Once a retreat for European nobility, Oostende's charm lies in its sandy beaches, boardwalk, racetrack, 19th-century Belle Époque architecture, beachfront cafés and a harbour with seafood stalls. The Atlantikwall, a network of WWI and WWII bunkers, is now an open-air museum. Other museums include the Ensor Museum with James Ensor's maritime artworks, the Mercator aboard a 1930s three-masted ship, and Mu.ZEE, displaying Belgian art from the 1830s

Honfleur in Normandy has attracted artists for centuries, including Impressionist Claude Monet, with many works on display at The Eugène Boudin Museum. Set on the Seine estuary in the department of Calvados (known for apple brandy), this picturesque harbour town has cobbled streets and colourful 16th- to 18th-century townhouses around the Vieux Bassin (old harbour). The 15th-century St. Catherine's Church is built entirely of wood by shipwrights

The medieval coastal city of Saint-Malo is a labyrinth of streets. Dating back to the 12th century, Saint-Malo was once a haven for pirates and a stopping point for merchant ships. Today, colourful shops sit alongside aromatic markets, cafes and restaurants serving oysters, crêpes and cider. Intra-Muros, the ancient walled town, forms the heart of Saint-Malo, where the striking Gothic and Romanesque Cathédrale de St Malo dominates the skyline

The charming French port of Roscoff sits on a peninsula at Brittany's tip. Despite a history of privateers and smugglers, the little city is known for its richly decorated merchants' houses. Near the port, a local hotelier created an exotic garden growing more than 3,500 species of plants from the Southern Hemisphere. Roscoff is also the origin of Onion Johnnies, Breton farmers who crossed to England to sell Roscoff pink onions on their bikes

Belle-Île, the largest Breton island and second largest in mainland France, is known for its mild climate, rugged cliffs and stunning panoramas. The island features preserved moors, dunes and diverse flora and fauna. In the main town, Le Palais, is Citadelle Vauban, a star-shaped fortress. Other notable sites include the historic water tank Aiguade de Vauban, a museum on Sarah Bernhardt and the Grand Phare lighthouse overlooking Donnant Beach

Bordeaux, a key port city in southwestern France, is the heart of the French wine industry. The Cité du Vin, an interactive wine museum, and the UNESCO-listed 18th-century old city highlight its cultural and architectural significance. Surrounded by famed wine regions like Médoc, Graves, Sauternes, Pomerol and Saint-Émilion, Bordeaux blends rich history with world-class gastronomy and markets like Capucins and Chartrons