Tour guide in Bordeaux Carl A.

Bonjour, hello! My name is Carl. I have been guiding in Bordeaux and in the vineyards for the past 12 years, and I have been living in Bordeaux since 2011. Before settling here, I spent four years living in a Buddhist monastery. Prior to that, I traveled the world as a backpacker for nearly 15 years. During those years, I wrote a few guidebooks, which gave me great pleasure—finding special places and sharing them with my readers. I spent a lot of time traveling in Asia and South America. When I decided it was time to settle down, I chose Bordeaux. It is a safe city with many excellent museums, and it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. I spend a lot of time visiting museums, so becoming a guide felt like a natural step for me. I love meeting people, and I am passionate about art and architecture. After studying extensively, I obtained my official guiding license in Bordeaux in 2015. I truly love guiding and sharing my discoveries—whether it’s a wonderful place to eat or a small architectural detail on a building. Bordeaux was one of the richest cities in the world for decades. Outstanding architects designed it, and it was not destroyed during the Second World War, which means that every day I still discover something new. During my tours, I like to invite my guests to participate and be active. I’m always delighted when people discover for themselves why and when a building was constructed. Of course, I also love wine. Wine has always been important for Bordeaux, even though the city originally became wealthy through other trades. I work a lot in the vineyards. Bordeaux is divided into two banks, which are very different from each other—that’s why wines from the Left Bank taste different from those from the Right Bank. There are nearly 10,000 châteaux in the Bordeaux region, and many of them are hidden gems. I read Sud Ouest, the local Bordeaux newspaper, every day, and every February I attend a week-long training course about the latest historical research, wine developments, and museums in Bordeaux. I have received so much in my life, and for me, the most important thing is to give back. Thank you for reading