Rester c’est exister mais voyager c’est vivre. To stay is to exist; to travel is to live.

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By this point in my vacation, I’m having the time of my life thinking it can’t get better. Then it does. It’s amazing how a trip where we had almost nothing planned ended up being packed with adventure and so many unique experiences we had no idea were possible in the area.

If you missed part 1, I linked it here for your reading pleasure. Now, read on for part 2 (of 3) of my Medieval village adventures in France!

Day 4: Markets, Michelin Guide, & Quality Time

Issigeac might be small, but their market is anything but. Will and I love a good market and we had a blast exploring this one. Every Sunday the small streets of Issigeac are packed with vendors selling everything from produce to meats and cheese to jewelry and clothes. It was so much fun to explore and buy a few things to support local businesses.

We ended up getting canelés, a baguette, cheese, dried meat, and nuts for us to snack on later in the day. More on that in a few.

We sat down for a 3-course meal with a small starter for the table to share. When the first thing you’re brought is a giant bowl of fried squash and onion in an artful bed of straw, you know you’re in for something unique, artsy, and wonderful. My first course was grilled octopus with lentils, red pepper, and I think a mashed potato if I remember correctly. It even had a crispy cracker shaped like a fish tail. The second course was ham filet mignon with gnocchi, pesto, and garlic mashed potatoes. Dessert was a light chocolate tart with a chocolate biscuit on top. Will got the rhubarb dessert since neither of us had ever tried it. Overall, it was an insanely delicious dessert and the portions were small, but PACKED with flavor. I’d love to come back to see what new delicious food combos were on the menu.

The restaurant was the perfect place to just relax and celebrate Andy’s birthday. We spent quite a while there just enjoying the ambience and had the best time. Later that day, I went for an exploratory walk because I will never pass up the chance to explore, especially outside. Instead of a regular sit down dinner that night, we gathered up our market finds and had a charcuterie-like dinner outside. It was perfect!

Day 5: Bordeaux Extravaganza

The next day had one of the most unique adventures we’ve been on yet. At the end of 1940, German forces occupied Bordeaux and the surrounding areas of France. A submarine base was built there over the next three years with over 600,000 cubic meters of concrete. Bombs would literally bounce off the roof and it was impenetrable. It could house 15 u-boats and was used as jumping off point for the submarines to attack different areas during the war. After the war, the sub pen was used for various companies, but in the 1990s something different happened.

Instead of industrial endeavors, the facility opened for art exhibitions, music events, and filmmakers. Ever since, it’s been used to create and spread art and creativity which is a fantastic way to turn a painful wartime facility into something beautiful while still honoring the past. Today, Les Bassins des Lumières is an immersive art space and the largest digital art center in the world.

We were lucky enough to get tickets to see the immersive Salvador Dali and Antoni Gaudi art event. It was mind blowing. You walk in to an almost pitch black space with music blaring. Animated art appears on every surface and is even reflected off the water where the submarines would dock. It’s one of those things where even if I spent an entire blog post writing about it, it would never do it justice. You really need to experience this and I could not recommend it more.

We spent the rest of the day exploring Bordeaux itself. We started our epic trek around the city at Place de la Quincones which had a really neat statue/fountain. Then we walked to the main square and had lunch at the Regent Claude. It was raining, but we got to still sit outside underneath an umbrella to people watch and enjoy a quick bite.

Afterwards, we made our way to Place de la Bourse for the attraction I really wanted to see. The main government buildings with architecture from the 18th century sit directly across from the river. What makes this square incredible is the water mirror that reflects these buildings. Even on a rainy, overcast day, you could still get this amazing reflection and I loved that we got to see it. We spent the rest of the day walking around just enjoying meandering around. Overall, the day was one we won’t forget, especially the Bassins des Lumières!

Day 6: Roman Ruins, Périgeaux & Food Trucks

The day before we felt like we immersed ourselves fully in a technological future and explored the past. This day, we went WAY back in time and then landed back in the present with everything we did that day. Little did we know that in the small town of Périgeaux sat a well-preserved Roman villa (Vesuna). It was really neat to explore and there are TONS of artifacts which I loved. Outside, there was even a temple ruin, so this site just kept getting better and better.

Just across the road was another ruin, but of a house built by a knight in the 1200s. One of the reasons I love exploring outside of the United States is the history. Everywhere you go in France you run into layers and layers of history and it’s so amazing to see how each new era used bits of the past to shape its present. I could nerd out to this all day.

We explored a bit of the old town of Périgeaux and I loved that just as much. Apparently, my soul loves Medieval small towns. I can’t get enough. We stopped for an afternoon coffee and cake at Maison Montaigne and had a great time. I got a fondant chocolat which is similar to a fudge brownie. Let me just say that Périgeaux is a much cooler place than Bordeaux. I would’ve happily spent all day here. It just had a more laid back and welcoming vibe. After more exploring we drove back to Issigeac just in time for dinner.

One of the pubs there hosts a burger food truck each week and it’s a local favorite, so of course we were excited to try it. They named a lot of the burgers after American places and we could not figure out what connection they had other than wanting to sound fun. It was fun to read the descriptions, but what was more fun? Eating these delicious burgers. They were awesome. I got a chicken burger with a ton of toppings and I could’ve eaten one every day and been happy. Can’t wait to try more from them the next time I’m back there! It was a gorgeous night, so we decided to walk back. I’m so glad we did because the views that night were next level.

Stay tuned for the last installment of this series next Sunday! Part 3 has some unique and delicious memories I’m super excited to share!