Bordeaux is a natural base for exploring southwest France. The wine country begins immediately outside the city, and the Atlantic coast is less than an hour away.
Saint-Émilion is the most popular vineyard day trip — a medieval hilltop town surrounded by some of the most prestigious estates in the region, about 40 minutes east by train or car. The Medoc peninsula to the north is home to the great Margaux and Pauillac chateaux.
The Arcachon Bay and the Dune of Pilat — Europe's tallest sand dune — make for a full day at the coast, about an hour by train.