Bordeaux, though not exceptionally large in size, is the eighth most populated city in France, with a population of just over 200,000 inhabitants. It is also the country's second-biggest seaport, after Marseille. It is located near the mouth of the Garonne River and leads out to the Bay of Biscay. Bordeaux is an old city and among its points of interest are the ruins of a Roman amphitheater where once upon a time gladiators fought to the death. There is also a cathedral that dates back to the year 1100 and a theater that has been operating since 1780. Not far from this theater stretches the Esplanade des Quinconces, the largest town square in all of Europe. Shipping is a major industry in Bordeaux but the city and its surrounding region is best known for their fine Bordeaux wines. The whole region is filled with rich, world famous vineyards and wineries.

The ancient city of Lyon is France's third largest city with a population of about 422,000 people. It is located 287 miles southeast of Paris, right in the rich Rhône-Saône Corridor near the point where these two major rivers of France meet. The Romans made Lyon the capital of their province of Gaul in the 40s B.C., and its name comes from a Latin word meaning "Hill of the Crow." The city still has many ancient buildings and houses, including the Church of Ainay, dating from the 4th century, and the Choristers' House, built in the 10th century. You can still see a number of traboules-secret passages that were dug underneath buildings when French freedom fighters had to hide from the Nazis during World War II. There are also modern aspects to Lyon that are a source of pride to the city's residents. For example, Presqu'îles (almost island), a six-mile-long, fingerlike peninsula between the two rivers, is now a district that is full of interesting shops, restaurants, museums, and theaters.