Bordeaux

Bordeaux needs 2 days: touring the Bassins des Lumières, the world's largest digital art exhibition space inside a former WWII submarine base, on one, and visiting La Cité du Vin, an interactive museum dedicated to wine culture with a panoramic terrace over the Garonne River, on the other. April-June and September-October bring the mildest weather, coinciding with the grape harvest. It's mid-to-upper priced given its wine prestige. Its 18th-century historic center, with more listed heritage buildings than any French city except Paris, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the region produces more controlled-designation wine than any other in the world.