BORDEAUX

Short on time, but keen to discover somewhere new and completely different? We recommend a short break in the beautiful city of Bordeaux

WHILE Paris may be the obvious choice for a city break in France, this beguiling country offers so much more beyond the capital and its world-famous landmarks. Head to Bordeaux and you’ll discover an equally enchanting destination brimming with history, culture and style – and of course, fine wine.

It has been said that if Paris is France’s brain, then Bordeaux is its beating heart, innately synonymous with the very character of the country and its people.

If you have the opportunity to take a long weekend, you can take your car across the Channel by Eurotunnel Le Shuttle from Folkestone to Calais, then enjoy a scenic drive (approximately eight hours) south, once you are in France. Head off on a Friday morning and you’ll arrive in Bordeaux ready for dinner and a lovely weekend in this charming city in the southwest of the country.

CULTURAL DELIGHTS

ONCE a rather sleepy city, Bordeaux has come alive in recent years, with a cultural regeneration and bustling arts scene. There’s a wealth of small galleries and pop-up exhibition spaces, or you can head to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs et du Design, housed in an 18th-century aristocratic residence, to see stunning artworks by Matisse, Van Dyck, Rubens, among others, in situ alongside grand marble fireplaces, original parquet floors and other authentic domestic features.

Learn more about the history of the city and the surrounding Aquitaine region at the Musée d’Aquitaine, which offers free admission on the first Sunday of every month.

GASTRONOMIC TREATS

AN INFLUX of innovative, up-and-coming chefs has shaken up Bordeaux’s culinary scene, in a bid to match the gastronomy to the local speciality – wine (as if you needed reminding). For a light supper, La Brasserie Bordelaise offers a small, typically French menu, specialising in charcuterie platters accompanied by one of the 700 or so wines from their extensive cellar. Tanguy Laviale’s contemporary French fare at Garopapilles is highly regarded by locals, so you need to book well in advance, or you could try a more informal menu at Belle Campagne in the Saint Pierre quarter, where local seasonal produce is served in regional dishes with a modern twist. With its bare tables and flea-market chairs, brunch at La Cagette is something of a Bordeaux institution and will fuel you for the day ahead. Then, when you’re out and about during the day, be sure to try the local speciality and pick up a box of canelés – small rum and vanilla-flavoured pastries – available in any of the bakeries or patisseries around the city.

ARCHITECTURAL GEMS

THE LAST 15 years or so have seen substantial renovation programmes, resulting in swathes of the UNESCO-listed 18th-century city-centre buildings being restored to their former glory. More than half the city’s buildings are listed, some of them stretching back to the 15th century, but there’s an injection of visionary modern architecture, too, making this a richly

varied destination to explore.

Head to the Instagramfriendly Miroir de Quais at the Place de la Bourse: at certain times of the day, the ‘water mirror’ created by shallow water lying on vast granite slabs perfectly reflects the surrounding buildings.

The Chartrons district, known in former times for its warehouses and grand homes belonging to the noblemen of the wine trade, is now a pulsing neighbourhood with stylish restaurants, bars and boutiques, centred on Rue Notre Dame.

THE CITY OF WINE

IF YOU want to leave your car and explore in a more relaxed mode on public transport, it’s easy to get around Bordeaux on the new tramway system. Of course, you can’t come to the City of Wine without learning about its most famous produce, so dedicate at least part of your stay to the region’s eponymous wine.

Last summer, La Cité du Vin, an €81 million multimedia wine museum and cultural centre, opened in the north of the city on the banks of the Garonne river, in a striking architectdesigned gold, aluminium and glass tower and spiral structure.

Whether you’re a passionate oenophile or simply enjoy learning about viniculture and winemaking, it’s definitely worth a visit: there’s a permanent exhibition with tastings, workshops and the chance to enjoy a glass of wine and take in panoramic views of the city from The Belvedere, on the eighth floor. It’s a great place to seek advice on the vineyards in the region that are open to the public, if you fancy driving out of the city to see one or some of the 7,000 châteaux on a cellar tour and enjoy an on-site tasting with winemakers. You could even book a guided tour – either half or a full day, individually or in a group – from the tourist office in the centre of Bordeaux, discovering local wine trails and gleaning expert insight along the way.