Bordeaux

This wine-growing hub woos travelers with its riverbank location and surrounding countryside. With more than 100,000 vineyards, Bordeaux offers ample choices for those looking to sip some of the best wines in the world. In the city center, marvel at the Gothic-style Basilique Saint-Michel, walk across the Pont de Pierre (a beautiful stone bridge), snap a photo of the iconic Place de la Bourse and enjoy the Jardin Public's pathways and flora.

Food in Bordeaux

1. Grilled duck breast (Le magret de canard grillé) 

Fowl is a centerpiece of southwestern cuisine, so it figures that Bordeaux’s grilled duck breasts top Faber’s list of must-try dishes. Most restaurants tout their own take on this staple recipe, but if you’re looking for a simplistic, traditional interpretation, you can’t go wrong at La Tupina, a Bordeaux institution with a rustic ambiance and an enormous stone fireplace that doubles as the grill.

2. Porcini mushrooms in parsley (Les cèpes en persillade) 

For those looking to score a healthy meal without sacrificing flavour, Bordeaux’s pan-fried cèpes (porcini mushrooms) are a delightful compromise. In fact, with their chewy texture and nutty flavour, this mushroom dish is a perfect meat substitute for carnivores and vegetarians alike. Best enjoyed during peak harvest season in autumn, these mushrooms make for a great appetiser or main course.

3. Pauillac lamb shoulder (L’épaule d’agneau de Pauillac) 

Pauillac lambs are a speciality of the Médoc wine region, raised exclusively in the Gironde département of France and known for their flavourful meat. Faber suggests ordering Pauillac lamb in the spring months when the lambs of the season are leaner, producing more tender meat. April is the Brasserie Bordelaise’s prime lamb month, but Faber assures that this tender, milk-fed lamb lives up to its reputation no matter the season.