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BORDEAUX Perhaps no place in the world can boast to have food and wine quite as superb as that found in Bordeaux. Now, France's capital gastronomique is building on its reputation by pouring money and effort into fashioning itself as an all-round winning European city. Michael Keyte says Bordeaux has never been better. These days Aquitaine's regional capital has a fresh and dynamic air, especially along the river frontage. Old and disused port buildings have been replaced by grass and trees. Car parks have been put underground, and superb historic buildings like the ones on Place de la Bourse, have been cleaned and restored. The first stage of Bordeaux's new tramway system is nearing completion, and wherever it passes there are new pavements, trees have been planted and street furniture placed. This revamp is thanks to Bordeaux's mayor, Alain Juppe, who six years ago at the age of 49 took over the administration of this rundown city that seemed half-asleep. Since then, the charismatic mayor has set in motion a complete programme of modernisation. "We've got our work mapped out for the next ten years," he comments. He likes to tour around everywhere as often as he can and usually on his bike, checking progress on a mass of different projects, noting down what he has seen in his now famous little black book. All this is taking place in the historic port which for three centuries belonged to the English crown. But modernisation is not what Bordeaux is best known for; it is of course renowned the world over as the capital of Europe's biggest top quality wine region and the local cuisine is something to write home about too! The region is famous for its seafood, especially its oysters, which in Bordeaux usually come from Arcachon, and are often served with little grilled sausages called Crepinettes. Curious eel-like fish called lampreys come up the Gironde estuary each spring and are served as lamproie à la bordelaise; they are cooked in well-bodied red wine with leeks, onions, mushrooms and chopped ham. The term à la bordelaise is also applied to a variety of other local dishes. The delicious big brown wild mushrooms, called cèpes de Bordeaux are slowly cooked in oil with garlic and parsley to make cèpes à la bordelaise. There is a wide range of other dishes based on eggs, fish, shellfish, kidneys and steak, which are prepared using shallots and red or white wine. The most familiar steak dish is entrecôte à la bordelaise, where bone marrow is added to the wine sauce. The crowning glory of the local cuisine is perhaps gigot d'agneau de pauillac, roasted leg oflamb from the marshes along the shores of the Gironde estuary. Many gourmets say that the lambs here are as excellent as those fattened on the salt marshes of Normandy.
EATING OUT Le Chapon Fin (5 Rue Montesquieu) is a historic restaurant that has been bought by Jean-Michel Cazes, owner of the Paulliac Château Lynch-Bages. A team of chefs, led by Thierry Marx, produce creative yet authentic cuisine of the highest quality. They offer such dishes as la sole en croûte garni aux pignons, lièvre royal (a rich regional version of jogged hare) and l'aloyau de blond Aquitaine frotté au poivre avec sa râpée de truffes frais (peppered sirloin steak). Traditional desserts include the splendid gâteau de pommes cuit au four (apple pie). There is an excellent choice of wines and service is faultless. Le Saint James, (3 Place Camille-Hosteins, Boullac) is located in the sleepy village on the escarpment outside the town overlooking the river. New chef Michel Portos maintains the reputation of this restaurant as being among the best of the region. You can try the palets de tourteaux et palourdes (crab and baby clams), the pot au feu de pigeon au gout de cèpes (casseroled pigeon with wild mushrooms) and end, perhaps, with nems au chocolat (chocolate pastries). L'oiseau Bleu (65 cours de Verdun) has a comfortable and welcoming interior where the chef who originates from the Elysée palace offers superb dishes created each day from the produce he has bought in the market that morning. The menu often includes macaronade gasconne and pissaladière de sardines. At Didier Gélineau (26 rue du Pas-Saint-Georges) in the small, cosy and welcoming interior you will be served cuisine combining traditional and new methods which offer you delights such as soupe de cèpes and Fricassé de homard with superb desserts to follow, served in a small and cosy interior, where you will be made welcome. When dining at L'Imprevu (11 rue des Remparts) make sure that you book in advance; there are tables outside in this pedestrianised street which are ideal for al fresco dining when the weather is fine. Make sure you try pot au feu en salade and filet mignon de pore à la moutarde. Alternatively another great address for outdoor dining is Le Café de la Place (13 Place du Parlement) a great little bistro which is recommended for its fixed two course menu - you can choose from either a starter and a main or a main and a dessert for just €8. WINE, WINE, WINE The city of Bordeaux is capital of the world's largest wine region producing top quality wines that are exported around the world. The main production areas cluster together on both sides of the Gironde estuary, and carry names which are familiar to wine lovers. The locals say that the best wines are produced within sight of water, by which they mean near to the estuary or to the two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne. As you travel around the area, from time to time you will see superb, immaculate historic châteaux, dominating the serried ranks of vines. Unpretentious everyday wines, both reds and whites are simply labelled with the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) of Bordeaux. More precisely, AOCs with even stricter controls are given to identify the particular area where the wine was produced, such as Médoc, Graves, Entre-Deux-Mers, St. Emilion and Côtes de Blaye. Many of the top quality full-bodied red wines come from a string of communes along the west shore of the Gironde, especially St. Estèphe, Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux. Here are many of the most famous châteaux, such as Lafite, Rothschild, Latour and Mouton-Baron- Phillipe, which, of course, trade under their own labels. If you want to visit any of the Chateaux you can get details from two centres. The Gironde Tourist Office (21 cours de l'Intendence, tel: +33 (0)5 56 81 09 99) or the Maison du Vin de Bordeaux (3 cours du 30 Juillet, tel: €33 (0)5 56 00 22 66). Both have a Nice time Staying in a Boutique Hotel as the Hotel Massena in the heart of Nice, will allow you to enjoy a prestigious setting and be within walking distance of several of the numerous attractions of Nice. You will be able to do your shopping, visit the old part of the city, go to the beach or browse at the Cours Saleya market without having to use a car. Whatever your programme, back at the hotel you will enjoy the comfort of the rooms, the perfect service, and a cosy setting decorated with delicate frescoes. The great vineyards of the Haut Médoc (which often insist on you booking at least two weeks in advance) are Château Margaux (Tel: +33 (0)5 57 88 83 393) Château Mouton-Rothschild (Tel: +33 (0)5 56 73 21 29) and Château Cos d'Estourel (Tel: +33 (0) 5 56 73 15 50.) Most châteaux will sell the odd souvenir bottle, but many refuse to operate retail sales, no doubt because of their contracts to local wine merchants. But you can go wine shopping at the l'Intendant wine shop (2, allées de Touny) and thanks to intense competition between the various French supermarket chains, you may well find the best choice and prices for wines in the Mériadeck complex (rue du Château d'Eau). Edible souvenirs to take home include one of the Bordeaux specialities: delicious little sponge cakes called canelés which are coated brown with caramel and are sold in all the good patisseries as are the macarons de Saint Emilion. RH
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