5 Best Sights in France

At the easternmost point of the Etang du Vaccarès, La Capeliére has a good visitor center with maps as well as exhibits on wildlife. There are three sentiers de découverte (discovery trails) radiating from its pond-side position, each leading to a small observatory.

You can pick up maps and get other information at this center, just up the D570 from the Parc Ornithologique at Pont de Gau. To explore this area, you'll have to strike out on foot, bicycle, or horseback (the park's website has a downloadable English-language brochure with stables clearly marked on a map). Note that you are not allowed to diverge from marked trails.

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Saumur is the heart of one of the finest wine regions in France. To pay a call on some of the vineyards around the city, first stop into the Maison des Vins d'Anjou et de Saumur for the full scoop on hours and directions.

This well-equipped welcome center provides a solid introduction to the region's important prehistoric sites. Its exhibits, slide shows, and time lines (all free of charge) help you wrap your brain around the immensity of the archaeological riches in the Dordogne.