Bordeaux

In the Gironde region of France, Bordeaux is famed for its vineyards and wineries, offering the perfect location for a luxury villa holiday. The area boasts an ideal climate with mild winters and warm summers, making it a year-round travel destination.

Sitting on the Garonne River, the port city of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the grandest towns in all of France. It is known for its 13th-century Cathédrale Saint-André, elegant 18th-century mansions, and diverse art museums and galleries, all of which swirl around the vast Place de la Bourse and its Neoclassical palaces built by architect Ange-Jacques Gabriel throughout the 1700s.

Just outside of Bordeaux, there is plenty for visitors to explore in the Gironde region, from pretty country villages to quaint seaside towns…

Located between the Garonne and Dordogne Rivers, The Entre-Deux-Mers is not to be missed. As the largest winemaking area in the Bordeaux region, a visit to a winery or three is a must. The fortified villages are evidence of the region's medieval history, and there are plenty of monasteries, abbeys and churches to explore.

Then there are the prestigious lands of the Medoc. Not quite as vast as the Entre-Deux-Mers before it, the region is the source of some of France's most celebrated red labels – Chateau Margaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild. They're known for their full-bodied, ruby-coloured wines, each highly floral and enriched with cocoa and dark fruit overtones.

Bordeaux is the perfect place to enjoy a wine tasting holiday. Quaint country towns and hamlets dot the wooded backcountry around the wineries. Some stand out, like UNESCO-tagged Saint-Émilion, where you'll wander cobbled alleys between medieval church spires and wine bars.

On the coast, another highlight is tranquil Arcachon Bay. That hosts some of France's most productive oyster farms, so it's a must for seafood aficionados. The bay also has famously calm waters, ideal for kayaking and boating, and the tallest dune in Europe – The Dune of Pilat – where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views of the region and the Atlantic Ocean.

See below for our collection of luxury villas to rent in Bordeaux, including grand chateaux with curated gardens and panoramic views of the undulating vineyards.