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A trip to Bordeaux can be divided into two parts – town and country. Two days are ideal for getting your bearings and touring the city. Rent a car to explore the region’s back roads, but wait until you’re ready to leave town as parking in the city is a nuisance.
CAPC Musee d'Art Contemporain A converted warehouse is the backdrop for modern art from the likes of Sol Le Witt and Keith Haring at CAPC Musee d’Art Contemporain. 7, Rue Ferrère; 011-33-5-56-00-81-50
Cooking Classes Nicolas Frion teaches cookery classes at his celebrated restaurant Le Chapon Fin on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Classes highlight seasonal regional ingredients like foie gras and lobster. 5, rue Montesquieu; 011-33-5-56-79-10-10; www.chapon-fin.com/cookery_school.pdf
Le Châteaux Designed by American Bill Corre in the style of a Scottish links course, Le Chateaux is challenging thanks to fast greens and brisk winds off the Atlantic. Of the 20 courses in the region, it is the best. Northern Médoc, Chemin de Courmateau; 011-33-556-70-31-31; www.golf-du-medoc.com
Musee de Beaux Arts This museum has a number of Renaissance and Impressionist masterpieces by greats like Titian, Rubens, and Renoir. 20, cours d'Albret, Jardin de la Mairie Bordeaux; 011-33-5-56-10-20-56
Museum of Wine in Art at Chateau Mouton-Rothschild Hit the museum at the Chateau Mouton-Rothschild to see wine labels decorated with artwork commissioned from such artists as Picasso, Miro, Dali, and Warhol. Northern Médoc, Le Pouyalet; 011- 33-5-56-73-21-29
The Maison du Vin This prestigious school for sommeliers also offers brief introductions to the wines of Bordeaux for lay people. Ten dollars earns guests the right to taste red wines from the Médoc, Graves/Pessac-Léognan, and St-Emilion. 3, cours du 30 Juillet; 011-33-5-56-00-22-82
Vieux Bordeaux Dedicate two hours to exploring old Bordeaux on foot. Climb the 228 steps of the massive Basilique St-Michel’s stone tower for panoramic city views.
Wine Tours The Bordeaux Tourism Office offers daily bus trips to key appellations from April 1 to November 15. Tours visit St.-Émilion on Wednesdays and Sundays, Graves and Sauternes on Fridays, and the Médoc on Thursdays and Saturdays. Bordeaux Tourism Office, 12, cours du 30 Juillet; 011-33-5-56-00-66-00; www.bordeaux-tourisme.com