Bordeaux, located in western France, is one of the most important wine-growing areas in

the world. It’s also a place rich in history, culture, and sights that any world traveler or

Europe lover will want to see at least once in their lifetime.

W H Y V I S I T B O R D E A U X ?

One of the most important places to visit is, of course, Bordeaux’s famous vineyards.

Bordeaux’s wine industry is such an important part of world culture, it’s been declared a

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Even if you don’t drink wine yourself, you’ll want to see the

area’s splendid vineyards just for their importance to history.

B O R D E A U X ’ S F A M O U S V I N E Y A R D S

• Bordeaux is the largest wine-

growing area in France.

• Almost all of Bordeaux’s famous

wines are blends, meaning they’re

created by combining more than

one type of grape.

• The primary type of wine grape

grown in Bordeaux is merlot. In

fact, Bordeaux grows the most

merlot grapes in the world.

• Today, Bordeaux is most famous for

its red wines. But until the 1970s,

it mostly produced white wines.

S O M E F A C T S A B O U T B O R D E A U X W I N E

Bordeaux is also famous

for its beautiful

architecture—some of it

hundreds or thousands of

years old. For example,

the Esplanade des

Quinconces is one of the

largest city squares in

Europe. Across its more

than 30 acres, visitors can

see many splendid

sculptures, fountains, and

other stunning sights.

E S P L A N A D E D E S Q U I N C O N C E S

G R A N D T H É Â T R E D E B O R D E A U X

Another of Bordeaux’s architectural wonders is the Grand Theatre, a neoclassical structure

built in the late 1700s. It is the place where famed ballet dancer and choreographer

Marius Petipa debuted some of his most famous pieces, and today serves as home to the

Opéra National de Bordeaux and the Ballet National de Bordeaux.

There are many ancient

cathedrals throughout

Europe, and one of the

most impressive is

Bordeaux’s Cathédrale

Saint-André, which was

consecrated in 1096 by

Pope Urban II. It was

also the place where

Eleanor of Aquitaine

married Louis VII, and

is the current seat for

the Archbishop of

Bordeaux-Bazas.

C A T H É D R A L E S A I N T - A N D R É D E B O R D E A U X

Bordeaux is also home to one

of the greatest art galleries

in all of France, the Museum

of Fine Arts. Pieces on

display include paintings by

Picasso, Renoir, Seurat,

Matisse, Rubens, Delcroix,

and more. Some of the

museums most famous

paintings have been in its

possession since the French

Revolution, when they were

taken from their original

aristocratic owners.

M U S É E D E S B E A U X - A R T S

If you’re more interested in

nature than in architecture or

art, Bordeaux is also home to

the Gironde Estuary, the

largest estuary in Europe. For

military buffs, Gironde was

also the site of Operation

Frankton, a daring commando

mission by 12 British special

forces troops during World War

II to destroy the ships docked

in the estuary.

G I R O N D E E S T U A R Y

AmaWaterways takes people from around the world on one-of-a-kind river cruises through

Europe, Asia, Africa, and more. Our river cruises are designed to let our passengers see the

sights of their chosen destinations while traveling in comfort and style. Visit

www.amawaterways.com for more information.

C O N T A C T U S

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/foodanddrink/bordeaux-food-wine-

culture/11211610/facts-about-bordeaux.html

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S O U R C E S A N D I M A G E A T T R I B U T I O N S