Aquitaine

This region is bounded to the south by Spain, to the east by Midi-Pyrenees, to the north by Poitou-Charentes and Limousin and to the west by the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay).

Major cities in Aquitaine include Bordeaux, Pau, Bayonne, Mont-de-Marsan, Biarritz and Perigueux.

This area of France has recently become increasingly popular with foreign property buyers, as access to the region becomes easier.

The area of Aquitaine is perhaps most famous for Eleanor of Aquitaine, the greatest heiress of France, married to her guardian, Louis VII of France and followed him on crusade, then had the marriage annulled under the pretext of kinship in 1152 to marry his greatest rival Henry II of England. She maintained an elegant chivalric court at Poitiers. Her sons, Richard I (the Lionheart) and John, and their successors as Kings of England were dukes of Aquitaine. Aquitaine is made up of the departments of Dordogne, Gironde, Landes, Pyrenees-Atlantiques and Lot-et-Garonne. Aquitaine was once ruled by the Kings of England, although not since 1650.

The area is green and unspoilt with a temperate climate, it has over 270 km of spectacular beaches known as the Cote d’Argent (or Silver Coast) which boasts some of the best surfing in Europe. 90% of French oysters are grown in the Bassin d’Arcachon, a natural inland sea. There are major resorts at Bayonne, Biarritz, St. Jean de Luz and Hendaye. Chateaux visiting in the Dordogne and hiking and skiing in the Pyrennes are also popular.

The town of Lourdes is situated in the area, and has attracted thousands of pilgrims for many years. The Midi-Pyrenees comprises the departments of Tarn, Aveyron, Haute-Garonne, Tarn-et-Garonne, Ariege, Gers, Lot and Haute-Pyrenees. This is the largest region in France, bordering Spain in the south. On the Spanish border is the principality of Andorra, with its famous tax-free shopping and ski resorts. Gers is often described as the French “Tuscany” with its pretty villages and lush, green countryside. The Hautes-Pyrenees boasts many ski resorts, with Toulouse as its major town with an airport served by most British airports.

Aquitain if famous for its wine, its most famous is Bordaux (also known as Claret), from the areas of Pomerol, Saint-Emilion, Graves and Medoc. The region also produced Sauternes, a famous sweet white wine. The Armagnac Brandy producing area lies within the region. Bergerac wine is produced in the Dordogne.

The famous pate de fois gras is produced in this region and the Dordogne is famed for its truffles.

The Dordogne is one of the richest areas in France with its tourism and high level of British and Dutch house owners. Parts of Lot are relatively poor but the wine industry in the Cahors area is booming.

Dordogne is named after the river flowing through it. It is split into four territories, the ‘Green Perigord’, so called because of its green valleys. The ‘White Perigord’, from its limestone plateaux. The ‘Purple Perigord’, named after its wine grapes and the ‘Black Perigord’, because of its ancient oak trees and caves.

The river Lot gives its name to the Lot region, and stretches from the Auvergne and Limousin. This area is rich in history, including France’s second most visited place (outside Paris), Rocamadour is a town built into the cliffs and is a breathtaking cluster of medieval houses, towers and battlements.

Further information:

aquitaine.fr

tourisme-aquitaine.fr

tourisme-aquitaine.fr