A Ferocious Ferrari Purosangue Rally: From Biarritz to Bordeaux
Ferrari Purosangue Biarritz to Bordeaux Review Podcast
Ferrari Purosangue Rally
So, what do you do with the new Ferrari Purosangue, starting at £312,845? How about getting six of them and tearing around the southwest of France? A luxury tour from Biarritz to Bordeaux with friends, stopping at some of the finest hotels and vineyards along the way.
Gleefully, I hopped on a flight to Bilbao and was chauffeured over to Biarritz, arriving in the late afternoon.
I was greeted by six magnificent Purosangues lined up outside the Hôtel Régina Experimental. The orange light from the setting sun flared off the red, blue, and grey Ferraris, all set for our early afternoon start.
First, a raucous dinner at the Régina set the tone, and it was an absolute treat. An early morning briefing on the technological advances in the Purosangue was followed by lunch on the terrace of Le Garage Hotel next door, with its terrific restaurant featuring an electric green garden, pool, and fabulous food.
After lunch, Lorenzo, a Ferrari racing driver and instructor, gave us a few more tips on the Purosangue. Then, my fabulously glamorous co-pilot, Ming Liu, and I set off gently through the ancient, narrow, cobbled streets of Biarritz.
Allow me to point out that the French use high-slalom kerbs to deter speeding. Yes, if you speed, your rims are toast—no one wants to damage such a sculptural masterpiece!
But this wasn’t my first rodeo or my first tour in the Purosangue. I had the first one in the UK—left-hand drive, no less—so we took the lead pretty quickly.
I hadn’t seen Liu in a while, so we chatted like maniacs, catching up and diving deep into every topic. Touring does that—it’s one of the best ways to get to know someone, as you’re stuck in a small cabin for eight hours or more. We got on like a Ferrari in flames, and she even generously claimed to like my taste in music. Old man alt-rock all the way!
The miles flew by as we tested the Purosangue in every type of road condition—except for English potholes, but those had already been deeply tested (pun intended) a few weeks earlier.
France’s west coast has been largely ignored by tourists over the past few decades, much to our loss. It’s truly magnificent—smooth roads that wind pleasingly through picture-perfect landscapes of yellow rapeseed, corn, and towering sunflowers. Not to mention the grapevines stretching endlessly over sun-drenched hills, but more on that later, when we reached Bordeaux.
As we drove along the coast, admiring the picturesque little French villages dotted with sturdy stone barns and cottages, we were equally admired by pedestrians who would do a double-take at the procession of Ferraris. Kids would suddenly spin around, pulling their phones from their pockets to capture footage of the Purosangue as we disappeared over the horizon.
We had the blue Purosangue, undoubtedly the best colour for a Ferrari. Red and grey were just, well, less mesmerising.
Ming and I continued to chat at 70 miles an hour, matching our car's cruising speed. We both agreed—the Purosangue was something special. It’s the first four-door Ferrari, and it lives up to the idea that “simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” The sleek design and rear-hinged coach doors are pure class.
Inside, it’s just as impressive. The rear seats adjust and fold back for total comfort. The four-wheel steering makes handling a breeze, and the suspension, powered by electric motors for each wheel operating at up to 20 Hz, keeps the ride super smooth. Plus, the ‘Ruoti Motrici’ four-wheel drive and the high-tech 'brake-by-wire' system make everything feel so precise and controlled.
Which, of course, meant we could slam the accelerator like thugs, fully confident that the car would take care of us. This is what Ferrari represents today: extraordinary power, speed, and comfort, all delivered with complete safety.
Did I mention that this naturally aspirated V12, packing 725 BHP, rockets from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a blistering 3.3 seconds? And it clings to the road like a limpet with a gold medal in stickiness.
See here for our in-depth review of the Ferrari Purosangue.
After a superb day's driving, we arrived at one of the most exquisite and welcoming hotels I have ever had the privilege of encountering: Le Monastère de Saint-Mont.
Why had I never heard of this place? It’s truly staggering. Perched atop a hill surrounded by stunning flora, this ancient towering monastery features a beautiful swimming pool and overlooks the Adour River. As you step through the large wooden doors, past a decorative Fiat 500 in the anteroom, you're greeted by a peaceful inner courtyard. The interior décor—a fusion of modern, Provençal, and rustic bohemian styles—is nothing short of sublime. It’s not so much a hidden gem as it is like finding the Koh-i-Noor diamond in your breakfast pastry.
What’s even more extraordinary is that all of this is run by a small family—husband, wife, son, and daughter—who do everything themselves! The father is a celebrated chef, the mother runs the hotel with such style that even world-class concierges would hang their heads in shame. The son serves the tables with charming efficiency, poetically describing each dish, and is also an accomplished sommelier. The daughter creates pastries you’d sell your soul for. Both dinner and breakfast are equally magnificent—the food is exceptional. 6 out of 5 stars! I won’t attempt to describe it, as I doubt I could do it justice. Try it for yourself.
I kid you not; I almost didn’t include the previous paragraph because a small part of me wants to keep this place a secret. But even I’m not that selfish. Drop whatever you’re doing and book a stay right now. I wanted to live there so badly that I even asked to be adopted. Unfortunately, my pleas for a new family were gently brushed aside.
To make matters worse, they had managed to obtain bottles of Romanée-Conti in record time—an exclusive waiting list to rival Ferrari’s. After dinner, accompanied by some superb wines and a cheeky ancient brandy in a flask the size of the O2 Arena, the son, Bert, showed us around the 1,000-year-old wine cellar, which had been burnt down 500 years ago. It’s the only original arched cellar in the region. The wine collection is mind-blowing; rarely have I seen such a prestigious array of rare vintages.
I slept well that night, dreaming of vineyards, ancient brandies, and new Ferraris.
One night at Le Monastère was not enough—leaving felt like being expelled from paradise. The Tossens family has created something truly unique and special, and they work damn hard to share it with their guests.
Oh well, at least Ming and I were leaving in a Ferrari Purosangue—the blue one. We left the grey and red ones far behind, except for the Dutchman, Martin Mackenzie, who, to be fair, might have overtaken us a couple of times. But we were cruising peacefully through some of the most breathtaking scenery in France—the vineyards of Bordeaux, where you pass a château every 20 metres. Out here, everyone has a château. It’s like owning a bungalow in Brighton—you’re not special.
In Bordeaux, châteaux and vineyards are a thriving industry, packed into every nook and cranny. Over a hundred miles, Ming and I spotted only one tiny strip of land devoid of those blissful berries! It must have been cursed—or perhaps someone is holding out to build a skyscraper château with a vertical vineyard!
Endless châteaux unfurled over undulating hills, each more stunning than the last. The sun beamed down beatifically as we glided along in supercar splendour.
As if to heighten our already growing envy of those lucky enough to live in Bordeaux, we arrived at the Château Hotel & Spa Grand Barrail, featuring a glorious terrace dotted with tables overlooking more pristine vines. Ming and I strolled over to the Art Deco glass serre and ordered one of everything. Sadly, since it was lunchtime, we had to forego the wine list. 'La prochaine fois.'
Lunch in the restaurant was a blend of bistro and gastronomy known as bistronomique—essentially simple yet beautifully prepared dishes, perfect after a long drive. Though it would have been wonderful to enjoy a bottle of wine among the vines, as the film crew did.
The final stretch of the route wound through more vibrant vineyards and charming châteaux before arriving at the Hotel Burdigala Bordeaux. However, this was just a pit stop, as we had a wine tasting at the legendary Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion. The only vineyard located in the heart of the city of Bordeaux, it is not only easy to visit but also offers some of the finest and most expensive wines in the world.
My first glass was a 2016 Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion, which, at just shy of £1,800 a bottle, is a steal! In contrast, a bottle of Elements III from 2017 to 2019 retails for £4,580. Try not to spill any! Philippe Starck, a friend of the owners, designed the winery, and the wine tanks are painted by celebrated artists, one of whom is Ara, Philippe Starck's daughter.
The winery resembles an upside-down boat that sits in the lake below the château. The design is quite incongruous yet surprisingly beautiful—not to mention the life-size Swarovski crocodile that guards the bridge leading to the winery. It’s utterly bling next to the vines!
Sadly, it was time to leave, as my chauffeur was waiting to take me to Bordeaux Airport. Fortunately, he was both inordinately fond of Bordeaux and London, having just visited the latter, so more inspiring conversations about the joys of travel continued.
Touring in the Ferrari Purosangue with Ming and the Ferrari Maranello team was an absolute blast, not to mention the local Bordeaux film crew that recorded our escapades with a huge camera rig hanging out of the back of their van and various drones.
The Ferrari Purosangue is aptly named, reflecting the blood, sweat, and undoubtedly tears of the Ferrari engineers. They balanced countless options to create something technologically superior to any other car. Pure blood is right; this is a masterful vehicle, bred for touring over endless terrain in all conditions—be it the lush vineyards of Europe, the deserts of Arabia, or the expansive interstate highways of the USA.
However, my preferred route for the Purosangue would be the Silk Road—Istanbul to Beijing, baby! Imagine passing through Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China in such refined luxury. What a ride that would be!
See here for our in-depth review of the Ferrari Purosangue.
For more information on the Ferrari Purosangue
https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-purosangue
Further information on the hotels and stops.
Regina Experimental Hotel, Biarritz
