Wine Tour at Château Soutard and Chateau Cote De Baleau | Saint-Émilion, France

The Bordeaux region of France is very well-known for being wine country. Since Markus and I drink wine every Wednesday for Wine Down Wednesday, we decided to add the area to our road trip. To be honest, I don't know much about the specifics of wine. Whenever I see people tasting wine and picking out certain flavor profiles, I always wonder if we're drinking from the same bottle. I can just tell if it's sweet or dry and most importantly, if I like or not. So this is why I also decided to book a half-day wine tour with Bordovino.  

To be completely honest, I'm not a huge fan of guided tours. I loathe being shuffled around on someone else's schedule. I did a lot of research to make sure that I chose the perfect tour company, because there were heaps. I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed Bordovino. Our tour guide, Soline, was really knowledgeable and very friendly. She took us to the wineries of Château Soutard and Chateau Cote De Baleau. Château Soutard is run like a very tight ship and has a bit of a corporate feel, which isn't a bad thing, but it definitely felt more produced. We did a mini wine class, where I still didn't learn much, but it was informative. Chateau Cote De Baleau was a bit more rustic and down to earth. It's a smaller winery but I liked that it was a little less polished. The wines we tasted were really nice and I ended up buying both bottles. Just waiting for the right time to open them. After a few hours at a winery, I still don't know how to pick out every flavor profile that I'm tasting. It's okay though, I'll still drink it every Wednesday. 

Château de Boucéel | Normandy, France

One of the main things I wanted to do in France was stay in a château. Like most little girls who grew up in the 90s, I watched Beauty and the Beast and dreamed of visiting a place like Beast's castle. Thankfully, I have an amazing husband who helps me fulfill all my childhood wishes. On our road trip through France, we were able to stay at two châteaus. Both were quite different in many ways. The first was Château de Boucéel in Normandy and I have to be honest, it was my favorite of the two. Previously, I posted the exterior of the château, where we took last year's Christmas card photo.  

I loved EVERYTHING about Château de Boucéel. It's been in the same family since 1763 and is lovingly run by Comte Regis de Roquefeuil, who is a delight, and his family. Comte Regis actually lived in 60s era Chicago, and it was great hearing his stories from his time in the U.S. He is very charming and I may have formed a teensy lil' crush on him. The property itself is so beautiful and true to it's roots. All the decor is intentionally placed and displayed as an homage to the history of the château. There are modern conveniences, like the beautiful pool, but they're not over the top. Our room didn't have a TV, which was great because it encouraged us to explore the grounds and nearby area. I enjoyed every minute we spent here and it would be one of the few places that I would return for a second stay. It was that amazing and truly an incredibly unforgettable experience. 

Mont Saint-Michel | Normandy, France

Mont Saint-Michel is a well-known island commune of the coast of Normandy in France. Originally, the commune was founded by an Irish hermit who had gained a following on the mainland. In the past it was used as a stronghold in the sixth and seventh centuries. Local legend says that the archangel Michael appeared in a vision to the bishop and told him to build a church. Currently, it was one of the most visited sites in France and loved for the trek from the mainland to the island during low tide. 

I remember seeing a photo of Mont Saint-Michel in a book when I was a kid and promised myself I would visit one day. There is definitely a sense of awestruck wonder when you approach the island, but unfortunately that disappears when you make it onto the island. Droves of people and are bussed onto the island, overloading the small space with tourists. It was a little unbearable and hard to enjoy. Even though, the experience on Mont Saint-Michel wasn't my favorite, I'm still glad we went because it's such a unique and beautiful place. It's worth a visit even if there are tons of tourists. Normandy is beautiful and there is enough to do in the area to entertain.  

Le Train Bleu | Paris, France

Le Train Bleu is a stunningly beautiful restaurant that was built for the Exposition Universelle in 1900. It's located in the Gare de Lyon station and is a full service restaurant. Le Train Bleu is an incredible restaurant that takes you back to another time period. The restaurant is covered in elaborate and ornate decorations and 41 original paintings from popular artists from that time period. Markus and I kept talking about what it must've been like to travel by train and stop in for a meal. It must've been a stunner in it's heyday. 

When I saw photos of the restaurant, I knew that I wanted this to be where we spent our last night in Paris. We couldn't have chosen a more magical and perfect place. I knew the minute we walked in that it would be a meal and experience unlike any other I've had before. We ordered the foie gras, liver mousse, veal cutlet, roasted leg of lamb, blue cheese potato gratin and ended with the rum baba, which came with a whole bottle of rum. You know I liked that part! Our meal was so decadent and really delicious. My favorites were the foie gras and the blue cheese potato gratin. If you know me, you know I love pate, liver mousse and foie, so that was a no brainer. The real surprise was the gratin because I don't normally go for potatoes, but these were a game changer. We kept ordering and eating even though I was stuffed. I think it was because I didn't want to leave. It also helped that the servers were hilarious and kept telling funny jokes. Overall, our experience at Le Train Bleu was unforgettable and I'm pleased that it was where we spent our last evening in the City of Lights. 

Notre-Dame and Shakespeare & Company | Paris, France

When you visit Paris, it's almost guaranteed that you'll make a stop at Notre-Dame.  I know if I didn't my parents would've been quite sad and disappointed. We only intended to stop by and take a look outside, but the line was quite short, we couldn't say no. Once inside, we realized why the line was moving so fast. They were packing everyone inside. It was quite impossible to get a good look at anything, but we still walked around for a bit and then headed out. Notre-Dame is a beautiful French gothic cathedral that is unlike any I've seen before. 

Afterward, we crossed the bridge to Shakespeare and Company. I've always wanted to visit the independent bookstore because many famous authors used to gather there. Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and many others would gather and spend heaps of time there. Since it's such a popular and well-known spot, it was just as crowded at Notre-Dame. It was impossible to look at books and soak in the atmosphere. Still, I'm glad we stopped by because it's been on my bucket list since I was in high school!