|
| |
Aquitaine
|
Aquitaine’s vast stretch of coastline only seems to compete
in most visitors’ minds these days with the pull of the Dordogne
and, for those interested in wine, the lure of Bordeaux.
Undoubtedly these three attractions are the crown jewels of the
region but other gems such as the Basque country and the Landes
regional park shouldn’t be dismissed too quickly.
This region doesn’t lend itself well to a daily touring holiday,
as if you don’t want to stay in the countryside, the sights
are too spread out to zip round in 24 hour chunks with overnight
stops.
|
Sarlat market
|
If you wish to tour, try and narrow your choices to two or possibly three
areas, choose a base in each and stay a couple of days.
The rivers in the region are all reasonably safe for older families and
novices to try a variety of water based sports under proper professional
supervision.
|
|
-
A perennial favourite for the Brits but big enough not to
feel crowded
-
Bergerac is a wine centre and caters well for tourists
-
Architectural jewel Sarlat is busy in summer but worth the
queues for its unspoilt centre
|
|
|
-
Mythical wine names including Pomerol and Margaux are all
here by the river
-
Picturesque St Emilion gets the crowds but out of season it
is quiet and unhurried
-
Sauternes and Graves to the south of the grand city of Bordeaux
|
|
|
-
Silver sand and Atlantic waves bring surfers and families
in the summer months
-
The giant pine forest hides friendly towns like Castets in
this once marshy département
-
Dax has a been a thermal spa town since Roman times
|
|
|
-
Agen, famous for its prunes has a good collection of Goyas
in its art museum
-
Market days in 13th century Villeneuve sur Lot are still held
in the central square
-
Barbaste has a fortified mill and gothic bridge
|
|
|
-
Biarritz may have lost some glitz but is popular for day trippers
from Spain
-
Basque traditions are proudly maintained among the foothills
of the Pyrénées
-
Historic British links with Pau created the first golf course
on the continent
|
back to the top
|
|
|
Copyright
© 2008 Online
Discovery Ltd. All rights reserved. Policies
· User guide
· sitemap · help ·
Contact Discover France
Powered by Kittiwake