A Travel Guide to Aquitaine
The region of Aquitaine is steeped in history and is one of the most varied and largest regions of France. It begins at the foothills of Massif Central from the North and stretches 300 km towards the South to the Spanish border. It has many historical connections with the British Isles especially due to the wine trade.
Cordouan is one of the few lighthouses that have been classified as a historic monument. It is a 68 m giant and guides sailors up to 7 km away. It was built in the 16th century, in place of the watchtowers that had been there since the middle Ages.
Bordeaux is the ninth largest city of France and is an excellent place to explore the history of France in a condensed manner, right from the museums to the streets, starting from the ruins of Palais Gallien, the Roman amphitheater to the modern exhibitions of CAPC.
Visitors to Bordeaux can enjoy exceptional sights while walking around the city including the general architecture and the facades from the 18th-century, which are found along the quayside. The city was added to UNESCO's list of World Heritage sites in 2007.
Aquitaine has more than 200 km of Atlantic coastline and within the northern half of this long coastline is located the Bay of Arcachon. The Bay creates an interior sea the size of nearly 1600 hectares. The shores of the sea are dotted with fishing ports and seaside resorts.
Just a short drive away stands another giant, the Dune du Pilat. It is made of sand and is the tallest dune in Europe standing at 104 m high. After reaching at the top using the stairs, you will be able to see a spectacular view of the Landes forest on one side and the bay and ocean on the other side.
Since 1861 the Château de Bonaguil has been classified as an historical monument. It is a fortified castle which was built in the thirteenth century and has been regularly improved up till the 18th-century. It is a well preserved Castle and is an excellent place to explore various military techniques that were used in the past
There is a wide variety of self catering holiday accommodation in Aquitaine ranging from apartments and villas on the coast to gites and cottages in the countryside.
