| With a 2007 population of 244,000, Bordeaux is | | | | Cathedrale-Saint-Andre. The two old bridges |
| located on the Garonne River in southwest | | | | across the Garonne are remarkable as well - the |
| France. Known for its winemaking, Bordeaux may | | | | 1820 Pont de Pierre and Gustav Eiffel's Iron |
| sound like a quaint old-world wine making region | | | | Railway Bridge, perhaps a warm-up for a bigger |
| of rolling hills and winding roads, but the | | | | project! Bordeaux is a shopper's paradise. Watch |
| metropolitan area is more of a modern sprawling | | | | those credit cards, because Bordeaux claims to |
| working city, with over 1 million people in the area | | | | have Europe's longest shopping street at 1.2 km |
| and a burgeoning high-tech industrial base and an | | | | (.75 miles), the pedestrian-only Rue |
| active port. | | | | Sainte-Catherine. |
| Bordeaux' old town, however, does feature one | | | | There are many other things to do and see as |
| of the largest concentrations of 18th-century | | | | well in Bordeaux, but really, when in Bordeaux, it is |
| structures in all of Europe. In fact, over 5000 | | | | about the wine. Bordeaux has been associated |
| buildings remain from the 1700s, and the historical | | | | with wine since the first century A.D., and there |
| part of the city has made the UNESCO World | | | | are literally hundreds of wine producing Bourdelais |
| Heritage List as "an outstanding urban and | | | | Chateaux that offer tours and tastings. You can |
| architectural ensemble... with more protected | | | | also go to Vinorama, one of the many wine |
| buildings than any other French city, except Paris". | | | | museums devoted to wine. And you can learn |
| There are also many additional historical | | | | even more about wine with a trip to the |
| architectural wonders in Bordeaux, starting with | | | | Bordeaux Wine School, where you can take an |
| three magnificent churches that lie on the | | | | intensive weekend course. But above all, stock up |
| medieval pilgrim route to Spain. These are | | | | on great wine by buying the best way possible -- |
| Saint-Michel, Saint-Seurin and the | | | | right at the winery. |