Aquitaine

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Aquitaine, in the south-west, is the largest region of France. It has a long, straight west coast, which stretches 200km from the mouth of the Gironde estuary down to Spanish border. Along this border there are two main resorts, Biarritz in the south which, once fashionable with the glamour set of the 1930s has recently been revived by trendy Parisians, and Arcachon to the north with its grand villas, which is popular with Bordelais weekenders.

Apart from these resorts the beautiful endless white beaches of this coastline are half-empty during the summer months compared to France's over-packed Mediterranean coast. This is one of the reasons why buying property along this coastline is such an interesting proposition, the prices have not yet been artificially hiked and the weather is as good as its rival coast whilst the sea, with its crashing waves is far more interesting than the flat Mediterranean.

Bordeaux, the capital of Aquitaine, is situated 350 miles southwest of Paris. One of the best known cities in France, its fine wines are appreciated the world over by millions of connoisseurs. A major center of communications and commerce, Bordeaux is the western terminus of an excellent road and rail network between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The torso of Aquitaine's coastline is flanked by a large expanse of pine forests that make up most of the Landes département. These forests were planted in the 19th century to stabilise drifting sands.. The number and quality of its golf courses has made it France's leading region for golfers.
Above Landes, the Gironde département around Bordeaux is home to some of the world's most celebrated vineyards, such as those in the fairly flat Medoc, west of the river Gironde, and around towards the increasingly hilly area about pretty St-Emilion.

A visit to the Aquitaine region inevitably inspires interest in its past. With an abundance of prehistoric sites and a fascinating variety of artifacts, it is no wonder that the region is referred to as the "Cradle of the Arts." The outstanding finds at Lascaux, La Madeleine, and Rouffignac, the abbeys, fortresses, and châteaux, and the Gallo-Roman remains will delight those interested in architecture and archaeology

Romantics will be fascinated by the social history of the region, the duchy ruled over by Eleanor of Aquitaine in the 12th century. Married first to Louis VII of France, and later to Henry II of England, Eleanor bore ten children, including Richard the Lion-Hearted. One of the earliest feminists, Eleanor's court encouraged the flowering of the troubadour tradition and the development of the concept of romantic love.

The Pyrenees mountain range steadily begins to rise in the Pyrénées Atlantiques, the southern most département of Aquitaine. The mountain foothills are a lush green land where the houses gradually become chalet in style. Many compare the weather here to Wales - although it is warmer, it rains a lot. Part of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques is Basque country (Pays Basque) where some 80,000 Basques live. The remaining 600,000 reside across the border in Spain.

The northern, inland area of Aquitaine contains one of the most popular départements with the British - the Dordogne, named after what many argue as France's most beautiful river. The British call the area Dordogne, but to the French it is known as Périgord. Each area of Périgord has been assigned a descriptive colour. The south-east around Sarlat is called Perigord Noir because of its dense oak forests; the limestone area around the River Isle and Périgueux, capital of the région, is called Perigord Blanc after the light colour of its rock; Périgord Poupre refers to the wine-growing area around Bergerac; and the very green wooded area and pasturelands to the north is Perigord Vert. Apart from the lucrative tourist trade, this is an economically fragile and depopulated région. The two largest towns, each with populations just over 50,000, are Périgueux known for its domed cathedral, and Bergerac an important wine centre. Brantôme, on a bend of the water-lilly covered River Dronne, is much loved by British tourists.