France

Practise your best santé - you'll be raising your glass a lot in Bordeaux, home to one of France's seven key wine regions and known for its award-winning big reds. Tour the chateaux, imbibe the world-class wines and indulge in the regional cuisine, but remember that Bordeaux offers much more.

Before the 20th century

Bordeaux' history is one of wine and roses. As far back as the 3rd century BC, when it was founded by the Romans, the region's wines began enjoying a favourable reputation. However in the mid-12th century its path to worldwide wine fame was set forever when King Henry II of England married Eleanor of Aquitane and thus gained control of the Bordeaux region.

Eleanor's marriage to Henry of Anjou also ushered in a rivalry between France and England for control of Aquitane and the vast English territories in France that would last for three centuries. However, for Bordeaux, the marriage brought only good, as the king tried to gain favour with Bordeaux citizens by allowing them, among other concessions, tax-free trade with England. As a result, Bordeaux wine became the cheapest imported wine and unsurprisingly a major hit with the English.

From 1154 to 1453, Bordeaux prospered under English rule, whose continued fondness for the region's red wine - known across the Channel as claret - helped the region gain a worldwide reputation for quality wines. When the French regained control of Bordeaux in 1453, commerce slumped with the loss of the English wine trade.

From 1648 to 1653, the city joined in the series of urban revolts known as Les Frondes, with Bordeaux' the last to be quelled. By the 18th century, the city had found new wealth by trading in slaves and sugar, and the centre was rebuilt by several enthusiastic royal governors, notably Claude Boucher and the Marquis de Tourny. Bordeaux took a triple blow in the 19th century with the end of the slave trade in 1815, a slump in the sugar trade and the 1878 destruction of its vines by phylloxera.

Modern history

Phylloxera was a huge blow to the region. Millions of vines had to be uprooted and burned as a result of the spread of the tiny, vine-killing bug. The problem could only be fixed by grafting European vines onto the stem of the American vine, which was resistant to phylloxera. This, however, caused the quality of the wine to be somewhat diminished. Nevertheless, Bordeaux' combination of soil, aspect and climate means that it still produces some of the most famous white and red wines on the planet.

The region was also lucky enough to be spared the ignominies of war during the two world wars, both of which affected the northeast of the country. Resistance activities by the Bordelais exemplified the streak of defiance and independence that have made the region's inhabitants famous. However they were not spared the shame of France's capitulation to the Nazis - Bordeaux was the scene of the 1940 armistice with Hitler. The city served briefly as the wartime national capital during each of three conflicts with Germany - in 1870, 1914 and for two weeks in 1940.

Recent history

Today Bordeaux produces more fine wine than any other region in the world. From its 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) of vineyards, the region typically produces around one-quarter of France's total appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) wine, of which 75 per cent is red. Equally impressive is Bordeaux's metamorphosis into a high-tech capital with a vigorous aeronautical industry.

Top Accommodation

Top Restaurants

France, including Bordeaux, is at its best in spring, though winter-like relapses aren't unknown. Autumn is pleasant but the days are fairly short. Bordeaux' proximity to the Atlantic Ocean ensures a fairly mild climate.

Average weather

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Transport

Getting there and away

Bordeaux airport is in Mérignac, 10km (6mi) west of the city centre. Buses to places all over the Gironde (and nearby départements) leave from the Halte Routière Allèes de Chartres in the northeast corner of Esplanade des Quinconces; schedules are posted. Citrame Aquitane runs most buses to destinations in the Gironde and has an information kiosk at the Halte Routière. The Eurolines office faces the train station.

Bordeaux is one of France's most important rail transit points. The station, Gare St-Jean, is about 3km (2mi) from the city centre at the southern terminus of cours de la Marne. Be extra careful with your bags here. Destinations include Paris' Gare Montparnasse, Bayonne, Nantes, Poitiers, La Rochelle and Toulouse. All the big car rental companies have offices in the train station building.

Getting around

You can get around Bordeaux in a variety of ways. You can rent a bicycle or go-ped motorised scooter, hop on one of the urban buses (including night buses on weekends and during large events), or catch a cab. There is also a new tramway system - the first section opened in December 2003, with more lines to follow. Parking in the city centre is hard to find and pricey.

Health & Legal Requirements

Dangers and annoyances

Bordeaux is a relatively hassle-free destination by any standards, so it's safe to presume that - barring exceptional circumstances - the most travellers have to worry about will remembering which hotel they're staying at after a big night on the delicious local juice.