Aquitaine
Still relatively
undiscovered, this is
the land of truffles and
armagnac, sunflowers and
foie-gras, vast
uncrowded beaches,
mountain villages, warm,
generous people and
wine.
Bordeaux, the regional
capital lies on the left
bank of the River
Garonne, near the
Atlantic coast. It is a
lively university town
with a busy port and the
centre of the wine
trade. The city centre
has many handsome 18th
century buildings and
good shopping.
The vineyards, which
produce some of the
world's great wines,
begin close to the town
and stretch for many
miles. Other wines are
produced elsewhere,
Duras, Bergerac, Buzet
and Monbazillac in
particular and the
Madrian wines of the
south. Visits to the
cellars to taste are
welcomed.
The lower reaches of the
River Lot makes its way
through a large fertile
valley and joins with
the Garonne at
Aiguillon. It is now
possible to bring a boat
through the Canal du
Midi from the
Mediterranean or from
the Atlantic through
Bordeaux, as far as
Villeneuve-sur Lot.
Villeneuve-sur-Lot, is a
pleasant market town,
which lies in the midst
of a bustling market
garden and fruit growing
area in the heart of the
Lot-et-Garonne. The
countryside beyond the
valley is rich green
farmland with gentle
wooded hills, orchards
of plum and apple,
fields of sunflowers and
strawberries and valleys
dotted with cypress
reminiscent of Tuscany.
The Landes is a flat,
forested area stretching
along the coast from
below the Bordeaux
vineyards to Bayonne
with fine beaches backed
by high dunes and a
number of resorts.
Lakes, small villages
and patches of grassland
with clusters of half
timbered houses, in the
interior.
Dax is a pleasant spa
town with a small casino
and smart teashops.
Villeneuve-de-Marsan is
an important centre for
the production of
armagnac and has two
excellent Michelin
restaurants.
Bayonne is a quiet
cathedral city with
mediaeval streets and
riverside boulevards. It
lies on the far south
coast and is where
Gascony and the
Pays-Basque meet.
Lourdes is celebrated as
the holy shrine of St.
Bernadette and the
grotto is visited by
many thousands of
pilgrims each year. The
town is situated within
sight of the Pyrénées
and has many good cafes,
restaurants and enticing
food shops as well as
endless souvenir shops
selling religious
bric-a-brac.
Just south of the town
is the Lavedan, a series
of seven valleys whose
people are famous for
their fiery
independence. These take
you into the mountains
through villages and
hamlets, steep pastures,
gorges, waterfalls and
outstanding scenery.
Food
The full, rich flavours
of goose and duck form
the basis of most
traditional dishes.
Butter is considered a
poor substitute for
goose fat here and its
use gives each dish a
distinctive character. A
simple fried egg or
spicy sausages, a steak
or a roast of beef,
garbure, a thick cabbage
and bean soup, or a duck
stew, all begin with a
generous knob of goose
fat, followed by onions,
tomatoes, brick red
peppers and farm cured
ham. Every part of the
duck or goose is used.
Foie gras, duck liver
made into a patè,
preserved with black
truffles, or eaten
fresh, lightly fried
with toast. Juicy slices
of peppered duck breast
in a creamy armagnac
sauce, or honey glazed
and smoked, and eaten
with a green salad.
Rillettes, potted pork,
goose or rabbit meat
with country bread, or a
plate of Bayonne ham and
sweet butter. You can
still buy these things
at small country markets
or directly from the
farms which produce
them. Autumn is a good
time for mushrooms of
all kinds, cèpes in
particular. Further
south, the dishes of the
Basque country have
affinities with Spain
and Provence. Ttoro, an
oniony fish stew, a
seafood paella, or ice
cold oysters accompanied
with little hot spicy
sausages. Good fish and
shellfish along the
coast.
Many Pyrénéean mountain
cheeses and a very good
soft, creamy goats
cheese from the Lot.
Excellent pastries and
fruit tarts. Bayonne
chocolates.
The great armagnac
brandies are produced
around Eauze and Condom,
and are distilled and
aged in much the same
way as they have been
for centuries, although
there are numerous small
producers throughout the
south of the region who
welcome visits. Floc is
delicious a brandy based
wine, usually taken as
an aperitif.
Activities
Good sailing, swimming
and surfing along the
coast. Freshwater
fishing in the lakes and
rivers. Serious walkers
can follow the old
pilgrim route of
Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle
from Quercy to Santiago
de Compostella, which
takes you through
Aquitaine. Excellent
cycling country. Many
good country golf
courses which are easily
accessible and
inexpensive. Numerous
markets in towns and
villages on different
days of the week and
small country
bric-a-brac and country
furniture markets.
Serious antiques fairs
several times a year in
Bordeaux and Agen. Jazz
concerts, dance and
theatre throughout the
region. In the south,
home of Ravel's Bolero,
you can see the Courses
Landaise, a colourful
and exciting sport
accompanied by bands and
parades. Wild cows,
reared and followed like
racehorses, are pitted
against a brave
opponent, the object
being to display the
skill of the opponent
and not to kill the
animal. Trekking and
hiking through the
Pyrénées in the summer
and rock climbing for
the experienced. Skiing
in the winter.
Climate
A cross between Atlantic
maritime and
Mediterranean. Early
springs, long hot
summers and mild
winters. Short sharp
thunderstorms in the
summer. Soft drizzly
rain in the winter. Good
snow cover and colder in
the higher Pyrénées.
