There’s an incredible amount of “wine country” in France with many different varieties. Bordeaux and Champagne are my two favorites and both bring different types of beauty to the areas where they are cultivated. The other day while traveling around Bordeaux, we decided to spend our afternoon exploring the area of Médoc where many delicious red wines are made.  First and foremost we went to one of the little ports right on the Gironde River. Apparently all along the Gironde there are little fishing huts like this:

When we arrived the tide was so low it looked more like a marsh than a river.

Just driving around the region it seems that there are endless vineyards, each one with it’s own stunning château fit for a princess. What I liked most, however, was taking a peek into their stunning gardens….

There is something so intricate and regal about French style gardening. It’s stiff yet refined and beautiful. All over France you find wonderful town and city parks and gardens where you can enjoy the lovely combinations of art and gardening and of architecture and history.

We drove for a few hours in what seemed to be an endless sea of grapes, leaves and roses at the end of each row of vine. Later we stopped for a glass of fresh juice and literally, to smell the roses.

Footnote: Did you know that squeezed lime, as a drink, actually exists? My tongue almost fell off when I tried it… Apparently it’s good for your liver. I mean, I guess if you live in the region where they make some of the greatest wines in the world, it’s good to think about that kind of stuff…