Is it a twisty vine? A shattered wine glass? A wavy wine bottle? Or maybe just a wave? Whatever you see in the dramatic building that looms over the Garonne river in Bordeaux, you are in for a treat as you step inside. La Cité du Vin was conceived as the ultimate experiential and interactive wine museum, or, as their website puts it, “A journey through time and space to discover wine in its universal, heritage, civilisational and cultural dimensions.”
According to the architects, Legendre and Desmazières, the building was designed to “mimic both the swirl of wine in a glass, the twisting curves of the grapevine, and the waves of the nearby river”. So there you go.
On our recent visit to Bordeaux (our last post), La Cité du Vin was at the top of our to-do list. And it did not diasppoint: we spent a full morning there, went back in the afternoon, and didn’t even make it to the tasting room! If you love wine, it’s simple. You must go.
The museum covered every aspect of wine you can imagine, from terroir to how corks are made to a history of the wine glass. My favorite bit was their opening number: you sit in a big space where you are surrounded by giant screens, and rolling across them are gorgeous aerial videos of vineyards from every country on the planet. It really brings home how global is the cultivation and love of wine. There are tons of interactive exhibits, so it’s family-friendly. Example: a fun and creative virtual ride on a global wine mechant’s ship, sure to delight the kids (and adults). There is also a daily architectural tour of the building.
Our impression, upon departing the museum: there is so much more to wine than we ever dreamed—and we live in Burgundy!
Below: screens with videos of vineyards of the world flash by you.
If you go: you can hop on the tram downtown, which drops you off right at the museum. Plan to spend the day! They’ve built a fabulous gourmet halles right across the street, so you can pop in for lunch and choose your favorite eaterie.
Tuck your nose into the funnel and squeeze each ball to get one of the aromas of wine: vanilla, blackberry, smoke, grapefruit…
Exhibits in the main hall tell the history of every aspect of wine.
A tasting room, which we missed, but we'll be going back.
Just hop across the street at lunchtime, to a large hall with lots of restaurant choices.
In the COMMENTS: Nicole, thanks for filling us in on how Bordeaux came to be such a hot destination. Anne, I think Bordeaux has a maritime climate, since it’s very near the sea. Hot summers, mild winters, rainy in between. Julie, We were also disappointed in the the TGV, specifically the price. Maybe it’s better if Paris is your starting point. We didn’t book early as we should have, but still it was way cheaper to drive, even with the parking.
8 thoughts on “Raise Your Glass to Bordeaux’s New Museum”
Lynn,
I wanted to look at the tickets in case we decide to go in the next week when we’re in the area, but the choices are voluminous. What kind of a ticket did you buy that let you stay all day and brought you so much joy?
Chris
You can’t fool me. I know Ron walked in and said, “I’ll meet you in the tasting room.”
You can’t fool me. Ron walked in and said, “I’ll meet you in the tasting room.”
Wow, what an incredible design and the main hall & the tasting room are mind blowing! Not to forget the massive room with the photos of the vineyards. I wish their website would show a few more photos. I could get lost in imagination there. Thanks for sharing this Lynn.
What a beautiful,impressive place!
WOW!
Thanks,Lynn!
I think we will go next summer sometime on our way to Brittany, our favorite place in the summer!
I too was pleasantly surprised at how that wild building could hold enough information on wine to keep me engaged for so long. Bordeaux has come a long way – but shhh let’s keep it secret!
The “movie” that surrounds reminds me of the one at the Derby Museum in Louisville, KY. This one is a must see for horse lovers. I’d love to get to Burgundy! Thanks for sharing, Lynn!