France with Bordeaux & the River Seine

Exploring Bordeaux during the summer offers you the opportunity to discover not just the world’s wine capital but also its fascinating cultural and historical sites. Spend time at Place de La Bourse, with its iconic Miroir d’eau, the world’s largest reflecting pool, or wander along the Rue de Saint Catherine and the maze of streets running through the city, lined with boutiques and wine shops. Renowned for its incredible wines, the region surrounding Bordeaux is home to numerous wineries and vineyards producing some of the best wines from around the globe. You can explore La Cite du Vin, a museum dedicated entirely to wine and its production and designed to look like a wine decanter, discover local food markets and 18 th -century architecture, or simply enjoy a glass of Bordeaux wine on the banks of the Garonne River.

Originally a fortified island, the walled city of St Malo is located at the mouth of the River Rance on the Brittany coast, and is now connected to the mainland by a 'Sillon' causeway. The walls were mainly rebuilt after the Second World War. The town is famous for its links with the seafarer Jacques Cartier, who set out from here to discover the New World in Canada, and who is buried in the Cathedral in Saint Malo.

The beautiful city of Rouen – known as the ‘City of a Hundred Bells’ is a hugely significant and historical destination, particularly prominent in both the Roman times and Middle Ages. Home to the imposing Cathédrale Notre-Dame, painted by Claude Monet, who grew up in Normandy; Rouen is also gateway to the French capital of Paris and its plethora of well-known cultural sights.