Normandy, Brittany & Aquitaine – Bordeaux to Rouen

Bordeaux, hub of the famed wine-growing region, is a port city on the Garonne River in southwestern France. It’s known for its Gothic Cathédrale Saint-André, 18th- to 19th-century mansions and notable art museums such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux. Public gardens line the curving river quays. The grand Place de la Bourse, centered on the Three Graces fountain, overlooks the Miroir d’Eau reflecting pool.

La Rochelle est une ville côtière du Sud-Ouest de la France et la capitale du département de la Charente-Maritime. Elle est un centre de pêche et de commerce depuis le 12ème siècle, une tradition maritime qui se reflète dans son Vieux Port (vieux port) et son immense et moderne port de plaisance des Minimes. La vieille ville possède des maisons médiévales à colombages et une architecture de la Renaissance, dont des passages couverts par des arcs du 17ème siècle.

Saint-Malo is a port city in Brittany, in Frances northwest. Tall granite walls surround the old town, which was once a stronghold for privateers (pirates approved by the king). The Saint-Malo Cathedral, in the center of the old town, is built in Romanesque and Gothic styles and features stained-glass windows depicting city history. Nearby is La Demeure de Corsaire, an 18th-century privateer’s house and museum.

The Cherbourg-Octeville area is known for its international ferry terminal and lively quays, where yachts bob beside attractions like Le Redoutable nuclear submarine museum and La Cité de la Mer aquarium. A 19th-century fort on the Roule mountain houses the WWII-themed Liberation Museum and a lookout point with city views. Crêperies and restaurants serving regional cuisine line the narrow streets in the old town