ESSENTIALS GETTING THERE

The upgraded high-speed rail line from Paris opens on July 2; returns from London (6hr including change at Paris) start at £110. Flights: BA (ba.com), easyJet (easyjet. com), Ryanair (ryanair.com). food. Five-course menu fixe £52. L’univerre

(40 Rue Lecocq, univerrerestaurant.com). A phenomenal list of wines from all around the world.

Garopapilles (62 Rue Abbé de l’Epée, garopapilles. com). Tiny, so book well ahead. Menu du Marché for lunch £30, tasting menu for dinner £80).

La Brasserie Bordelaise

(50 Rue Saint Rémi, brasseriebordelaise.fr). Old standby for classic dishes. Main courses £20-£25.

CHÂTEAU PICHON BARON, PAUILLAC, HAUT-MÉDOC

The fairy-tale turrets and towers of Pichon Baron make it one of Bordeaux’s most recognisable chateaux. Ranked as a second growth in the famous 1855 classification, under the stewardship of Christian Seely this Pauillac giant is now making wines that can almost be said to rival the first growths. Appointments must be made in advance (pichonbaron.com). A short vineyard tour followed by a tasting of three wines costs €15 (£13).

THE DRIVE Take the D2 north through the communes of Margaux (see panel), St Julien, Pauillac and right up to St Estèphe, ticking off famous names as you go. Note how the land gently rises and falls, with all the best chateaux perched atop a gravel bank. Do not miss out St Estèphe – you can stop at Pichon Baron on the way back. ALSO VISIT The Chateau MoutonRothschild Museum of Wine in Art (chateau-mouton-rothschild.com) and Léoville-Poyferré (St Julien), which offers walk-in tastings as well as a more elaborate programme by appointment.

CHÂTEAU SMITH HAUT LAFITTE, PESSAC-LÉOGNAN

The commune of Pessac-Léognan lies just to the south of, and very close to, the city of Bordeaux. It is home to some of Bordeaux’s greatest white wines, made from sémillon and sauvignon blanc, and aged in oak barrels, giving them a slight flavour of dill and roasted grapefruit. Smith Haut Lafitte is one of the big players here, and a beautiful place to visit. It is owned by former ski champions Daniel and Florence Cathiard, who built careers in advertising and retail before selling everything to buy the chateau in 1990. The older Cathiard daughter, Mathilde, created the Caudalie cosmetics and spa brand, while the younger one manages the five-star spa hotel (Les Sources de Caudalie) among the vineyards. Six different packages are offered by the vineyard, priced from €18-€715 (smith-haut-lafitte.com).