Summer 2020, the pandemic was giving us a bit of a break, but it was still difficult to plan any trip. Would they let us leave our city or region? Enter another country without further requirements?
So we decided to wait until the last minute to decide our destination and plan our trip. Without flights, somewhere we could drive to.
What about Southern France, Toulouse to Bordeaux? Being close to Madrid, we had never been in this area before. France was not putting any travel restrictions so that was it!
Not that we actually intented it, but this trip follows an important part of Saint-James’ Way in France, so we visited many mediaeval sites and buildings directly related to it and included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France“.
All in all, a trip full of history, bustling cities, good food and wine. Doesn’t it sound great? So let’s drive!
Prologue: Donostia-San Sebastián
We left on a Friday afternoon to make the most of our holidays. We stopped overnight in San Sebastián, 20 km from the French border and a bit over halfway through.
Madrid to San Sebastián: 450 km, 4h30.
Acommodation: 1 night in Central Roomss, a cosy small hostel with an amazing location, in one of the iconic numbered balconies in Plaza de la Constitución, the central square of Old San Sebastián. With friendly staff and good prices, we fully recommend it.
But the reason why we stopped in San Sebastián is not just becuase it was on our way, but because we love the city! Its elegant city centre, its amazing beach and oceanfront… and its food!
Donostia-San Sebastián is a must foody destination, a capital of world cuisine. It is the city with most Michelin stars per capita in the world… but, it’s not about that, you don’t need to spend so much to eat really well here!
Truth be said, restaurants with a classic menu are fantastic – but when we come here what we want are pintxos, amazing little bites that here are real haute cuisine on a small plate!
The next morning we went for a walk in San Sebastián – its Playa de la Concha is undoubtedly one of the most eye-catching beaches that you will find in Europe!
More pintxos for lunch, and off we went to France! It was around 4 pm by then and we had to drive 350 km to arrive in Toulouse.
Don’t forget to fill your fuel tank in Spain before closing the border!! In France, fuel prices are famously high, around 20-30% higher than in Spain.
Stage 1: Toulouse
San Sebastián to Toulouse: 350 km along the motorway (23.30 € tolls), 3h30.
Accommodation: 4 nights in Citadines Wilson Toulouse. Great location next to Victor Hugo market, a bit disappointing otherwise. The apartments are not so comfortable, which is funny as they are mainly thought for longer stays.
We arrived in Toulouse around 9 pm, so we just settled in our apartment and went outside for dinner. We went very close to our apartment as we didn’t have much time until the kitchens closed… and ended up in having one of the best dinners in our trip!
We found some other nice places to taste local food, and we got some local recommendations. Click here to see our foody experience in Toulouse!
Toulouse is the capital of the Occitanie region. It is known as la ville rose (the pink city) due to its widespread use of bricks in its architecture since the Middle Ages. Nowadays, it is a university city and pole of the aerospace industry.
The city lies on the Garonne river and it is also the junction between the Canal du Midi and Canal Latéral de la Garonne, that, together, connect the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean through the South of France.
Toulouse is also an important stop in St. James’ Way in France, with historical churches like Basilique Saint-Sernin and hospitals like Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques that have been hosting pilgrims for centuries.
Its Cathedral, one of the most bizarre gothic buildings ever, and Couvent des Capucins with its elegant and tall interior completes the Gothic heritage of Toulouse.
Enjoy the Garonne waterfront of Toulouse, next to the Pont Neuf. You can take a boat trip on the river and lovely Canal de Brienne, that joins it to the main canals that connect the Two Seas.
One of the best things of Toulouse is certainly its bustling atmosphere. There are so many people outside enjoying the city and sitting on its many terraces.
If you are planning to visit Toulouse, check out our complete city guide of Toulouse.
If you are planning a road trip in the area, we recommend you to read our tips on how to park your car for free in Toulouse. This will save you quite some money very easily.
One day in Carcassonne
We dedicated 2 days to explore Toulouse and on our third day there we went to Carcassonne. Its mediaeval citadel is very touristic, but it is so unique you really have to visit it.
Toulouse – Carcassonne: 95 km, a bit over 1h by car. Tolls: 8.50 €
The citadel of Carcassonne will make you feel like you are in the Middle Ages (without any of its drawbacks).
Standing on a strategic location, its roots are traced back to the Gallo-Romans, but it became really important when, in 1258, this area became the border between the Kingdom of France and the Crown of Aragon.
When the border was pushed to the South, the citadel entered a period of decline in favour of the lower town of Carcassonne (La Bastide).
Fortunately, mediaeval stuff became popular in the 19th century and the citadel was saved and restored – a bit reconstructed – by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc.
We entered the citadel from its main entrance (Porte Narbonnaise) and wandered through its fairytale streets and squares. You shouldn’t miss its Gothic former Cathedral (now Basilica), built more in a Northern style, and for many the most beautiful building of Carcassonne.
After lunch, it was time to visit the castle and walk a section of the mediaeval walls. Finally, before going back to Toulouse, we crossed the river to have a walk in la Bastide.
If you want to know more about what to see in the citadel of Carcassonne and its lower town and more interesting facts about its history, check out our full guide Carcassonne: a trip to the Middle Ages.
En route to Bordeaux
After 4 nights in Toulouse it was time to drive to our next destination, Bordeaux.
However, we didn’t want to go so fast, because on the way there are two places that are definitely worth a visit: Montauban and Moissac. And when we say on the way, we really mean on the way, both places are less than 10 km from the Toulouse-Bordeaux A62 motorway.
Montauban
Toulouse – Montauban: 55 km on A62, around 45 min. Toll: 2.90 €.
Montauban is another “pink city” (they used the same kind of bricks as in Toulouse), on river Aude. The river is really lovely when it flows through Montauban, as well as the buildings on the riverfront of Villebourbon quarter.
Montauban is a small departement capital of around 60.000 population, but it has a rich history: it was of the main protestant centres and the headquarters of the Huguenot rebellion. The city resisted a siege of the French army under Richelieu.
When the protestants were defeated, Montauban’s fortifications were demolished and the only large stone building in the city was built. Can you guess what it was? Its Catholic Cathedral.
The real heart of Montauban is its Place Nationale. The main streets of the old town, which follow a grid, start from this porticoed brick square, rebuilt after a huge fire in the 17th century.
You can visit Montauban in a couple of hours. We also had a coffee and lunch there.
If you want to know more about Montauban and its main sights, read our post Things to do in Montauban, the city that dared to defy Richelieu.
Moissac
If you are in Montauban, you really should not continue your trip with visiting the Moissac Abbey. Actually, if you are travelling in the area, or like us, from Toulouse to Bordeaux, you really have to include it in your travel plans.
Montauban – Moissac: 30 km on secondary road D927, 30 min.
Moissac is a small town with a beautiful architectural gem: Saint Peter’s Abbey (Abbaye Saint-Pierre), and specifically, its Romanesque cloister. Built in 1100, they say it is the oldest cloister in Europe, and certainly one of the most beautiful of its kind.
Moissac is a cosy mediaeval town with pedestrian streets, but honestly, we arrived after 5 pm and went directly to visit the Abbey. First, its beautiful portal (don’t rush to the cloister and miss it) and the church interior.
Then we entered the cloister, admired its 76 columns with adorned capitals, all different, and relaxed walking through it. Certainly one of the most beautiful cloisters we’ve been too, and the bar is high!
If you want to see more of this beautiful cloister and the rest of Moissac Abbey and learn some of its interesting history, check out our post Moissac Abbey: the most beautiful Romanesque cloister in France, which also contains some practical information for your visit.
It got 6:30 pm and it was time to take our car and drive to Bordeaux, a city we really wanted to visit and didn’t disappoint us!
Moissac – Bordeaux: 185 km on A62, around 2h. Toll: 13.10 €
Stage 2: Bordeaux
When we arrived in Bordeaux, the sun had just set, and we were marvelled by the view of the city’s riverfront at night.
Accommodation: we stayed for 4 nights in this apartment in Saint-Michel, a multicultural historical neighbourhood just South of the city centre. Newly refurbished, friendly and flexible owners, all in all good value for money!
We stayed for 3 days in Bordeaux, and each of them had a different focus. If you want to read our full post of Bordeaux right away, click here!
Our first day was devoted to explore the magnificient architecture of the city.
In the mid-18th c. the mediaeval walls of Bordeaux were demolished and substituted by a monumental ensemble of classicist Baroque stone buildings with blue slate roofs, so typical French!
This kind of architecture is more known in Paris, but you should know that it was in Bordeaux that the urban planning ideals of the Enlightenment were put in practice for the first time at a grand scale.
Actually, this new Bordeaux was a main inspiration for Haussmann’s famous plan for the modernisation of Paris one century later.
This is why Bordeaux, Port de la Lune (Port of the Moon), is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its name is a reference to the moon crescent shape of the Garonne riverfront in central Bordeaux.
The centre of this wonderful ensemble is the Place de la Bourse. It was one of the first places we went to, but make sure to go just before sunset to enjoy the best light.
Even if the riverfront is amazing by itself, since 2006 it shines even more – The Miroir d’Eau (Water Mirror) adds a fairytale reflection to the scene.
The most astonishing thing about Bordeaux’s architecture is how everything comes together as a whole. This is due to the Baroque modernisation plan but also to the fact that they used the same stone in their buildings since the Middle Ages.
There is a lot more to see in Bordeaux than its waterfront. Just getting lost in its streets is a great idea, but there are some places you shouldn’t miss! Therefore, we advise you to read our complete walking tour of Bordeaux city centre.
Bordeaux is not only a Baroque gem, but it has a lot of earlier history. Its Gothic Cathedral of Saint-André is one of the most important in the South of France and part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France.
Built more recently, the Monument to the Girondins – the moderate and more regionalist faction of the French Revolutionaries – is full of Liberté-Egalité-Fraternité symbolism. Along with the statue of Montesquieu nearby, it reminds us the prominent role Bordeaux played in the Enlightenment and the French Revolution.
There are also some Belle Époque cafés that are well worth a visit – We had a coffee in Grand Bar Castan, with a lovely exoticist decoration, and in Café du Levant, classy art déco next to the train station.
The historical centre of Bordeaux is beautiful, but don’t forget to go to Saint-Michel, just South of the mediaeval gates, and visit its Flèche Saint-Michel – its the belltower of the Basilica of the same name, the 2nd largest of its kind in France and part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France UNESCO Site.
The area around the basilica and flèche also has a great local atmosphere for afternoon drinks and dinner.
Half an hour before sunset we went back to the Miroir d’eau and took some beautiful golden hour pictures. We stayed after the sunset for some great night shots like the one below.
Our second day in Bordeaux was dedicated to its most renowned treasure – wine.
In the morning, we visited Cité du Vin, a really cool wine museum. It is in a modern building vaguely reminiscent of a decanter in the Northern neighbourhood of Bacalan.
This is really a global wine museum, and you will learn a lot about many other classic wine regions outside of Bordeaux and France, from Argentina to Georgia and beyond, as well as about winemaking and many other things.
You can train your nose in their “Buffet of the 5 senses” before going to the panoramic terrace and get your glass of wine, included in the museum ticket.
You can choose for your tasting classic French wines (Bordeaux, Bourgogne, etc.), but also from other wine regions of the world… while you enjoy the view of river Garonne and Bordeaux.
Then, we went for lunch to Chartrons, a neighbourhood that was historically related to winemaking, until it became part of urban Bordeaux. This is where the beautiful scheduled façades of Port de la Lune begin and it is a cosy neighbourhood famous for its antique shops and atmosphere.
As we had a tight wine schedule, we couldn’t stay long. Just enough to have a really delicious duck thigh confit for lunch in Chez Dupont.
And finally, we went to see the real stuff – a wine château. We visited Pape Clément, in Pessac, just outside of Bordeaux city. This is a big name here and actually the oldest wine estate in Bordeaux, having recorded their first harvest in 1306.
It was great timing for the tour, as we saw the Cabernet Sauvignon grapes still on the vines, nearly ripe for harvest. And well, the tour is good value for money, as they give you 3 wines to taste, and not just any. Find out more here!
One day in Arcachon
And finally, on our third day in Bordeaux, and unfortunately last of our trip, we decided to go outside of the city and visit Arcachon Bay. It’s just 60 km SW of Bordeaux and a very popular weekend or summer holiday destination.
We went to Arcachon town, strolled by its beach and visited the interesting Ville d’Hiver, a 19th-century upper-class holiday neighbourhood.
Arcachon Bay is also famous for oyster farming, so we went to try some as fresh as they can be, from water to plate! Well, actually Anida enjoyed them, as Marcos doesn’t like seafood and could just eat pâté.
And we ended our day in Arcachon on top of its most famous natural monument: La Dune du Pilat. This is a huge dune between the Atlantic Ocean and the Landes forest.
The dune is really impressive, and when you climb it you will be delighted by the view!
We got back to Bordeaux to get ready for the trip back home the next day. We had our last dinner in a terrace in the neighbourhood – at La Taupinière, in the beautiful quay just down Saint-Michel Basilica.
Driving home and pintxos in Vitoria
We woke up early in the morning to try to get some perfect sunrise pictures on Place de la Bourse.
To our despair, we learnt there that the Miroir d’Eau doesn’t work until 10 am… so we just went to buy some canelés to take back home and have a coffee and a croissant in art déco Café du Levant before leaving.
Bordeaux – Madrid: 680 km on the motorway, 6h30, around 35€ tolls.
There is actually an alternative to save a 14€ toll taking A-15 then A-1 from San Sebastián to Vitoria, through mountainous Navarre. This is +35 km (+30 min) and it has a lot of curves for a motorway.
We had to stop somewhere for lunch and we chose Vitoria, the capital of the Basque Country (its 3rd city in population).
Being halfway through the drive, we arrived just at lunch time. Truth be told, the A-1 motorway in Spain goes through many towns where you can eat really well. Another great alternative is Aranda de Duero, check it in our road trip in Ribera del Duero!
We knew a place with great pintxos in Vitoria, San Sebastián level: Bar Toloño.
But when we arrived, it was closed and we still don’t know why… so we entered calle Cuchillería, one of the streets of the mediaeval heart of the city and found a tavern with good pintxos for a good price. We never have enough of this!
And thus our trip came to an end and we just had 350 km more to arrive.
In this road trip we discovered many beautiful places that are actually not so far from home but we had never visited before. We experienced history, great cuisine and a fantastic urban atmosphere in Bordeaux and Toulouse and we got a taste of our beloved San Sebastián.
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