Behind the Scenes at Stuart Ng Books: France 2015 - Bordeaux and BD Avenue bookstore

This year's adventure in France included a day trip to Bordeaux. This lively city is so much more than I expected. A hub for students and commerce, it also is one of the most accessible cities I've encountered in France. Quite the rare find for the mobility-challenged!

From its gleaming, modern tram system that you can access from the train station for easy transport around the city....

to the number of stores and sites had ramps as well as steps at the entrance .. it was clear to see why you'll see more folks in wheelchairs around town here than other cities. Historical towns .. even big cities like Paris .. are full of cobblestone streets and sidewalks, lots of stairs with no few ramp or elevators .. not issues for most visitors, but real obstacles to others. Bordeaux sparkles with welcome for so many to enjoy.

Interesting quote here on this part of city planning from Lonely Planet webpage on Bordeaux...

The new millennium was a major turning point for the city long known as La Belle au Bois Dormant (Sleeping Beauty). The mayor, former Prime Minister Alain Juppé, roused Bordeaux, pedestrianising its boulevards, restoring its neoclassical architecture and implementing a high-tech public transport system. His efforts paid off: in mid-2007 half of the entire city (18 sq km, from the outer boulevards to the banks of the Garonne) was Unesco-listed, making it the largest urban World Heritage Site.

Bolstered by its high-spirited university-student population (not to mention 2.5 million tourists annually), La Belle Bordeaux now scarcely seems to sleep at all.

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/france/southwestern-france/bordeaux#ixzz3SVYR7osy

All the photos in this post are sites I enjoyed during a walk around the few blocks close to the BD Avenue bookstore site .....

below is main shopping street on a Saturday ..

Interior of enclosed shopping plaza ...(it has escalators and elevators!)

Typical outdoor square .. the city is full of these!

A visit to Bordeaux offers a truly French experience ... without the overwhelming size and traffic of Paris. In fact, Bordeaux has over 300 historical outdoor monuments ... in all of France, only Paris has more. In just a few blocks of walking in Bordeaux you'll find: Cathedrals; Museums; Architecture; History; Cafes and restaurants; Shopping; City life; Scenic river and bridge views; Parks. And it's the capital city of the world's wine industry.

Just one sample of the cathedrals and churches...

Entrance to decorative arts museum...

Bordeaux had its own airport and is easy to reach via France's train system -- about 3 hours from Paris (that trip will be 2 hours starting in 2016 when the new high speed train line connects). The train ride from Angouleme is about an hour.

Artists and comics fans -- the big news about Bordeaux is the 2015 opening of a new attraction: BD Aveneue bookstore ---Here's a link to the store's facebook page https://www.facebook.com/bdavenuebordeaux and website http://www.bdavenue.com/
This is the view from the bookstore, looking out towards the square where it's located.

Side street next to store entrance...

View of outdoor sculpture in front of the store .. and the Bordeaux Apple store next door...

All the white-washed windows on the ground level below are the store front for BD Avenue store...

Here's a closer view of the storefront..

And the front door...

When it opens later this year, BD Avenue will be a state of the art, 3-story bookstore, comics store, and art gallery located in the heart of the city,

UPDATE: Store is open in temporary location.
More info here: https://www.facebook.com/bdavenuebordeaux/

It is right across the street from the city's Grand Theater, a stunning example of 18th Century architecture.

Here's the interior staircase of the theater...

Inside the lobby is this model of the building..

This is the period interior of the theater's cafe ... perfect isn't it???

Longtime SNB pal Anabelle is involved with this new venture, and I'm so glad I took her suggestion to check out the city and the store's location. Once this venture is up and running, there are exciting plans to host guest artists from the US as well as Europe for signings and exhibitions. Trust me, artists, you will be blown away by this city! A great chance to experience French culture and art fans in a city that's easy to navigate and a unique balance of history and modern amenities.

Bordeaux has lots of hotels in a range of prices .... easy to access from Paris or Angouleme. Like red wine and a french meal .. a visit to Bordeaux is the perfect pairing for YOUR French adventure...