Dordogne to Bordeaux
Drive Time: 2 hours, 40 minutes | Distance: 154 miles
Remarkable Landmarks
Being the wine capital of the world, Bordeaux’s most-famous produce plays a big part in its must-sees, which include the world-beating, decanter-shaped wine museum – La Cité du Vin – a unique cultural centre dedicated to the universal, living heritage of wine.
Hail a Wine Cab where one of three London black cabs (complete with tasting bar) takes you out of town on a tour of some of the world’s most prestigious vineyards and wine chateaux. Soak up the drivers’ brilliant inside tips on which bottles to indulge in at each stop, then quaff away, to your heart’s content!
Climb the flamboyantly Gothic Pey-Berland Tower’s 229 stairs for spectacular views over Bordeaux and its monuments, including an aerial view of Saint-André Cathedral. Both the Bordelais and visitors alike adore oh-so-elegant Place de la Bourse, Bordeaux’s most recognisable location on the edge of the Garonne River. Marvel at the perfect symmetry of the square and its surrounding buildings, dip your toes in the Miroir d'Eau – the world’s largest reflecting p0ol – or run through the plumes of mist it throws up every 23 minutes.
Once an area of abandoned warehouses and former wine aristocrats' houses, just a short tram ride north from the city centre, Chartrons is now Bordeaux's trendiest neighbourhood, with artfully cool boutiques and plenty of awesome eateries.
Remarkable Restaurants
An exceptionally unique dining experience, two-Michelin-starred Le Pressoir d’Argent Gordon Ramsay (at the InterContinental Bordeaux – Le Grand Hotel), pays homage to the region’s world-renowned local produce and wines, and heralds outstanding British Isles produce, too.
Stay: InterContinental Bordeaux - Le Grand Hotel (2 nights)