Swill, sip and spit your way through Bordeaux's wineries

Bordeaux is a charming port city located in the southwest of France.

Capital of the Aquitaine region, Bordeaux lies on the banks of the River Garonne and is the epicentre of one of the world's premier wine regions.

The 1000-square-kilometres of countryside surrounding Bordeaux is home to over 110,000 hectares of vineyards and 13,000 wine growers and is dotted with thousands of wine-producing chateaux. Wine tours are popular with holidaymakers, who come here to swill, sip and spit the likes of Meeoc, Sauternes and St-Emilion. Note that many chateaux are shut during the October harvest season.

Bordeaux's 18th century old town is home to numerous galleries and museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs as well as beautifully-landscaped gardens and the striking esplanade des Quincones - a large square built in the Restoration period.

Bordeaux's international airport - Aeroport de Bordeaux Merignac - lies 8km from the city centre. The high-speed TGV train links Paris to Bordeaux in just three hours.