Aquitaine Travelers Recommend

It’s impossible to mention the name Bordeaux without thoughts of ruby red wine, so charge your glass and drink deep of the region's many charms. This lovely city on the lower Atlantic coast is a Neo-Classical beauty with pedestrianized boulevards, gorgeous architecture and a boisterous university population ensuring a lively mix of bars and cafes. Start the day with a stroll along Bordeaux’s pedestrianized shopping strip, Ste-Catherine, for window shopping at chic boutiques and breakfast in a sidewalk cafe. Then choose from art, history and culture at the city’s museums, perhaps 17th century paintings at the Beaux-Arts Museum, housed in the 1770s town hall. For a primer on French taste, view exquisite gilt, porcelain and furnishings at the Museum of Decorative Arts. As the afternoon lengthens, take a stroll in Bordeaux's English-style gardens before choosing a classic French brasserie for Atlantic oysters and duck confit.

The 1,000 square-kilometers (62 square-miles) surrounding Bordeaux is one mighty big vineyard, divided into 60 appellations with 8,500 wine growing producers called chateaux. Perhaps one of the most enjoyable ways to discover the wine and food of the Bordeaux region is to pair food and wine with a visit to several wine-growing chateaux, a wine merchant's cellar and tasting platter lunch.