(31 Quai de Chartrons. Tel. 05 5651 2955) Next to the River Garonne, this long, thin café/bar and restaurant has exposed stone walls, excellent music, and a good range of drinks and snacks.

  (Place des Chartrons. Tel. 05 5652 3865) Chic and simple restaurant with a fresh seasonal menu and tables spilling out onto the lively Place des Chartrons.

  (8 Place Fernand Lafargue. Tel. 05 5632 8258) There are plenty of places serving good Japanese food in Bordeaux—and Moshi Moshi is one of the most up-market and stylish of them all. An excellent range of sushi, sashimi and more unusual dishes.

  (The Regent Hotel, 2-5 Place De La Comedie. Tel. 05 5730 4444) The city’s newest destination for the glamour set. The five-star Regent Hotel's fine-dining restaurant focuses on seafood.

  (43 Rue Course. Tel. 05 5652 6257) Sit around wooden barrels, surrounded by vast quantities of wine bottles and enjoy the regular live music and loyal locals who make this place a one-off.

  (18 Rue Bourbon. Tel. 05 5650 0715) This jazz bar in the heart of Chartrons has a great atmosphere and intimate setting. It only opens when there is live entertainment, so call ahead.

  (170 Cours du Médoc. Tel. 05 5639 4968) Kitsch is not the word at this Parisian-style cabaret, complete with feathers, velvet and acres of leg. You can choose a dinner-show option, or go to the Caesar disco on Friday and Saturday night.

Club des Marques is a fairly new collection of shops in the hangars along the Quai de Chartrons. It has a good collection of clothes, shoe and interior design shops, running alongside the attractive waterfront.

Bordeaux encourages the use of bicycles rather than cars to get around. Residents qualify for free bike rental from the Mairie (mayor's office), but visitors can also get good rates from Vélo Station (13 Cours Pasteur. Tel. 05 5644 2324).

As summer approaches, this is a good time to enjoy the sunshine on one of the many pedestrian squares in Bordeaux’s Old Town. Place du Parlement is one of the classics—a pretty central fountain surrounded by plenty of cafés and bars.

The Union des Grands Crus Wine Weekend (17-18 May) brings together internationally famous names, holding tastings for the general public in central Bordeaux (www.ugcb.net, French only).

 – Just half an hour from Bordeaux, the pretty town of Margaux has been buffed up in recent years, and has a number of good restaurants and wine shops. If you visit on the last weekend in May, there's a bicycle race where competitors cycle through the local châteaux. Take a train from Gare St Jean to Margaux, or drive up the Departmental 2 (D2), Route des Châteaux.

Bordeaux is one of four French cities competing for the title of European City of Culture 2013 (www.bordeaux2013.eu). Others in the running are Lyon, Marseille and Toulouse.