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<\/a>La Giraurdi\u00e8re volunteers view sunflowers from the train en route to Bordeaux<\/p><\/div>\n
The sixth largest city in France, Bordeaux dates back to before Christ when it was inhabited by a Celtic tribe. However, archeological digs show evidence of Neanderthal Man in the region.\u00a0 All this can be learned at the marvelous Mus\u00e9e d’Acquitaine in the heart of the city.\u00a0 But I get ahead of myself.<\/p>\n
On Saturday July 19th, six La Guardi\u00e8re volunteers set off in the wee hours of the morning for Chalais station , or gare, to catch the train to Bordeaux.\u00a0 Beautiful fields of sunflowers, surrounded by sweeping green hills dotted the landscape as the train sped to its destination.<\/p>\n
A quick breakfast in the train station put us in the right mood to take on the city.\u00a0 But not before Salwan had a chance to show his impressive piano skills on the upright in the train station.\u00a0 Accompanied by Marlene on vocals, he played American standards, Irish folk songs and religious hymns.\u00a0 So caught up in his music, a nearby shop girl, with pen and paper in hand, left her station to inquire of the name of his last song.<\/p>\n
<\/a>La Giraurdi\u00e8re volunteer Marlene accompanies Sal on the piano as Colin looks on.<\/p><\/div>\n
For the record, it was Danny Boy<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Leon, Bridget and Sal headed off on their own while I joined Marlene and Colin for a quick trip on the tram to the city center.<\/p>\n The tram itself deserves some recognition.\u00a0 Opened in 2003, it is rightly so, the pride of the city.\u00a0 Looping through the most dense part of the city, it fans out to the more modern areas.<\/p>\n For four Euros you can buy a day pass that allows you to ride the tram all day, getting on and off wherever you please.\u00a0 Marlene was immediately captivated by the markets that seemed to stretch on endlessly along the river quay.\u00a0 Colin and I headed for the Basilica of San Michel with the goal of climbing its 114 meter tower.<\/p>\n The church, built in the 14th century, was heavily damaged during World War II.\u00a0 All of the precious stained glass windows were shattered.<\/p>\n The rooftops of Bordeaux from the Tower of San Michel<\/p><\/div>\n Restoration has been imaginative with contemporary styling of the restored glass; it gives the basilica a timeless appeal.\u00a0\u00a0 Priceless art fills the church but nothing is more impressive than the Pieta dating back to the fifteenth century.<\/p>\n A Roman catacomb and cemetery was found under the church in the latter half of the nineteenth century.\u00a0 Mummified remains were then displayed for a hundred years until the bodies were finally laid to rest in the 1990s. Dignitaries such as Victor Hugo and Gustave Flaubert visited them.\u00a0 Evidence of this can be found in their writings.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Tower of San Michel yields some of the most breathtaking views of the city.\u00a0 The Bridge of Thirteen Arches along with the modern bridges are sharply in view.\u00a0 The vantage point from the top of the tower gives a stunning glimpse of the splendidly dense red clay rooftops of Bordeaux.<\/p>\n Bordeaux is a food lovers dream with streets of outdoor cafes specializing in local produce and seafood. We chose a salad buffet bar which served up ample portions of fresh greens and vegetables.\u00a0 The meal was topped off by a delicious creme fraiche parfait.<\/p>\n The afternoon was spent wandering around the City Center taking in the sights.\u00a0 The Hotel Bordeaux with\u00a0 the facing reflecting pool gives up one of the\u00a0 most spectacular views in the city.\u00a0 Children adore frolicking<\/p>\n Children and adults alike frolic in the reflecting pool in front of the Hotel Bordeaux.<\/p><\/div>\n in the pool and we older folks found the water refreshing on the feet.\u00a0 Every so often the pool would send up a cooling spray which also afforded the possibility of\u00a0 haunting photos as a ghostly effect spreads across the pool.<\/p>\n People watching is also a grand sport in Bordeaux.\u00a0 The tram lines, tourist center and markets all come together in the Grand Place.\u00a0 The Opera House, or The\u00a0 Grand Theatre de Bordeaux anchors The Place and is a worthy destination in its own right. Imposing in the day, it is beautiful when it is lit up at night. Cafes ring The Place providing great views of the Opera House and the passing people.\u00a0 We wound up the day having a marvelous meal along the quay watching the sunset and the lights of Bordeaux twinkling in the distance.<\/p>\n Sunday morning rose cool and gloomy making it an ideal day for a museum visit.\u00a0 Despite the rather<\/p>\n The Hotel Bordeaux is stunningly reflected in the fountain across the street.<\/p><\/div>\n mundane name of Musee d’Acquitaine and the academic archeological focus of the museum, it proved to be a warm and inviting display of the history of the region.\u00a0 Dating back to pre-historic times with artifacts of the Neanderthal, Bronze and Iron Ages, the viewer gets a sense of the rich history of the area.\u00a0 The collection of Roman era statuary and mosaics is very impressive and fills you with a sense of awe and wonder knowing you are standing on the very ground that the ancient\u00a0 Romans once walked upon. The rest of the exhibition follows the growth of Bordeaux until modern times.<\/p>\n The sun poking through the clouds, was the signal that it was time to return to Gare St. Jean to catch the train back to Chalais.\u00a0 A holiday so memorable that two of our small crew booked accommodations to return for their Easter holiday next year.<\/p>\n La Giraudi\u00e8re Volunteers in Bordeaux La Giraudi\u00e8re volunteers are blessed with the opportunity to visit Bordeaux, only an hour away by train from Chalais. The sixth largest city in France, Bordeaux dates back to before Christ when it was inhabited … Continue reading <\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0Post Written by Terrence Cremin USA while on his working holiday volunteering in France\u00a0<\/strong><\/address>\n\u00a0<\/address>\n\u00a0For information on volunteering in France<\/a> \u00a0or A working holiday in France<\/a><\/address>\n\u00a0<\/address>\nDon’t forget to join us on Twitter <\/a>and Facebook<\/a>!<\/em><\/address>\n\u00a0<\/address>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"