The five departments in the Aquitaine region of south west France stretch from the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic coast to the Pyranees and the Spanish border. It is a diverse region, blessed with a multitude of different things to see and do and a fabulous climate. The region is famous for its' cuisine, principally its' many duck and goose products and, of course, wine. Activities on offer are many and varies.
With its' varied landscape and culture, the Aquitaine offers holidays to suit all tastes and all budgets. From city centre hotels to friendly country auberges, from modern apartments to country gites and everything in between, there is accommodation for everyone in this fabulous region.
The Pyranees Atlantique department offers stunning scenery with miles of walking trails of all degrees of difficulty. There is also climbing, horse riding, swimming, windsurfing and, of course, ski-ing in winter. This department is home to the Basque country with all its tradition and heritage. The Atlantic coast has many superb beaches and some cosmopolitan cities such as Biarritz. In the pretty port of St Jean de Luz are fashionable shops and some of the best seafood restaurants in the area.
The Dordogne is the third largest department in France and has a particularly temperate climate. The varied landscape caters for all tastes ranging from rugged terrain to the gently sloping river Dordogne valley. Here is the bustling market town of Bergerac which is full of shops, restaurants and hotels. The twice weekly market here should not be missed. There are direct flights from the UK to Bergerac airport. There are many castles and chateaux to visit in the Dordogne, the area having been the frontier between France and England during the 100 years war.
The Gironde is home to the city of Bordeaux with its' theatre, opera, shopping and international lifestyle. There are regular flights from many parts of the UK to Bordeaux. This area is world renowned for its' wine and many major chateaux are around Bordeaux. Most offer guided tours and tasting sessions and should be on every wine-lovers itinerary. The Gironde is a favourite area for all sorts of water sports. With over 22 ports and 100 kms of coast, ocean enthusiasts are very well catered for.
The Landes department has Europe's longest beach, the Cote d'Argent, which stretches for 60 miles from Arcachon to Biarritz. Just inland from this is a huge forest, planted in the 19th century, and now a superb National Park. This is the leading area in France for Spa treatments, with the "Fontaine Chaude" in Dax, with its' hot thermal water flow. Landes is the home of the famous Armagnac which is produced from 11 different grape varieties. Tarnos is the most southerly coastal town and here there are 4 kms of sandy beaches and some fantastic surfing.
The Lot-et-Garonne department is very fertile and is one of the main fruit producing areas of France. It is particularly famous for the Pruneaux d'Agen to which a museum in Granges-sur-Lot is dedicated. This department also has long stretches of river and canal which are accessible by boat, which can be hired in numerous places. Agen, capital of the department, has good travel links with an airport and TGV links to Paris, Toulouse and Bordeaux. The market in the central square of Villeneuve-sur-Lot is a not-to-be-missed occasion for visitors to the area.