Gym's Ramblings: Atlantic Odyssey 2025: Bordeaux, France

One of two wines sampled

Vineyards on the limestone of Saint-Emilian

Dawn broke on May 18, 2025, after another remarkably calm night of sailing. The MS Vista turned out of the Bay of Biscay and into the Gironde Estuary. A few hours earlier, a Bordeaux channel pilot had been dramatically transferred onto deck 14 from a helicopter. Local pilots always come aboard when ships approach new ports but this is usually done by boat. Gym surmised that the dramatic chopper landing was required due to the long distance from the mouth of the estuary, to the dock in the old city. It was not because he had slept through his alarm clock. In any event, the pilots knowledge of the shifting channels in the bay and in the Gironde river itself, was an important factor in seeing the ship to safely reach its inshore destination, in the beautiful city of Bordeaux.

As the gangplank was connected and the ship was tied up, the boat came to rest and would remain that way for 36 hours. For that next full day and a half, the Vista was the tallest structure in Bordeaux. Here the height of the buildings is capped by UNESCO World Heritage designation regulations. Our hero and his dear wife had a glorious view of the city from their 12th deck cabin.

Very quickly after arriving in the port, the adventurers were off on a half-day tour. They were going to check out a small family-owned winery and then tour the medieval village of Saint-Emilion. Saint-Emilion and the appellation of the same name, are located on the right bank of the river valley. The bedrock on the right bank is limestone. The limestone has been quarried for centuries and provided the building blocks for the village of Saint-Emilion and the city of Bordeaux itself. The grape vines grown there have roots that can reach meters into the limestone due to the high porosity of the rock. This can be an advantage for these vines in a drought. Gym happily sampled a couple of vintages at the winery tasting room. However, with the price tag of70 euros a bottle for wine that should probably age for a few more years, he did not place any orders.

The tour guide then lead Gym and his fetching companion around the village. The place is magic. It has been around for thousands of years. The narrow cobblestone streets are flanked by golden limestone buildings, that glowed in the mid-afternoon light. Wine shop terraces dominate the open areas and most are shaded to give the fair-skinned tourists some protection as they sample the fine wines produced nearby. But as a bonus, because the adventurers had paid for a guide, they were also to enter the subterranean part of the village. Under the centre of town is the Monolithic Church dating from the 12th Century. Wealthy nobles returning from the crusades may have started the excavation of this unique place of worship. It was a little worn due to water damage but the crypts, catacombs and twelve-meter high ceilings are marvellous to experience. Unfortunately, there are no photos allowed.

The following day, Gym and Mrs. Gym enjoyed a walking tour of Bordeaux given by a 32 year resident of France that was going to finally obtain French citizenship the following day. His thick British accent gave away his place of birth but he was also fluent in the linga franca. He explained that since the UNESCO designation was awarded in 2007 on some 1800 hectares of the city centre, the city has become a much more desirable place to live. Vast areas have been pedestrianized and there are many tree-lined boulevards and parks.

The ship would leave Bordeaux at 11 PM on May 19, 2025. Thank god for modern sonar and infrared sensing devices! And also kudos to the pilot who was able to board the Vista by walking onto deck 4 from the Old Town promenade. He would help guide the ship back out to the Bay of Biscay.

The next day would be spent at sea, as the ship made its way toward the English Channel.