Les Sources de Caudalie

Worth getting out of bed for

You’ll never be at a loss for things to do in the hotel. Explore the surrounding countryside on one of the hotel’s bikes, or for something a little less energetic, take in the views on a private horse-and-carriage ride around the winery. Art lovers can appreciate the hotel’s sculpture collection on a guided tour of the estate. There’s a tennis court a few 100 metres away and the hotel has rackets and balls you can borrow for a friendly match or lesson with their coach, Julien. Learn to cook with panache – or at least try to – in a class with chef Nicolas Masse; he passes on his passion for fine dining two Saturday mornings a month. Pair this with a wine tasting in Rouge: the uninitiated can book a lesson with head sommelier, Aurélien Farrouil and learn the ABC of aligotés, barolos and cabernets. Take a tour of Château Smith Haut Lafitte winery next door, or another nearby vineyard – Bordeaux’s finest are less than an hour’s drive away and La Cité du Vin hosts talks, tours and tastings alongside their permanent wine-themed exhibitions. The teetering Gothic towers and grand Neo-classical squares of Bordeaux are just 30 minutes away. Break up trips to the Musée des Beaux-Arts and CAPC Museum of Contemporary Art with cups of coffee and copious cannelés in riverside cafes. La Dune du Pilat in Arcachon Bay are just an hour away by car; it’s a long way to the top of Europe’s tallest sand dunes, but the view is worth the climb. Board the Caudalie (the hotel’s boat) and explore the area from the Atlantic on a day trip to the Île aux Oiseaux’s cabanes tchanquées (wooden houses on stilts), Banc d’Arguin National Park and the Cap Ferret peninsula.

Local restaurants

There’s something soporific about watching the sun glisten over the Garonne River, particularly when accompanied by a bottle of wine at Café du Port. This modern riverside restaurant serves French cuisine with postcard-worthy vistas of the old city. A meal at L'Oiseau Bleu is a fine-dining affair to remember. Put your faith in chefs Sophie and Frédéric and dine on their seven-course Menu Confiance; there’s an à la carte, too. Set in the centre of the Place de la Bourse, you’ll have no problem finding elegant eatery Restaurant Le Gabriel. The grand 19th-century façade sets your expectations for what’s within – high ceilings, elegant furnishings and extravagant crystal chandeliers. The food doesn’t disappoint either; chef Nicolas Frion offers a modern take on traditional French fare, with a couple of exotic flavours thrown into the cooking pot too. Enjoy the likes of hake with hazelnut butter, confit beef-cheek stuffed with foie gras, peach melba with hibiscus and a cheese course – of course. If you haven't had your fill of fromage, you can have it for each course in Baud et Millet's vaulted dining room. Try cream of aged mimolette with scallops to start, Fourme d'Ambert with smoked salmon and pear purée for a main and cheesecake with citron cream for dessert; and, if you're not too feeling too cheesy, pick up a few blocks to nibble on in the deli.

Local cafés

Step into the Belle Époque at Café du Levant for one of Bordeaux’s famous oyster dishes. Opened in 1896, the brasserie is filled with rich-red velvet banquettes and dining chairs, gold-and-glass chandeliers, dark wood furniture and early-1900s posters advertising the tipple du jour. Le Café Populaire is brimming with character – from it’s disco ball and feather-boa-lined ceiling to its wooden floors. Sharing is caring at this tapas bar, so order plenty of gambas risotto, duck breast and beef carpaccio for the whole table: the tables are pretty close together so expect to rub elbows with Bordeaux’s best. Head to La Tupina for real traditional sud-ouest cuisine. Dine on foie gras, duck-wing confit, or whatever’s on the day’s menu, around a roaring fire. With knick-knacks on the shelves, bunches of garlic bulbs hanging from the ceiling and a large open kitchen that looks like it hasn’t been changed since the early 20th century, dining here is like having a home meal – just without the in-laws. 

Local bars

The wine-stacked shelves of Brasserie Bordelaise carry more than 700 different types of vin. Sampling the whole cellar may be going a bit far, but you can certainly make a dent in the list while nibbling on oysters, caviar and Blondes d’Aquitaine and Noir de Bigorre ham. For unbeatable views over the city, head to Mama Shelter’s rooftop bar: the towering steeples of Bordeaux Cathedral are so close it feels like you could reach out and touch them – but don’t. If the view doesn’t impress you, the foosball tables, inflatable-ring-lined bar and drinks list of classic and innovative cocktails, will. Let the bartenders of L'Alchimiste work their magic on a gin-infused Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil cocktail, or A Birdie Told Me tipple (made with Calle 23 tequila silver, Rabarbaro Zucca, salted caramel, lime and spices), while you settle into one of the gold-hued sofas and armchairs. With low lighting, rickety wooden shelves and even a couple of crucifixes hanging from the stone walls, the interior well befits an alchemist’s hangout.