While most head inland to the medieval splendour of St Emilion, aficionados turn their attentions north to the 180 chateaux that dot the Médoc peninsula and the most expensive wine cellars in France.
The surrounding forests, lakes and beaches of Aquitaine offer great hiking, canoeing and diving, and a chance to give your liver some well earned time off.
| Avg. temp. |
Sunshine daily avg. |
Rainfall | Humidity | |
| Jan | 9.2 | 2.6 | 90 | 59 |
| Feb | 10.5 | 3.7 | 75 | 56 |
| Mar | 14.9 | 5.6 | 63 | 49 |
| Apr | 17.3 | 7 | 48 | 48 |
| May | 20.3 | 7.4 | 61 | 49 |
| Jun | 23.7 | 8.4 | 65 | 49 |
| Jul | 25.4 | 8.5 | 56 | 48 |
| Aug | 25.7 | 7.8 | 70 | 47 |
| Sep | 23.1 | 6.5 | 84 | 50 |
| Oct | 18.1 | 5.1 | 83 | 52 |
| Nov | 12.7 | 2.8 | 96 | 58 |
| Dec | 9.3 | 1.9 | 109 | 62 |
| coldest | hottest | ||||