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<p>A wildfire in southwestern France is approaching Bordeaux, the city at the heart of a renowned wine region.</p>
<p>Officials said the Saumos wildfire reached within about 20 miles of Bordeaux, with plans to evacuate only if necessary. Authorities indicated there were no immediate evacuation orders for the city, though preparations were underway.</p>
<p>Bordeaux, the ninth-largest city in France with roughly 270,000 residents, lies about 30 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean and roughly 300 miles south of Paris. It sits near the Médoc wine area, which produces notable Bordeaux reds, while most wine production is further north and east of the city, away from the current fires to the west.</p>
<p>The city has a long history, with a UNESCO-listed historic center featuring Roman ruins, medieval towers, and the Grand Théâtre. It endured significant bombings in World War II and later Allied bombing before its liberation.</p>
<p>Notable natives include oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau, filmmaker Édouard Molinaro, painter Rosa Bonheur, and jurist Montesquieu, whose Enlightenment ideas on separation of powers influenced revolutions in France and the United States.</p>
<p>Millions of visitors come to Bordeaux annually for wine-related tourism, including winery visits and the wine museum, the Cité du Vin.</p>
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