The world's wine capital is disappointingly shabby, but is
currently undergoing some renovation and clean-up projects which,
while not adding to its aesthetic value at present, will ultimately
make this large, wealthy metropole with its classical architecture
easier on the eye. Bordeaux is sited on the Garonne River, 20 miles
(32km) in from the Atlantic, and is France's fifth largest city
with a population of 650,000. In days of yore it started out as a
Roman trading post, and passed into the hands of the English who
owned it for some 300 years, imparting a British frosting on the
French flair of the city and surrounds. Many of the grand chateaux
in and around the city are still in English hands and many are open
to tourists. Visitors can also sample the wares at several wine
exporters premises in the city, which chiefly serves tourists
simply as a stopover and central transport hub useful for accessing
France's famous wine-growing region.
