Bordeaux, France - Part 1: Forgotten, but not gone

Bordeaux is in the Aquitaine Region of south west France and, although we have passed it many times, we have always "forgotten" that it was there and driven by without a second glance. With a population of 1/4 million, its global recognition as the wine capital of the world, a paucity of convenient campsites and, quite incorrectly as it turns out, a lack of tourist "juice", we were happy in our misconception. But, Horror of Horrors, Lollipop was stopping there for two days - two whole days!
We had reviewed the excursions for the port and everyone of them was vineyard related involving sipping, spitting and waffling witlessly about the grape rather than just working on getting legless. Not our cup of tea at all, to mix a metaphor.
Undaunted, we got a map, strolled through the risible French security into town and set out to confirm our suspicions. The weather at this point was hot, having risen steadily from the Paris chill into the high eighties and low nineties. The outlook was for a severe clear - not even a cloud in sight. Day 1 pictures here.