French Wine Regions Things To Do

Dedicate two hours to exploring old Bordeaux on foot. Climb the 228 steps of the massive Basilique St-Michel’s stone tower for panoramic city views.

This prestigious school for sommeliers also offers brief introductions to the wines of Bordeaux for lay people. Ten dollars earns guests the right to taste red wines from the Médoc, Graves/Pessac-Léognan, and St-Emilion.

The Bordeaux Tourism Office offers daily bus trips to key appellations from April 1 to November 15. Tours visit St.-Émilion on Wednesdays and Sundays, Graves and Sauternes on Fridays, and the Médoc on Thursdays and Saturdays.

Designed by American Bill Corre in the style of a Scottish links course, Le Chateaux is challenging thanks to fast greens and brisk winds off the Atlantic. Of the 20 courses in the region, it is the best.

This museum has a number of Renaissance and Impressionist masterpieces by greats like Titian, Rubens, and Renoir.

Hit the museum at the Chateau Mouton-Rothschild to see wine labels decorated with artwork commissioned from such artists as Picasso, Miro, Dali, and Warhol.

A converted warehouse is the backdrop for modern art from the likes of Sol Le Witt and Keith Haring at CAPC Musee d’Art Contemporain.

Nicolas Frion teaches cookery classes at his celebrated restaurant Le Chapon Fin on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. Classes highlight seasonal regional ingredients like foie gras and lobster.

The most famous attractions of Loire Valley are its many historic chateaux, which range from medieval fortresses to elegant Renaissance palaces: Chambord, Chenonceau, Azay-Le-Rideau, Villandry, and Saumur are open daily.

The region has the longest network of dedicated cycling and hiking paths in France, with many following picturesque rivers and connecting important towns and historic sites. A scenic nature ride might take you along from the historic Briare canal bridge to Sancerre, but maps for many itineraries are available on the official website.