Dubbed the ‘Pearl of the Aquitaine’, southwestern France's Bordeaux is a blissful mix of sophisticated city and bucolic countryside: historical architecture and hip modern culture, briny river waters and sandy shores, fragrant pine forests and sprawling vineyards. A wander through the city centre will take you past lacy-spired Gothic cathedrals and basilicas, through ancient cobbled alleyways and atmospheric squares dotted with sidewalk cafes, and along the walled banks of the mighty Garonne River. If retail therapy is what you are after, head to Avenue Saint-Catherine, France’s longest pedestrian boulevard, stretching for over a kilometre and lined with stores of all descriptions, from exclusive boutiques to major department stores. Don’t leave town without taking a tour of the wine estates dotting the city’s surrounds, where you can sample the region’s world-famous vino.
With all the style, culture and sophistication of Paris but with none of the crowds and tourist traps, Aix-en-Provence is the perfect holiday destination for travellers seeking a relaxed and authentic French experience. This stately town is idyllically situated in a picturesque landscape surrounded by quaint, sleepy villages at the foot of the Sainte-Victoire Mountain. One can’t help but be seduced by the splendour of the baroque architecture, the avenues of leafy plane trees, and the quietly gurgling moss-covered fountains which adorn meticulously manicured gardens. The city’s maze of tiny medieval streets forms an ideal setting for groups of immaculately dressed locals posing in the numerous chic cafes and stylish boutiques. With all its decadent elegance, it is easy to see why Aix-en-Provence has become synonymous with l'art de vivre (the art of living).
