Arbois

Arbois holds a double distinction in French wine history: it became France's first AOC-designated wine region in 1936 and is still known as the capital of Jura wines. The tiny town sits at the edge of the Jura massif, where the river Cuisance runs through the centre and an arcaded main square serves as the hub for wine tasting. Louis Pasteur grew up here and later returned to conduct vineyard experiments that led to the pasteurisation process; his family home survives as a museum.

• Population4,007
• Nearest water0.2 km
• Nearest mountain5.5 km
• UNESCO within 50 km5