One of the great pleasures of visiting Bordeaux is to stroll through its graceful streets lined with beautiful buildings, eating well and then driving out to explore the surrounding vineyards and the sumptuous south-west coast of France. It’s a truly gorgeous part of the world, and it’s waiting for you to discover it in its entirety.
Golden wonders
Head to the heart of Bordeaux and find the Triangle-d'Or (Golden Triangle), framed by the streets Cours Clemenceau, Cours de l’Intendance and Allées de Tourny. Here, you’ll find the finest expression of the city's 18th-century grandeur. The elegant boulevards are lined with top-end shops, bars, cafés and restaurants. At the south-eastern point is the Place de la Comédie, overlooked by the Grand Theatre with its magnificent neo-classical façade and intricately-decorated auditorium.
The place to be
A short walk away, facing the River Garonne, is the Place de la Bourse, enclosed on three sides by the majestic Palais de la Bourse. The city’s former stock exchange mirrors the grandeur of Versailles and looks out across the majestic miroir d’eau, a vast expanse of shimmering shallow water that perfectly reflects the palace. It’s best seen floodlit at night, when the effect is truly mesmerising.
Afterwards, make for the medieval St. Pierre district, a lively warren of narrow streets and pretty little squares begging to be explored. Here, you’ll find joy at every turn in a maze of majesty packed with off-the-beaten-track bars and fantastic, romantic restaurants. Running through the middle, you’ll find the 1-km long Rue Ste Cathérine, a more affordable shopping alternative to the eye-watering price-tags in the Triangle d’Or.
City of wine
Wander through the world of wine, explored in fascinating depth at La Cité du Vin, a museum housed in a stunning building resembling a wine decanter on the banks of the River Garonne. Bring the oenophile dream to life as expert guides lead you around 20 different themed sections covering everything from vine cultivation, grape varieties and wine production to the ancient wine trade and 21st-century wine trends.
Food of the Gods
In a city built on wine production, it’ll come as no surprise that Bordeaux has some incredible restaurants serving the best vintages. The two Michelin star Grande Maison de Bernard Magrez is run by the award-winning chef, Pierre Gagnaire, while Philippe Etchebest, host of French TV's version of ‘Kitchen Nightmare’ has taken over at the Grand Theatre's restaurant.
As well as high-end dining, the city is also steeped in hearty south-west French culinary traditions with dishes like Pauillac lamb, local Bazas beef and wood pigeon in red-wine sauce. Embark on a classic Bordeaux experience and spend a Saturday morning slurping down Arcachon Bay oysters from a seafood stand in the city's legendary covered food market, Marche des Capucins.
Grape expectations
No visit to this regio would be complete without a tour of the city’s surrounding vineyards. Car rental in Bordeaux will give you the freedom to do it at your own pace. Stop off at Saint-Émilion, a beautiful old wine town 40 minutes’ drive west from Bordeaux, or head out to the Gironde estuary where you’ll find famous Bordeaux wine châteaux such as Latour, Margaux and Mouton-Rothschild. One of the best-known Médoc wineries and one of the region's oldest is the Château Lynch-Bages, 2km south-west of Pauillac, in the tiny hamlet of Bages. Round things off with a meal at Café Lavinal, a chic village bistro run by the same family.
