Aquitaine Cottages

Holiday Cottages in Aquitaine

Welcome to Aquitaine

Gorgeous Aquitaine is down in the south-west corner of France; meeting the lush, fertile farm lands of the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne, Aquitaine unfolds in beaches, vineyards and vast forests.  Where Aquitaine meets the Atlantic you’ll find the ‘sandiest coast in Europe’ – a haven for watersports, historic cities and chic resorts your country cottage in Aquitaine is ideally placed to enjoy all this, plus the Basque influenced villages along Spain’s northern border and foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains.

In the département of Gironde explore the fine city of Bordeaux, much of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Found on the banks of the Garonne River enjoy its vibrant café society, great museums, galleries, fine 18^th century mansions and fab shopping.  There’s also Saint-Emilion, well known for its world famous wines, festivals and unique medieval underground galleries and monuments.  West of the city on the Côte d’Argent (Silver Coast) and its popular resort and lagoon at Arcachon.

Further south discover the area of Landes offering golden sands backed by dense forests.  Planted by Napoleon on once useless marshland, the vast Landaise forest is one of the largest in Europe and is part of the Gascony Natural Regional Park.  Back to the beach and as you can imagine Landes is a superb spot for watersports and fun in the sun.

Near to the border with Spain is the chic resort of Biarritz in the département Pyrénées Atlantique.  Originally an unassuming fishing village, Napoleon built a villa here and the rest of the ‘glitterati’ obligingly followed making Biarritz a fashion hot spot that endures today.  A Basque town Biarritz has loads of excellent bars (bodegas) and great eateries; activities include surfing, exhibitions, concerts and casinos.  Venturing further inland you’ll find fabulous mountain scenery, perfect for walking, cycling and climbing, plus the homes of Ravel and Matisse at Ciboure.

Things to do in Aquitaine

If you love a good beach you’re in the right part of the world.  Miles of golden sands and Atlantic breakers from Bordeaux in the north to Biarritz in the south, some of the beaches are hard to reach because of that dense Landaise pine forests, but what a treat when you get there! Arcachon is where the city folk of Bordeaux come to be beside the sea, in fact by a big lagoon or inlet.  Not exposed to the Atlantic swell it’s a top spot for learning watersports and beachside fun. Take your bike and follow the cycle path 30 kms down to Biscarrosse. ‘Dune du Pilat’ the biggest sand dune in Europe, is not far away with great views plus the superb bird sanctuary.

This is the land of Armagnac, duck, oysters and chocolate, so the diet is off for now…  The perfect antidote: surfers head for Lacanau, Hossegor, Capbreton and Biarritz to name a few of the top spots. Gironde is popular with cyclists offering circuits through the beautiful Médoc region as well as great horse riding and golf courses.  Visit the many grand castles and châteaux of the region, including Palais de la Bourse in Bordeaux and Musée des Beaux-Arts, (Fine Art Museum).  If you’re further south spend some time in fashionable Biarritz with its regular concerts, exhibitions or simply park yourself in a marina café and watch the yachts moor up at the quay side.  Just above Spain’s border in Pyrénées Atlantique visit Ravel’s birthplace in Ciboure, a picturesque seaside town and harbour for 16^th century pirates and vagabonds, meanwhile there’s plenty of family fun to be found at the many zoos, water and theme parks dotting the coastal resorts.