France's
western coast unites the indomitable
Atlantic with a peaceful wilderness
of pine forests and lush marshlands.
The regional climate, mild enough
to see blooms in February, enjoys
the highest number of sunshine
hours outside of Provence. Noted
for its Atlantic beaches, today
the coast and islands are a paradise
for family outdoor holidays with
many lively resorts offering surfing,
windsurfing and sailing. Exploring
the region won’t disappoint
with its medieval and Renaissance
ruins, Romanesque and Gothic churches,
vineyards, and charming inns serving
splendid regional cuisine.
The Atlantic region consists
of sandy beaches, framed by rocky
cliffs in the north, salty fishing
ports, and several offshore islands.
We start at the city of Nantes
because of its important links
to that ocean and the colonial
expeditions that set out from
here. Nantes is France’s
sixth largest city and an important
university town, with good museums,
parks and lots of places to eat
and drink. It was here that Henri
IV signed the Edict of Nantes.
Heading south along the coast
the Vendée stretches for
250 km of which 140 km are lovely
sandy beaches. A network of cycle-trails
in the Vendée was started
in 1995 and today stretches for
over 100 km. The cycle network
allows easy access to explore
all the hidden corners of the
nature sites along the coast
(dunes, woodlands and marshes),
in the bocage country and the
Poitevin Marshes. The whole region
is dissected by waterways and
teeming with wildlife and the
soft hills of the Vendée
look down on little farms and
vineyards. Châteaux, abbeys
and churches tell the stories
of the region’s historical
importance.
To the south of Vendée
lies Charente with its two departments,
Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Known for their production of
an increasingly wide range of
local wines and vine wines, white,
red and rosé, they also
produce wines intended for the
production of cognac and pineau
des Charentes. The Charentais
vineyard of 80,000 hectares is
the second largest french vineyard
after Bordeaux.
Once known as the French Geneva,
La Rochelle is a historic port
and ancient sailors' city which
grows in popularity in July when
the Festival International du
Film de La Rochelle begins each
summer. La Rochelle became the
principal port between France
and its colony of Canada. It
is the cultural and administrative
center of the Charente-Maritime
department. Tours leave from
the Vieux-Port of La Rochelle
to the lovely, preserved lle
de Ré. Ile de Ré has
69km (43 miles) of sandy beaches.
It is an island of nature preserves
with bike and hiking paths, and
there are plenty of cafés
and restaurants on the island.
Head south and inland for some
cognac in Cognac, as harvest
time begins around mid-October.
Not far away are the inland cities
of Poitiers and Angoulême.
Reach the old town of Angoulême
on a day visit by train from
Cognac, situated on a hilltop
between the Charente and Aguienne
rivers. This center of French
comic-strip production brings
you the favorite Tintin, Astérix,
and Lucky Luke. Poitiers, the
ancient capital of Poitou in
the northern part of Aquitaine,
is filled with history. Poitiers
was the chief city of Eleanor
of Aquitaine, who had her marriage
to pious Louis VII annulled so
she could wed England's Henry
II.
On the Garonne River, the port
of Bordeaux and the capital of
Aquitaine, is one of the world's
most important wine-producing
areas. The whole vineyard of
Bordeaux encompasses over more
than 100,000 hectares. Royan
sits on the Gironde estuary with
12 km of sandy beaches and a
splendid harbour. From Royan,
the Médoc area with its
prestigious appellations and
the Côtes de Blaye and
Côtes de Bourg appellations,
are within one hour’s drive.
A bit further away is Saint-Emilion,
a visit to its town and famous
vineyard is highly recommended.
Wine enthusiasts truly enjoy
this region not only for the
magnificent scenery.
Dordogne remains one of the
most popular regions in the Aquitaine
of France with its particularly
mild climate, beautiful rolling
countryside and endless areas
of interest. The Dordogne is
the former province of the Périgord
and is often referred to by this,
its historic name.
Oysters, mussels and other seafood
reign supreme on the Atlantic
Coast. Many regional dishes and
sauces are often prepared with
Pineau, Cognac or white wine.
Dairy produce and goats' cheeses
from Vendée, and melons
from Charente are always regional
favorites.
The Christmas Market in Bordeaux
includes 125 decorated country
cottages. The Bordeaux Wine Festival
is a popular event every July. |
