Bordeaux

Bordeaux as a whole, rather than any particular points within it, is what you'll want to visit in order to understand why Victor Hugo described it as Versailles plus Antwerp, and why, when he was exiled from his native Spain, the painter Francisco de Goya chose it as his last home (he died here in 1828). The capital of southwest France and the region's largest city, Bordeaux remains synonymous with the wine trade: wine shippers have long maintained their headquarters along the banks of the Garonne, while buyers from around the world arrive for the huge biannual Vinexpo show (held in odd years). An aura of 18th-century elegance permeates downtown Bordeaux, where fine shops invite exploration. To the south of the city center are old docklands undergoing gradual renewal—one train station has now been transformed into a big multiplex cinema—but the area is still a bit shady. As a whole, Bordeaux is a less exuberant city than many others in France. That noted, lively and stylish elements are making a dent in the city's conservative veneer, and the cleaned-up riverfront is said by some, after a bottle or two, to exude an elegance redolent of St. Petersburg. A multibillion-euro tramway system is scheduled for completion in 2008. To get a feel for the historic port of Bordeaux, take the 90-minute boat trip that leaves Quai Louis-XVIII every weekday afternoon, or the regular passenger ferry that plies the Garonne between Quai Richelieu and the Pont d'Aquitaine in summer. A nice time to stroll around the city center is the first Sunday of the month, when it's pedestrian-only and cars are banned.