Castles by the sea

Grand Theater, located in the center of Bordeaux, is a landmark for visitors to start or end their trip. Photos by Rebecca Lo / For China Daily

The Porte Cailhau inspires imagination of the countless knights and nobility who have ridden through its gate.

While the Grand Cru wineries in Bordeaux provide ample libations, the region itself is an outdoor museum that offer glimpses into France's past glories. Rebecca Lo explores.

Emmanuel, our butler at Chateau La Lagune, welcomes us into the formal dining room and proceeds to show us how to set a table in the traditional French style. "You always put the tines of the fork facing down, not up," he says. Legend has it that centuries ago, while gesturing at the dinner table to make a point, a senior commander poked himself on the tines.

He then proclaimed that forks shall forever be set tines-down to prevent the same mishap from ever happening again.

Emmanuel then shows us how to fold napkins. Being a Martha Stewart fan, I have always used napkin rings - but Emmanuel, with a frown that extended down his entire body, said that wasn't how things were done in France. Napkins had to be made from white linen, and he took great pride in starching and ironing them to crisp perfection. Who knew that napkins could be arranged with as many variations as origami? Swans, fans, hats and kites with built-in pockets to keep rolls warm appeared and disappeared before our eyes under Emmanuel's deft fingers. As a sad individual who can barely fold a paper airplane, I was immensely impressed.

Emmanuel is a throwback to the days when estates such as La Lagune were staffed with a bevy of hands who took their domestic employment very seriously.

He and his wife live on the grounds in staff quarters a short walk from the main house, and he is in charge of making sure that the household is run smoothly and efficiently.

He works closely with Chef Lameul Florian, serving the impeccably prepared gourmet meals the chef concocts with fresh produce from the region's bounty.

Emmanuel's plethora of skills include hairdressing, home decoration and menu planning, along with keeping the three-suite Chateau La Lagune in tip-top shape.

The winery and adjacent vineyards comprise a legendary Haut Medoc estate with its signature wine, one of 14 Third Growths in the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.

It was purchased by Jean Jacques Frey in 2000, and his daughter Caroline Frey subsequently modernized the entire winery.

Frey added the easy-drinking Mademoiselle L to the estate's popular Chateau la Lagune and Moulin la Lagune labels.

With the assistance of her mother, she also renovated the historic 1730 chateau by Victor Louis - the same architect who designed Grand Hotel de Bordeaux and Grand Theater - into a warm home for guests to immerse themselves in the La Lagune experience.

The kitchen was expanded to include a state-of-the-art show kitchen, tasting rooms adjacent to cellared wine and rustic touches such as a wood burning fire to ward off chilly nights.

Upstairs, framed photos are everywhere; the Freys convene at the chateau for family gatherings on holidays and special occasions.

In true chateau style, the main sitting room is filled with plump sofas, and leads to a narrow library with a ladder to access the uppermost shelves.

I love my suite of rose patterned drapery and fabrics; it is one of three lavishly decorated suites in the chateau, which can be booked individually or as a group.

We head out into the city for lunch at La Brasserie Bordelaise, a typical Bordeaux bistro lined to the rafters with bottles of wine.

It is a busy place, set in the middle of the city and popular with local businessmen working in the area.

I was torn between steak tartare and coq au vin, finally settling on the latter once I heard that my friend Mindy was going to try the former.

The chicken was falling off the bone, deliciously smothered in a rich wine sauce and garnished with rosemary sprigs.

Mindy's tartare was cooked to perfection, with tiny ramekins of fixings for her to mix according to her personal preference.

We order a bottle of Saint Emilion to accompany our meal, and are joined by Marina Mendez of Max Bordeaux Wine Gallery & Cellar as we sip our coffee.

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