Château d'Agassac's ancient barrel room, making vino since the 13th century. Credit: Jon Palmer Claridge

Château d’Agassac’s ancient barrel room, making vino since the 13th century. Credit: Jon Palmer Claridge


Traveling is its own reward, but sometimes the journey on a budget airline has more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

EasyJet sounds simple enough and, indeed, the tram from the center of Lyon to the airport is so painless that even an American can do it. However, after departing the tram, finding Terminal 3 to fly to Bordeaux proves a bit more elusive.

The Lyon airport track to Terminal 3. Credit: Jon Palmer Claridge
Where the moving sidewalk ends, a bright red Olympics-style track on the floor begins. At least the airport's designer has a wry sense of humor.

It's a 35-minute walk to drop the bags and traverse the obstacle course up an elevator before hitting another endless moving sidewalk and, finally, rising on a long escalator to reach the gate and wait.

Happily, I meet up with traveling companions and enjoy a splendid dinner at La Tupina, a noted old Bordeaux joint where meat and fire collide. The open-hearth cooking is a step back in time, and unique in my experience.

The next morning it's off to taste wine in the world's most prestigious vineyards. We visit two stunning properties that have been producing since the 13th century. Château d'Agassac is a Disney castle (only real), and Château Pape Clément wows with its gorgeous landscape, 1,000-year-old olive tree and stunning cabernet blends. It's not every day you get to taste a beauty like the 2006 Grand Cru Classé de Graves without ponying up the cash.

Then, we head east across the right bank of the Garonne River to St.-Emilion, one of the most beautiful, picturesque wine villages in France. The bacchanal of foie gras, baguettes and the cheesy glory of Cantal, Comté, Reblochon and Tomme de Savoie commences.

Editor's note: CL food critic Jon Palmer Claridge is in France doing "research."

This article appears in Jul 2-8, 2015.

Jon Palmer Claridge—Tampa Bay's longest running, and perhaps last anonymous, food critic—has spent his life following two enduring passions, theatre and fine dining. He trained as a theatre professional...