Bordeaux city: what to do, what to see...

The capital of Aquitaine, Bordeaux is a UNESCO listed city that abounds with the pleasures of the South-West: prestigious vineyards, unrivalled gastronomy and the Atlantic on its doorstep. The Fête le Vin Festival and Cité du Vin discovery centre celebrate the city’s connection to wine, but the newly redesigned banks of the River Garonne provide the setting for outdoor pursuits and the Old Town is a treasure box of 18th Century architectural gems.

WHAT TO SEE

• La Cité du Vin, a unique discovery of wine culture
• City views from the top of Pey Berland Tower
• Aquitaine Museum depicting local history from prehistoric times
• Chateau Les Carmes Haut-Brion winery with cellar designed by Philippe Starck
• The world largest water mirror in Place de la Bourse

WHAT TO DO

• Numerous wine tours starting from the city centre
• Old Bordeaux wine bars and terraces
• Jogging and cycling on the river banks or a river cruise
• An evening at the opera and a drink on the Place de la Comédie
• Brunch at the “Magasin General” in the Darwin Organic Restaurant

WHAT TO TASTE

• A tasting class of Bordeaux red wines
• Oysters from Arcachon Bay
• World-famous Canelé pastries flavoured with rum and vanilla
• Dunes Blanches choux buns filled with vanilla cream
• Local food from the Capucins market or the outdoor "Chartrons" market on Sundays

WHAT TO BRING BACK

• Caviar d'Aquitaine, the black gold of France
• A bottle or two of fine wine
• A dozen Canelé pastries
• Wine marmalade; the taste without the alcohol
• Bouchon de Bordeaux almond pastries with Bordeaux brandy

Getting to Bordeaux