After the Marathon Poitiers-Futuroscope: Bordeaux

The Route: Poitiers → Bordeaux (4 nights) → home Logistics: TGVs run south from Poitiers to Bordeaux Saint-Jean in about an hour. Bordeaux has an international airport and direct trains to Paris. Marathon Month: April Duration: 4 nights

Poitiers ──(TGV, ≈1 h)──> Bordeaux Saint-Jean ──> airport or Paris

Bordeaux suits a runner who wants a longer break after the race and a flight home from somewhere other than Paris. The centre is flat and served by trams, so there is little need for long walks on sore legs. April here is spring: mild, with showers, and not yet beach weather.

Day One: Arrival

Take the tram from Saint-Jean station into the centre and keep the afternoon short. The Place de la Bourse and the Miroir d'Eau, the shallow reflecting pool in front of it, are on the riverside, a flat walk from the old town.

Day Two: The Old Town

The streets between the Place de la Bourse, the Cathédrale Saint-André and the Grosse Cloche, an old bell gate, are the heart of the city, lined with pale 18th-century stone. The Rue Sainte-Catherine, a long pedestrian shopping street, runs through the middle.

Day Three: The Cité du Vin

Take the tram north along the river to the Cité du Vin, a museum of wine around the world, in a curved building on the Garonne. The visit is indoors and at your own pace, with a tasting at the end.

Day Four: Saint-Émilion

Regional trains run from Bordeaux to Saint-Émilion, a hilltop wine village with a church carved into the rock. The station is outside the village, and the streets are steep and cobbled, so save this for the last day of the trip. Check train times and book any tours in advance.

Where to Stay and Eat

Stay in the old town, near a tram stop. Try canelés, the small caramelised cakes of the city, with a glass of the local wine.

Getting Home

Trains run from Saint-Jean to Paris in about two hours, and a bus links the centre with Bordeaux-Mérignac airport.