While I was traveling with Viking River Cruises, I took an excursion from the ship to the Citadel…read moreat Blaye, France. Touring citadels is not usually my favorite thing, but this one exceeded my expectations. In fact I found it quite interesting and a very peaceful and enjoyable experience. It was one of King Louis XIV's most important fortresses...a grand one. The Citadel is a very scenic complex built on the banks of the Gironde estuary. It is an extraordinary 17th century citadel, dramatically set on a mountain beside the river. Within it you can see the ruins of a Medieval castle and cathedral. It is a beautiful setting with a wonderful panorama. The Citadel includes several little shops, a few homes, grazing animals, (even a camel), and little restaurants. The Citadel of Blaye and the nearby forts are listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. In the course of the afternoon, I met some locals walking their dogs. I actually met an older gentleman walking the most amazing English Bulldog I've ever seen. It was a surprisingly lovely afternoon, walking throughout this easy pedestrian terrain of the fortress.

The Citadel of Blaye was built beteen 1686 and 1689 as a walled city with a total area of 38…read morehectars to prevent enemies from sailing to Bordeaux. Louis XIV ordered the Marshall of France, Vauban, who was the premier military engineer of his age to build this great fortification. During World War II, it was occupied by the Nazis. So much history here. When the tide is out on the river, the row boats are banked in the mud. Walk around the Citadel and fortress, then get on a bike to explore Blaye and the surrounding vineyards. Everyone you meet will be friendly and helpful, normally speaking in French.

This is probably the #1 attraction in Bordeaux. I would recommend coming at night, preferably later…read moreat night when it's completely dark. There's less kids playing in the water and the lights on the Bourse make a great reflection on the water. Also, there's mist and the water drains or rises periodically. The water is still pretty shallow though. Plus, they play music and people dance nearby which was nice. During the day, it's super hot especially since there's no trees or cover. Also, the reflection is not as prominent. Definitely come at night!

It is reflective mirror from the shallow pool. This famous area is popular among the local France…read morepeople during the summer. The kid and adult alike playing and walking in the pool. The design of the mirror pool has a minor concave with filling of water about 2 to 3 inches height. This water stay for half hour and drain to dry and the process start again to fill up. The drain of the water is to purify it. The name of this attraction is call Water Mirror. It is hard to get mirror image since there are a lot of kid running around and create the wave on the water surface. It is difficult to get still water surface like mirror. May be late at night when no one around. Once the water surface is still, it will reflect the place de la Bourse. This water mirror becomes the famous picture for the viewing.

From the owner: Une porte entre cité et mer C'est l'ancienne porte de l'enceinte qui séparait le port de la cité…read more Elle a été profondément modifiée aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles. En effet, la base massive du XIVe siècle comportait à l'origine deux ouvertures, l'une pour les piétons et l'autre pour les attelages. Aujourd'hui, on ne distingue plus qu'une seule arcade. De plus, ses toits à poivrières ont été remplacés par un dôme orné de pilastres et colonnettes.