Twenty minutes from Bordeaux, on the Fronsac heights above the Dordogne, a medieval fortress hides 25 kilometres of underground galleries, an underground river and 1,200 years of history. First part of our series on one of the right bank’s most fascinating places.

Château Léognan, Pessac-Léognan: 70-hectare estate, superior and deluxe rooms, restaurant Le Manège, blind vertical tasting. History and warmth.

Château Cos d’Estournel, Second Growth 1855, oriental pagodas, gravity-fed winery, private visits and château lunch. 50 min north of Bordeaux.