Quartier des Chartrons
Fabulously rich European wine merchants built sumptuous residences in this quarter. The area declined after the French Revolution, but was recently spruced up and is now home to swanky shops, trendy bars and restaurants and the Museum of Contemporary Art (see below).

Musée d'Art Contemporain (CAPC)
This museum of contemporary art is housed in a monumental colonial warehouse, and has an excellent collection of arte povera (Italian for ‘poor art'), experimental art of the late 1960s, and good temporary shows.

7 rue Ferrère
Tel: (05) 5600 8150.

Cathédrale St-André
One of three Bordeaux churches listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites, the gothic cathedral, built during the 13th and 15th centuries, was on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. The top of the lofty bell tower commands superb views over the city.

Place Pey-Berland

Musée d'Aquitaine
This superb museum has a rich collection of archaeological, historical and ethnographic artefacts illustrating Bordeaux's history from prehistoric times to the present. The highlight is a magnificent bronze statue of Hercules, which once stood at the entrance to the port.

20 cours Pasteur
Tel: (05) 5601 5100.

Musée des Beaux Arts
One wing of the sumptuous baroque Palais Rohan, now the City Hall, is dedicated to an impressive collection of 16th-20th century paintings, including masterworks by Perugino, Titian, Rubens, Brueghel, Matisse, Renoir, Delacroix, Seurat, Bonnard, and Kokoschka.

Jardin de la Mairie 20, cours d'Albret
Tel: (05) 5610 2056.