Of course, wine and wine connoisseurs are not all that the city has to offer. Mansions, cathedrals, art galleries and great food are only some of the aspects of Bordeaux life that one can hope to savour on a visit there.

The absolutely stunning Cathedrale St-Andre in pl. Pey-Berland is a Gothic masterpiece, and remains breathtaking even after nearly 900 years. For operas, concerts and plays, the Grand Theatre is the place to go. This is an 18th century building, which is near the tourist office. The Musee d’Art Contemporain (Tel. 0556008150) and the Arc en Reve Centre d’Architecture (Tel.0556527836) exhibit modern painting, sculpture and photography.

The Bordelais take their eating seriously, just as the rest of France. Known as the region of fine living and good eating, the people enjoy their regional specialties - you can hunt for these around av. St-Remi and pl. St-Pierre. These include oysters, foie gras, beef cooked with TLC (tender loving care!) in a wine sauce and a cake called ‘canele de Bordeaux’, which was created in 1519. Plenty of cheese is available for the cheese-inclined, and French and Italian delicacies to suit the variety-is-the-spice-of-life-inclined! The supermarket at the Centre Meriadeck is perfect for stocking up.

Of course, when in Bordeaux, do as the Bordelais do - taste their wine! Wine tours can be organized with minimum fuss. The tour alternates between les Cotes de Blaye, L’Entre-Deux-Mers, Graves et Sauternes, Medoc and St-Emilion. Take these tours the whole year, every day, except between November and April when it is available only on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A two-hour "Initiation to Wine Tasting" course is also available at the Maison du Vin/CIVB (Tel. 0556523205). This course from June to August twice a week, at a price, will allow you to sample some of Bordeaux’s most expensive, but splendid wines.

You can rent a car and drive to Bordeaux. The road are excellent, toll taxes are high and petrol is costly…but it gives you the freedom to stop as you go by. Trains will take you into Bordeaux from Paris, Toulouse and Nice. From the train station take bus7 or 8 to pl. Gambetta.. Internet access is available at Cyberstation, 23 cours Pasteur. By way of accommodation, quality Bordeaux hotels serve you well. The budget and adventurous travelers have the youth hostel or the option to pitch a camp at Camping les Gravieres, on pont de la Maye in Villeneuve d’Ornon.