced and iodised taste. They’re always difficult to open. In Bordeaux, we like to serve oysters with sausages.

Like everyone else in Bordeaux, I was keen to try out the Cité du Vin as we’ve heard so much about it over the last few years. The first thing you notice, outside the building, is the architecture, designed by XTU, it’s not for the faint-hearted. On the banks of the Garonne River, the whirlpool shaped building is reminiscent of wine tumbling around in a glass; it made me think of a giant friendly snail whose golden shell is shining in the sunlight. You can access the building from the quay if travelling by car or tram or from the river by boat. The boat journey adds a touch or romance and excitement.

There’s no audio guide, but there’s someone on the trip to help you and he speaks eight languages. Everything is interactive. Either a presentation starts automatically when you enter a particular area, or there is a button to press to start it. There is no set way to go round, you can go wherever you want to and come back on yourself. The world vineyard tour, near the entrance is spectacular, wine growing landscapes from all around the world are projected onto three giant screens and onto the floor. The landscapes table where 50 winegrowers talk about their passion is really informative. The six giant bottles made of wood representing the different categories of wine are also educational. They surround a round touch-screen table, where you can move things about to find out a range of facts. With a whole host of famous people to hear from, I chose Voltaire, Napolean 1st and Colette and they told me about their tastes in wine.

On the historical route, there are replica amphora and other objects linked with wine that can be touched as you look at miniature scenes in little wooden boxes. For the more technical, the changes that wine goes through are described on screens which are inserted into designer coloured stainless steel or wooden rounded, turbulent structures. I thought the boards in complete darkness, where I found myself face-to-face with Hélène Darroze, the chef, explaining how she views life were really interesting. It felt like she was speaking directly to me. Other famous people are also introduced in the same way.

The thing I found most entertaining was the ‘five senses buffet,’ where there are large glass bells, each housing objects, – a leather glove, liquorice, old papers, coffee, lemon or honey- whose aromas can be found in wine. You press on a pear, place your nose into the copper pipe and the aroma comes to you. It’s a really fun way of training your sense of smell. There are a whole host of other themes to discover at Cité du Vin, including the history, culture and progress of Bordeaux wine. To finish my trip I went up to Belvédère which has a ceiling made entirely of bottles and offers a fantastic view of Bordeaux.

At once indestructible and fragile, BETASOM (the Bordeaux Submarine Base) is a reminder of the Second World War. It has become a place to host cultural events, although it hasn’t yet found its own rhythm nor a modus operandi. But the building itself is fascinating and tells a part of Bordeaux’s history.

A huge black 43,000m² concrete shell, on the edge of theBassins à flot area, with its former links to the Bordeaux Port and fed by the water of the Garonne, BETASOM seems full of secrets. I have to actively make the decision to go there, since it’s in an area away from the centre of Bordeaux, Bacalan, which doesn’t always enjoy an excellent reputation but isn’t dangerous.

The Submarine Base was built by the Todt organisation between 1941 and 1943, using Spanish refugee labour and the compulsory labour service (STO) to house and repair German army submarines which travelled up the Garonne from the Atlantic and the Gironde estuary. Seen as a taboo place for many years, it’s the subject of all sorts of outlandish fantasies. When I was at secondary school and the base was closed, friends used to boast about climbing it to visit it in secret – at night, for that extra little thrill.

Nowadays, even though it can be explored when it hosts exhibitions, the Submarine Base retains its mysterious feel. When I step inside, it feels like I’m entering another world: the noise of the surrounding city can no longer be heard and there’s scant natural light.

I walk over the gangways which span the dark water of the cells in which submarines used to glide. I tour the concrete walkways which separate the cells from each other. On the walls, I’ve found written instructions in German which have almost been erased and the remains of materials for repairs.

In the darkness, the walls and their openings are reflected in the water, creating surprising vistas. In the silence, I can hear the slightest sounds: the rustling wings of pigeons which have settled there, cats running around furtively, having found refuge in this extraordinary place and drops of water from leaks as they hit the ground.

With its concrete roof, which is over 9 metres thick to protect it from bombing, the Submarine Base has resisted all human attacks and seems invincible.

But the passing of time has had an effect. Of the eleven cells which housed U-boat submarines, only six are open – the others are in too poor condition. The structure is still solid but leaks let water in, the iron framework has been attacked by rust and concrete crumbles or sprouts with mould.

Witness to a painful, not so distant past, the Submarine Base – which is set to undergo building work – now offers unusual surroundings for innovative cultural projects.

As soon as the sun starts to shine, residents of Bordeaux are irresistibly drawn to the Bay of Arcachon. Yet the beach isn’t the only thing this little inland sea has to offer.

Sixty or so kilometres from Bordeaux, the Arcachon Bay just behind the Atlantic Ocean, is a small area, sheltered from the worst sea conditions, even if the channels transporting water between the Bay and the Atlantic with the tides are rather dangerous.

The Bay becomes surrounded by cars as Bordeaux is drained of its tourists. However, I prefer to avoid the seaside, which is too overcrowded for my tastes and discover other little gems in a more tranquil, protected environment. In Arcachon, the town which gave its name to the Bay, I love to stroll through the Winter Town district. In actual fact it was this part of town which turned Arcachon from a fishing village into a renowned, elegant seaside resort. The Winter Town was largely constructed between 1862 and 1910 on a heap of sloping sand dunes close to the railway station.

There’s nothing surprising about that as the whole project was led by Arcachon’s Property Company (Société Immobilière d’Arcachon), a subsidiary of Compagnie du Midi who bought the first railway line to Arcachon on 1857 and built the station there in 1864. An initiative dreamed up by the banking brothers frères Péreire. Another driving force behind the Winter Town was doctors, who highly recommended the restorative climate to fragile patients and those suffering with tuberculosis.

I like to wander along the leafy streets of Winter Town which wind around showing glimpses of the park or incredible chalet style houses where you can imagine stories of times gone-by: turrets, keeps, eaves, jutting walls, verandas and balconies with intricate wooden railings can be found wherever you turn. A whole host of unique architecture and heritage from the 19th century magnificently preserved. It can be fun to try and figure out where the names came from: villa Faust, villa Marguerite, villa Toledo, villa Alexandre Dumas, villa l’Ensoleillée (Sunshine), villa la Vigie (look-out), villa Montretout (show-all), villa Giroflé (wallflower) or villa Brémontier in honour of the engineer who figured out how to build upon the sand dunes.

Every time I visit I can’t help walking along the little Saint-Paul walkway which straddles the road below and links Mont Saint-Paul and Mont Sainte-Cécile. I ought to add that ‘Mont’ is the rather pompous name given to two sand dunes. My great regret is that the particularly exotic and ornate Casino Mauresque was destroyed in the fire of 1977.

Before leaving Arcachon, I head back to the coast to buy some oysters and stop for an ice-cream at O Sorbet d’Amour and then in the boutique near the Casino, not because I want to gamble, but to admire the architecture of Château Deganne whose building it occupies.

Squares (or places in French) play a unifying role in cities. As places where streets and avenues come together, easy-to-find points of reference and meeting places for children, OAPs, lovers and tourists, they allow us all to take a break and represent cities and the neighbourhoods within them. What’s more, I’ve found that they tend to change when statues or fountains are added or destroyed – new developments transform them.

There are plenty of squares in Bordeaux but my personal favourites are linked to my routine, my idiosyncrasies and my memories. Some of these squares are well known, others are much less so. The Place de la Bourse is obviously the most famous square in Bordeaux. It has it all: its size, its majestic design, its location overlooking the Garonne and the Miroir d’eau reflecting pool which has become an unmissable spot where you can have fun, cool down or take a selfie. The centre of the square is occupied by a fountain which shows the Three Graces which replaced the Louis XV sculpture which was destroyed in 1792 during the French Revolution. I never tire of looking at the eighteenth century facades in white stone, designed by Gabriel and which surround the square in a semicircle.

The Place Gambetta has lost some of its charm in recent years, having been turned into roundabout for buses. But I’ll never forget the amazement I felt when I used to stand on a small bridge, gazing down at the large carp which swam in the stream there. Afterwards, I used to enjoy a pine nut croissant at Darricau. The chocolatier still exists but its tea room and its croissants have gone. As I left, I used to glance at the “Zero km” marker, discreetly leaning against the wall of number 10. This is the official centre of Bordeaux – or rather, the centre of my world as far as I was concerned when I was a little girl.

The Place des Martyrs de la Résistance is definitely “my” square. It’s another square in the centre of Bordeaux which isn’t visited by tourists. It’s rich with history with the Saint Seurin church, but that’s not why I love it so much. When I was little, I used to pass it four times a day on the way to and from school. It was still called the Allées Damour – a name which I found very poetic, seeing the word as “d’amour” (“of love”) in my head. There used to be a statue of my hero Vercingetorix, the glorious Gaul who fought against the Romans. It has since disappeared. There was also a pond, replaced by an unremarkable playground, where I used to sail my red and white sail boat. Every spring, it held the Saint Fort fair, a flower show. That was always the moment when I used to be sat on the tomb of Saint Fort in the crypt of the Saint Seurin church so that I wouldn’t fall ill during the year.

Lastly, I recently discovered the Place Amédée-Larrieu which is a joy! Yet it’s unknown to most Bordeaux residents and isn’t visited by tourists. It has an Art nouveau design which is unusual in Bordeaux with a former market with curled wrought ironwork worthy of Horta and a fountain by Raoul Verlet, called Burdigala. It’s a breath-taking sight, made up of a nymph on a boat, mermen, cherubs, turtles and other animals as well as a woman, an allegory of the vines for which Bordeaux is so well known.

For many people, especially outside France, Bordeaux is synonymous with wine. But this city whose name is inscribed on thousands of bottles does not actually have any large vineyards within its boundaries. I have a few places where I can take friends who want to see vineyards without having to travel miles to the Médoc or to Saint-Émilion, to mention just the most prestigious appellations. But I prefer to keep a few surprises up my sleeve.

There are a few châteaux close to Bordeaux, including Château Smith Haut Laffitte no less: a Pessac-Léognan. This is the château where the cosmetics brand Caudalie was created, which uses certain properties of the grapes and vines in its creams and serums. Here you can enjoy the Sources de Caudalie spa. Close to Bordeaux, you can also discover Pape Clément and Haut-Brion, two châteaux within the Graves appellation.

However, I also know of some more surprising and more secret places in Bordeaux. “More secret” is really just a figure of speech, as these vines are so conspicuous that they become almost invisible as a result. The crowds pass in front of them without even a glance. Something else which is unusual is that you will never be able to buy bottles from these vineyards. They do not leave their owner’s cellar.

One of the oldest vines in Bordeaux is located at the Place de la Victoire and now shelters a McDonald’s. You have to lift your gaze to see its foliage spreading out over a kind of high trellis. It was planted at the end of the eighteenth century by the Duverger family. Originally, there were six vine plants, but only this one has survived and the city council now maintain it all year round. It is a very old grape variety called Cruchen Nègre which is now rare and deserves to be pampered.

The grapes harvested by the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) produce eight to ten bottles of the Bordeaux appellation a year, which are stored in the cellar at Bordeaux City Hall together with wines from Château La Béchade. This younger vineyard lies deep in Jardin de la Béchade. Its 1,000 Merlot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon grapevines were planted in 2002 by children from Bordeaux schools.

Finally, my favourite vineyard due to its location is at Bordeaux-Merignac Airport in the Bordeaux conurbation. I never pass up the chance to have a look at it when I am going away or coming back from a trip. The vineyard is called Croix de Guyenne and is the only one in the world planted at an airport, but isn’t just there to look pretty. It is managed by Olivier Bernard, who is in charge of the prestigious Domaine de Chevalier. Everything is done by the book and by hand. For 18 years, the harvests have been undertaken by different socio-professional groups and have produced 1,200 bottles. I took part in the harvest of 2009 carried out by journalists.

It’s been a century since Maison Darricau first captured the attention of Bordeaux‘s food lovers, regardless of age. Originally a patisserie and tea house, in 1994 Maison Darricau decided to focus on chocolate. Master chocolatier Michel Garrigue, who took over the business from his parents and grandparents, gives his imagination free reign in order to celebrate the gustatory features of the grand cru chocolates he selects with the utmost care and unfailing passion. It took someone of his particular daring to combine chocolate and basil. He never turns down a challenge, all the while respecting the inherent character of the chocolate.

Some sixty varieties are available, but some of his creations are particularly refined, such as the “pétillant,” a praline that’s full of surprises. The semi-sweet chocolates in their glass jars play on a variety of flavors with dried fruits, each one more delicious than the next. I must admit I can rarely resist these temptations right at my fingertips. The sushi tray is a little nod to Japan. Not only do these chocolates look like real sushi rolls, but their taste also calls to mind the flavors of Asia: a praline with peanuts and wasabi, a green tea or sake and rose ganache, as well as ginger marzipan.

Lastly, and inevitably, with his home region in mind, Darricau has devised the “grain de sable,” a sea salt praline rolled in crushed hazelnuts (it’s my favorite, truly addictive), the “pavé de Bordeaux,” a praline with grapes macerated in wine then rolled in cinnamon and sugar, and the “confit de vin,” a ganache simmered at length with Graves Bordeaux wine. A perfect gift, perhaps to yourself, is the “Weekend Box”, which includes in its wooden packaging three bottles of Bordeaux wine, four grands crus chocolates, a box of “pavés de Bordeaux” and a container of “confit de vin”.

Everything is made on site, which explains the delicious smell that permeates the air. To try these exceptional chocolates, you must go to the boutique in Bordeaux, as it’s the only place they are available. Harking back to the traditions of the old Darricau tea house, Michel Garrigue has recently brought back the “Basque Beret”, one of the cakes –with plenty of chocolate, of course – that made the establishment famous. This creation has plenty of local color, since the French Basque Country, where the hat is still worn, isn’t far from Bordeaux, and it’s through the port at Bayonne that chocolate first came to France.