Legendary Land

Explore the historic châteaux and fine wines of Bordeaux.

- KATIE MCELVEEN

It’s been more than 20 years since the city of Bordeaux shook off centuries of neglect and scrubbed the soot from its buildings, cleared the crumbling warehouses from its riverfront and recon-figured streets to make them more pedestrian-friendly.

The results have been startling. Hidden for decades behind a dilapi dated wharf, the Garonne River sparkles beyond a sweeping promenade that runs from the lively Chartrons district, where outdoor cafés give way to elegant antique shops along Rue Notre Dame, to Pont de Pierre, the graceful 19th-century bridge commissioned by Napoleon. There are parks, gardens, sculptures and fountains, too, most notably Le Miroir d’Eau, a massive black granite reflecting pool where splashing about has become a warm-weather ritual.

Step away from the river and you’ll find centuries-old churches with soaring spires; the hefty towers of medieval Gross Cloche; and the 18thcentury Neoclassical Grand Théatre, rimmed with a dozen sculptures of Greek and Roman gods. In all, more than 350 structures set within UNESCO’s largest urban complex are listed as historic monuments.

Then there’s the wine. Bordeaux’s dominance in the production and distribution of wine has its roots in the discovery, in the first century, of a grape variety that could withstand cold winters. It flourished in Bordeaux and — voilà — the modern wine industry was born. Well, not exactly. Centuries of refining methods of growing, harvesting, blending, aging and distributing wine came into play as well, but the end of the story remains the same: Bordeaux’s wines rate among the best in the world.