Bordeaux Tourist Guide

One of the largest and most varied of the 26 regions of France is the Aquitaine, made up of five Departments that include Dordogne, Lot et Garonne, Pyrenees Atlantiques, Landes and Gironde.  Stretching from the foothills of the Pyrenees in the northwest to the Spanish border in the south, with the Atlantic ocean bordering the east, the Aquitaine is rich in history, especially with its Christian heritage.  It is also home to some of the world’s most famous and historic vineyards, including the Medoc, St. Emilion and Bordeaux, among many others.

The northern area of Aquitaine includes Dordogne and Garonne, known for the highly rural, time-stopped nature of the countryside.  The area has become exceedingly popular as a second home for people from the U.K.  The oldest known sites of human habitation in Europe are found in such areas as Lascaux, where a cave was discovered in1940 that contains paintings made16,000 years ago in the Paleolithic era.  This part of the region is also famous for its truffles and pate de foie-gras, among other culinary delights.

The central portion of the Aquitaine is where the majority of France’s greatest vineyards are located.  North of Bordeaux, the regional capital, lie the chateaux’s and vineyards of the Medoc and St. Emilion, two of the most prestigious names in the world of wine production.  The chateaux’s and wine cellars in this vicinity are among the most popular tourist attractions in France.

In the south and western portion of Aquitaine the Departments of Landes and Pyrenees Atlantiques offer quite distinctive attractions.  Les Landes is the most heavily forested area in Europe and the least densely populated area in France.  Almost one out of four dwellings in this area is a second home, mostly for the English.  Not surprising, since the climate in the foothills is lovely, and with the Atlantic to the west and the Pyrenees to the east, surfing and snow skiing are both within easy reach.

In the Pyrenees Atlantiques department, the city of Biarritz is a much admired resort on the Atlantic coast, home of royalty of many nationalities, and also home of the first surfing contests in France.  This is also part of the Basque country – the rather undefined area partly in France and partly in Spain, which has its own ancient and fascinating culture and history.