Bordeaux

Watch from your seat on the Ouibus to Bordeaux as the vineyards flash past: you are deep in wine country. A large part of this city in the beautiful south-west of France is classed as a Unesco World Heritage site. This label includes the banks of the river Garonne, the ideal place for a stroll. This picturesque urban walk will take you past many historic buildings which echo the city’s past. The capital of Aquitaine was once France’s top port, and it remains the capital of wine production. This rich heritage gave the city a bourgeois air, and the Grand Théâtre, Bourse, and Place Royale and testimony to its great past. As well as the grand 18th century French architectural style you will also see some medieval buildings and narrow cobbled streets in some of the oldest districts. Looking for cool bars and clubs? Head for the former industrial port area, where you’ll find trendy, refurbished warehouse style hangouts. You can get there by tram or by bicycle from the other side of the river. The nightlife in the centre of Bordeaux is buzzing and lively, with tables outside bars and restaurants packed until late in the evening. If you’re into wine and would like to learn more about it, a visit to the Bordelais vineyards is a must. The brand new Cité du Vin is set to open in late 2016, too. Feeling peckish? Try some of the tasty local dishes such as duck confit, or lamprey in a wine sauce? And for a break mid morning, there’s nothing better than a cannelé to go with your coffee: these sweet pastries are flavoured with orange blossom, vanilla and rum.