THE BORDELAIS
Is naturally boring, doesn’t smile much and is a descendant of a wealthy wine-growing family.
They like:
– chocolatines and cannelés[1], that’s all;
– waiting patiently for the Vinexpo[2];
– climbing the Dune du Pyla [3] every Sunday.
They don’t like:
– someone ordering a glass of Tariquet [4] for them;
– anyone who says that it rains all the time in Bordeaux [5];
– being asked “is it far to the sea [6]?”.
[1] No such thing as a “pain au chocolat” (traditional French chocolate pastry) in Bordeaux! The Cannelé, a Bordeaux speciality, is a small soft moist cake with a caramelised crust and avoured with vanilla and rum.
[2] International Wines and Spirits trade fair, held every two years.
[3] The Dune du Pyla is the highest sand dune in Europe, 110 metres.
[4] It can be dangerous to confuse the Gironde with Gascony, play safe and order an Entre-deux-Mers.
[5] A minor detail… rainfall in January 2016 was a record high, the previous record dated back to 1988.
[6] The French make a clear difference between the Mediterranean SEA and the Atlantic OCEAN, if you don’t want to upset a Bordelais practice saying ocean,
