One Day in Bordeaux
A beautiful summer day at the Opéra National de Bordeaux in France
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2
Photo Essay
Snippets From Our France and Italy Trip
Bordeaux was our last stop before Paris as our Italy/France trip neared the end. We dropped off our rental car and walked the short distance to the B&B Hotel Bordeaux Centre Gare St-Jean.
We picked this location close to the Bordeaux Main Train Station, Saint Jean. The next morning, we would hop on the high-speed train to Paris.
The hotel was modern and had all the amenities needed for a one-night stay, including breakfast. We paid about $115.00. The front desk staff were courteous and friendly.
Miroir d'eau, the reflecting pool near Place de la Bourse
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
Bordeaux by Foot and Tram
We took the tram from the hotel and got off to walk the quieter streets south of Place de la Bourse. We found a cozy coffee shop, which was not hard, and relaxed for a while before moving on.
I did some street photography while Di shopped for souvenirs, and it didn’t take long before we were due for a cold beverage, this time at a cafe at Place du Parlement, where we people-watched and rested our feet.
We then went to Place de la Bourse and spent some time at one of the largest reflecting pools. We loved watching the kids having a ton of fun.
Place du Parlement, Bordeaux
Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 28mm f/1.5
The late afternoon suddenly became very hot, to the point where I was getting slightly dizzy. We found shade along All. de Munich and a nice spot for dinner near the Monument aux Girondins.
Replenished and rehydrated, we enjoyed walking the cozy streets near the National Opera. A long day that started in Mimizan on the coast was starting to take its toll, and we went back to Place de la Bourse to catch a tram back to the hotel.
The only problem was a power outage, which resulted in a long delay. When we finally caught a tram, we crossed the Pont de Pierre Bridge by mistake, making the trip take longer. However, as a bonus, we caught the sunset over the Garonne River.
Bordeaux was marvelous, and we could have easily spent more time there.
Next: Paris!
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The photos in this article are made using a Leica SL2-S, Voigtländer Nokton 50mm f/1.2 and Voigtänder Nokton 28mm f/1.5 lenses. (links to my camera and lens reviews).
