A toast to Bordeaux

There’s more to Bordeaux than just wine. Pól Ó Conghaile admires the stunning architecture, its many pedestrianised streets and its relaxing cafés and restaurants.

BORDEAUX. The word hangs in the mouth like a chop of Roquefort cheese. Its big, portly syllables evoke one of the great French brands — a region dripping with Old World vineyards, red-nosed wine snobs, elitist waiters and the haughtiest of Aquitaine’s grand chateaus.

But a visit to Bordeaux doesn’t have to be stuffy. It doesn’t even have to centre on wine. This is a city whose centre is a World Heritage Site, yet whose knockout building was completed in 1998. It has more restaurants per capita than Paris. It boasts tight-knit, bo-ho quarters like St Michel, and its nightlife can be every bit as hi-tech as its spanking new tramway.