Bordeaux, France

Bordeaux is situated on the Garonne River, 20 miles (32km) inland from the Atlantic Ocean, and is France's fifth largest city with a population of nearly 700,000. In days of yore it started out as a Roman trading post, and passed into the hands of the English who owned it for some 300 years, imparting a British influence on the French flair of the city and surrounds. Many of the grand chateaux in and around the city are still in English hands and are open to tourists.



Most travellers who visit Bordeaux are here for one thing: wine. Wine connoisseurs looking to take home some of their favourite wines will do best to buy directly from the wine farms, but shops such as La Vinothèque on cours du XXX Juillet, or L'Intendant and Badie on allées de Tourny are also good bets.



There are other things to see and do in Bordeaux besides tasting and buying wine, however. The city centre has undergone a remarkable upgrade in recent years, restoring many of its centuries-old buildings.



 Don't miss the view from Les Quais, including the beautiful Aquitaine Bridge; the historical monuments and lively student bars of La Victoire; and the lush and peaceful Botanic Gardens.



 Bordeaux also has several interesting museums, including the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Musee D'Aquitaine, which exhibits Gallo-Roman statues and relics dating back 25,000 years.

Bordeaux Attractions Although Bordeaux has a reputation for being a little seedy the city is making a colossal effort to spruce itself up and it has some magnificent architecture to show off. Visitors will be impressed by the attractions in Bordeaux and will find plenty of worthwhile things to see and do in this proud old city, especially if they like wine. Vieux Bordeaux, the old town, is a treasure trove of magnificent buildings and a lovely area to stroll around. Most of the city's attractions are clumped together in this charming area which makes it convenient to tackle your sightseeing on foot. Boat rides are also a popular and fun way to see the old town. There are a number of must-see attractions in Vieux Bordeaux: the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux, considered one of the grandest 18th century theatres in the world, and a really special place to watch an opera or ballet; the Basilique St-Michel, a magnificent Gothic cathedral and a feature on the Santiago de Compostello pilgrimage, with windows designed by modernist artist Max Ingrand; and the Musee des Beaux-Arts, which has a very fine collection of European paintings. Two venerable old squares to visit are the Esplanade des Quinconces, which is enormous, and the smaller but more beautiful Place de la Bourse. A walk along the river from Place de la Bourse to the Port of the Moon is a wonderful experience and encompasses the best of Bordeaux. Of course, for many the main attraction of Bordeaux is the wine and there are numerous vineyards and cellars to be explored. Most of the famous wineries in the area offer tours and tastings and Bordeaux certainly doesn't fail to impress in this regard. Vieux Bordeaux Vieux Bordeaux (old town) centres on the Quartier St-Pierre,which is surrounded by narrow streets, and lined with old churches and grand mansions adorned by wrought-iron balconies and arcading. There has been a lot of restoration over the last few years, but many streets...  see full details Bordeaux Wine Country The area surrounding Bordeaux produces over 70 million gallons of wine each year, including some of the world's best red wine. Many vineyards are small family-run businesses without staff to cater for tourists, but the larger, more famous wineries organise tastings and tours of...  see full details Musee des Beaux-Arts The Musée des Beaux-Arts was established in 1801 and is one of the largest galleries outside of the capital city of Paris. Featuring the works of artists from 15th to the 20th centuries, visitors can view the works of Perugino, Titian, Rubens, Veronese and...  see full details Basilique St-Michel Constructed in stages between the 14th and 16th centuries, the Basilique St-Michel is a typical Gothic-style church and the main place of Catholic worship in Bordeaux. The main distinguishing feature, the Basilique's tower and spire, which rises to a height of 374 feet (114m)...  see full details Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux Designed by renowned architect Victor Louis, the Grand Théâtre de Bordeaux was built between 1773 and 1780 and is one of the grandest 18th-century theatres remaining in the world. It served as the National Assembly for the French Parliament briefly in 1781 and was...  see full details