PAUILLAC is the largest town in the Médoc region and central to the most important vineyards of Bordeaux: no fewer than three of the top five Grands Crus come from around here. It has grown rapidly in recent years and, while its little harbour and riverfront are pretty enough, they can't counteract the presence of the nuclear power plant across the Gironde.Pauillac has a huge Maison du Tourisme et du Vin along the waterfront (June & mid-Sept to Oct daily 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6.30pm; July & Aug daily 9am–7pm; mid-Sept to May Mon–Sat 9.30am–12.30pm & 2–6pm, Sun 10am–12.30pm & 2.30–6pm; tel 05.56.59.03.08, www.pauillac-medoc.com). It can provide you with a list of gîtes, rent out bikes and make appointments for you to visit the surrounding châteaux (€3.81 per château). Pauillac itself is not a great place to stay, but should you wish to, try the Hôtel de France et d'Angleterre, opposite the little harbour (tel 05.56.59.06.43, www.hotelfranceangleterre.com; €55–70; closed Christmas & New Year), with a good restaurant serving menus from €11.43 (closed Sun & Mon off season), or the welcoming riverfront campsite further south on route de la Rivière (tel 05.56.59.10.03; closed mid-Sept to March). Campsites are rare in the Médoc: the only other alternative is the two-star Camping Le Bled at Bernos (tel 05.56.59.41.33; closed mid-Sept to mid-June), 8km southwest near St-Laurent-de-Médoc, a peaceful, shady and clean option. Alternatively, there's an excellent chambres d'hôte about 8km northwest near the village of CISSAC: Château Gugès (tel 05.56.59.58.04, fax 05.56.59.56.19; €55–70), in a large eighteenth-century house attached to a vineyard on the road to Gunes. The most famous of the Médoc châteaux – Château Lafite-Rothschild (tel 05.56.73.18.18), Château Latour (tel 05.56.73.19.80) and Château Mouton-Rothschild (tel 05.56.73.21.29) – can be visited by appointment only, either direct (all have English-speaking staff) or through the Maison du Vin. Their vineyards occupy larger single tracts of land than elsewhere in the Médoc, and consequently neighbouring wines can differ markedly: a good vintage Lafite is perfumed and refined, whereas a Mouton-Rothschild is strong and dark and should be kept for at least ten years. Château Mouton-Rothschild and its wine museum (April–Oct daily 9.30–11am & 2–4pm; Nov–March closed Sat & Sun; €4.57, or €12.20 including one tasting) is the most absorbing of the big houses: as well as the viticultural stuff, you also get to see the Rothschilds' amazing collection of art treasures, all loosely connected with wine.
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