Bordeaux, a term that comes with an accolade of prestige, as epicureans salivate over the taste of the high-priced, full bodied red wines. Those who are true admirers of the wines will take their ardor to far lengths by traveling to the renowned region of Bordeaux, France. However, what many do not realize is that the region of Bordeaux is not only filled with panoramic rolling hills of vineyards. The city, which sits on the Garonne River, is filled with 18th century Gothic architecture and home to 250,000 residents, making it one of France’s largest cities. La Cite’ du Vin in Bordeaux
With a city built on the industry of wine, you can expect to find tasting rooms and gastronomy-inspired attractions all around. By far our favorite attraction, surely not to be missed, is La Cite’ du Vin museum.
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What to Except at La Cite’ du Vin in Bordeaux
The realm of wine is fascinating and La Cite’ du Vin is the perfect destination to explore not only the exquisite Bordeaux’s of the region, but also vintages from all around the world.
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The Exterior Facade of La Cite’ du Vin
Experience this visual, architectural masterpiece from the moment you exit the tram. The rolling, curvaceous shapes along with the changing reflections emitted from this golden structure gives visitors a sense of wine twirling in a glass.
The Self-Guided Tour
Once you’ve entered the building, head upstairs to the permanent collection which resembles the wooden interior of a ship. Here is where your immersive voyage begins. You’ll “travel” across the undulating seas to distant shores to explore the varied cultures and civilizations of wine. There are 20 different themed areas divided into 3 sections for attendees to encounter.
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The 20 Rooms at La Cite’ du Vin
- World Wine Tour: Start with a fly-by aerial view of spectacular landscapes of wine regions
- Worlds of Wine: Learn about the spread of vines across different cultures and climates
- The Terroir Table: Winemakers from 10 regions tell you their own stories on a touch screen
- E-Vine: Interactive grapevine where you learn about grape varietals and their care
- The Metamorphoses of Wine: Discover the secrets of winemaking in curvaceous domes
- Wine Portraits: Put yourself in big bottles to discover different wine types
- Wine over Water: Learn about major sea routes for wine distribution
- All Aboard!: Hop on an interactive ship accompanying wine merchants around the world
- The Gallery of Civilizations: Time travel through civilizations of wine
- The Trend Wall: Wine capitalizes on today’s trends in wine bars and cellars
- The Buffet of the 5 Senses: Smell everyday aromas to heighten your senses to wine flavors
- The Banquet of Legends: A theater viewing of legendary wine enthusiasts
- Drinking and the Dark Side: Relationship between men and alcohol
- The Art of Living: Wine service from the Greeks to modern day sommeliers
- Meet the Experts: View life-size 3 dimensional wine experts and their secrets
- Bacchus and Venus: Lay on sofas and view the wines of love on the ceiling
- Divine Wine: Paintings and music intersect to evoke wine mythology
- Bordeaux, the city and its wines: Wine has left its mark on the city and its landscapes
- The Epic Tale of Bordeaux: Follow a time traveler over 2000 years of wine making
- Special Exhibitions: Brings in art from museums and private collections in the spring
You can choose between a host-guided tour or self-guided tour. For the self-guided, you can pick up an audio tour device (available in 8 languages) upon first entering the building. This will be your guide as you wander this experiential, innovative environment at your own pace.
Latitude 20
Be sure to visit Latitude 20, a dark wine cellar and wine bar with over 800 wines from more than 70 countries. Here you’ll find a knowledgeable team of sommeliers to answer all your questions and tempt you to indulge in carefully selected vintages matched to your tastebuds. They offer some reasonable selections from 5-50 Euros along with those highly touted, hard to find bottles for the wine connoisseur. There is also a snack bar if you don’t plan on spending anytime dining here.
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Other Experiences at La Cite’ du Vin
Allow at least a half-day for your visit, but to truly enjoy all that this exhibition has to offer including perhaps a reserved lunch at Restaurant Le 7 on the 7th floor, leave a full-day on your itinerary.
Finish off your day at La Cite’ du Vin in Bordeaux with a wine-tasting in the 360° panoramic top floor Belvedere room which features tastes of selected wines from around the world.
Before you take off, make sure to stop by The Boutique back on the bottom floor. They offer a unique selection of wine-related products and gifts.
La Cite’ du Vin also offers cultural and themed wine tasting workshops for the novice to the connoisseur. Make this sensory adventure of wines a MUST during your trip to Bordeaux.
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How much does La Cite’ du Vin Cost?
Entrance to La Cite’ du Vin costs 16-20€, which includes a wine tasting and access to all the permanent exhibits.
I highly recommend purchasing the Bordeaux City Pass which includes entrance to the museum before 12pm, along with other local attractions. This includes travel on trams, buses and river shuttles plus a city tour. This is the most economical way to enjoy the many pleasures of Bordeaux with a single or multi-day pass. Currently, prices are 29€ for 24 hours, 37€ for 48 hours, and 43€ for 72 hours, but are subject to change.
How to Get to La Cite’ du Vin in Bordeaux
Take Tram Line B from the city center to the La Cite’ du Vin stop. From there, it’s a mere 2 minute walk to the entrance. This is definitely the most convenient and inexpensive means of transportation to the museum.
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I was only in Bordeaux for one day and now have a reason to return! This is right up my alley!
Wow this sounds like a wine lovers paradise!!